that this Text may be applyed vnto Christians for euen of them also more then a good many arâ—â— â—nted with this Ignorance with this Arrogance they maime the truth in contenting themselues with outward Characters little caring for the inward which principally make a Christian and how many doe enter their names into Gods Book in Heauen before euer they looke whether they haue a counterpart thereof written by the finger of the Holy Ghost in their soules And what wonder if this Ignorance breed Arrogancie and they that think better of themselues then they should think worse then they should of others But let vs take care to be sure of our Resemblance before wee crake of our alliance let vs find in our selues Faith and Charitie Abrahams vertues and then hope well that wee are Abrahams children let vs so hope well of our selues that we despaire not of others Gods hands are not tyed his power hath no bounds they that seeme to be of least hope may proue more worthy then our selues But whether we looke vpon our selues or others if we find that of stones we are become the children of Abraham let vs magnisie God according to his mercie which we shall the better doe if wee call to mind what we were and what we are how senslesse we were how litle feeling we had of Gods either words or workes how brutishly wee adored the basest of the creatures Neither were wee only so senslesse but we were most worthlesse also poore soules indeed spirituall Lazars not worth the looking after but with contempt And as we had litle so it was litle wee could doe wee could doe no good either in glorifying God or edifying the Church or increasing our owne comfort wee were as barren to these things as very stones But see now these stones doe liue our hearts are sensible of the influence of Heauen and wee adore only him that liueth for euer hee with a liberall hand hath inriched vs and wee with a cheerefull heart fructifie vnto him wee cannot turne our eyes vpon our selues but wee behold his mercies and wee present before his sacred eyes our most humble duties Thus should we magnifie our God that hath done so great things for vs for vs I say that are the Ofspring of them that were sometimes very stones I end with Saint Bernards Caution Bernard de Scâ—la claust pag. 1253. God indeed can raise of stones children vnto Abraham as sometimes he did Saint Paul yet must we not tempt God and neglecting what is to be done on our part presume that Gods hand will worke all wee must reade the Scripture meditate therein Seeke knocke pray and then we shall find grace the windowes of Heauen will bee opened vnto vs and the hand of God will new mould vs he will mollifie whatsoeuer is stonie in vs and supply whatsoeuer worth we lacke what God can doe that he will doe if we be in any part stones hee will make vs euen in that part also Children of Abraham and if Children then Heires Heires annexed with Iesus Christ. GOd by his grace make vs all Abrahams Sonnes and giue vs all grace to walks Abrahams steps that wee may all finally meete in Abrahams besome Amen The fifth Sermon LVKE 3. VERSE 9. And now also is the Axe laide vnto the roote of the trees euerie tree therefore which bringeth not foorth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fire SAint Iohn Baptist preaching to the vnbeleeuing Iewes shewed them that they were sicke both at head and heart and therefore applied fit remedies to either part Hauing before in your hearing ended the first remedy that is applied to the Heart I began the last time I spake out of this place to intreat of the second remedy which is applied vnto their head Their head was sicke of Ignorance and Arrogancie both double I haue spoken of their Ignorance and the first branch of their Arrogancie their appropriating Abrahams family vnto themselues there remaineth yet one branch of the Text that which checketh their second pride their conumpt of God They did contemne God in that they set light by the Iudgements that were denounced from him marke their ground they thought they had such interest in Abraham that for his sake God would spare them and his wrath should neuer seize on them But they heare from the Baptist that they are not so in the Couenant but they may be blotted out and if they haue not some worth of their owne besides that of their Parent they must looke for an imminent totall finall eradication for Now is the Axe laide to the roote of the trees c. These words are a Parable and therefore they haue a Morall For a Parable is a Comparison of things spirituall vnto corporall wherein the things corporall and spirituall doe mutually giue light each vnto other the spirituall doe guide vs in the setting bounds vnto the corporall and the corporall doe helpe vs to vnderstand the secrets of the spirituall seeing then the spirituall is the key that must vnlocke the corporall sense we can say little to the corporall vntill we haue found out the spirituall But where shall we find it It is not here wee must looke it else where We haue it for a good part in Saint Iohn cap. 15. where Christ speaketh thus I am a Vine you are branches my father is an Husbandman Cap. â— euerie branch in me that beareth not fruit is taken away and cast into the fire Esay is more full and expresse to my Text The vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel and Iuda is his pleasant plant hee looked for iudgement and behold oppression for righteousnesse and behold a crie therefore hath the Lord of Hâ—sts reuealed this in mine eare many houses shall be desolate faire â—nd goodly houses left without inhabitants yea hell hath enlarged it selfe the mouth thereof is opened without measure their glorie their multitude their pompe euerie one that reioyceth shall descend into it According to this MoÌ„rall if we breake vp the Parable wee must obserue the Persons therein contained and the Iudgement that is denounced the persons are two God compared to a husbandman surueying his Orchard the Iewes compared vnto Trees of the Orchard Trees planted therein to beare good fruites Of the Iudgement we haue here the Cause and the Parts The cause is the Iewes not liuing sutably to their incorporation which is represented by a Tree not bearing good fruites The parts are two first the Iewes are depriued of that blessed estate wherein they stood the Axe is put to the roote and by the roote they are cut vp so the Parable doth resemble it Secondly they are exposed to the miserie which they deserued they are cast into the fire A fruitlesse tree burning in the fire is the Embleme of a sinner tormented in hell If you lay these two parts together they are a totall a finall desolation for kill the roote kill the whole
