Parents but granting this I take it to be impossible to judge of what strength it is and deny that it is any such cause why we should take it to be so strong as that we should stand in fear to encounter it and overcome it For we can never come to discover how far our nature is necessarily weak For whilest we are in our infancy and as yet not altred a puris naturalibus from that which God and nature made us none of us understand our selves and ere we can come to be of years to be able to discover it or define any thing concerning the nature of it custom or education either good hath much abated or evil hath much improved the force of it so that for any thing we know the strength of it may be much less then we suppose and that it is but a fear that makes it seem so great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostome It is the nature of timerous and fearful men evermore to be framing to themselves causless fears I confess it is a strange thing and it hath many times much amazed me to see how ripe to sin many children are in their young and tender years and ere they understand what the name of Sin and evil means they are unexpectedly and no man knows by what means wonderfully prompt and witty to villany and wickedness as if they had gone to school to it in their mothers womb I know not to what cause to impute this thing but I verily suppose I might quit original sin from the guilt of it For it is a ruled case and concluded by the general consent of the Schools that original sin is alike in all and S. Paul seems to me to speak to that purpose when he saith that God hath alike concluded all under sin and that all are alike deprived of the glory of God Were therefore Original sin the cause of this strange exorbitancy in some young children they should all be so a thing which our own experience teaches us to be false For we see many times even in young children many good and gracious things which being followed with good education must needs come to excellent effect In pueris elucet spes plurimorum saith Quintilian quae ubi emoritur aetate manifestum est non defecisse naturam sed curam In children many times an hope of excellent things appears which in riper age for want of cherishing fades and withers away A certain sign that nature is not so weak as Parents and Tutors are negligent whence then comes this difference Certainly not from our Nature which is one in all but from some other cause As for Original sin of what strength it is I will not discuss only thus much I will say there is none of us all but is much more wicked then the strength of any Primitive corruption can constrain Again let us take heed that we abuse not our selves that we use not the names of original weakness as a stale or stalking-horse as a pretence to choak and cover somewhat else For oftentimes when evil education wicked examples long custome and continuance in sin hath bred in us an habit and necessity of sinning presently Original sin and the weaknes of mans nature bear the blame Ubi per secordiam vires tempus ingenium defluxere nature infirmitas accusatur When through floath and idleness luxurie and distemper our time is lost our bodies decay'd our wits dull'd we cast all the fault on the weakness of our nature That Law of sin in our members of which S. Paul spake and which some take to be original corruption S. Austine once pronounced of it whether he meant to stand to it I know not but so he once pronounced of it Lex peccati est violentia consuetudinis That Law of sin that carries us against our wills to sin is nothing else but the force and violence of long custome and continuance in sin I know that by the error of our first Parents the Devil hath blinded and bound us more then ever the Philistines did Samson Yet this needs not to make us thus stand in fear of Original weakness For blinde and bound as we are let the Devil build never so strong yet if our hair be grown if Christ do strengthen us we shall be able Samson-like to bear his strongest pillars and pull down his house about his ears Thirdly is it the Devil that we think so strong an adversary Let us a little consider his strength he may be considered either as an inward enemy suggesting unto us sinful thoughts or as an outward enemy lying in wait to afflict us in body in goods or the like First against us inwardly he hath no force of his own From our selves it is that he borrows this strength to overthrow us In Paradice he borrowed the Serpent to abuse us but now every Man is that Serpent by which himself is abused For as Hannibal having overthrown the Romans took their armour and fought against them with their own weapons So the Devil arms himself against us with our own strength our senses our will our appetite with these weapons he fights against us and uses us against our selves Let us but recover our own again and the Devil will be disarm'd Think you that the Devil is an immediate stickler in every sin that is committed I know ye do But take heed least this be but an excuse to unload your faults upon the Devil and to build them upon his back For S. Chrysostome thought otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Devils hand says he is not in every fault many are done meerly by our own carelessness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A negligent carelesse person sins though the Devill never tempt him Let the truth of this lie where it will I think I may safely speak thus much that if we would but shut up our wills and use that grace of God which is offered I doubt not but a great part of this suggesting power of his would fall to nothing as for that other force of his by which he lies in wait to annoy us outwardly why should we so dread that Are there not more with us both in multitude and strengthâ—â— to preserve us The Angel of the Lord saith the Psalmist pitches his tents round about those that fear him to deliver them And the Apostle assures us that the Angels are ministring Spirits sent forth for those that shall be heirs of Salvation shall we think that the strength of those to preserve is less then that of the evil Angels to destroy One Garcaeus writing upon the Meteors told me long since that whereas many times before great tempests there is wont to be heard in the aire above us great noise and rushing the cause of this was the banding of good and evil Angels the one striving to annoy us with tempests the other striving to preserve us from the danger of it And I doubt not but
