it nor benefit to them from it but yet by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God who most wisely and powerfully ordered all those various and vitious motions of the creature for the effectuating of his own most glorious and gracious purposes That is one Reason 10. Secondly we use to call all such things Mysteries as cannot possibly come to our knowledge unless they be some way or other revealed unto us whether they have or have not otherwise any great difficulty in them Nebuchadnezzars dream is so called a Mystery Dan. 2. And S. Paul in one place speaking of the conversion of the Iews calleth it a Mystery I would not Brethren that you should be ignorant of this Mystery Rom. 11. and in another place speaking of the change of those that should be found alive at Christs second coming calleth that a Mystery too Behold I shew you a Mystery we shall not all dye c. 1 Cor. 15. In this notion also is the Gospel a Mystery it being utterly impossible that any wit of man by the light of Nature or strength of humane discourse should have been able to have found out that way which Almighty God hath appointed for our salvation if it had not pleased him to have made it known to the world by supernatural revelation The wisest Philosophers and learnedst Rabbies nor did nor could ever have dreamt of any such thing till God revealed it to his Church by his Prophets and Apostles This mystery was hid from ages and from generations nor did any of the Princes of this world know it in any of those ages or generations as it is now made manifest to us since God revealed it to us by his spirit as our Apostle elsewhere speaketh 11. The Philosophers indeed saw a little dimly some of those truths that are more cleerly revealed to us in the Scriptures They found in all men a great proclivity to Evil and an indisposition to Good but knew nothing at all either of the true Causes or of the right remedies thereof Some apprehensions also they had of a Deity of the Creation of the world of a divine providence of the immortality of the soule of a final retribution to be awarded to all men by a divine justice according to the merit of their works and some other truths But those more high and mysterious points especially those two that of the Trinity of persons in the Godhead and that of the Incarnation of the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek Fathers use to call them together with those appendices of the later the Redemption of the world the Iustification of a sinner the Resurrection of the body and the beatifical Vision of God and Christ in the kingdom of Heaven not the least thought of any of these deep things of God ever came within them God not having revealed the same unto them 12. It is no thanks then to us that very children among us do believe and confess these high mysterious points whereof Plato and Aristotle and all the other grand Sophies among them were ignorant since we owe our whole knowledg herein not to our own natural sagacity or industry wherein they were beyond most of us but to divine and supernatural revelation For flesh and bloud hath not revealed them unto us but our Father which is in heaven We see what they saw not not because our eyes are better then theirs but because God hath vouchsafed to us a better light then he did to them Which being an act of special grace ought therefore to be acknowledged with special thankfulness Our Saviour hath given us the example I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Mat. 11.25 13. Truly much cause we have to bless the holy Name of God that he hath given us to be born of Christian parents and to be bred up in the bosome of the Christian Church where we have been initiated into these sacred mysteries being catechised and instructed in the doctrine of the Gospel out of the holy Scriptures even from our very childhood as Timothy was But we are wretchedly unthankful to so good a God and extremely unworthy of so great a blessing if we murmur against our Governours and clamour against the Times because every thing is not point-vise just as we would have it or as we have fancied to our selves it should be Whereas were our hearts truly thankful although things should be really and in truth even ten times worse then now they are but in their conceit only yet so long as we may enjoy the Gospel in any though never so scant a measure and with any though never so hard conditions we should account it a benefit and mercy invaluable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so St Paul esteemed it the very riches of the grace of God for he writeth According to the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdome and prudence having made known to us the mysterie of his will Eph. 1. If he had not made it known to us we had never known it And that is the Second Reason why a Mystery 14. There is yet a Third even because we are not able perfectly to comprehend it now it is revealed And this Reason will fetch in the Quantum too For herein especially it is that this mysterie doth so far transcend all other mysteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great marvellous great Mysterie In the search whereof Reason finding it self at a loss is forced to give it over in the plain field and to cry out O altitudo as being unable to reach the unfathomed depth thereof We believe and know and that with fulness of assurance that all these things are so as they are revealed in the holy Scriptures because the mouth of God who is Truth it self and cannot lie hath spoken them and our own Reason upon this ground teacheth us to submit our selves and it to the obedience of Faith for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so it is But then for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nicodemus his question How can these things be it is no more possible for our weak understandings to comprehend that then it is for the eyes of bats or owles to look stedfastly upon the body of the Sun when he shineth forth in his greatest strength The very Angels those holy and heavenly spirits have a desire saith S. Peter it is but a desire not any perfect ability and that but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither to peep a little into those incomprehensible mysteries and then cover their faces with their wings and peep again and cover again as being not able to endure the fulness of that glorious lustre that shineth therein 15. God hath revealed himself and his good pleasure towards us in his holy
had said No it is not lawful S. Peter saith the wicked Sodomites vexed the righteous soul of Lot daily with their unlawful deeds And who that hearkneth to the holy Law of God or but to the dictates of natural conscience will not acknowledge blasphemy idolatry sacriledge perjury oppression incest parricide treason c. to be things altogether unlawful And doth S. Paul now dissent so far from the judgement of his Master of his fellow-Apostle of the whole World besides as to pronounce of all these things that they are lawful Here the rule of Logicians must help Signa distributiva sunt intelligenda accommodatè ad subjectam materiam Notes of Universality are not ever to be understood in that fulness of latitude which the words seem to import but most often with such convenient restrictions as the matter in hand will require Now the Apostle by mentioning Expediency in the Text giveth us clearly to understand that by All things he intendeth all such things onely whose Expediency or Inexpediency are meet to be taken into consideration as much as to say All Indifferent things and none other For things absolutely necessary although it may truly be said of them that they also are lawful yet are they quite beside the Apostles intention in this place Both for that their lawfulness is not ad utrumlibet it holdeth but the one way onely for though it be lawful to do them yet is it not lawful to leave them undone as also because expedient or inexpedient done they must be howsoever for I must do my bounden duty though all the World should take offence thereat And on the other side things absolutely forbidden such as those before mentioned and sundry others are of themselves utterly unlawful and may not in any case be done seem they never so expedient for I may not do any evil for any good that may ensue thereof But then there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call them things of a middle nature that are neither absolutely commanded nor absolutely forbidden but are left to every mans choice either to do or to leave undone as â—e shall see cause Indifferent things Of these the Apostle speaketh freely and universally and without exception that they are all lawful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Chrysostome and de medio genere rerum others and to the same effect most Interpreters 5. Somewhat we have gained towards the better understanding of the Text yet not much unless it may withall certainly appear what things are Indifferent and what not for all the wrangling will be about that For that therefore not to hold you with a long discourse but to come up close to the point take it briefly thus Every action or thing whatsoever that cannot by just and logical deduction either from the light of Nature or from the written Word of God be shewen to be either absolutely necessary or simply unlawful I say every such action or thing is in its own nature indifferent and consequently permitted by our gracious Lord God to our free liberty and choice from time to time either to do or to leave undone either to use or to forbear the use as in godly wisdom and charity acccording to the just exigence of circumstances we shall see it expedient 6. Hitherto appertain those sundry passages of our Apostle To the Romans I know and am perswaded that there is nothing unclean of it self and again All things indeed are pure To Titus To the pure all things are pure To these Corinthians once before he hath words in part the same with these of the Text All things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient All things are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the power of any He repeateth it there twise as he doth also here All things are lawful and again All things are lawful no doubt of purpose that we should take the more notice of it To Timothy lastly for I quote but such places onely as have the note of Universality expressed Every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused 7. From all which places it is evident that we have a free and universal liberty allowed us by our gracious Lord and Master to every Creature in the World So as that whatsoever natural faculties or properties he hath endowed any of them withal or whatsoever benefit or improvement we can raise out of any such their faculties or properties by any our art skill or industry we may serve our selves of them both for our necessity and comfort provided ever that we keep our selves within the bounds of sobriety charity and other requisite conditions And then it will also follow farther and no lesse certainly our selves being in the number of those creatures that we have the like liberty to exercise all those several faculties abilities and endowments whether of soul or body or outward things which it hath pleased God to allot us and consequently to build and plant and alter to buy and sell and exchange to obey laws to observe rites and fashions and customs to use recreations and generally to perform all the actions of common life as occasions shall require still provided as before that all due conditions be duly observed 8. Injurious then are all they to true Christian liberty and adversaries to the truth of God as it is constantly taught by this blessed Apostle who either impose any of those things as necessary or else condemn any of them as unlawful which it was the gracious pleasure of our good God to leave free arbitrary and indifferent Both extreams are superstitious both derogatory to the honour of God and the liberty of his people both strong symptomes of that great pride that cleaveth to the spirit of corrupt man in daring to piece out the holy Word of God by tacking thereunto his own devices 9. Extreamly faulty this way especially in the former branch in laying a necessity where they should not are they of the Romish party For after that the Bishops of Rome had begun by the advantages of the times to lift themselves towards that superlative height of greatness whereto at length they attained they began withal for the better support of that greatness to exercise a grievous tyranny over the consciences of men by obtruding upon them their own inventions both in points of faith and manners and those to be received believed and obeyed under pain of damnation whereby they became the authors and still are the continuers of the widest schism that ever was in the Church of Christ from the very first infancy thereof The Anabaptists also and Separatists by striving to run so far as they can from Popery have run themselves unawares even as deep as they and that in the very same fault I mean as to the general of Superstition though quite on the other hand and upon quite different grounds for they offend more in