contented with so much as he doth reueale but we should spend all our time and paines in obedience and conforming our selues to Gods Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hâ—mil de Sement tom 1 Ioâ—l 2.23 Esay 61. Reuel 21 Gal. 5. Rom 6. Therefore doth Gods Law and a showre of raine come in Hebrew both from one root to signifie that wee should drinke it in as fruit trees doe raine to be the better for it In Ioâ—l it is plainly called the raine of righteousnesse and of raine Athanasius his obseruation is good though the substance of it be but one yet doth it yeild sustenance for diuers fruits Sure I am that the Scripture calleth vs Trees of Life Trees of Righteousnesse and we should bring forth fruits of the Spirit which is called the fruit of Sanctification haue a man neuer so much knowledge if hee goe no farther then knowledge hee can deserue no better a name then the Deuill hath who from his knowledge is called Daemon Nâ—mdicit Qui non seâ—it sed nonâ—â—cieâ—â— fructâ—m â—â—omâ—er enim oportet ferre 〈…〉 Nam cetheri â—â—serâ—cors fueris 〈◊〉 rapinâ—s sis dâ—dities â—on cris bonus but the Scripture denominateth a good man from his vertue Chasidh But there remayneth one note more which Theophylact maketh vpon this description Hee saith not euery tree which hath not borne but euery tree which is not bearing for wee must alwayes bee bearing fruit though the other day thou wert mercifull if to day thou be an extortioner thou shalt not goe for a good tree And God himselfe doth iustifie this doctrine telling vs that all the righteousnesse of an vnconstant good man shall be forgotten Those that be planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God 〈…〉 they shall still bring forth fruit in their old age they shall be sat and well liking The Tree described Psal 1. and Reuel 21. confirme this truth To shut vp this description of a member of the Church out of it we must learne these few Lessons First God expecteth to behold in vs rather our workes then his owne what we yeild then what wee receiue and our care must be rather to doe our duties then boast of our gifts seeing for those not these we are called to an account Secondly we must beare fruit according to our kind Men doe not gather Grapes of thornes nor figges of thistles it is vnnaturall for Vines to beare hawes or Figge-trees burres wee betray our selues rather to bee in then of the Church if we beare such fruit and though wee cannot bee challenged for being idle yet shall wee be for being ill imployed If to beare fruit were enough the case of the wicked would bee better then that of the godly for as wild trees commonly beare greater burthens then the grafted or planted you know Aesops reason for it so doe the wicked commonly abound in workes more then the good But God considereth not How many but How good yea the more of euill workes the worse so that when we come to cast vp our account wee must consider not so much the number as the qualitie of them remembring to write vpon the euill vanity of vanities all is but vanity and vexation of spirit for what fruite is there in those things whereof we shall be then ashamed wee must desire to beare that fruit which may abound to our accompt Philip. 4. And so haue I deliuered vnto you so much of my Text as concerneth the persons speaking of them so farre as I haue beene occasioned by their resemblances I come now to the Iudgement whereof wee must consider first the Cause where we shall see that God obserueth his owne Law and cutteth vp no tree in this siege that his vengeance layeth to his Church but such as are no fruit trees It is a clause in the couenant Deut. 2â— that as God maketh vs fruit trees so we should beare good fruits if we faile he is no longer tied to continue vs trees or performe vnto vs the blessing Sanction of his Law Deut. 28. his Iustice requireth that hee make good the second sanction which curseth sinners and come to eradication But to open this cause a little fuller wee must obserue that Gods dealing with men though it bee acted by his Power yet it is ordered by his Iustice neither doth he vse his power vntill he haue examined our deserts this is vndoubtedly true in plagues though not in blessings In blessing he preuenteth vs but he neuer striketh vntill he bee pronoked therefore the Scripture seldome mentioneth any iudgement of God but it prefaceth it with some cause thereof first giuen by man you may reade it in the doome of Adam the old World Sodome Gen. 3.6 1â— Chron. 2. and Israel In this place the not bearing of good fruit is expressed as the cause of the iudgement which followeth the not bearing I say of good fruit For whereas the Commandements of God are Affirmatiue or Negatiue The Affirmatiue are those for which our faculties were giuen vs the performing of the Negatiue are but with standings of such impediments as hinder vs therein Adde hereunto that the Affirmatiue is the measure of the Negatiue so that wee know not how farre we must withstand but by knowing how much we are bound to doe moreouer the Deuill that hee might haue vs at leasure to doe what wee should not maketh vs neglect to doe what we should Because then we should striue to the heighth of vertue for homo est animal officiosum man is made for vertuous action and his commendations is well doing and doing ill is but a necessarie consequent of not doing well as appeareth by the Parable of the vncleane spirit it is impossible for a man to be idle it would imply a contradiction to the definition of the soule therefore the transgression of the Affirmatiue Commandements are here called in question they are alleadged for the cause of Iudgement Si sterilitas in ignâ—m mittitur rapacitas quid meretur Fulgent Serm. de dispen Duplex fructus bonus Gratiae Poenitentiae Aust de Contritione cordis And if Omâ—ssions be so punished what is due to Commissions It is Fulgentius his collection If barrennesse burne in hell what shall wickednesse seele the deeper men goe in sinnes the greater is the account they haue to giue But lest men should not well conceiue this cause wee must learne of Saint Augustine that there is a double good fruit of Grace and of Repentance we should indeed principally take heed of Omissions and bee filled with the fruits of righteousnesse but if insteed of those good fruits we fall into sinnes of commission there is a second good worke wherewith we must relieue ourselues a worke of repentance in the defect of the first this second must succeed Though God might by the Law punish vs for want of the first yet from the Gospel wee haue this comfort that he
will not punish if we doe the second And indeed this being a Sermon of the Gospel supposeth vs to want the first good fruit and challengeth vs that we doe not supply the second The world is very busie in seeking out the cause why so many run heâ—dlong into Hell I doubt not but they which with sobrietie enter the Sanctuarie of God may discerne a higher ground of Gods Iudgements But let no wicked man deceiue himselfe if hee will take the paines but to studie himselfe he shall find that himselfe is the cause of his owne ruine wittingly and willingly refusing to beare that good fruit that should grow vpon such a tree as he is vouchsafed to be barren not only according to the Law but also to the Gospel and then what remaineth but if the cause bee found in him the Iudgement one day light on him And so from the Cause I come to the Iudgement whereof I told you there are two parts As our sinnes are compounded of Omissions and Commissions so is our Iudgement either priuatiue or positiue there is some good which we should doe but we doe not and therefore there is some good which we might haue whereof we misse there is some euill we should not doe but we doe it and therefore there is some euill which we might scape and yet we shall feele it the Omission goeth before the Commission in sinne so doth the priuatiue before the positiue part in Iudgement I begin therefore with the priuatiue figured by the laying of the axe vnto the root and cutting vp of the tree What is the