and consent unto and confess the truth of them Which way of manifesting his will unto many other gracious priviledges which it had above that which in after ages came in place of it had this added that it brought with it unto the man to whom it was made a preservation against all doubt and hesitancy a full assurance both who the author was and how far his intent and meaning reacht We that are their ofspring ought as St. Chrysostome tell us so to have demeand our selves that it might have been with us as it was with them that we might have had no need of writing no other teacher but the spirit no other books but our hearts no other means to have been taught the things of God Nisi inspirationis divinae internam suaviorémque doctrinam ubi sine sonis sermonum sine elementis literarum eo dulciùs quo secretiùs veritas loquitur as saith Fulgentius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Isidorus Pelusiota for it is a great argument of our shame and imperfection that the holy things are written in books For as God in anger tells the Jews that he himself would not go before them asâ—â— hitherto he had done to conduct them into the promised land but would leave his Angel with them as his deputy so hath he dealt with us the unhappy posterity degenerated from the antient purity of our forefathers When himself refused to speak unto our hearts because of the hardness of them he then began to put his laws in writing Which thing for a long time amongst his own people seems not to have brought with it any sensible inconvenience For amongst all those acts of the Jews which God in his book hath registred for our instruction there is not one concerning any pretended ambiguitie or obscurity of the Text and Letter of their Law which might draw them into faction and schisme the Devil belike having other sufficient advantages on which he wrought But ever since the Gospel was committed to writing what age what monument of the Churches acts is not full of debate and strife concerning the force and meaning of those writings which the holy Ghost hath left us to be the law and rule of faith St. Paul one of the first penmen of the Holy Ghost who in Paradise heard words which it was not lawful for man to utter hath left us words in writing which it is not safe for any man to be too busie to interpret No sooner had he laid down his pen almost ere the ink was dry were there found Syllabarum aucupes such as St. Ambrose spake of qui nescire aliquid erubescunt per occasionem obscuritatis tendunt laqueos deceptionis who thought there could be no greater disparagement unto them then to seem to be ignorant of any thing and under pretence of interpreting obscure places laid gins to entrap the uncautelous who taking advantage of the obscurity of St. Pauls text made the letter of the Gospel of life and peace the most-forcible instrument of mortal quarrel and contention The growth of which the Holy Ghost by the Ministery of St. Peter hath endeavoured to cut up in the bud and to strangle in the womb in this short admonition which but now hath sounded in your eares Which the unlearned c. In which words for our more orderly proceeding we will consider First the sin it self that is here reprehended wresting of Scripture where we will briefly consider what it is and what causes and motioners it findes in our corrupt understandings Secondly the persons guilty of this offence discipher'd unto us in two Epithets unlearned unstable Last of all the danger in the last words unto their own damnation And first of the sin it self together with some of the special causes of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They wrest They deal with Scripture as Chimicks deal with natural bodies torturing them to extract that out of them which God and nature never put in them Scripture is a rule which will not fit it self to the obliquity of our conceits but our perverse and crooked discourse must fit it self to the straightness of that rule A learned writer in the age of our fathers commenting upon Scripture spake most truly when he said that his Comments gave no light unto the text the text gave light unto his Comments Other expositions may give rules and directions for understanding their authors but Scripture gives rules to exposition it self and interprets the interpreter Wherefore when we made in Scripture non pro sententia divinarum Scripturarum as St. Austine speaks sed pro nostra ita dimicantes ut tan velimus Scripturarum esse quae nostra est When we strive to give unto it and not to receive from it the sense when we factiously contend to fasten our conceits upon God and like the Harlot in the book of Kings take our dead and putrified fancies and lay them in the bosome of Scripture as of a mother then are we guilty of this great sin of wresting of Scripture The nature of which will the better appear if we consider a little some of those motioners which drive us upon it One very potent and strong mean is the exceeding affection and love unto our own opinions and conceits For grown we are unro extremities on both hands we cannot with patience either admit of other mens opinions or endure that our own should be withstood As it was in the Lacedaemonian army almost all were Captains so in these disputes all will be leaders and we take our selves to be much discountenanced if others think not as we do So that the complaint which one makes concerning the dissention of Physicians about the diseases of our bodies is true likewise in these disputes which concern the cure of our souls hincillae circa aegros miserae sententiarum concertationes nullo idem censente ne videatur accessio alterius From hence have sprong those miserable contentions about the distemper of our souls singularity alone and that we will not seem to stand as cyphers to make up the summe of other mens opinions being cause enough to make us disagree A fault anciently amongst the Christians so apparant that it needed not an Apostolical spirit to discover it the very heathen themselves to our shame and confusion have justly judiciously and sharply taxt us for it Ammianus Marcellinus passing his censure upon Constantius the Emperour Christianam religionem absolutam simplicem saith he and they are words very well worth your marking Christianam religionem absolutam simplicem anili superstitione confudit In qua scrutanda perplexiùs quà m componenda gratiùs excitavit dissidia pluriâ—â—a quae progressa fusiùs aluit concertatione verborum dum ritum omnem ad suum trahere conatur arbitrium The Christian religion a religion of great simplicity and perfection he troubled with dotage and superstition For going about rather perplexedly to search the
that he was no fit person to do it and he gives the reason of it Quia vir bellorum sanguinum es tu For thou art a man hast shed much blood and fought many battels Beloved the battels which David fought were called the Lords battels and therefore whatsoever he did in that kinde he had doubtless very good warrant to do and yet you see that it is an imputation to him that he shed blood though lawfully ut fundi sanguis ne juste quidem sine aliquâ injustitiâ possit so that it seems blood cannot be so justly shed but that it brings with it some stain and spot of injustice All this have I said to raise up in you as much as possibly I can a right conceit of the height and hainousness of this sin and further yet to effect this in you as in the beginning and entrance into my discourse I briefly toucht at two reasons shewing the greatness of this sin occasion'd therunto by the words of my text so will I as briefly touch at the two more tending to the same purpose one drawn from respect of the wrong which by this sin is done unto God another from the wrong done to our selves And first what wrong is done unto God God himself shews us in the 9. of Genesis where giving this for an everlasting law He that sheddeth mans blood by man let his blood be shed he presently addes the reason of it For in the image of God made he man we shall the better understand the force of this reason if we a little look into civil actions It is the usual manner of subjects when they rebel against the Prince to think they cannot more effectually express their hate then by disgracing breaking throwing down the statues and images erected to his honor The citizens of Antioch in a sedition against Theodosius the