be judges which is both unreasonable and preposterous or else every man must be his own judge which were to overthrow all government and to bring in a confusion every man to do what is good in his own eyes or else the known governours must judge and then you know what will follow even to submit and obey 37. Secondly to allow men under the pretence of inexpediency and because of some offence that may be taken thereat to disobey laws and constitutions made by those that are in authority were the next way to cut the sinews of all authority and to bring both Magistrates and Lawes into contempt For what law ever was made or can be made so just and reasonable but some man or other either did or might take offence thereat And what man that is disposed to disobey but may pretend some inexpediency or other wherewith to countenance out such his disobedience 38. Thirdly It is agreed by consent of all that handle the matter of Scandal that we may not commit any sin whatsoever be it never so small for the avoiding of any scandal be it never so great But to disobey lawful authority in lawful things is a sin against the fifth Commandment Therefore we may not redeem a scandal by such our disobedience nor refuse to do the thing commanded by such authority whosoever should take offence thereat 39. Fourthly though lawfulness and unlawfulness be not yet expediency and inexpediency are as we heard capable of the degrees of more and lesse and then in all reason of two inexpedient things we are to do that which is lesse inexpedient for the avoiding of that which is more inexpedient Say then there be an inexpediency in doing the thing commanded by authority when a brother is thereby offended is there not a greater inexpediency in not doing it when the Magistrate is thereby disobeyed Is it not more expedient and conducing to the common good that a publick magistrate should be obeyed in a just command then that a private person should be gratified in a causeless scruple 40. Fifthly when by refusing obedience to the lawful commands of our Superiours we think to shun the offending of one or two weak brethren we do in truth incur thereby a far more grievous scandal by giving offence to hundreds of others whose consciences by our disobedience will be emboldned to that whereto corrupt nature is but too too prone to affront the Magistrate and despise authority 41. Lastly where we are not able to discharge both debts of justice are to be payed before debts of charity Now the duty of obedience is debitum justitiae and a matter of right my superiour may challenge it at my hands as his due and I do him wrong if I with-hold it from him But the care of not giving offence is but debitum charitatis and a matter but of courtesie I am to perform it to my brother in love when I see cause but he cannot challenge it from me as his right nor can justly say I do him wrong if I neglect it It is therefore no more lawful for me to disobey the lawful command of a Superiour to prevent thereby the offence of one or a few brethren then it is lawful for me to do one man wrong to do another man a courtesie withal or then it is lawful for me to rob the Exchequer to relieve an Hospital 42. I see not yet how any of these six reasons can be fairly avoided and yet which would be considered if but any one of them hold good it is enough to carry the cause And therefore I hope there need be no more said in this matter To conclude then for the point of practise which is the main thing I aimed at in the choice of this Text and my whole meditations thereon we may take our direction in these three Rules easie to be understood and remembred and not hard to bee observed in our practise if we will but put our good wils thereunto First if God command we must submit without any more adoe and not trouble our selves about the expediency or so much as about the lawfulness of the thing commanded His very command is warrant enough for both Abraham never disputed whether it were expedient for him nor yet whether it were lawful for him to sacrifice his son or no when once it appeared to him that God would have it so 43. Secondly if our Superiours endued with lawful authority thereunto command us any thing we may and where we have just cause of doubt we ought to enquire into the lawfulness thereof Yet not with such anxious curiosity as if we desired to finde out some loope-hole whereby to evade but with such modest ingenuity as may witness to God and the world the unfeigned sincerity of our desires both to feare God and to honour those that he hath set over us And if having used ordinary moral diligence bonâ fide to informe our selves the best we can there appear no unlawfulness in it we are then also to submit and obey without any more adoe never troubling our selves farther to enquire whether it be expedient yea or no. Let them that command us look to that for it is they must answer for it and not we 44. But then thirdly where authority hath left us free no command either of God or of those that are set over us under God having prescribed any thing to us in that behalf there it is at our own liberty and choyce to do as we shall think good Yet are we not left so loose as that we may do what we list so as the thing be but lawful for that were licentiousness and not liberty but we must ever do that which according to the exigence of present circumstances so far as all the wisdome and charity we have will serve us to judge shall seem to us most expedient and profitable to mutual Edification This is the way God give us all grace to walke in it So shall we bring glory to him and to our selves comfort so shall we further his worke onward and our own account at the last AD AULAM. Sermon XIII WHITEHALL July 1641. Rom. 15.6 That ye may with one minde and with one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. 1. THe sence hangeth unperfect unless we take in the former verse too Both together contain a Votive Prayer or Benediction wherewith the Apostle for the better speeding of all the pains he had taken in the whole former Chapter and in the beginning of this to make the Romanes more charitably affected one towards another without despising the weakness or judging the liberty one of another concludeth his whole discourse concerning that argument His Exhortations will do the better he thinketh if he second them with his devotions I have shewed you saith he what you are to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now God grant it may be
it For whereas the precious Oyntment though it have in it much variety of pleasure in regard of the three now-mentioned qualities yet can it bring all that delight no farther then to the outward senses of Touch Sight and Smell As for that passage in Psal. 109. It shall enter like Oyle into his bones it is perhaps rather to be understood as an hyperbolical expression then to be taken as exactly true in rigore loquendi But as for a good Name that pierceth farther then either bones or marrow it entereth into the inner man and bringeth rejoycing to the very heart and soule A good report maketh the bones fat saith Solomon and that I weene is another-gates matter then to make the face to shine This for material Oyle Then for those other outward things which for some respects I told you might be also comprehended under the name of Oyntments Riches Honours and worldly Pleasures alas how poore and sorry comforts are they to a man that hath forfeited his good Name that liveth in no credit nor reputation that groaneth under the contempt and reproach and infamy of every honest or but sober man Whereas he that by godly and vertuous actions by doing justice and exercising mercy and ordering himself and his affiairs discreetly holdeth up his good Name and reputation hath that yet to comfort himself withall and to fill his bones as with marrow and fatness though encompassed otherwise with many outward wants and calamities Without which even life it selfe would be unpleasant I say not to a perfect Christian only but even to every ingenuous morall man The worthier sort of men among the Heathens would have chosen rather to have dyed the most cruel deaths then to have lived infamous under shame and disgrace And do not those words of S. Paul 1 Cor. 9. shew that he was not much otherwise minded It were better for me to die then that any man should make my glorying void Thus a good Name is better then any precious Oyntment take it as you will properly or tropically because it yieldeth more solid content and satisfaction to him that enjoyeth it then the other doth 17. Compare them thirdly in those performances whereunto they enable us Oyls and Oyntments by a certain penetrative faculty that they have being well chafed in do supple the joynts and strengthen the sinews very much and thereby greatly enable the body for action making it more nimble and vigorous then otherwise it would be Whence it was that among the Greeks and from their example among the Romans and in other Nations those that were to exercise armes or other feats of activity in their solemn games especially wrestlers did usually by frictions and anointings prepare and fit their bodies for those athletique performances to do them with more agility and less weariness Insoas Chrysostome and other Greek Fathers almost every where use the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely when they speak of those preparatory advantages such as are prayer fasting meditation of Christs sufferings or of the joyes of heaven and the like wherewith Christians may fortifie and secure themselves when they are to enter the combate with their spiritual enemies but more generally to signifie any preparing or fitting of a person for any manner of action whatsoever 18. But how much more excellent then is a good Name which is of such mighty consequence advantage for the expediting of any honest enterprise that we take in hand either in our Christian course or civil life in this world It is an old saying taken up indeed in relation to another matter somewhat distant from that we are now treating of but it holdeth no less true in this then in that other respect Duo cum faciunt idem non est idem Let two men speak the same words give the same advice pursue the same business drive at the same design with equal right equal means equal diligence every other thing equall yet commonly the success is strangely different if the one be well thought of and the other labour of an ill name So singular an advantage is it for the crowning of our endeavours with good success to be in a good name If there be a good opinion held of us and our names once up whether we deserve it or no whatsoever we do is well taken whatsoever we propose is readily entertained our counsels yea and rebukes too carry waight and authority with them By which means we are enabled if we have but grace to make that good use thereof to do the more good to bring the more glory to God to give better countenance to his truth and to good causes and things Whereas on the other side if we be in an ill name whether we deserve it or no all our speeches and actions are ill-interpreted no man regardeth much what we say or do our proposals are suspected our counsels and rebukes though wholsome and just scorned and kickt at so as those men we speak for that side we adhere to those causes we defend those businesses we manage shall lye under some prejudice and be like to speed the worse for the evil opinion that is held of us We know well it should be otherwise Non quis sed quid As the Magistrate that exerciseth publick judgment should lay aside all respect of the person and look at the cause onely so should we all in our private judgings of other mens speeches and actions look barely upon the truth of what they say and the goodness of what they do and accordingly esteem of both neither better nor worse more or less for whatsoever fore-conceits we may have of the person Otherwise how can we avoid the charge of having the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons But yet since men are corrupt and will be partiall this way do we what we can and that the world and the affairs thereof are so much steered by Opinion it will be a point of godly wisdome in us so far to make use of this common corruption as not to disadvantage our selves for want of a good Name and good Opinion for the doing of that good whilst we live here among men subject to such frailties which we should set our desires and bend our endeavours to do And so a good name is better then a good ointment in that it enableth us to better and worthier performances 19. Compare them fourthly in their Extensions and that both for Place and Time For place first That Quality of the three before mentioned which specially setteth a value upon Oyntments advancing their price and esteem more eminently then any other consideration is their smell those being ever held most precious and of greatest delicacy that excell that way And herein is the excellency of the choisest Aromatical Oyntments that they do not only please