axe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian Tom. 1. pag. 633. saith Nazianzene hee answereth that which cutteth off an vncurable person though God hath done what was fit for his recouerte which you may expound by that of the Poet Cuncta prius tentanda sed immedicabile vnlnus Ense recidendum est When milder Physicke will doe no good we must come to searing and cutting off a rotten member After Gods complaint What could I haue done for my Vine which I haue not done the next newes we heare is the desolution of the Vine and the instrument of desolation is the Axe By the Axe some vnderstand Gods owne hand some the Armie of the Romans both say true for both did concurre Gods hand intelligibly and the Romans sensibly but if we parallel this place with that in Esay Chap. 14. it seemeth more proper to vnderstand the Romans here For the Axe is an instrument and the instrument is distinct from the efficient But howsoeuer the word giueth vs to vnderstand that God wanteth not meanes to execute his vengeance the Scripture obserueth varietie of them sometimes his Bow and Arrowes sometimes his Sword sometimes his Hammer but here his Axe as best fitting an Husbandman that hath to doe with barren trees the axe is laid to the root of such trees What is meant by the root there is some question To passe by the tropologicall interpretations of the word the literall is vnderstood by some to note Abraham by other some Christ And indeed Abraham is immediatly meant as you may gather out of Saint Paul Rom. 1â— If the root bee holy c. and hee is tearmed The Father of the faithfull but mediately Christ is meant who is the root of that root and therefore doth he make all the faithfull branches of himselfe who is their Vine But wherefore is the Axe layed to this root to cut it vp The Axe hath two vses the one to prune the other to cut vp if a tree beare not so much fruit as it should then it is enough to prune away the rotten the watrie branches but if it beare none then cut it vp for the tree that doth no good will doe a great deale of hurt it maketh the ground barren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 13.7 not only by taking vp the roome of a fruitfull tree but by hurting aboue ground and hurting vnder ground it keepeth off the comfortable Sunne from better plants that is the mischiefe that commeth from the barren trees boughes besides which there is another mischiefe that commeth from his roots for they sucke away the iuice that should feed better trees therefore must the Axe be put to them not only to the branch but also to the root Behold the Image of Gods lesser his greater Iudgments if our deuotion be cold God correcteth vs by restrayning our luxuriant affections and cutting off our wastfull lusts hee pincheth vs in things temporall that wee may haue the more appetite to things eternall but if our deuotion be none at all he will no longer indure vs to be the bane of others But wee must not mistake it is not meant that the root shall bee cut vp but the Tree shall bee cut from the root the fruitlesse branches should bee cut off from the cognation which they haue with Abraham Rami iudigni excidentur à cognatione Abrahae Theoph. Iohn 15. Abraham shall continue a root still you heard that proued in my last Sermon much more shall Christ continue a root without whom no tree can bee But the wicked shall take no root in them they shall not be partakers of these roots either sweetnesse or fatnesse they were trees planted in Gods Orchard the choicest of grounds the best manured on which the Husbandman bestoweth his greatest care but they are not suffered to abide there any longer To speake it plainly see what they were and iudge thereby what it is to bee cut off Rom 3.9 Ephes 3. Heb. 12. it is to be depriued of God our Father Christ our Sauiour the Holy Ghost our Comforter the protection of Angels the Communion of Saints the inheritance of heauen a wofull case to indure such losse And yet this is the losse which they endure which haue beene members of the Church and are cut off Infidels as well as Christians are shut out of Heauen yet they that had meanes shall bee more afflicted with the losse then they which neuer had meanes shall bee afflicted with the want of Heauen for Miserum est fuisse foelicem it is a double woe to haue beene happie Hee that is borne poore is not so sensible of pouertie as he that of rich is become poore neither is he so sensible of sicknesse that was neuer well as hee that hath long enioyed his health want is not so bitter as losse This we must consider as the chiefest part of the trees punishment which beareth not good fruit It is the chiefest but not the only part one mischiefe commeth not alone there is another part which is more feared before hand though when wee are in it it is lesse felt and yet the sense thereof must needs be very painfull the word importeth as much the word is fire The curious wits of the Schoolemen misled by their bad Geographie Deigne inferni ca usmodi fit vel in qua mundi vel terrae plaga suturuâ—
Adoption he was not carelesse of a holy life of the common Endowment not the grace of Edification the proper Endowment hee was no vnprofitable seruant neyther stood he in the market place idle when hee should labour in his Lords Vineyard Secondly vnto his vse of these gifts there concurred more workers than one Hee tels vs Who they were and What was eyther of their preheminence They were two Himselfe I laboured and Gods grace that laboured also with him Either of these workers had their preheminence St. Paul had He laboured more than all and that in either grace He striued to exceed all in holinesse of Life and in the painefulnesse of his Ministrie As St. Paul had a preheminence in working so had grace also it had a preheminence aboue St. Paules preheminence yea St. Paul doth confesse that hee doth owe all his preheminence in working to the preheminent working of Gods grace I laboured more than all yet not I but Gods grace that was in me When we haue thus considered the particular branches we shall point at two good obseruations that arise out of the whole bodie of the text they are St. Paules Sinceritie and his Modestie Sinceritie in giuing God his due glorie he ascribeth vnto God the originall the gifts the vse of whatsoeuer was good in him or was done well by him And there can be no greater Modestie vsed by a man in speaking of himselfe than St. Paul expressed here in his extenuating and correcting speeches He was a member of Christ a Minister of the Church he mentioneth neither he contenteth himselfe with this commendations I am that I am And for his vse of Gods gifts hee attributeth no more vnto himselfe than that which was next vnto nothing Gods grace bestowed on me was not in vaine so he extenuateth his worth And because hee was to say something more of himselfe to stoppe the mouthes of his maligners I laboured more than all he presently correcteth himselfe as if he had ouer-reached hee drownes all the conceit of his owne eminencie in the contemplation of the much greater preheminence of the grace of God I haue opened the contents of this Scripture which God willing I shall now farther vnfold and haue an eye in vnfolding of them vnto this present occasion And because they will concerne both Pastors and People I shall desire both to follow me with their religious attention First then wee are to see whence the