Emperor in one night disgracefully threw down all his statues which fact of theirs caus'd S. Chrysostom at that time preacher to that city to make those famous Sermons which from that action to this day are called his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his statues This by so much the more is counted a great offence because next unto wronging and disgracing the very person of the Prince a greater insolence cannot be offered For it expresseth with what welcome they would entertain him if they had him in their power Beloved man is the image of his maker erected by him as a Statue of his honour He then that shall despitefully handle batter and deface it how can he be counted otherwise then guilty of highest Treason against his Maker Rebellion saith Samuel to Saul is like the sin of superstition and Idolatry The sin of blood therefore equals the sin Idolatry since there cannot be a greater sin of Rebellion against God then to deface his image Idolatry through ignorance sets up a false image of God but this sin through malice defaces pulls down the true Amongst the heathen sometimes the statues of the Emperours were had in such respect that they were accounted sanctuaries and such as for offence fled unto them it was not lawful to touch Beloved such honour ought we to give unto a man that if he have offended us yet the image of God which shines in him ought to be as a sanctuary unto him to save him from our violence an admonitioner unto us that we ought not to touch him A second reason yet further shewing the hainousness of this sin is drawn from the wrong which is done to our selves All other wrongs whatsoever they be admit of some recompence Honors wealth preferments if they be taken from us they may return as they did unto Job in far greater measure and the party wronged may receive full and ample satisfaction but what recompence may be made to a man for his life When that is gone all the Kingdomes which our Saviour saw in the Mount and the glory of them are nothing worth neither is all the world all the power of men and Angels able to give the least breath to him that hath lost it Nothing under God is able to make satisfaction for such a wrong the revenge that is taken afterward upon the party that hath done the wrong cannot be counted a recompence That is done In terrorem viventium non in subsidium mortuorum It serves to deter the living from committing the like outrage but it can no way help him that is dead David at the same time committed two sins great sins Murther and Adultery the reward of either of which by Gods law is nothing else but death Yet for his Adultery he seems to make some satisfaction to the party wronged for the text notes that David took her to his wife made her his Queen and that he went in unto her comforted her all which may well be counted at least a part of recompence But for dead Vrias what means could David make to recompence to comfort him For this cause I verily suppose it is that in his penitential Psalm wherein he bewails his sin he makes no particular confession no mention of his Adultery but of the other of blood he is very sensible and expresly prayes against it Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God thou God of my salvation as if Adultery in comparison of murder were no crime at all I am sorry I should have any just occasion amongst Christian men so long to insist upon a thing so plain and shew that the sin of blood is a great and hainous sin But he that shall look into the necessities of these times shall quickly see that there is a great cause why this doctrine should be very effectually prest For many things are even publickly done which in part argue that men esteem of this sin much more sleightly then they ought Aristotle observed it of Phaleas one that took upon him to prescribe laws by which a common wealth might as he thought well be governed that he had taken order for the preventing of smaller faults but he left way enough open to greater crimes Beloved the error of our laws is not so great as that of Phaleas was yet we offend too though on the contrary and the less dangerous side for great and grievous sins are by them providently curbed but many inferiour crimes finde many times too free passage Murther though all be abominable yet there are degrees in it some is more hainous then other Gross malicious premeditated and wilful murther are by our laws so far as humane wisdome can provide sufficiently prevented but murders done in haste or besides the intent of him that did it or in point of honour and reputation these finde a little too much favour or laws in this respect are somewhat defective both in preventing that it be not done and punishing it when it is done men have thought themselves wiser then God presumed to moderate the unnecessary severity as they seem to think of his laws And hence it comes
to pass that in military companies and in all great cities and places of Mart and concourse few moneths yea few weeks pass without some instance and example of blood-shed either by suddain quarrel or by challenge to Duel and single combate How many examples in a short space have we seen of young men men of hot and fiery disposition mutually provoking and disgracing each other and then taking themselves bound in high terms of valour and honour to end their quarrels by their swords That therefore we may the better discover the unlawfulness of challenge and private combate let us a little enquire and examine in what cases blood may lawfully and without offence be shed that so we may see where amongst these single combate may finde its place The Manichees were of opinion that it was not lawful to violate any thing in which there was life and therefore they would not pull a branch from a tree because foresooth there was life in it To think that mans life may be in no case taken from him is but a branch of Manichisme and the words of my text do directly cross it where it is laid down that for the cleansing of blood blood may and must be shed For the avoiding therefore of the extream we are to note that the lawful causes of bloodshed are either publick or private publick cases are two First in case of Justice when a malefactor dies for his sin by the hand of the Magistrate Secondly in case of publick war and defence of our Countrey for the Doctrine of Christ is not as some have supposed an enemy to Souldiership and Military Discipline When John the Baptist began to Preach Repentance and amendment of Life amongst those that came forth to understand and learn their duty the Text saith that the Souldiers came and ask't him Master what shall we do And John wills them not to lay down their weapons or to take another course of life which he ought and would have done if that course had been unlawful but he instructs them rather in their calling For he gives them these two Lessons Do no man wrong And be content with your pay your wages Then which there could not have been better or more pertinent counsel given to Souldiers they being the two principal vices of Souldiers to wrong places where they live by forrage and pillage and to mutiny in dislike of their pay When Saint Peter came to Preach to the Centurion in the Acts we finde not a syllable in all that Sermon prejudicial to a Souldiers profession And therefore accordingly in the times of the Primitive Church Christians served even under Heathen Emperours and that with the approbation