wealthy and with the despitefulness of the proud but he doth not say it should be so Iobs carriage was otherwise in so far that he disavoweth it and protesteth against it utterly If I did despise the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant when they contended with me c. He would affoord the meanest servants he had the honour to debate the matter with them and if there were reason on their side to allow it The greatest subject in the land need not think it any disparagement to him to give a just respect to a very mean person if he will but remember that it is the duty even of the King himself to vouchsafe that honour to the poorest begger within his Realm as to protect him from violence and to require an account of his bloud though it should be spilt by the hand of a Lord. 17. And yet behold a greater then Iob although I take it he was a King too within his own territories a greater then any of the great Kings of the earth ready to teach us this duty by his example even our Lord Iesus Christ and the same minde should be in us that was in him And what was that He was pleased so far to honour us base sinful unworthy creatures as we were as for our sakes to lay aside his own greatness emptying and devesting himself of glory and Majestie making himself of no reputation and taking upon him the form of a servant Ill do they follow either his Example or his Apostles Doctrine here who think themselves too good to condescend to men of low estate by doing them any office of service or respect though they need it never so much crave it never so oft deserve it never so well And they who look another way in the day of their brothers distress as the Priest and Levite passed by the wounded man in the parable without regard And not to multiply particulars all they who having power and opportunity thereunto neglect either to reward those that have worth in them according to their merit or to protect those that are wronged according to their innocency or to relieve those that are in want according to their necessity 18. There are a third sort that corrupt a good Text with an ill gloss by putting in a conditional limitation like the bodging in of a course shred into a fine garment as thus The Magistrate shall have his tribute the Minister his tythe and so every other man his due honour if so be he carry himself worthily and as he ought to do in his place and so as to deserve it In good time But I pray you then first to argue the cause a little with thee who ever thou art that thus glossest Who must judge of his carriage and whether he deserve such honour yea or no Why that thou hopest thou art well enough able to do thy self Sure we cannot but expect good justice where he that is a party will allow no other to be judge but himself Where the debter must arbitrate what is due to the creditor things are like to come to a fair reckoning 19. But secondly how dar'st thou distinguish where the Law distinguishes not Where God commandeth he looketh to be answered with Obedience and doest thou think to come off with subtilties and distinctions The precept here in the Text is plain and peremptory admitteth no Equivocation Exception or Reservation suggesteth nothing that should make it reasonable to restrain the Vniversality expressed therein by any such limitation and therefore will not endure to be eluded with any forced Gloss. 20. Least of all thirdly with such a Gloss as the Apostle hath already precluded by his own comment in the next verse where he biddeth servants to be subject to their Masters not only to the good and gentle but to the froward also and such as would be ready to buffet them when they had done no fault Such Masters sure could challenge no great honour from their servants titulo meriti and as by way of desert But yet there belonged to them jure dominij and by vertue of their Mastership the honour of Obedience and Subjection Which honour due unto them by that right they had a good title to and it might not be detained from them either in part or in whole by cavilling at their desert 21. But tell me fourthly in good earnest dost thou beleeve that another mans neglect of his duty can discharge thee from the obligation of thine dic Quintiliane colorem Canst thou produce any publick Law or private Contract or sound Reason wherenn to ground or but handsome Colour wherewith to varnish over such an imagination Fac quod tuum est do thou thy part therefore and honour him according to his place howsoever He shall answer and not thou for his unworthiness if he deserve it not but thou alone shalt answer for the neglect of thine own duty if thou performest it not 22. Lastly ex ore tuo When thou sayest thou wilt honour him according to his place if he deserve it dost thou not observe that thou art still unjust by thy own confession For where place and merit concur there is a double honour due The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour 1 Tim. 5. There is one honour due to the place and another to merit He that is in the place though without desert is yet worthy of a single honour for his place sake and justice requireth he should have it But if he deserve well in his place by rightly discharging his duty therein he is then worthy of a double honour and justice requireth he should have that too Consider now how unjust thou art If he deserve well sayest thou he shall have the honour due to his place otherwise not Thou mightest as well say in plain terms If he be worthy of double honour I can be content to afford the single otherwise he must be content to goe without any Now what justice what conscience in this dealing where two parts are due to allow but one and where one is due to allow just none 23. But I proceed no further in this argument having purposely omitted sundry things that occurred to my meditations herein and contracted the rest that I might have time to speak something to the later precept also Love the brotherhood To which I now pass hoping to dispatch it with convenient brevity observing the same method as before Quid nominis Quid juris Quid facti What we are to do and Why and how we performe it 24. First then for the meaning of the words we must know that as Adam and Christ are the two roots of mankinde Adam as in state of Nature and Christ as in a state of Grace so there is a twofold Brotherhood amongst men correspondent thereunto First a Brotherhood of Nature by propagation from the loines of Adam as we are men and secondly a
is taken from other peculiar and just respects and not from the very condition of Brotherhood it self or any distinction made therein But here is that evil partiality we are to take heed of when we restrain the Brotherhood to some one party or society in the Church such as we think good of and exclude the rest as if they had no part nor fellowship in this Brotherhood nor consequently any right to that special affection wherewith we are to love the Brethren Which partiality hath indeed been the very bane of the Churches unity and peace and the chiefest cause both of the beginning and continuance of most of the schisms under which Christendom hath groaned from time to time 40 Not to speak of the Donatists and other Schismaticks of old who confined the Church to some little corner of the world for which they were soundly confuted by S. Augustine Optatus and other godly Fathers of their times First of all extremely partial in this kinde are the Romish party at this day Who contrary to all truth and reason make the Romane and the Catholick Church terms convertible exacting external Communion with them and subjection to their Bishop as a condition so essentially requisite for the qualifying of any person to be a member of that Church of Christ out of which there is no salvation as that they have inserted a clause to that purpose into the very definition of a Church So cutting off from this brotherhood in a manner wholy all the spacious Churches of Africk and Asia together with all those both Eastern and Western Churches of Europe also which dare not submit to so vast a power as the Bishops of Rome pretend to nor can think themselves obliged to receive all their dictates for undoubted articles of Faith 41. The like Partiality appeareth secondly in our brethren of the separation Marvel not that I call them brethren though they will by no means own us as such the more unjust and uncharitable they And in this uncharitableness such a coincidence there is sometimes of extremes the Separatists and the Romanists consequently to their otherwise most distant principles do fully agree like Samsons foxes tied together by the tailes to set all on fire although their faces look quite contrary wayes But we envie not either these or those their uncharitableness nor may we imitate them therein But as the Orthodox Fathers did the wayward Donatists then so we hold it our duty now to account these our uncharitable brethren as well of the one sort as the other our Brethren still whether they will thank us for it or no Velint nolint fratres sunt These our Brethren I say of the Separation are so violent and peremptory in Vnchurching all the world but themselves that they thrust and pen up the whole Flock of Christ in a far narrower pingle then ever the Donatists did concluding the Communion of Saints within the compass of a private parlour or two in Amsterdam 42. And it were much to be wished in the third place that some in our own Church who have not yet directly denied us to be their Brethren had not some of the leaven of this Partiality hidden in their brests They would hardly else be so much swelled up with an high opinion of themselves nor so much sowred in their affections towards their brethren as they bewray themselves to be by using the terms of Brotherhood of Profession of Christianity the Communion of Saints the Godly Party and the like as titles of distinction to difference some few in the Church a dis-affected party to the established Government and Ceremonies from the rest As if all but themselves were scarce to be owned either as Brethren or Professors or Christians or Saints or Godly men Who knoweth of what ill consequence the usage of such apropriating and distinctive titles that sound so like the Pharisees I am holier then thou and warpe so much towards a separation may prove and what evil effects they may produce in future But how ever it is not well done of any of us in the mean time to take up new formes and phrases and to accustome our selves to a garbe of speaking in Scripture-language but in a different notion from that wherein the Scriptures understand it I may not I cannot judge any mans heart but truly to me it seemeth scarce a possible thing for any man that appropriateth the name of Brethren or any of those other titles of the same extent to some part only of the Christian Church to fulfil our Apostles precept here of loving the brotherhood according to the true meaning thereof For whom he taketh not in he must needs leave out and then he can love them but as those that are without Perhaps wish them well pray for their conversion shew them civil respect c. which is no more then he might or would do to a very Iew Turk or Pagan 43. As for us beloved brethren let us in the name and feare of God beware of all rotten or corrupt partiality in the performance either of this or of any other Christian duty either to God or man And let us humbly beseech the God of all grace and peace to put into our hearts a spirit of Wisdom and Charity that we may duly both honour and love all men in such sort as becometh us to do but especially that we may love and honour him above all who hath already so loved and honoured us as to make us Christians and â—ath further engaged himself by his gracious promise to love honour and reward all those that seek his honour and glory To whom be all honour and glory ascribed c. AD AULAM. Sermon IV. BEVVOYR JULY 1636. Psalm 19.13 Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins Let them not have dominion over me So shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression 1. THis Psalm is one of Davids Meditations That it is Davids we have it from the Title in the beginning That it is a Meditation from the close in the end of it Now there are but two things especially whereon to employ our meditations with profit to the right knowledg whereof some have therefore reduced the whole body of Divinity God and our selves And the meditation is then most both compleat and fruitful when it taketh in both Which is to be done either viâ ascensus when we begin below and at our selves and so build upwards raising our thoughts higher to the contemplation of God or viâ decensus when we begin aloft and with him and so work downwards drawing our thoughts home upon our selves 2. This later is the method of this Psalm in the former part whereof David beginneth as high as at the most Highest and then descendeth as low as to himself in the later For the succouring of his Meditations there he maketh use of the two great Books that of Nature or of the Works