Alteration of St. Paul did spring I might in a generalitie tell you it sprang from Heauen so we find in the Acts of the Apostles De grat 〈◊〉 arbitr cap. 5. and St. Austine hath obserued it And indeede it is no fruit that springeth from the earth the earth may make men of better become worse by reason of mans mutabilitie and the kingdome of darknesse but if of worse men become better the cause thereof must bee sought in heauen Especially if as St. Paul of wolues they become sheep of blasphemers beleeuers of persecuters preachers of the Faith But I told you this heauenly cause is powerfull and mercifull powerfull God is the Cause And the cause cannot be lesse than God for the Alteration is a Creation so it is called by St. Paul 2 Cor. 5. Euery one that is in Christ is a new Creature Now Creation as wee reade in the entrance of our Creede is a worke of an Almighty power And indeed it must bee so for it produceth things either ex non ente simpliciter out of nothing at all or else ex ente non disposito out of that which in nature hath no possibilitie to become that which it is made yea St. Paul meaning to shadow our new Creation by the old chooseth the branch wherein the subiect was so farre from being disposed that it was directly opposite to that which it was made God which commanded light to shine out of darkenesse is he which hath shined into our hearts to giue vs the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. St. Paul Rom. 11. vseth another similitude of graffing a branch of the wilde Oliue into the true but contrary to nature For nature aduiseth to set sweet graffs into sowre stocks and though it be naturall for the stocke to be vehiculum alimenti to conuey the nourishment to the graffe yet naturally virtus temperamenti the qualitie of the iuice is from the graffe not from the stocke But in our supernaturall graffing it is farre otherwise the branch of a wilde Oliue is made partaker not only of the roote but of the fatnesse also of the true Oliue Being then a worke so contrary to nature it must needs be a work of the God of nature And indeed we learne in St. Iohn cap. 1. that the Sonnes of God are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Hee of his owne will begetteth vs by the word of truth that we should be the first fruits of his Creatures Iames 1. As the Cause is most powerfull so is it also most mercifull for the Attribute that preuaileth with God in this worke is grace All good gifts before the fall vouchsafed Angels and men proceeded from his goodnes but after the fall his fauours are ascribed to his mercie which mercie the Scripture vsually vnderstandeth in the name of grace for mercie is nothing else but sauing grace Now grace then importeth free loue Tit. 2. for it excludeth all merit for Quis prior dedit Who euer preuented God in well doing that God should make him amends Grace giueth not merenti to one that deserueth rather it giueth immerenti to an vnworthy person to man polluted with his owne blood grace saith Thou shalt line Ezek. 16. Yea dat contraria merenti grace is indulgent euen before a man is penitent God setteth forth his loue in that when we were enemies Christ dyed for vs Rom. 5. And such was the grace that altered St. Paul as St. Austin obserues vt tam magna efficacissima vocatione conuerteretur Paulus gratia Dei erat sola quia eius merita erant magna sed mala St. Paul doth very iustly ascribe the change that was made in him to this powerfull and this mercifull Cause And seeing we are all by nature children of wrath we must all ascribe our Regeneration to the same Cause Tit. 3. It is worse deceipt than that of Alchemie for a creature to assume vnto himselfe the transforming of a sinner God only can change as earthly mettals so earthly men of vessels of dishonour make vessels of honour of vessels of wood make vessels of gold and of vessels of wrath make vessels of mercie Who is found of them that seek him not and manifested to them that enquire not after him Esay 65. This destroyes the errour of the Pelagians And let them that are receiued into grace remember to whom they are indebted for it it will make
inlargeth their worke vpon that obiect to the vtter most he excepts no sin but would haue them all pluckt vp by the rootes Hide thy face from my sinnes blot out all mine iniquities This is King Dauids suite a hard suite you may oubt whether it can be granted you may doubt whether such indulgence may stand with the Diuine Prouidence how he that seeth all can hide his face from any thing and how he can blot out any thing that keepeth a record of all I must therefore in the last place shew you the possibilitie which King Dauid hath of obtayning his desire shew you that such Indulgence doth not preiudice Gods Prouidence and Gods Prouidence not hinder such Indulgence You haue the particulars which are contained in this Text which I will now farther vnfold I pray God it may be to our edification But before I enter vpon the particulars I must giue some light vnto the phrases which are darke because figuratiue and may mis-guide if they bee taken as they sound Whereas then here is mention made of a Face wee may not conceiue that God hath a body made of flesh and bloud they were long since condemned for hereticks that did so grossely mistake the Scripture God in such phrases by a resemblance informeth vs as far as we are capable of his incomparable Essence Consider then the vse of our face it is the instrument of knowledge therein are the senses placed of seeing hearing smelling c. but yet though they appeare there we must not impute the sense vnto the body but vnto the soule that quickens the body Philosophie teacheth that Anima est quae videt quae audit c. and there is sensible proofe of it when the soule is departed from the body though there be an eye left and an eare yet there is neither seeing nor hearing whereupon it followeth that the vertue of seeing and hearing is in the soule these are the faculties of a spirit so that God may haue them though hee haue properly no face hee may haue that which is signified by the face the power of discerning things A second vse that is made of the face is that it serueth for a looking-glasse wherein to behold our affections this vse followeth vpon the former for that which wee apprehend outwardly by our senses doth inwardly content or discontent the euidence of either you may reade in our countenance if it content we looke vpon it cheerefully and turne from it wrathfully if it discontent hereupon it commeth to passe that the face is vsed to note sometimes Gods fauour and sometimes his anger according as that which is presented before him doth please or else displease Out of both these vses of the face applyed vnto God we must learne that there is no perfection in man which is not in God that beflowed it vpon man but wee must conceiue it in God as it beseemeth God according to the vncompoundednesse and infinitenesse of his nature The second phrase of blotting out which presupposeth a Booke wherein things are written is also a phrase borrowed from men whose brittle memory maketh them haue recourse to such helpes least otherwise many of their affaires should either be forgotten by them or denyed by others the Booke supplies both these defects and what is entred there serueth our owne memory and resolueth the doubts of others we haue proofe hereof in our Oeconomicks no