of God himself For in the Ecclesiastick story we read of the Legio Fulminatrix of a band of Souldiers called the Thundring Band. Because that at what time Marcus the Emperour lying with his Army in Germanie was afflicted with a great drought and in great danger of the enemy when they were now about to joyn battel the Christian Souldiers that Band fell flat on their faces and by their instant prayers obtained of God a great Tempest which to the Emperour and his army brought store of cold refreshing water but upon the enemy nothing else but fire and whirl-wind The Emperors Epistle in which this story is related is this day extant recovered by Justin Martyr who lived about the time the thing was done wherefore we may not doubt of the lawfulness of that profession which it hath pleased God thus to grace and honour with such a miracle Besides these two there are no other publick causes of blood-shed As for the causes in private I know but one and that is when a man is set upon and forced to it in his own defence If a thief be robbing in the night and be slain the Law of God acquits him that did it and by the Roman Laws Nocturnum furem quomodo libet diurnum si se telo defenderit it was lawful to kill a thief by night at any hand and by day if he used his weapon of private blood-shed there is no cause but this this we must needs allow of For in all other private necessities into which we may be driven the Law and Magistrate have place to whom we must repair for remedy but in case of defence of life against sudden on set no law can be made except we would make a Law to yield our throats to him that would cut them or our Laws were like the Prophet that came to Jeroboam at Bethel and could dry up mens arms that offered violence wherefore all cause of death one onely excepted is publick and that for great reason For to die is not a private action to be undertaken at our own or at any other private mans pleasure and discretion For as we are not born unto our selves alone but for the service of God and the common-wealth in which we live so no man dies to himself alone but with the damage and loss of that Church or common-wealth of which he is a member Wherefore it is not left to any private mans power to dispose of any mans life no not to our own only God and the Magistrate may dispose of this As Souldiers in the camp must keep their standing neither may they move or alter but by direction from the captain so is it with us all Our life is a warfare and every man in the world hath his station and place from whence he may not move at his own or at another mans pleasure but only at the direction and appointment of God his General or of the Magistrates which are as Captains Lievtenants under him Then our lawful times of death are either when our day is come or to fall in battel or for misdemeanor to be cut off by the publick hand of Justice Ut qui vivi prodesse noluerunt eorum morte respub utatur He which otherwise dies comes by surreption and stealth and not warrantably unto his end And though we have spoken something in Apology and defence of War yet you may not think that in time of War your hands are loose and that you may at your pleasure shed the blood of your enemy Misericorditer etiam bella gerantur saith S. Austine even in war and battel there is room for thoughts of peace and mercy and therefore many of the ancient Heroes renowned Souldiers and Captains were very conscientious of shedding the blood of their enemies except it were in battel and when therewas no remedy to avoid it In that mortal battel Sam. 2. between the Servants of David and the servants of Isbosheth the Scripture reports that Abner fled And Azael Joabs brother following him hard at heels to kill him Abner advises him twise Turn aside saith he why should I smite thee to the ground But when Azahel would not hearken but followed him still for his blood then he stroke him with his spear that he died In the
entertain our selves a little in the porch and see what matter of meditation it will yield And he spake a parable unto them c. To instruct and teach the ignorant no method no way so speedy and effectual as by parables and Fables Strabo gives the reason of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For man is a creature natural desirous to know but it is according to the proverb as the Cat desires fish loath to touch the water loath to takes the pains to learn knowledge is indeed a thing very pleasant but to learn is a thing harsh and tedious above all the things in the world the book which Saint John eats in the tenth of the Apocalyps was in his mouth sweet as hony but bitter in his belly Beloved those Librorum helluones students that like S. John eat up whole volums these finde the contrary For in the mouth in the perusal their books are harsh and unpleasant but in the stomach when they are understood and digested then are they delightful and pleasurable yet one thing by the providence of God our nature hath which makes this rough way to learn more plain and easie it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common experience shews we are all very desirous to hear narrations and reports either pleasant or strange Wise men therefore and God himself which is wiser then men being to train up mankinde Genus indocile a subject dull of hearing and hardly drawn to learn have from time to time wrought upon this humor upon this part of our disposition and mitigated sugred as it were the unpleasantness of a difficult and hard lesson with the sweetnes of some delightful parable or fable And S. Chrysostome tells us of a Physician who finding his patient to abhor Physick but infinitely long for wine heating an earthen cup in the fire and quenching it in wine put his potion therein that so the sick person being deceived with the smell of wine might unawares drink of the Physick or that I may better draw my comparison from Scripture as when Jacob meant to be welcome to his father Isaack he put on his brother Esau's apparel and so got access So beloved wisemen when they meant either to instruct the ignorant or to reprove offenders to procure their welcome and make their way more passable have been wont for the most part as it were to clothe their lesson or reproof in a parable or to serve it in a dish savouring of wine that so Jacob might be admiâ—â—ted under Esau's coat that the smell of the pleasantness of wine might draw down the wholsomness of Physick Great and singular have been those effects which this kinde of teaching by parables hath wrought in men by informing their ignorance reproving their error working patience of reproof opening the understanding moving the affections and other soveraign commodities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And for this cause not only our Poets and profane Authors but whole cities and men which gave Laws to Common-wealths have made especial choice of this course Yea our Saviour Christ himself hath filled the Gospels with parables made them like a Divine and Christian AEsop's Fables because he found it to be exceeding profitable For first of all it is the plainest and most familiar way and above all other stoops to the capacity of the learner as being drawn either from trees or beasts or from some ordinary common and known actions of men As from a shepheard attending his flock from an husbandman sowing corn in his field from a fisher casting his net into the Sea from