any thing proposed to debate under any name or notion What doth that name or word import To presume then in the common use and notion of the word with us importeth ever a kinde of confidence or boldness in the Presumer And it may be taken either in a good or in a bad sense but more usually in the bad as by reason of common abuses most other indifferent words are He that hath a fast friend that he thinketh will support him will sometimes adventure upon an undertaking which he is not able to go through with all alone nor durst undergo if he had not such a friend to rely upon When a man doth so we say he presumeth upon that friend that is he is confident that friend will not fail to assist him therein to his utmost power Now if a man be bold to do but what he may and should do and that withall he have some good ground for his confidence from the consideration of his friends ability the experience of his love some former promises on his friends or merit on his own part or other like so as every man would be ready to say he had reason to presume so far of his friend this is a good reasonable and warrantable presumption But if he fail in either respect as if he presume either to do unlawful unworthy or unbefitting things or to do even lawful things when there appeareth no great cause why any man should think his friend obliged by the laws of friendship to assist him therein then is such his presumption a faulty and an evil presumption And whatsoever may bear the name of a Presumptuous sin in any respect is some way or other tainted with such an evil irrational presumption 9. But we are further to note that presumption in the worser sense and as applied to sin may be taken either Materially or Formally If these termes seem obscure with a little opening I hope the difference between these two will be easily understood Taken materially the sin of Presumption is a speciall kinde of sin distinguished from other species of sins by its proper Object or Matter when the very matter wherein we sin and wherby we offend God is Presumption and so it is a branch of Pride When a man presuming either upon his own strength or upon Gods assisting him undertaketh to do something of himself not having in himself by the ordinary course of nature and the common aid which God affoordeth to the actions of his creatures in the ordinary wayes of his providence sufficient strength to go through therewithall or expecteth to receive some extraordinary assistance from the Mercy Power c. of God not having any sufficient ground either from the general promises conteined in the Scriptures or by particular immediate revelation that God will certainly so assist him therein 10. All those men that over-value themselves or out of an overweening conceit of their own abilities attempt things beyond their power That lean to their own understandings as Solomon That minde high things and are wise in their own conceits as St Paul That exercise themselves in great matters and such as are too high for them as David expresseth it All those that perswade themselves they can persist in a holy course without a continual supply of Grace or that think they can continue in their sins so long as they think good and then repent of them and forsake them at their leasure whensoever they list or that doubt not but to be able by their own strength to stand out against any temptation All these I say and all other like by presuming too much upon themselves are guilty of the sin of Presumption To omit the Poëts who have set forth the folly of this kind of Presumption in the Fables of Phaethon and Icarus A notable example we have of it in the Apostle Peter and therein a fair warning for others not to be high minded but to fear who in the great confidence of his own strength could not believe his Master though he knew him to be the God of truth when he foretold him he would yield but still protested that if all the world should forsake him yet he would never do it 11. Nor onely may a man offend in this kinde by presuming upon himself too much but also by presuming even upon God himself without warrant He that repenteth truly of his sins presuming of Gods mercy in the forgiveness thereof or that walketh uprightly and conscionably in the wayes of his calling presuming of Gods Power for his protection therein sinneth not in so presuming Such a presumption is a fruit of Faith and a good presumption because it hath a sure ground a double sure ground for failing first in the Nature and then in the Promise of God As a man may with good reason presume upon his friend that he will not be wanting to him in any good office that by the just Laws of true friendship one friend ought to doe for another But as he presumeth too much upon his friend that careth not into what desperate exigents and dangers he casteth himself in hope his friend will perpetually redeem him and relieve him at every turne So who ever trusteth to the Mercy or to the Power of God without the warrant of a promise presumeth farther then he hath cause and though he may flatter himself and call it by some better name as Faith or Hope or Affiance in God yet is it in truth no better then a groundless and a wicked Presumption Such was the presumption of those Sons of Sceva who took upon them but to their shame and sorrow to call over them that had evil spirits the name of the Lord Iesus in a form of adjuration Acts 19. when they had no calling or warrant from God so to do And all those men that going on in a wretched course of life do yet hope they shall finde mercy at the houre of death All those that cast themselves into unnecessary either dangers or temptations with expectance that God should manifest his extraordinary Power in their preservation All those that promise to themselves the End without applying themselves to the Means that God hath appointed thereunto as to have Learning without Study Wealth without Industry comfort from children without carefull education c. for as much as they presume upon Gods help without sufficient warrant are guilty of the Sin of Presumption taken in the former notion and Materially 12. But I conceive the Presumptuous sins here in the Text to belong clearly to the other notion of the word Presumption taken formally and as it importeth not a distinct kinde of sin in it self as that Groundless Presumption whereof we have hitherto spoken doth but a common accidentall difference that may adhere to sins of any kinde even as Ignorance and Infirmity whereunto it is opposed also may Theft and Murther which are sins of speciall kinds distinguished either from
his choisest blessings upon those men that think them not well worthy their best both Prayers and Pains He alone can frame mens hearts to unity and peace but we are vain and unreasonable if we expect he should do it for our sakes so long as we continue either silent without seeking to him for it by our Prayers or sluggish without employing our best endeavours about it to our powers 10. But why is this God to whom we are thus to make our addresses that he would be pleased to grant us this like-mindedness and to give unto us and to all his people the blessing of peace here stiled the God of Patience and Consolation The enquiries are many Why first the God of Patience And secondly why the God of Consolation taking the two Attributes apart either by it self Then taking them both together First for the choice why these two rather then any other Secondly for the conjunction why these two together Thirdly for the order why Patience first and before Consolation Five in all somewhat of each 11. The former Title is The God of Patience Which may be understood either Formaliter or Causaliter either subjectively or effectively as they use to distinguish Or if these School-termes be too obscure then in plain termes thus either of Gods patience or Ours That is to say either of that patience which God useth toward us or of that patience which God by his grace and holy Spirit worketh in us Of Gods patience and long-suffering to us-ward besides pregnant testimony of Scripture we have daily and plentiful experience How slowly he proceedeth to vengeance being so unworthily provoked how he beareth with our infirmities Infirmities ey and Negligences too yea and yet higher our very Presumptions and Rebellions how he spreadeth out his hand all the day long waiting day after day year after year for our conversion and amendment that he may have mercy upon us And even thus understood Subjectivè the Text would bear a fair construction as not altogether impertinent to the Apostles scope It might at least intimate to us this that finding so much patience from him it would well become us also to shew some patience to our brethren But yet I conceive it more proper here to understand it effectivè of that Patience which is indeed from God as the Cause but yet in us as the subject Even as a little after verse 13. he is called the God of Hope because it is he that maketh us to abound in hope as the reason is there expressed And as here in the Text he is stiled the God of consolation for no other reason but that it is he that putteth comfort and chearfulness into our hearts 12. It giveth us clearly to see what we are of our selves and without God nothing but heat and impatience ready to vex our selves and to fly in the faces of our brethren for every trifle You have need of patience saith the Apostle Heb. 10. We have indeed God help us 1. We live here in a vale of misery where we meet with a thousand petty crosses and vexations quotidianarum molestiarum minutiae in the common road of our lives poor things in themselves and if rationally considered very trifles and vanity yet able to bring vexation upon our impatient spirits we had need of patience to digest them 2. We are beset surrounded with a world of temptations assaulting us within and without and on every side and at every turne we had need of Patience to withstand them 3. We are exposed to manifold injuries obloquies and sufferings many times without cause it may be sometimes for a good cause we had need of patience to bear them 4. We have many rich and precious promises made us in the word of grace of glory of outward things of some of which we finde as yet but slender performance and of other some but that we are sure the anchor of our hope is so well fixt that it cannot faile no visible probability of their future performance we had need of patience to expect them 5. We have many good duties required to be done of us in our Christian callings and in our particular vocations for the honour of God and the service of our brethren we had need of patience to go through with them 6. We have to converse with men of different spirits and tempers some hott fiery and furious others flat sullen and sluggish some unruly some ignorant some proud and scornful some peevish and obstinate some toyish fickle and humorous all subject to passions and infirmities in one kinde or other we had need of patience to frame our conversations to the weaknesses of our brethren and to tolerate what we cannot remedy that by helping to bear each others burdens we may so fulfil the Law of Christ. 13. Great need we have of Patience you see and my Text letteth us see where we have to serve our need God is the God of patience in him and from him it is to be had but not elsewhere When ever then we finde our selves ready to fret at any cross occurrent to venge every injury to rage at every light provocation to droope at the delay of any promise to slugge in our own performances to skew at the infirmities of others take we notice first of the impatience of our own spirits and condemn it then hie we to the fountain of grace there beg for patience and meekness and he that is the God of patience will not deny it us That is the former Title The God of Patience 14. The other is The God of Consolation And the reason is for this can be understood no otherwise then effective because sound comfort is from God alone I even I am he that comforteth you saith he himself Esay 51. Thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me saith David Psal. 23. And the Prophets often The Lord shall comfort Sion The Holy Ghost is therefore called as by his proper name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Comforter Ey perhaps as one among many others or allowing the Greek article his Emphasis as the chiefest of all the rest which hindereth not but there may be other Comforters besides though haply of less excellency If there were no more in it but so and the whole allegation should be granted it should be enough in wisdome to make us overlook all them that we might partake of his comforts as the best But in truth the Scriptures so speak of God not as the chiefest but as the only Comforter admitting no partnership in this prerogative Blessed be God c. The Father of mercies and the God of all Consolation 15. May we not then seek for comfort may some say nay do we not sometimes finde comfort in friends riches reputation and such other regular pleasures and delights as the creatures afford Verily under God we may alwayes and do sometimes reap comfort from the creatures But those comforts issue still