good husband which taketh not this course at home and in the Politicks there is no well aduised State that is without a Register and maketh not vse of Annals and Iournals To apply this God is Master of his house the Church the world is his Kingdome wherein hee reignes wee may happily thinke that though hee seeth all yet he may forget much to refute so vaine a dreame the Scripture doth remember his Booke not meaning that his memory wanteth a helpe but that it is as firme as ours is with such a helpe yea much more firme for our helpes are as much subiect to casualty as our selues are but Gods booke is nothing but himselfe and himselfe is no more lasting then is his record we must therfore sublime our thoughts when wee thinke of Gods Booke and fancy nothing which is not Diuine But I leaue the phrase and come to the matter I told you that Gods prouidence intimated by these two phrases consisteth of these two acts the first is Omnia nouit hee hath an vbiquitary Eye all things as Saint Paul speaketh are naked before his eyes Elihu in Iob Heb. 4.13 Iob. 34.21.22 his eyes are vpon the wayes of man and hee seeeth all his goings there is no darkenesse nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselues Psal 139. King Dauid hath made a whole Psalme wherein hee sheweth how vaine a thing it is for a man to seeke a hiding place from God Ecclus. 23.19 The sonne of Syrach in few words The eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter then the Sun beholding all the wayes of men and considering the most secret parts he knew all things ere euer they were created and when they were created hee looked vpon them Cap. 30.1 therefore doth God in Esay cry out against them that take counsell but not of him and that couer with a couering but not of his spirit and it is not without cause obserued as a great folly in our first father Adam that hee thought a thicket of trees would hide him from God The same discase is inherited by his posterity wee may gather it out of the phrase â—om 1â— 12 〈◊〉 3. â—0 Iob. 24.15 16. wherein the holy Ghost describes sinnes calling them workes of darkenesse because as Christ telleth vs Qui male agit odit lucem adulterers and theiues choose darkenesse when they will fulfill their lusts and they that are drunken saith the Apostle are drunken in the night but silly wretches while they thinke no eye seeth them the eyes of God are vpon them 〈◊〉 23.19 Psal 39.12 and hee is priuy to their most inward thoughts for night is to him as the day and darkenesse is as the cleare light This is the first worke of Prouidence Omnia nouit hee knoweth all things The second is Omnia notat he maketh a record of all things that is implied in the Book Psal 139.16 Dan. 7.10 〈◊〉 20 12. 〈◊〉 20.12 cap. 3.5 Often mention is made therof in the Psalms in Daniel in Ezekiel in the Reuelation and the Platonists Mundus intelligibilis and Idaeaes seeme to import the very same but that which I principally obserue is that God doth not see things as if they did not concerne him but as Salomon speaketh his eye-lids try the sonnes of men and hee pondereth all their pathes yea hee doth make a record of them whether they bee good or bad Vers 16. Of the good you haue an excellent place Malach. Chap. 3. when the Atheist had blasphemed then they
true Oliue is the Iew and if the Gentile partake of the fatnesse thereof he must be grafted thereinto and become a Branch of that Oliue To the Ephesians more plainly more fully he maketh the receiuing of the Gentiles into the Church to bee an admission into the Couenant into the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes 3. a becomming one body with them But as the Gentile becommeth a Iew so is it not a Iew according to the flesh but according to the spirit A Sonne of Abraham he is but a spirituall Sonne the partition wall is taken downe yea the Arke it selfe is remoued Ieremy 3. and the Ceremonies which cloath the Religion of the Iewes cease they are not imposed vpon the Gentiles Yea the Iew himselfe becommeth a Gentile the Iew I say becommeth a Gentile carnally as the Gentile becommeth a Iew spiritually Of the ten Tribes it is most cleare that after their Captiuity they neuer returned and there is no such Nation to be heard of in the world they are mingled with other Nations and become Gentiles according to the flesh And as for the other two Tribes that made vp the Kingdome of Iuda many thousands of them were conuerted to the Christian Faith in the daies of the Apostles and yet there is not extant any Nationall Church of them neither was there long extant any they also are become Gentiles according to the flesh And God that buried the bodie of Moses so that it could not be found lest the Iewes should commit Idolatry with that body whereby God had wrought so great Miracles seemes also to haue as it were buried so many Iewes as became Christians by mingling them with the Gentiles lest that superstition which hath besotted the Gentiles to goe a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land should haue wrought more strongly in making them dote vpon that holy people But God hath turned all the world into a Canaan hath of all Nations compounded the Israel of God Of a truth saith St. Peter I see there is no respect of Persons with God but in euery Nation whosoeuer beleeueth and feareth God is accepted of him There is neyther Iew nor Gentile Graecian nor Barbarian bond nor free but all are one in Christ all are contained vnder this name Vs. In the Prophet vpon this ground Israel seemes to note the Gentiles Ezek. 37. when both Iuda and Israel are remembred to bee conuerted to God and the whole house of Iacob You see of what Nation the People is now see of what Condition Borne to Vs giuen to Vs. And who are we for whom God hath done this Gifts are bestowed vpon Persons eyther for their worth or for their need For their worth and so they are Munera honoraria they are presented in dutifull acknowledgement of their worth whether it be worth of vertue or worth of degree For their need and so they are Munera eleemosynaria conferred out of a pitifull compassion of others wants This gift is not of the first kinde it cannot be Honorarium There was no worth in vs which God should honour with this gift bestowed vpon vs. Our degree was of no regard our vertue of much Iesse the former was none in comparison and the later was none at all It must then be Munus eleemosynarium and indeed so it was the Scripture so speaketh of it Through the tender mercy of our God the day-spring from on high hath visited vs so saith Zacharie And St. Paul Tit. 3. After the kindnesse and loue of our Sauiour towards man appeared not by workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but of his mercy he saued vs. And indeed it was a worke of great mercy For whereas there is but duplex malum malum Poenae and malum Culpae a double euill of Sinne and Woe we were plunged deepe in both deep in Sin deepe in Woe To pity him that is deep in woe is not strange it seemeth to be the proper act of Mercy but pity towards Malefactors the Philosophers acknowledge none No man say they pitieth a Thiefe when he goeth to the Gallowes or a Murderer feeling the stroke of Iustice how much lesse would they pity them if the sinne were against themselues and that committed by a Vassall against his Lord a Vassall that had receiued much fauour against his Lord