a woman putting leaven into her dough or the like So that in this respect a parable is like Moses Tabernacle which outwardly was nothing but goats skins or some ordinary stuff but within it was silk and purple and gold And indeed since those we teach are either children or ignorant persons who are but children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for every man in what he is ignorant is no better then a childe that manner of information fits best which is most easie and familiar Again a parable is a kinde of pattern and example expressing unto us what we heare Now nothing doth more illustrate and explain then instance and example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a parable as it were upon a stage the thing that we are taught is in a manner acted and set forth before our eyes Secondly parables do not only by their plainess open the understanding but they work upon the affections and breed delight of hearing by reason of that faceteness and wittiness which is many times found in them by reason of which they insinuate themselves and creep into us and ere we are aware work that end for which they were delivered who is not much moved with that parable of Jotham in the book of Judges that the trees went forth to chuse a king or that of Menenius Agrippa in Livie that the parts of the body conspired against the belly by which the one shewed the wickedness of the men of Sechem against the sons of Gideon the other the folly of the common people in conspiring against the Senators and noble-men And no marvel beloved if this faceteness of parables doth thus work with men since it seems to have had wonderful force with God himself For when the Canaanitish woman in the Gospel had long importun'd our Saviour in the behalf of her daughter and our Saviour had answered her with that short cutting and reproachful parable It is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it unto dogs she facetely and wittily retorts and turns upon our Saviour his own parable Truth Lord saith she yet dogs do eat the crums that fall from their masters Table be it that I am but a dog I require no more then is due to a dog even the crums that fall from your table with which speech our Saviour was so far taken as that he seems to have been stricken into a wonderment for he presently cries out O woman great is thy Faith Thirdly there is one thing that this way of instruction by parable hath above all other kindes of teaching It serves excellently for reproof for man is a proud creature impatient of plain and open check and reprehension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many times no way of dealing with him when he hath offended but by deceiving him with wiliness and craft 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that comes rudely and plainly to reprehend doth many times more hurt then good I speak not this only in regard of ministerial reprehension used by the preacher of the word but of all other for to reprove offenders is a common duty and belongs to every private man as well as to the Minister St. Austine in his book de civitate Dei handling the question why in common calamities the good do bear a part as well as the evil amongst many other reasons gives this
been with David It was not some light touch to rase only the surface and skin of the heart but like a sword it pierced deep into him To teach us one lesson that actions spotted though but with the least suspicion of sin ought nor carelesly to be past by or slightly glanced at but we ought to be deeply apprehensive of them and bestow greatest care and consideration upon them The third part of our Text containeth the cause of Davids remorse in the last words Because he cut off Sauls skirt in the two former parts we had to do with greatness there was 1. a great Person and 2. great Remorse can we in this third part find out any great cause or reason of this so to make all parts proportionable Certainly he that shall attentively read and weigh these first words of my Text and know the story might think that David had committed some notable error as some great oppression or some cruell slaughter or some such royall sin which none but Kings and great men can commit But beloved this my Text seems to be like the Windows in Solomons Temple broad within but narrow without or like a Pyramide large and spatious at the Basis and ground of it but small and sharp at the top The Person and Remorse which are the Ground and subject of my Text both are great and large but the cause which is the very crown and top of all that is very small yea peradventure none at all For whether it be that my self accustomed to greater sins and now grown old in them have lost all sense of small and petty errours or whether indeed there be no errour at all in this action of David but only some fancy some jealousy arising out of that Godly and carefull watch he kept over all his wayes or whatsoever else it was that caused this scruple or remorse in David it is a very hard matter to discover and yet notwithstanding that we may make more open pass unto such Doctrines as I shall raise out of these words let us a little scan and consider what it was in this action that made David thus strangely scrupulous And first of all was it for that he had toucht and taken that which was none of his own and therefore might seem to fall within compass of the Law against injury and purloyning This seems not probable for when afterwards in the like case he came upon Saul as he was sleeping in the Camp and took from him the Spere and the pot of Water which stood at his head we do not read that his heart smote him and yet he took what was none of his Or 2ly was it that he did wrong and dishonour Saul in mangling his garment Indeed the Jews have a tradition that this was the sin of which David was here so sensible And therefore say they whereas we read in the first of Kings that when David grew old they covered him with clothes but he gat no heat this was the punishment of his sin committed against Saul God so providing that garments should not be serviceable to him who had offended in wronging Sauls garments But this I must let go as a fable Or 3ly was it that he had unadvisedly given way to some disloyal thought and at first resolved to revenge himself on Saul having him at the advantage though afterward he repented Indeed St. Chrysostome thinks so and therefore on those words at the latter end of the verse next before my Text And David arose he notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See you â—â—ot saith he what a tempest of rage and anger begins to rise in him for he supposeth him to arise in heat and fury with a resolution for blood but it pleased God in the way to make him relent and change the purpose of revenge into the Action of cutting off his skirt and that this smiting of Davids heart was nothing else but his repenting himself for giving over hasty entertainment to such a rebellious thought But beloved who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Davids thoughts were known only to God and himself Since therefore God gives not this as a reason of Davids remorse but another thing far be it from me that I should wrong David so far as to burden him with that with which none but God can charge him I rather chuse to follow St. Basils rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let the Scriptures be understood as they lye The