that there is nothing of moment proved against him for in the construction of the Law every man is presumed to be an honest man till he be proved otherwise But to the condemning of a man there is more requisite then so bare suspicions are not enough no nor strong presumptions neither but there must be a clear and full evidence especially if the triall concern life So in these moral trials also in foro interno when enquiry is made into the lawfulness or unlawfulness of humane acts in their several kindes it is sufficient to warrant any act in the kinde to be lawful that there can be nothing produced from scripture or sound reason to prove it unlawfull For so much the words of my Text do manifestly import All things are lawful for me But to condemn any act as simply and utterly unlawful in the kind remote consequences and weak deductions from Scripture-Text should not serve the turne neither yet reasons of inconveniency or inexpediency though carrying with them great shews of probability But it is requisite that the unlawfulness thereof should be sufficiently demonstrated either from express and undeniable testimony of scripture or from the clear light of natural reason or at leastwise from some conclusions properly directly and evidently deduced therefrom If we condemne it before this be done our judgement therein is rash and unrighteous 15. Nor is that all I told you besides the unrighteousness of it in it self that it is also of very noysome and perilous consequence many wayes Sundry the evil and pernicious effects whereof I desire you to take notice of being many I shall do little more then name them howbeit they will deserve a larger discovery And first it produceth much Vncharitableness For although difference of judgment should not alienate our affections one from another yet daily experience sheweth it doth By reason of that selfe-love and envy and other corruptions that abound in us it is rarely seen that those men are of one heart that are of two mindes S. Paul found it so with the Romans in his time whilest some condemned that as unlawful which others practised as lawful they judged one another and despised one another perpetually And I doubt not but any of us that is any-whit-like acquainted with the wretched deceitfulness of mans heart may easily conclude how hard a thing it is if at all possible not to think somewhat hardly of those men that take the liberty to do such things as we judge unlawful As for example If we shall judge all walking into the fields discoursing occasionally on the occurrences of the times dressing of meat for dinner or supper or even moderate recreations on the Lords day to be grievous prophanations of the sabbath how can we chuse but judge those men that use them to be grievous prophaners of Gods sabbath And if such our judgment concerning the things should after prove to be erroneous then can it not be avoided but that such our judgement also concerning the persons must needs be uncharitable 16. Secondly this mis-judging of things filleth the world with endless nicities and disputes to the great disturbance of the Churches peace which to every good man ought to be precious The multiplying of books and writings pro and con and pursuing of arguments with heat and opposition doth rather lengthen then decide controversies and insted of destroying the old begetteth new ones whiles they that are in the wrong out of obstinacy will not and they that stand for the truth out of conscience dare not may not yeeld and so still the warr goeth on 17. And as to the publick peace of the Church so is there also thirdly by this means great prejudice done to the peace and tranquillity of private mens consciences when by the peremptory doctrines of some strict and rigid masters the soules of many a well-meaning man are miserably disquieted with a thousand unnecessary scruples and driven sometimes into very woful perplexities Surely it can be no light matter thus to lay heavie burdens upon other mens shoulders and to cast a snare upon their consciences by making the narrow way to heaven narrower then ever God meant it 18. Fourthly hereby Christian Governours come to be robbed of a great part of that honour that is due unto them from their people both in their Affections and Subjection For when they shall see cause to exercise over us that power that God hath left them in indifferent things by commanding such or such things to be done as namely wearing of a surplice kneeling at the communion and tho like if now we in our own thoughts have already prejudged any of the things so commanded to be unlawful it cannot be but our hearts will be sowred towards our superiours in whom we ought to rejoyce and instead of blessing God for them as we are bound to do and that with hearty cheerfulness we shall be ready to speak evil of them even with open mouth so far as we dare for fear of being shent Or if out of that fear we do it but indirectly and obliquely yet we will be sure to do it in such a manner as if we were willing to be understood with as much reflexion upon authority as may be But then as for our Obedience we think our selves clearly discharged of that it being granted on all hands as it ought that superiours commanding unlawful things are not therein to be obeyed 19. And then as ever one evil bringeth on another since it is against all reason that our Errour should deprive our Superiours of that right they have to our obedience for why should any man reap or challenge benefit from his own act we do by this means fifthly exasperate those that are in authority and make the spirit of the ruler rise against us which may hap to fall right heavy on us in the end All power we know whether natural or civil striveth to maintain it self at the height for the better preserving of it self the Natural from decay and the Civil from contempt When we therefore withdraw from the higher powers our due obedience what do we other then pull upon our selves their just displeasure and put into their hands the opportunity if they shall but be as ready to take it as we are to give it rather to extend their power Whereby if we suffer in the conclusion as not unlike we may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom may we thank for it but our selves 20. Sixthly by this means we cast our selves upon such sufferings as the cause being naught we can have no sound comfort in Causa non passio we know it is the cause maketh a true Martyr or Confessour and not barely the suffering He that suffereth for the truth and a good cause suffereth as a Christian and he need not be ashamed but may exult in the midst of his greatest sufferings chearing up his own heart and glorifying God
a wife as well as others to forbear working as well as others in the Chapter before this 34. I finde not any where in scripture that the Priesthood of the Gospel doth render a man incapable of any thing whereunto he hath either a natural or civil liberty but that whatsoever is lawful for any other man to doe is lawful also for a Church-man to doe notwithstanding his ministerial office and calling What is decent and expedient for a Minister of the Gospel to do that is quite another business I speak now only of lawfulness which respecteth the things themselves only considered in their own nature and in the general without relation either to the opinions and fashions of times and places which is the measure of decency or to such particular circumstances as attend particular actions which ought to be the measure of Expediency 35. For a grave Clergy-man to weare a green suite a cap and feather and a long lock on the one side or to worke journey-work in some mechanick or manuall trade as with a Mason Carpenter or Shoomaker as things are now setled among us no wise man can think it either decent or expedient Yet that decency and expediency set aside no man can truly say that the doing of any of this is simply unlawful For why might not an English Minister if he were prisoner in Turkey to make an escape disguise himself in such a habit as aforesaid which if it were simply unlawful rather then do it he should dye a thousand deaths And why it should not be as lawful now for a Minister as it was once for an Apostle to work journey-work to make shooes now as then to make tents if it might stand with decency and expediency now as well as then let him that can shew a reason Let them look how they will answer it therefore that make it unlawful for Priests either to marry as some do or to be in commission of the peace as some others do as if either the state of Wedlock or the exercise of temporal jurisdiction were inconsistent with holy Orders When the maintainers of either opinion shall shew good Text for what they teach the cause shall be yeelded but till that be done they must pardon us if we appeal them both of Pharisaism in teaching for doctrines mens precepts So long as this Text stands in the Bible unexpunged All things are lawful for me if any man either from Rome or elsewhere nay if an Angel from heaven should teach either of those things to be unlawful and bring no better proof for it then yet hath been done he must excuse me if I should not be very forward to believe him 36 Well you see the Apostle here extendeth our liberty very far in indifferent things without exception either of things or persons All things lawful and lawful for all men In the asserting of which liberty if in any thing I have spoken at this time I may seem to any man to have set open a wide gap to carnal licentiousness I must intreat at his hands one of these three things and the request is but reasonable Either First that all prejudice and partiality laid aside he would not judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the appearance but according to right and truth and then I doubt not but all shall be well enough Or Secondly that he would consider whether these words of our Apostle taken by themselves alone do not seem to set open the gap as wide as I or any man else can stretch it Omnia licent All things are lawful for me Or that Thirdly he would at leastwise suspend his judgement till I shall have handled the latter clauses of my Text also wherein our liberty is restrained as it is here extended Then which may be ere long if God will he shall possibly finde the gap if any such be sufficiently stopped up again to keep out all carnal licentiousness and other abuse of Christian liberty whatsoever In the mean time and at all times God grant us all to have a right judgement and to keep a good conscience in all things AD AULAM. Sermon XII HAMPTON COURT July 26. 1640. II. Ser. on 1 COR. 10.23 But all things are not expedient But all things edifie not 1. THe former clause of the Verse here twice repeated All things are lawful for me containeth the Extension as these later clauses do the Limitation of that Liberty that God hath left us to things of indifferent nature That Extension I have already handled and set our Christian liberty there where according to the constant doctrine of our Apostle I think it should stand From what I then delivered which I now repeat not plain it was that the Apostle extendeth our liberty very far without exception either of things or persons All things lawful and lawful for all men All the fear was lest by so asserting our liberty we might seem to set open a gap to carnal licentiousness Although there be no great cause for it in respect of the thing it self yet is not that fear altogether needless in regard of our corruption who are apt to turn the very best things into abuse and liberty as much as any thing Yet that fear need not much trouble us if we will but take these later clauses of the verse also along with us as we ought to do Where we shall finde the gap if any such were sufficiently made up again to keep out all carnal licentiousness and other abuse of Christian liberty whatsoever 2. Of those clauses we are now to speak But all things are not expedient But all things edifie not Wherein the Apostle having before extended our liberty in the power now restraineth it in the use and exercise of that power Concerning which I shall comprehend all I have to say in three Observations grounded all upon the Text. First that the Apostle establisheth the point of lawfulness before he meddle with that of expediency Secondly that he requireth we should have an eye to the expediency also of the things we do not resting upon their lawfulness alone And thirdly that he measureth the expediency of lawful things by their usefulness unto edification Of which in their order 3. And first Expediency in S. Pauls method supposeth lawfulness He taketh that for granted that the thing is lawful before he enter into any enquiry whether it be expedient yea or no. For expediency is here brought in as a thing that must restrain and limit us in the exercise of that liberty which God hath otherwise allowed us but God hath not allowed us any liberty unto unlawful things And this Observation is of right good use for thence it will follow that when the unlawfulness of any thing is once made sufficiently to appear all farther enquiry into the expediency or inexpediency thereof must thenceforth utterly cease and determine No conjuncture of circumstances whatsoever can make that expedient to be done at