from whom he receiued it In such a case they acknowledge no pity Yet this is our case and we haue found pity so great pity that Christ was borne for Vs and Christ was giuen vnto Vs. So that of this pity as well Causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely the Cause but the Occasion must be found in God It is cleare that the proper Cause is the goodnesse of God and it is as cleare that the occasion also must bee fetched from him Were there onely malum Poenae in vs there might bee found in vs an Occasion of Mercie but seeing there is also malum Culpae there cannot but bee an Occasion of Iustice Our double Euill worketh a double Occasion and so maketh Mercie and Iustice as it were to striue in God And indeed both take their occasions Natus satisfied Iustice for a Person came forth that was able to giue full satisfaction vnto Iustice but Datus satisfied Mercy because this Person was freely bestowed vpon Vs. So that if we put Borne for Vs and Giuen to Vs together we see the sweet Harmony that is in the Quire of Gods Attributes None singeth alone they concent together yet so that some one doth most loudly speak the praise of God and in our case Mercy reioyceth ouer Iudgement For though our sinnes haue occasioned Iustice and therefore Christ was borne for Vs that he might satisfie that iustice that was too heauie for vs yet our Woe occasioned Mercy which gaue Christ vnto Vs that in our own Person we might enioy the Blessings of God We are borne for our selues that we may liue and haue all the comfort of our life present to come blessings which we wanted and by which when we receiue them our state is the better It is not so with Christ he was borne for others not for himselfe and giuen to others not to himselfe for what wanted he whereof he needed a supply Hee was in the forme of God and what good is there that is not in the Nature of God which is the ouerflowing Fountaine of all good Looke vpon the State of Christ this Point will appeare clearly No man will doubt but his Birth was for the good of others that considereth that his glory is not his owne but ours He sitteth indeed at the right hand of God and is lifted vp aboue all Angels and Arch-angels and euery Name that is named in Heauen and Earth in this World and that which is to come but what gaineth he by it who was from eternity most high in the glory of his Father Christ himselfe affirmeth it Iohn 17. Glorifie mee O Father with that glory
they be Natiue and not Electiue they must needs haue a most free absolute Power And such Christs is Natus Rex it is the expresse letter of my Text And the Wisemen that came to present him Matth. 2. asked for him that was borne King of the Iewes Nay Christ himselfe when Pilate asked him whether he were a King replyed for this cause was I borne And Pilate set vp this stile ouer his Crosse Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes which he would not alter though he were much importuned by the Scribes and Pharisees The places of the Prophets are very cleare Esay 32. Ier. 23. but specially Dan. 7. all of them beare witnesse to the Kingdome of Christ So that wee must acknowledge in Christ a Kingly power such a Power as none must dare to dispute the verity of his Word as curious and scoffing Atheists and Epicures doe or resist his Authority as proud Pharaohs and Senacheribs Christ can brooke neyther But as Christ is called a King so here is an addition vnto his Title his Throne and Kingdome are termed the Throne and Kingdome of Dauid And indeed Christs Pedegree is by St. Matthew and St. Luke fetched from King Dauid Himselfe calleth himselfe in the Reuelation The roote and generation of Dauid The Apostle telleth vs that be was of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh And how often in the Gospell is he called The Sonne of Dauid In the Prophets euen Dauid himselfe sometimes and sometimes The branch of Dauid Finally the Angell in the first of Luke telleth the Virgin Mary That Christ shall sit vpon the Throne of his Father Dauid But how can that bee seeing that which Dauid had Christ had not and what Dauid had not Christ had Christ had not the Temporall state of Dauid that was fallen into the hands of Herod the great and the Spirituall state of Christ Dauid had not His Kingdome was Temporall How then could Christ be said to sit vpon his Kingdome Although it were granted that by succession Christ was the right heire to the Crowne of Israel yet seeing the Scepter was departed and the Law-giuer gone the Tabernacle of Dauid was downe we cannot finde a Truth of these words we cannot if wee vnderstand them literally but if mystically wee may And St. Pauls rule is our guide All things yea and persons too if they were eminent came to the Israelites in Types 1 Cor. 10. they had shadowes of good things to come St. Bernards rule is true This Throne of Dauid which Christ sate on was not sedes Typica but Vera not Corporalis but Spiritualis not Temporalis but Aeterna yet so that Illa was huius Imago the Temporall of the Eternall the Corporall of the Spirituall the Typicall of the true Throne Dauids state of the state of the Church And indeed there is an excellent Analogie betweene the Person of Dauid and Christ as both were Kings Dauid was anointed to be a King long before hee was possessed of his Kingdome and so was our Sauiour Christ anointed with the holy Ghost long before he entred into his Glory For though he did many acts of a Gouernour Propheticall and Priestly yet few Regall acts before his Resurrection and those which hee did hee did them rather with the efficacie than in the Maiestie of a King for his outward Man represented nothing lesse But after his Resurrection and Ascension Efficacie and Maiestie conioyned and he sate him downe at the right hand of God and now doth he gouerne in the glory of his Father Secondly as there was a distance betweene Dauids Vnction too and Possession of the Crowne so was that a troublesome time few quiet dayes had he being persecuted both abroad and at home by Saul by his Seruants Euen so our Sauiour Christ entred not into his glory but by many afflictions all kinde of Enemies pursue him with all kinde of malice so that his life was a continuall Crosse And as Dauid so Christ the nearer he drew to his Crowne the sharper was his Crosse Thirdly as King Dauid first possessed only the Tribe of Iuda and after some yeares the ten Tribes euen so our Sauiour Christ at first possessed only the Iewes and after some time inlarged his Church vnto the Gentiles Fourthly Dauid being possessed of his Kingdome spent many years in repressing the Foes of his Kingdome Philistines Amonites Syrians c. and at length fate downe in peace and ruled with Iustice and Iudgement in much Prosperity euen so our Sauiour Christ though ascended into Heauen and reigning there yet shall he be vntill the generall Resurrection subduing his Enemies vnder his feete and freeing his Church from troubles and calamities when that is done then shall he rule and reigne with his Church in much peace and ioy These and such like Analogies are obseruable in comparing of Christ and Dauid which are the cause why the Kingdome of Christ is called The Kingdome of Dauid But yet in the letter of the storie which is the ground of this comparison you shall finde many Hyperboles reade the 89. Psalme the 72. Psalm the 132. to say nothing of diuers places of the