Scripture tells us Davids heart smote him because he cut of the skirt of Sauls garment and not because he had conceiv'd against Saul any thought of blood But what cause then shall we give of Davids remorse none other Beloved but that Religious and carefull jealousie which still he had over his own thoughts which made him pietatis affectu etiam quae tuta sunt formidare Hieron To suspect all things be they never so safe and never to think himself secure from the contagion of sin It was with David as it is wont to be with men that are often troubled with sicknesses and diseases suspicionibus inquietantur medicisque jam sani manum porrigunt omnem calorem corporis sui calumniantur Senec. Disquiet themselves with every little alteration in their Bodies repair to the Physician when they are well and think every heat to be an Ague fit Horum corpus non est parum sanum sed sanitati parum assuevit these men are not sick but they do not know what it is to be in health In the same state is David he had been often infected with Spirituall weakness and disease and therefore he suspects every motion of his heart and takes every thought to be a temptation Hujus animus non erat parum sanus sed sanitati parum assuevit his Soul was not sick of any sin but he did not know what it was to be in Spirituall health For us and for our use hath the Holy Ghost registred this example of scruple and tenderness of conscience Let us returne to our selves and see what lessons we may learn hence for our behoof Men usually are either grown old in sin therefore their eyesight is decayed they cannot eaâ—â—ly see and discerne smaller sins or else as Hagar in the Book of Genesis laid Ismael afar off from her that she might not be griev'd with the sight of him so we labour to lay our sins far out of kenn that the memory and sight of them might not exasperate and trouble us For the cure of both these infirmityes I have borrowed out of the Lords treasury a Spectacle or Optick Glass which if we use it will restore our decayed eyesight and quicken and make us read our sins in the smallest print and let themâ—â—ly never so farr from us yet will it present them unto us in their true quantity and greatness Towards the better use of which Spirituall Glasse one lesson would I especially commend unto you to be perpetually Jealous
and suspicious of your thoughts and to be quick-sented easily to trace the footing of sin to be easily sensible of it when we think our selves to have done amiss a lesson naturally arising as I take it out of Davids example commended unto us in this place Now how absolutely behoofefull it is for us to hold a perpetuall Watch over our hearts and be jealous of such thoughts as spring out of them it will appear by these Reasons First because that sin is of such a â—â—ly insinuating nature that it will privily creep in and closely cleave to our thoughts and intents though we perceive it not For as waters though of themselves most pure will relish and â—â—avour of the Earth and soyl through which they passe So thoughts in themselves good passing through the corrupt and evill ground of our hearts cannot but receive some tincture some dye some relish from them When David had an intent to build God an house he doubtless conceived no otherwise of this his intent then of a religious and honourable purpose and in outward appearance there was no cause why he should doubt of Gods acceptance yet we see this purpose of his misliked by God and rejected and the reason given quia vir sanguinum es tu because thou art a man of blood How shâ—â—ll we then secure our selves of any thought if such an intent as this so â—â—avouring of Zeal of Sanctification of love unto the glory of God have such a flaw in it as makes it unprofitable and how necessary is it that we bring all our immaginations and intents to the fire and to the refining pot so throughly to try them bring them to their highest point of purity perfection Be it peradventure that the action be in it self good if it be lyable to any suspicion of evill it is enough to blast it It is the Holy Ghosts rule given by the blessed Apostle that we abstain from all shew and appearance of evill that we refrain as much as possible from all such actions as are capable of misconstruction What is more lawfull then for the labourer to â—â—ave his hire then for those that labour in the Gospell to live by the Gospell Yet we see St. Paul refused this Liberty and chose rather to work with his own hands only for this reason because he would not give occasion to any that would misinterpret his Action to live at others cost feed on the sweat of others brows What befalls Princes many times and great Persons that have abused their Authority the people rise and suppress them deface their statues forbid their coyn put away all things that bear any memory of them So seems our blessed Apostle to deal hereâ—â—look what actions they be which bear any inscription any image title any shew or spot of sin these hath he thought good even to banish quiâ—â—e prohibit Our prophane stories tell us that when Julius Caesar had divorc'd his wife being asked why he did so since nothing was brought against her to prove her dishonest his answer was that she that will be Wife of Caesar must not only be free from dishonesty but from all suspicion of it Beloved St. Paul tells the Corinthians that he had espoused them unto one Husband that he might deliver them as a chast Virgin unto Christ. And God every where in Scripture compairs his Church unto an espoused wife himself unto an Husband a Husband far more jealous then ever Caesar was How carefull then must that Soul be that intends to Marry it self to such a jealous Husband to abstain not only from all pollution of sin but from all suspicion of it Last of all it is Tertullians speech Quanto facilius illicita timebit qui etiam licita verebitur It is wisdom sometimes to suspect and shun things that are lawfull For there are many actions in themselves good which yet to many men become occasions of sin and scandall For it is with our Actions as it is with our meats drinks As divers meats fiâ—â— not divers constitutions of Body so all Actions accord not well with all Tempers of mind As therfore what Dish it is we easily Surfeit of though it be otherwise good it is wisdome totally to abstain from so look what actions they be in which we â—â—ind our selves prone to sin it is good spirituall Physick to use abstinence quite to leave them For if our Savior command us to pluck out our eyes and pare off our hands if once they become unto us cause of sin how much more then must we prune away all inward thoughts all outward circumstances which become occasion of offence unto us A 2d reason why I would perswade you to entertain a jealousie of all your thoughts and actions is a naturall overcharitable affection which I see to be in most men unto their own wayes and which is stâ—â—ange the worse they are the more are we naturally enclined to favour them The Reason is because the worse they are the more they are our own When question was sometime made Why good hearbs grow so sparingly and with great labour and pains where as weeds grow apace without any culture and tilling it is was answered that the earth was a naturall Mother to the one to the other she was a Step-Mother the one she brought forth of her self to the other she was constrain'd Beloved it is with our hearts as it is with the Earth