instruction to us how to behave our selves in this matter of pleasing Not to please men be they never so many or great out of flatness of spirit so as for the pleasing of them either first to neglect any part of our duty towards God and Christ or secondly to goe against our own consciences by doing any dishonest or unlawful thing or thirdly to do them harm whom we would please by confirming them in their errours flattering them in their sins humouring them in their peevishness or but even cherishing their weaknesse for weaknesse though it may be born with yet it must not be cherished Thus did not he thus should not we seek to please any man But then by yeelding to their infirmities for a time in hope to win them by patiently expecting their conversion or strengthning by restoring them with the spirit of meeknesse when they had fallen by forbearing all scornfull jeering provoking or exasperating language and behaviour towards them but rather with meeknesse instructing them that opposed themselves so did he so should we seek to please all men for their profit and for their good For that is charity 32. Alas it is not the pleasing or displeasing of men that Charity looketh after but their good And therefore as it seeketh to please them if that be for their good so it careth not to displease them if that also be for their good S. Paul was ad utrumque paratus he could use both as occasion required either the rod or the spirit of meekness and he would make choyce ever of that which he saw to be for the present the more expedient He was a wise Master-builder and knew how to lay his worke to make the building rise both faire and strong He took his model from the Arch-architect the builder and maker of all things which is God Suaviter fortiter in the book of wisdome all Gods works go on so He doth whatsoever he doth fortiter effectually and without fail in respect of the end that is to build strong But yet suaviter sweetly and without violence in the use of the means that 's to build faire 33. Can any Governour any Minister any private man that desireth to do so much as falleth to his share in this Building desire a better pattern to worke by A Governour that hath advisedly resolved upon a just course for that must still be supposed if justice do not lie at the bottome the frame cannot stand let him go through-stitch with it in Gods name do it fortiter as is said of David Psalm 78. He ruled them prudently with all his power so as his commands may be obeyed his authority feared his enemies quelled But then he must do it suaviter too that must not be forgotten with such equity lenity and moderation that they may be left without excuse in their undutifulness that will not both acknowledge his justice and clemency A Minister also of the Gospel who hath a great part in the work both for the pulling down of errour and sin and for the setting up of truth and godliness he must do his part fortiter instruct exhort reprove correct with full demonstration of the spirit and power and with clear evidence of truth and reason that he may build strong Yet suaviter too with all sweetness and meekness with much beseeching and brotherly language that he may build faire approving himself both wayes a workman that needeth not be ashamed But if he either put in ill stuff or lay it ill that is if either he prove with bad arguments or reprove with bad words he may then be ashamed of his work he doth but blunder and bungle and not build Yea every private man that hath in his hand the managing of any good cause wherein he meeteth with opposition cannot give better proof both of his wisdome and charity then by doing it fortiter and suaviter to the uttermost of his power and skill effectually but fairely 34. I have now done with all my three observations and should draw to a conclusion but that for the preventing of a foule mistake in this affair it is needful I should first put in one caution of some importance and it is this That in weighing the decency and expediency of things we ought to make a difference between those lawful things wherein superiour authority hath interposed and determined our liberty either way and those things wherein we are left wholy to our selves What hath bin said concerning the yielding to the weaknesses of our brethren for the avoiding of their offence and the forbearing of lawful things sometimes when they grow inexpedient is to be understood of such things only as are wholy in our own power no superiour authority either divine or humane having limited us therein But where lawful authority hath determined our choice we must hold to their determination any seeming inexpediency to the contrary notwithstanding 35. Whiles things are in agitation private men may if any thing seem to them inexpedient modestly tender their thoughts together with the reasons thereof to the consideration of those that are in authority to whose care and wisdom it belongeth in prescribing any thing concerning indifferent things to proceed with all just advisedness and moderation that so the subject may be encouraged to perform that obedience with cheerfulness which of necessity he must perform howsoever It concerneth superiours therefore to look well to the expediency and inexpediency of what they enjoyn in indifferent things Wherein if there be a fault it must lie upon their account the necessity of obedience is to us a sufficient discharge in that behalf Onely it were good we did remember that 〈◊〉 are to give up that account to God onely and not to us But after that things are once concluded and established by publick authority acts passed and constitutions made concerning the same and the will and pleasure of the higher powers sufficiently made known therein then for private men to put in their vye and with unseasonable diligence to call in question the decency or expediency of the things so established yea with intolerable pride to refuse obedience thereunto meerly upon this pretension that they are undecent or inexpedient is it self indeed the most indecent and inexpedient thing that can be imagined 36. For that the fear of offending a private brother is a thing not considerable in comparison of the duty of obedience to a publick governour might be shewen so apparently by sundry arguments if we had time to enlarge and illustrate them as must sufficiently convince the judgement of any man not wilfully obstinate in that point I shall onely crave leave briefly to touch at some of them First then when Governours shall have appointed what seemed to them expedient and private men shall refuse to observe the same pretending it to be inexpedient who shall judge thereof Either they themselves that take the exceptions must
their adversaries they should not be able to hold out in their holy profession to the end nor to maintain faith and a good conscience with that courage constancy and perseverance they ought but lose the goal and the crown for want of finishing the course they had so happily begun 7. But then Secondly it may be demanded Of this malady what might be the true Cause The inward Cause I mean for what is the outward Cause is apparent enough to wit the Cross. or whence should this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this spiritual weariness proceed That is answered in the Text too in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The translations express it most what by faintness of minde The same word being again used a little after at ver 5. and there also translated after the same manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art corrected of him The word properly importeth the loosening slackening or dissolving of something that before was well knit together fast and strong The strength and firmness of a body whether natural or artificial consisteth much in the union of the parts well compacted and knit together and all the joynts strung fast one to another By the slackning loosening or disjoynting whereof the body on the other side commeth to be as much weakned A house ship wagon plough or other artificial body be the materials never so strong yet if it be loose in the joynts when it is put to any stress as we call it to any use where the strength of it is like to be tried it will not endure it but be ready to fall one piece from another 8. Much of a mans strength whereby he is enabled to travel and to work lieth in his loynes and knees and in his armes and hands Whence it is that by an usual trope in most languages and so in the Scriptures too those parts are very often used Genua and Lacerti c. to signifie strength and weakness on the contrary usually described by the luxation of those parts The phrase is very frequent in Homer when one of the Grecian or Trojan Chieftains had given his adversary some deadly or desperate wound that he was not able to stand but fell on the ground to express it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as to say He loosened his knees Even as it it said of Belshazzar Dan. 5. when he was sore affrighted with the hand-writing upon the wall that the joynts bindings or ligatures of his loines were loosed and his knees smote one against another So for the hands and arms we meet in the Scriptures often with such like phrases as these that by such or such means as the occasion required such or such mens hands were either strengthened or weakned So it is said of Isbosheth 2 Sam. 4. when he heard of the death of Abner general of his army his hands were weakned The like we finde in many other places as namely in Ier. 38.4 where in the Greek translation the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same with this in the Text is used Not to seek farr a little after in this very chapter we have both the metaphors together in one verse Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 12. which is another compound word from the same Theme As if he should say Support the hands that hang loose and have not strength enough to lift up themselves and binde up the palsy knees that are not well knit up in the joynts and so are unable to bear up the body 9. There is another Metaphor likewise often used by David and sometimes elsewhere which as it very well fitteth with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it serveth very well to express that feebleness or faintness of spirit arising from fear and consternation of minde when great troubles come upon us whereof we now speak namely the melting of the heart or soule 10. In Psal. 107. They that go down to the sea in ships when the stormy wind ariseth and lifteth up the waves so as the vessel is tossed up and down and the men reel to and fro and stagger like drunkards and are at their wits end he saith of them that their very soul melteth away because of the trouble My soul melteth away for very heaviness in another Psalm speaking of himself and his own troubles In the 22. Psalm he joyneth this and the other Metaphor both together I am powred out like water and all my bones are out of joynt my heart also in the midst of my body is even like melting wax And so doth the Prophet Esay also describing the great miseries and terrours that should be at the destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians he saith that by reason thereof all hands shall be weakned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again in the Greek and all hearts shall melt 11. For even as wax which while it is hard will abide hard pressing and not yield or take impression when it is chafed or melted hath no strength at all to make resistance And as the Ice when the waters are congealed in a hard frost is of that firmness that it will bear a loaden cart uncrakt but as soon as a warme thaw hath fretted and loosened it dissolveth into water and becometh one of the weakest things in the world it is a common proverbe among us As weak as water so is the spirit of a man So long as it standeth firmly knit to God by a stedfast faith as David saith O knit my heart unto thee that I may fear thy name and true to it self in seipso totus teres atque rotundus by adhering to honest vertuous and religious principles it is of impregnable strength against all outward attempts whatsoever Si fractus illabatur orbis if the weight of all the calamities in the world should come rushing upon him at once it would be able to bear up under them all and stand unruined amidst all those ruines The spirit of a man is of strength enough to sustain all his infirmities 12. But if the strength that is in us be weakness oh how great is that weakness If our spirits within us which should be as our life-guard to secure us against all attempts from without be shattered and dis-joynted through distrust in God or by entertaining fears and irresolutions so enfeebled that it is not able to stand out when it is fiercely assaulted but yieldeth the fort to Satan and his temptations that is to say in plain terms if when any persecution or tribulation ariseth we be scandalized and fall away either from our Christian faith or duty forsake our standing and shrink from the rules of true Religion or a good conscience this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weariness