Prophets which seeme to exceede the truth if they be applyed to King Dauid whereby the holy Ghost giueth vs to vnderstand that they must bee applyed to a greater than Dauid And indeed the phrases that are in these reall Allegories or Types must be vnderstood of the Corporall part but Quodammodo in a measure answerable vnto them the fulnesse of their truth appeares in the Spirituall And some Diuines obserue Ezâ—k 21.26 37 that The Throne of Dauid is not that which Dauid possessed but that which was promised to Dauid for his sonne And indeed in 2 Sam. 7. the Promise though it be made vnto Dauid yet is it made for his sonne his sonne is Christ It was not meant of his immediate Sonne otherwise than in a Type but it was meant of his Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Messias or Sauiour of the world As also the Promise made to Abraham was made for his Sonne which in appearance seemed to be Isaac but St. Paul to the Galathians telleth vs that that seed is Christ Well then this Kingdome is the Church and therein Christ sitteth as in his Throne it is the Gouernment thereof that is committed vnto him And here wee may not dreame of a corporall Kingdome and turne the truth into a Type St. Paul hath told vs that The Kingdome of God is neyther meat nor drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy of the holy Ghost And Christ in the Gospell The Kingdome of God is within you The Parables of the Kingdome if you looke to their Morall imply as much all sound things and persons spirituall Grosse then is the vsurpation of the Bishop of Rome who in Christs name contrary to Christs rules combines both Swords the Spirituall and the Corporall And they that vnderstand The Kingdome of Christ carnally as if all
and giue the world a good testimonie that we are the subiects of the Prince of peace I will set God before mine eyes and I will try how mine eyes can behold God and if I finde that mine eye delights to behold him that his countenance puts gladnesse into my heart when I doe behold him I am sure we are at Peace For were wee not eyther I haue no eyes and doe not see him or when I doe I shall be confounded with the sight of him I will open mine eares and I will heare God in his Word and if when I heare him the Law of his mouth is sweeter vnto mee than hony and the hony combe I know we are at peace were we not I must needs be like Adam heare and fly And if in the dayes of my mortality I can attaine this Peace of Perfection I doubt not but in the dayes of my immortality I shall attaine vnto that higher peace the peace of Retribution all teares shall be wiped from mine eyes all sickenesse from my body all blindnesse from my vnderstanding all vntowardlinesse from my will This ciuill discord of the flesh and the spirit and that greater betweene my conscience and God how much more these lesser discords that are between me and other men shall fully cease and be abolished for euer the Prince of Peace shall consummate my peace And so haue you those two titles of Christ which shew that we must vnderstand spiritually those two former titles which you heard before doe royally belong vnto him I should now farther shew you that the Scripture giues Christ many names because one or few cannot fully expresse him or at least we cannot fully sound the depth of that name when it is giuen vnto him The name of Iesus is a rich name and so is the name of Christ the vsuall names by which our Sauiour was called but the riches of those names are vnfoulded vnto vs in these particular titles and wee must take these as Commentaries vpon those for as it is in the eleuenth of this Prophecie The spirit which rested vpon Christ was manifold how manifold the holy Ghost doth there describe in abstracto but here to like purpose he speaketh of Christ in concreto The time will not suffer me to parallel these and the like places this is our Rule That as our nature delights in variety so there is a variety in Christ to giue full content vnto our nature and wee must not lightly passe by any one of his titles seeing euery one of them promiseth so much good vnto vs. O Lord that being my Lord art pleased to be my Father such a Father as that I neede not feare that I shall euer be an Orphan and hast prouided me an inheritance that shal be as lasting as my selfe that when all other fayle mee shall bee enioyed by mee an inheritance most comfortable because therein consists my Perfection and thy Retribution the Retribution of glory wherewith thou dost crowne the Perfection of grace grant that I neuer want that piety which I owe vnto my Father that charity which I owe vnto my Brethren Let my heart goe where my best treasure is and let that peace which passeth all vnderstanding haue the vpper hand in me Let me feele it let me practise it so in heart that I may haue the fulnesse of both sense and practice of it in the Kingdome of Heauen Amen THE SIXTH SERMON Of the increase of his Gouernment and Peace there shall bee no end vpon the Throne of Dauid and vpon his Kingdome to order it and to establish it c. IN Christ whom the Prophet describeth here vnto vs I obserued a double excellencie one of his Person and another of his State The first I haue already handled I come now to the second the excellencie of the State Which stands in a boundlesse growth of the Kingdome and a constant policie of the King that is the effect wherof this is the cause But more particularly in the effect obserue that there is a growth the Prophet calleth it an increase a growth of the gouernment and a growth of the peace both partake of the same increase And the increase of both is boundlesse there is no end of it no bounds of place it ouerspreadeth all no bounds of time it endureth for euer the word beareth both Of this effect or boundlesse growth of the Kingdome the cause is the constant policie of the King Which consisteth in the exercise of his two roy all indowments of his wisedome Hee shall order and to order is nothing else but to employ that wisedome which Christ hath as a wonderfull Counsellour of his power He shall support and to support what is it but to employ his power the power that he hath as he is a mighty God hee employeth them both his wisedome his power But they may bee employed eyther well or ill according as the rule is by which they proceed Christ employeth them well his rule is good it is iudgement and iustice he cals all to an account and measures to all as they are found vpon their triall This is the policie And herein he is constant he continueth it without ceasing from henceforth euen for euer So that of the euerlasting effect there is an euerlasting cause You see what is the summe or substance of this second excellencie but that you may see it better let vs runne ouer the parts briefly and in their order And first we are to obserue how answerable the excellencie of the state is to the excellencie of the person one goeth not without the other Christus naturalis will haue Christum mysticum conformable vnto him the body to the head Where he vouchsafeth an vnion of persons he vouchsafeth a communion also in the dignity of the persons It appeares in the name he is called Christ which is annoynted with oyle of gladnesse and we are called Christians we partake of the same oyle His name is but an oyntment poured out as it is in the Canticles Cap. 1.3 poured out like that precious oyle vpon Aarons head which ranne downe to the skirts of his garment Cap. 60. All Christs garments and the Church in Esay is compared to a garment smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia as it is Psalme 45. This is taught by diuers Similies Of the wiues communicating in her husbands honour and wealth The branches partaking of the fatnesse and sweetnesse of the roote The members deriuing of sense and motion from the head So that our King is not like the bramble that receiueth all good and yeelds none to the state but hee is like the Fig-tree the Vine the Oliue they that pertaine to him are all the better for him they are conformable to him if he haue an excellencie they shall haue one also A good patterne for mortall Kings and Gouernours who should herein imitate the King of Heauen that as when a man seeth an excellent work he ghesseth that the