the naturall fruit of them is weeds and evill thoughts unto them our hearts are as mothers injusta virescunt they spring up in us of themselves without any care or manuring but as for good thoughts if they be found in our hearts they are not naturall they are set there by a high hand they are there by a kind of spirituall inoculation and grafting as men graffe Apples and kind fruits upon Thornes and Crabs No mervail then if like choice herbs and fruits they grow so tenderly and need so much care and cherishing As therefore Parents though their own children be very deformed yet love them more then others though more beautifull so corrupt and evill thoughts are naturally dearer unto us then good because we are as Mothers unto them to the rest we are but Stepdames Two notable Fruits there are of this overcharitableness to our own actions First a willingness that we have to flatter to deceive and abuse our own selves by pretences and excuses There is a plain a downright and as it were a Countrey reprobate one that sees his sin and cares not much to excuse it and is content to go on and as it were in simplicity to cast himself away There is a more witty more refined and as it were a Gentlemanlike reprobate one that strives to smooth and guild over his sin to deceive others and himself with excuses and apologies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Basil speaks to take great pains and with the expense of a great deal of wit
them to take in good part the good will of the man for want of more business the Synod brake up At length are we coming to the main battel The Armies have been in sight one of another and have had some parly The manner was this Upon Thursday the 6. of Decemb. stylo novo The Synod being set in the morning the Praeses signified that there had come unto him in the name of the Remonstrants these fower H. Leo Niellius Matthisius and Pinakerus to give notice that the Remonstrants were ready according to their Citation but because they had but lately come unto the Town that yet convenient Lodgings were not provided their papers books and stuff were confused therefore they requir'd respite either till Saterday or at least Friday morning The President of the Politicks replyed that they should come and personally make appearance before the Synod and there propose their mindes and if the Synod approved their causes they might be deferr'd Upon this were two of the Deputies of Utrecht sent forth to give them warning to provide for their present appearance In the mean while till they came the Praeses thought fit that such as in the former Session delivered not themselves concerning the Reformation of abuses in Printing should now do it Here was little delivered besides what was said the day before only some few particulars as that order should be taken to repress this longing humour in many men of coming to the Press that there should be no Impression of the Bible at any time without leave had Forreign Books brought out of other Countreys should not be distracted here without peculiar leave after their being perused by the Censurers to ease the Censurers that they might not be troubled with reading too great a multitude of improfitable books it was thought fit that the books should first be brought to the Classes and what they approved should be brought to the Censurers c. In the mean while the Remonstrants came all that were cited by Letters and were admitted into the Synod There is in the midst of the Synod-House a long Table set as it seems for them for it hath hitherto been void no man sitting at it here Chairs and Forms being set they were willed to sit down The Praeses told them that he had commended to the Synod their Suit of being a little respited but it was the will of the Deputies for the States that they should come before the Synod and propose their cause themselves Episcopius standing up spake to this effect First he prayed God to give a blessing to this Meeting and to poure into their mindes such conceits as best fitted men come together for such ends then he signified that according to their Citation they were now come ad collationem instituendam concerning that cause which hitherto with a good Conscience they had maintain'd As for the point of delay true it is they spake to the Praeses concerning a respite until Saterday or Friday by reason of that great distraction of their books and papers and want of convenient lodging but not as a petition to be moved in that behalf unto the Synod but only as a thing which out of common equity they might have presumed on without acquainting the Synod with it For they were ready even at that present to begin the business they came for without any further delay But this they left to the Deputies Secular and Ecclesiastical to determine of Then were they requested to withdraw a little into a chamber near the Synod House and immediately was it proposed unto the Synod what time was to be set for to begin The time prefixt was the morrow after Jo. Polyander took hold of those words ad collationem and told the Synod that it was fit the Remonstrants were told the end of their coming and the manner of proceeding which should be taken with them that they might know what they were to look for and so provide They were to be inform'd that they came not to conference neither did the Synod profess it self an adverse party against them Conferences had been heretofore held to no purpose They ought to have heeded the words of the Letters by which they were cited They were called not to conference but to propose their Opinions with their Reasons and leave it to the Synod to judge of them The Synod would be a Judge and not a party Then were they call'd in again and all this was told them Episcopius answered that for the word Collatio he stood not on it and how they would carry themselves it should appear the day following Mean while one thing they would request of the Synod that is that Grevinchovius and Goulartius should be sent for to the Synod as Patrons of this cause That they had this last week exhibited a Supplication to the States General to this purpose and receav'd this answer that they should put this matter to the Synod and if the Synod thought it fit to be granted they would not be against it Neither did they propose this to seek delayes For they were ready whilst these men should be sent for to proceed to the action Only they thought fit that to maintain their cause they should be sent for who could best do it Then were they again dismist and one was sent to them to call for their Supplication to the Lords and the Lords Answer To this they return'd that the Lords gave this answer not in writing but by word of mouth and for the copy of their Supplication they called not for it any more Then was the thing proposed unto the Synod and the Secular Deputies replyed that they would return their answer on the morrow and the same was the answer of the Synod Mr. Praeses thought that Grevinchovius might be admitted salvis censuris Ecclesiasticis yet notwithstanding he thought good to acquaint the Synod with the quality of this man and thereupon he produced the Act of the Provincial Synod of South Holland wherein it was witnessed that the Synod because he did refuse to appear when they cited him and because of many blasphemies in his Book and of many reproachful speeches against the Magistrates and against the Ministers had suspended him ab omni munere Ecclesiastico From this Grevinchovius had not appealed to the National Synod and therefore it was in the power of the Synod to do what they thought fit Then were the Remonstrants again call'd in and it was signifyed unto them that on the morrow they should understand the will of the Synod concerning their motion made and so were they again dismist and the Session ended the Praeses having first premised that all other things yet depending as the Decree concerning the Proponentes together with the Remedies concerning the abuses in Printing and what else soever must be deferr'd and the business in hand alone attended My Lord Bishop was desirous that Mr. Carleton should stay this day to see the coming of