and faintness of minde spoken of in the Text. 13. We now see the Malady both in the Nature and in the Cause both what it is and whence it groweth We are in the next place to consider the Part affected That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discovereth the Minde or the Soul That ye be not wearied and faint in your mindes or souls And this occasioneth another doubt how it should be possible that worldly tribulations which cannot reach beyond the outer-man in his possessions in his liberty in his good name in his bodily health or life should have such an operation upon his nobler part the soul as to cause a faintness there Our Apostle speaketh of resisting unto blood in the next verse as the highest suffering that can befal a man in this world And our Saviour telleth his friends Luke 12. that when their enemies have killed their bodies and from suffering so much his very best friends it seemeth are not exempted they have then done their worst they can proceed no farther they have no power at all over their souls 14. It is most true they have not And happy it is for us and one singular comfort to us that they have not Yet our own reason and every dayes experience can teach us that outward bodily afflictions and tribulations do by consequent and by way of sympathy and consent and by reason of union though not immediately and directly work even upon the soul also As we see the fancy quick and roaving when the blood is enflamed with choler the memory and apprehension dull in a Lethargy and other notable changes and effects in the faculties of the soul very easily discernable upon any sudden change or distemper in the body David often confesseth that the troubles he met withal went sometimes to the very heart and soul of him The sorrows of my heart are enlarged In the multitude of the troubles or sorrows that I have in my heart My heart is disquieted within me Why art thou so vexed O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me c. Take but that one in Psal. 143. The enemy hath persecuted my soul c. Therefore is my spirit vexed within me and my heart within me is desolate 15. For the Soul then or Minde to be affected with such things as happen to the body is natural and such affections if not vitiated with excess or other inordinacy blameless and without sin But experience sheweth us farther too often God knoweth that persecutions afflictions and such other sad casualties as befall the body nay the very shadows thereof the bare fears of such things and apprehensions of their approach yea even many times when it is causeless may produce worse effects in the soul and be the causes of such vitious weariness and faintness of minde as the Apostle here forewarneth the Hebrews to beware of Not to speak of the Lapsi Traditores others that we read of in former times and of whom there is such frequent mention in the ancient Councels and in the writings of the Fathers of the first ages and the Histories of the Church How many have we seen even in our times who having seemed to stand fast in the profession of Truth and in the performance of the offices of Vertue and duties of Piety Allegiance and Iustice before tryal have yet when they have been hard put to it ey and sometimes not very hard neither falling away starting aside like a broken bow and by flinching at the last discovered themselves to have been but very weak Christians at the best if not rather very deep hypocrites 16. It will sufficiently answer the doubt to tell you That persecutions and all occurrences from without are not the chief causes nor indeed in true propriety of speech any causes at all but the occasions onely of the souls fainting under them Temptations they are I grant yet are they but temptations and it is not the temptation but the consenting to the temptation that induceth guilt If at any time any temptation either on the one hand or the other prevail against us S. Iames teacheth us where to lay the fault Not upon God by any means for God tempteth no man No nor upon the Devil neither let me adde that too it were a sin to bely the Devil in this for though he be a tempter and that a busie one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tempter yet that is the worst he can do he can but tempt us he cannot compel us When he hath plyed us with all his utmost strength and tried us with all the engines and artifices he can devise the will hath its natural liberty still and it is at our choise whether we will yield or no. But every man when he is tempted saith he tempted cum effectu that is his meaning so tempted as to be overcome by the temptation is tempted of his own lust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawen away and entised Drawen away by injuries and affrightments from doing good or entised by delights and allurements to do evil It is with temptations on the left hand for such are those of which we now speak even as it is with those on the right yeeld not and good enough My son saith Solomen if sinners entise thee consent not Prov. 1. It may be said also proportionably and by the same reason My son if sinners affright thee comply not The common saying if in any other holdeth most true in the case of Temptations No man taketh harme but from himself 17. And verily in the particular we are now upon of fainting under the cross it is nothing but our own fears and the falseness of a mis-giving heart that betraieth us to the Tempter and undoeth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as he said It is not any reality in the things themselves so much that troubleth the minde as our over-deep apprehensions of them All passions of the minde if immoderate are perturbations and may bring a snare but none more or sooner then fear The fear of man bringeth a snare saith Solomon And our Saviour Let not your hearts be troubled neither fear as if fear were the greatest troubler of the heart And truly so it is No passion not Love no nor yet Anger it self though great obstructers of Reason both being so irrational as Fear is It maketh us many times do things quite otherwise then our own reason telleth us we should do It is an excellent description that a wise man hath given of it Wisdom 17. Fear saith he is nothing else but the betraying of the succours which reason offereth He that letteth go his courage forfeiteth his reason withall and what good can you reasonably expect from an unreasonable man 18. Seest thou then a man faint-hearted Suspect him I had almost said Conclude him false-hearted too It is certainly a very hard thing if at all possible for a
use any means or endeavours to remove it No such matter True it is where no more is left to our choice but one of the two either Sin or Suffer a right Christian should not for shame so much as take it into deliberation Never demur upon it it is a plain case we must suffer But where is a Medium or third thing as an out-let or expedient between both as many times there is nothing hindreth but we may and reason would we should make choise of that and so neither sin nor suffer Lay that first as a sure ground We must avoid sin though we suffer for it But that once layed if we can then avoid suffering too without sinning why may we not nay why ought we not to avoid both 37. No man doubteth but we may pray to be delivered from troubles David doth it a hundred times and if we do it not daily too even as often as as we beg our daily bread our Saviour having contrived both petitions into the same prayer we are too blame And if we may pray for it then no doubt but we may endeavour it also Though they look something alike in some other respects yet in this one at least Wishes and Prayers are much unlike Many things we may lawfully wish for which we may not endeavour after but sure whatsoever we may lawfully pray for we not only lawfully may but are in conscience bound to use our best endeavours towards the effecting thereof We do indeed but mock God and prevaricate in our Prayers if we be not in some measure careful to second them with our Endeavours 38. Christ biddeth us deny our selves and take up the Cross. True deny our selves rather then deny him and take up the Cross when he laieth it before us so as we cannot step beside it without sin But he doth not bid us undoe our selves when his service requireth it not nor make our selves Crosses when we need not 39. Afflictions are usefull things and many wayes beneficiall to Gods children True blessed be God but no thanks to them that they are so That much good sometimes cometh from them it is but meerly by accident as to them the true cause of those blessed effects is that over-ruling power wisdom and goodness of God whereby he is able to bring light out of darkness and can turn any evil even sin it self to the good of his Children But take afflictions precisely as they are in themselves and in their pure naturals as we say and there is no such loveliness in them that any man should court them Nor are they productive of any the least good by any proper inherent vertue of their own Nor are therefore such desirable things as that any man can reasonably promise to himself any good effect from them or any sound comfort under them that shall wilfully draw them upon himself when he might without sin avoid them 40. We must not count life liberty or livelihood dear to us but despise them all yet even hate them for Christs sake and the Gospels True where any of those stand in opposition against or but in competition with Christ or his Gospel or any duty therein contained In case of competition despise them in case of opposition hate them Doe so and spare not But otherwise and out of those Cases these are the good blessings of God wherewith he hath entrusted us and for the expence whereof we are to be responsible and ought not therefore to be so vile in our eyes as that we should think we may trifle them away as we list no necessity so requiring 41. It is the most proper act of Fortitude to endure hardship True To endure it but not to provoke it We shall be like to finde in the world hardship enough whereon to exercise our manhood without seeking It is a fool-hardy madness better beseeming such a Knight Errant as is described in the Romances then a true Souldier of Christ such as the Gospel setteth forth to roame abroad to seek adventures Afflictions are Temptations as was said and it is a presumption both rash and absurd having prayed to God not to lead us into temptations to goe and cast our selves into them when we have done Fortitude is an excellent vertue doubtless but so is Prudence too as well as it and Iustice no less then either And therefore the offices of different Vertues are so to be exercised as not to hinder or destroy one another for between vertuous acts there must be there can be no clashing a man may without disparagement to his Fortitude decline dangers according to the dictates of Prudence provided withall that nothing be done but what is according to the Rules of Iustice. 42. St Paul saith of some that he had to deal with that they were unreasonable men Possibly it may be our case to have to doe with such men Reason will not satisfie them and it is not lawful for us to doe or to consent to the doing of any thing but what is agreeable to reason True but this very thing is agreeable to reason that to live at quiet among unreasonable men we should sometimes yield to their unreasonable demands But usque ad aras still that must evermore be understood In the pursuance of peace with our neighbours where it is not to be had upon better terms we may and ought by all seasonable compliances and condescensions to become omnia omnibus all things to all men even as Christ to make peace for us condescended to be made like unto us in all things And as his condescension for us had yet one and but one exception made like unto us in all things yet without sin so should our condescension to them be likewise sin and sin only excepted though upon conditions otherwaies hard and unequall enough 43. The sum is For the obtaining of peace the preventing of mischiefs the ridding of our selves and others from troubles we may with a good conscience and without sin yield to the doing of any thing that may stand with a good Conscience and be done without sin Nor it is to be interpreted either as an effect of faint-heartedness or as a defect of Christian patience and courage so to doe but is rather to be esteemed an act of Christian Wisdom and duty But so to faint under the Cross as to deny the Faith to forsake our Religion to violate the dictates of natural Conscience to do any thing contrary to any of the rules of Iustice or Charity or which we either know or suspect to be a sin though it be for the shunning of any danger or under the pretension of any necessity whatsoever cannot consist with that nobleness of spirit and magnanimity which becometh a worthy disciple of Christ. 44. I should have proceeded according to my first intendment when I pitched upon this Scripture had there been room for it to have discoursed somewhat also from the other part of the Text