his authoritie should hold them in when they would run riot if he doe not he offends grieuously How grieuously then doth that father offend which giueth an ill example to his child Allureth her to such detestable sinne Yea doth act the sinne with her If Incest be of it selfe haynous your fatherhood maketh it much more haynous And as for you that are the daughter no small accesse is made vnto your sinne by being the daughter of your mother for sinnes are improued by their persons that act them If it had beene an enemie that had done me this wrong I could haue borne it saith DAVID but it was thou my familiar friend c. Whosoeuer had wronged your mothers bed it had beene a wickednesse but to be thus wronged by her owne daughter wherein it is hard to say whether she haue more cause to lament in regard of her owne or of your person it cannot but adde much to your sinne These things should you that are the Penitents take to heart and adde them to the measure of your sinne for of haynous they make it much more haynous I passe at length from the sinne to the doome giuing you by the way this note That GOD addeth doomes to sinnes grieuous doomes to haynous sinnes that we may be held in by the feare of the one when we would not forbeare vpon the fight of the other for such is our weaknesse that though a sinne be represented vnto vs as most vgly most odious yet sensualitie doth so preuaile that we are caried away with the pleasure without any regard of the filthinesse thereof if any thing stay or stagger vs herein it must be paine which often maketh vs to bethinke our selues and take heed when we are euen ready to rush into sinne But touching the doome here in my Text we must first take notice that there is no respect of persons with God both must be punished the man and the woman and punished alike You would thinke that the case of the one were more fauourable then the other the Temptedst more fauourable then the Temptors The daughter may plead the power which her father had ouer her whom she durst not resist and thereby seeme to deserue fauour But this is no Plea at GODS Barre for children must remember that they haue an heauenly as well as an earthly Father and that they may not offend the one to pleasure the other A second thing obseruable in the Doome is that both the women are subiected to the same punishment which may seeme verie rigorous For what hath the lawfull wife deserued Therefore some vnderstand the words by a Synecdoche and by the women vnderstand either of them that shall be found guiltie whether it be the mother that defileth the daughters bed or the daughter that defileth the mothers bed But it may be that both may well deserue death If the mother be the wife and consent that her daughter should goe in to her father or if the daughter be the wife and consent that her mother should goe in to her husband such consent yea if it be but conniuency and patience it is abominable wickednesse How farre the mother was priuie to this daughters sinne I know not but if she were in any sort she deserueth to be punished no lesse then her child and the child with the father are to be punished most seuerely they are to be burnt with fire And here consider first how well the doome is fitted to the sinne the doome is fire and so is the sinne also If I haue beene deceiued by a woman saith IOB this were a fire that would burne to destruction Cap. 31. Prou. 6. And SOLOMON speaking of adulterie moueth this question Can a man take fire in his bosome and not be burnt He that is a fornicator in the body of his flesh saith the sonne of SYRACH will not cease till he haue kindled a fire Cap. 23. 1 Cor. 7.9 Finally St PAVL giueth this rule It is better to marrie then to burne burne in the lust of Incontinencie Seeing then this lust is a fire GOD doth punish a sier with a sier a sinfull with a painfull fire But the Iewish Rabbins or Antiquaries doe obserue that the Iewes had two kinds of burning of malefactors one was by opening their mouthes and pouring in moulten Lead this was called Combustio animae saluo corpore it tooke away the life of the partie and yet left no marke of the fire in the outward lineaments of his body The other was by laying of fewell round about the body which set on fire did presently consume it into ashes and is the burning meant here in my Text for it saith they should be burnt with fire And indeed this kind of burning of Incontinent persons is verie ancient Gen. 3â— Before the giuing of MOSES Law IVDAH would haue practised it vpon his daughter in Law TAMAR The Prophet MICAH alludeth hereunto in his first Chapter and EZEKIEL in his 16. St IOHN in his Reuelations speaking of the Whore of Babylon Cap. 17. 18. prophesieth that she shall perish by fire So that fire seemeth to haue beene the punishment of Whores not onely if she were the Priests daughter but whosoeuer she were the allusion else would not be so frequent And yet we read that adulterers were to be stoned to death whether after stoning they were also burnt is worth the inquirie for sometimes they were both practised vpon the same malefactors as it is cleere in the storie of ACHAN In the former degree of Incontinencie specified before my Text the Holy Ghost is silent and doth not specifie any particular kind of punishment by meanes whereof Interpreters doubt what punishment was to be inflicted Some conceiue that stoning mentioned in the beginning of the Chapter must be extended to all that follow the Iewes they limit it thus where the Law saith they shall dye the death and their blood shall be vpon them there stoning is meant but if it be onely they shall dye the death then the partie was to be strangled But I will not trouble you with these Antiquities onely this I will obserue vnto you that the specifying of a particular punishment here and not in the former degree of Incontinencie may well import some extraordinarie haynousnesse in this sinne especially if you consider the sharpenesse thereof they shall be burnt with fire Viui comburentur saith the Vulgar they shall be burnt aliue now you know that fire is a bitter tormenter and an vtter consumer it afflicteth extreamly while the partie liueth and it vtterly abolisheth the being of the body together with the life both which proue the punishment to be verie sharpe verie seuere it giueth no rest while we are and abolisheth vs as if we neuer had beene But this was a politike Law of MOSES what is that to vs We haue no such Law and that Law doth not bind our State True it doth not and happy is it for