Categorically answer whether they would exhibit their mindes concerning the points in Controversy or no that so the Synod might know what they had to do and so they brake up this morning therefore we look what will be done And so for this time I humbly take my leave commending your Honour to Gods good Protection Dort Decemb. 1 11. 1618. Your Honours Chaplain and Bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Of the Remonstrants of Utrecht two only have joyn'd themselves to the Citati the third which is an Elder professes to submit himself to the judgement of the Synod if they shall decide according to his Conscience and that if it please the Synod to give him his Oath he is ready to judge neither as Remonstrant nor Contra-Remonstrant but accordingly as it shall please God to open him the truth in the Synod Right Honourable and my very good Lord ON Thursday the 4 14. of Decemb. the Synod being sate and repetition made according to the custom of what had past in the former Session the Remonstrants being called in were askt whether or no they had set down in writing their opinion concerning the first Article Forthwith they exhibited to the Synod their opinion subscribed with all their hands The copie of this your Lordship shall receive here with these letters The paper being read the Praeses askt them all one by one whether this were their opinion to which each man answered affiâ—â—â—atively The Remonstrants being dismist the Praeses proposed to the Synod whether it were not fit that they should be sent for one by one and examined singly as concerning their tenent His reason was because he understood that they made themselves an Antisynod and had among themselves ordained a Praeses two Assessours and two Scribes according to the form of the Synod and so they did all things communi consensu like a little Synod to this some answered that they thought it fit some that those only should be singled out who were carried away with respect to their company and if they were alone would think and do otherwise others thought it utterly unfit because it might seem olere artificium aliquod to savour of a trick whereas it best became the Synod to do all things candide syncere others would have no man examined alone but when all the rest were by others left it to the judgement of the Praeses to do as he thought good when occasion served which last sentence as it seemed stood good After this was there a generall exception against the manner in which they had proposed their sentence that they had done it confuse diâ—â—tracte obscure that they had intermingled things impertinent and belonging to other questions that the most of their proposalls were negatives what they did not hold and not affirmatives what they did whereas their appearance there was to shew what they did hold not what they did not hold And it was discovered that this their proceding by negatives was that they might take occasions to refute other opinions and not to confirm their own whereas by the decree of the States they were call'd thither ut sententiam SUAM dilucidè perspicuè c. exponerent defenderent not that they should oppugne others That it had been their custom very liberally to examine other mens opinions and to be sparing in confirming their own That if they did refuse to deal more plainly in expounding their mind the Synod should take order that the state of the question should be taken out of their books especially our of the Hague conference and so they should be questioned whether they would stand to it or no that they did maintain amongst them an implicite faith and it was usuall with some of them when they were prest with any reason they could not put by to answer that though themselves could say little to it yet such and such could say much which was enough for them When all had spoken their pleasure the conclusion of the Synod was that they must reform the manner of propounding their mind that they must give up their answer in affirmatives as much as was possible that this form of answer was not according to the Decree of the States and this was the effect of that Session On Friday the 5 15 of Decemb. there was a short Session in the morning The matter propounded was whether it were not fit that the Remonstrants should be required to give up their minds concerning all the five points before the Synod proceeded to examine or determine any thing The reason was the connexion of the points mutually one with another for which cause it was hard to determine of one except their mind in the rest were known The Secular Lords and the Synod liked well of the proposall Those of Geneva thought it best to take their opinions out of their books to which the Praeses answer'd that it could not be because they were call'd thither by their citatory Letters to propose and defend their own opinions That they could not complaine of the Synod for calling on them thus at once to deliver themselves For the Synod doubts not that they were provided since themselves had long since given it out in their books and private speeches that they were provided The Remonstrants then being called in were told that it was the determination of the Synod that they should deliver their opinions at once concerning the five points and for this they had given them time till Munday For this would prove better for the Synod and for themselves Then that they should deliver themselves in affirmatives as much as possibly might be For by their negatives they delivered not their own opinions but diverted upon others The Confessions and Creeds had always been framed by affirmatives thus or thus wee do believe not by negatives To this they replied Attendemus ad ea quae a Domino Praeside dicta sunt considerabimus Then did the Praeses signifie that on the morrow there should be a Latin sermon in the Synod house Scultetus is the man that makes it And this is the effect of what was done at that time and so ceasing to trouble your Lordship any farther at this time I humbly take my leave resting Dort this 15. of Decemb. 1618. stylo novo Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord THe seventh of December stylo novo being Friday in the morning the Synod met the first thing that was done was the pronouncing the Decree of the States concerning Grevinchovius and Goulartius to this effect That whereas the Remonstrants had petitioned to the States that Grevinchovius and Goulartius might be admitted into the Synod there to defend the Remonstrants Cause the Lords for good causes thought they neither ought nor could grant it yet thus much did they graciously permit that they might freely come in private and do them what help they could and if they thought that in any thing