man of blood He that taketh away his neighbours living slayeth him and he that defraudeth the labourer of his hire is a bloodshedder Ecclesiasticus 34. 17. And as these poore ones deserve our pity and our help in regard of the grievousnes of their distresses so are we secondly bound so much the more to endeavour to succor them by how much the more they are distitute of freinds or other means whereby to relieve or helpe themselves The scriptures therefore especially commend to our care and protection the stranger the fatherles and the widdow for these are of all others the most exposed to the injuries and oppressions of their potent adversaries because they have few or no friends to take their part so that if men of place and power shall not stick close to them in their righteous causes they will be over borne and undone This Solomon saw with much griefe and indignation insomuch as out of that very consideration he praised the dead that were already dead more then the living that were yet alive Eccles. 4. when viewing all the oppressions that are done under the sun he beheld the tears of such as were oppressed and they had no comforter and on the side of their oppressours there was power but they had no comforter Power and might and friends and partaking oâ— the one side no power no strength no friends no comfort on the other side When things are thus and thus they have ever been and thus will they ever be more or less whilest the world continueth there is then a rich opportunity for every great and good man especially for every conscionable Magistrate to set in for Gods cause in Gods stead and by the greatness of his power to stop the course of violence and oppression and to rescue out of the hands of the mighty those that are marked out to destruction or undoing Then is it a fit time for him to buckle on his armour with Iob to gird himself with zeal and righteousness as with a breast-plate to close with the gyant-oppressour and not to give over the combate till he have broken the jawes of the wicked and plucked the prey out of his teeth A good Magistrate should be as he was eyes to the blinde feet to the lame a husband to the widow a father to the orphane a brother to the stranger in a word as St. Paul was but in another sence Omnia omnibus all things to all men according to their several necessities and occasions that by all means he might at least save some from oppression and wrong 18. But that which above all other considerations should stir up our compassion to those that are in distress and make us bestir our selves in their behalf is that which I mentioned in the third place The Equity of their Cause when by the power and iniquity of an unjust adversary they are in danger to be over borne in a righteous matter For unless their matters be good and right be they never so poor their distresses never so great we should not pity them I mean not so to pity them as to be assistant to them therein For as in God so in every minister of God every Magistrate and in every child of God every good man Iustice and Mercy should meet together and kiss each other Iustice without Mercy and Mercy without Justice are both alike hateful to God both alike to be shunned of every good man and Magistrate Lest therefore any man should deceive himself by thinking it a glorious or a charitable act to help a poor man howsoever the Lord hath given an express prohibition to the contrary Exod. 23. Thou shalt not countenance a poor man in his Cause That is in a good cause shrink not from him but if his cause be naught let his poverty be what it will be thou mayest not countenance him in it He that hath respect of persons in judgment cannot but transgress and he that respecteth a man for his poverty is no less a respecter of persons then he that respecteth a man for friendship or neighbourhood or greatness or a bribe In this case the Magistrate cannot propose to himself a fitter or safer example then that of God himself who as he often professeth to have a special care over the stranger and fatherless and widow and needy so doth he often declare his proceedings to be evermore without respect of persons 19. That therefore whilest we avoid the one extreme that of incompassion we may not fall into the other that of foolish pity it will be needful that we rightly understand Solomons purpose in the Text. For it may perhaps seem to some to be here intended that every man should do his utmost to save the life of every other man that is in danger to lose it And accordingly many men are forward more then any good subject hath cause to con them thanks for to deprecate the favour of the Iudge for the saving of some hainous malefactor or to sue out a pardon for a wilful murderer or say it be but to help some busie crafty companion to come fair off in a foul business And when they have so done as if they had deserved a garland for their service so do they glory among their neighbours at their return from these great asâ—semblies that their journey was well bestowed for they had saved a proper man from the gallows or holpen a good fellow out of the bryers Alas little do such men consider that they glory in that which ought rather to be their shame such glorying is not good For albeit in the Text it be not expressedly so set down yet must Solomon of necessity be understood to speak of the delivering of such only as are unjustly drawn to the slaughter and not of such malefactors as by robberies rapes murders treasons and other guiltinesses have justly deserved the sentence of death by the Law For we must so understand him here as not to make him contradict himself who elsewhere telleth us that it is the part and property of a wise King to scatter the wicked and to bring the wheele over them and that he that hath done violence to the bloud of any person should fly to the pit and no man should stay him Against murder the Lord provided by an early Law Gen. 9. enacted and published before him out of whose loins the whole world after the flood was to be repeopled to shew it was not meant for a national and temporary ordinance but for an universal and perpetual Law whoso sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed And that Iudges should be very shy and tender how they grant pardons or reprivals in that case he established it afterwards among his own people by a most severe sanction Numb 35. Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer which is guilty of death but he shall surely be put to death
Iob to comfort himself with it as we see he did in the day of his great distress The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me and I caused the widows heart to sing for joy Job 29. 28. But say these poor ones should be so charitable as very seldom they be as not to curse us when we have despised them or so unthankful as seldom they are otherwise as not to bless us when we have relieved them yet the Lord who hath given every man a charge concerning his brother and committed the distresses of the poor to our care and trust will take district knowledge how we deal with them and unpartially recompense us thereafter Doth not he consider and shalt not he render to every man according to his works the last words of the Text. If therefore you have done your duty faithfully let it never discourage you that unrighteous and unthankful men forget it They do but their kinde the comfort is that yet God will both remember it and requite it God is not unrighteous to forget your work labour of love saith the Apostle Heb. 5. He will remember it you see And then saith David Psal. 41. Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble He will requite it too He that for Gods sake helpeth his poor brother to right that suffereth wrong he doth therein at once first an act of mercy because it is done in the behalf of a distressed man and an act secondly of justice because it is done in a righteous cause and thirdly being done for the Lords sake an act of Religion also Pure religion and undefiled before God even the Father is this to visit the fatherless and widow in their affliction Iames 1. And is it possible that God who delighteth in the exercise of every one of them singly should suffer an act to pass unrewarded wherein there is a happy concurrence of three such excellent vertues together as are Iustice Mercy and Religion The Prophet Ieremy to reprove Iehoâ—achins tyranny and oppression upbraideth him with his good father Iosiah's care and conscience to do justice and to shew mercy after this manner Did not thy father eat and drink and do judgement and justice and then it was well with him He judged the cause of the poor and needy then it was well with him was not this to know me saith the Lord But now on the contrary He shall have judgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy He that stoppeth his ears against the cry of the poor he shall also cry himself but shall noâ— be heard c. Many other like passages there are in the Scriptures to the same effect 29. Nay moreover the general neglect of this duty pulleth down the wrath of God not only upon those particular persons that neglect it but also upon the whole nation where it is in such general sort neglected O house of David thus saith the Lord execute judgment in the morning and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressour lest my fury go out like fire and burn that none can quench it because of the evil of your doings Ier. 21. Brethren we of this nation have cause to look to it in time against whom the Lord hath of late manifested his just wrath though tempered as we must all confess with much clemency yea and his hand is stretched out against us still in the heavie plagues both of dearth and death Though the land be full of all manner of sin and lewdness and so the Lord might have a controversy with us for any of them yet I am verily perswaded there are no other kinds of sins that have overspread the face of the whole land with such an universal contagion as it were of a Leprosie as the sins of Riot and Oppression have done Which two sins are not only the provoking causes as any kind of sinnes may be in regard of the justice of God but also the sensible instrumental causes in the eye of reason and experience of much penury and mortality among us 30. Surely then as to quench the fire we use to withdraw the fewel so to turn away the heavie wrath of God from us we should all put to our helping hands each in his place and calling but especially the Minister and the Magistrate the one to cry down the other to beat down as all sins in general so especially these of Ryot and Oppression Never think it will be well with us or that it will be much better with us then now it is or that it will not be rather every day much worse with us then it is never look that disorders in the Church distempers in the State distractions in our judgments diseases in our bodies should be remedied or removed and not rather more and more encreased if we hold on as we doe in pampering every man his own flesh and despising every man his poor brother So long as we think no pleasures too much for our selves no pressures too heavy for our brethren stretch our selves along and at ease upon our couches eat of the fat and drink of the sweet without any touch of compassion in our bowels for the afflictions of others we can expect no other but that the rod of God should abide upon us either in dearths or pestilences or if they be removed for God loveth sometimes to shift his rods in greater and heavier judgments in some other kinde 31. But as to the particular of Oppression for that of Ryot and Intemperance being beside the Text I shall no farther press my humble request to those that are in place of authority and all others that have any office or attendance about the Courts is this For the love of God and of your selves and your Country Be not so indulgent to your own appetites and affections either of Ease as to reject the complaints or of Partiality as to despise the persons or of filthy lucre as to betray the cause of the fatherlesse and friendlesse Suffer not when his cause is good a simple man to be circumvented by the wilinesse or a mean man to be overpowred by the greatnesse of a crafty or mighty adversary Favour not a known Sycophant nor open your lips to speak in a cause to pervert judgment or to procure favour for a mischievous person Turn not judgment into wormwod by making him that meant no hurt an offender for a word Wrangle not in the behalf of a contentious person to the prejudice of those that desire to live quiet in the land Devise not dilatory shifts to tug men on along in a tedious course of Law to their great charge and vexation but ripen their causes with all seasonable expedition for a speedy hearing In a word doe what lieth in your power to the utmost for the curbing of Sycophants and oppressours and the
heard both Nay may we not many times farther say when both tales are told that neither is good Because there is most-what in every mans tale a mixture of some falshoods with some truths whereby it may so happen sometimes that he which hath in truth the more equity on his side by the mingling in some easily discoverable falshoods in telling his tale may render his cause the more suspicious to him that heareth it to think the whole tale naught and he that hath indeed and upon the whole matter the worse cause may yet by the weaving in some evident truths or pregnant probabilities in the telling of his tale gain such credit with him that heareth it that he will be very inclinable to beleeve the whole tale to be good Or howsoever they may be both so equally false or at least both so equally doubtfull as no one that heareth them can well tell whether of both to give credit to It was so in the famous case of the two inmate harlots whereof King Solomon had the hearing The living child is mine the dead one thine saith the one No saith the other the dead child is thine and the living mine Here were presumptions on both sides for why should any woman challenge another womans child but proofs on neither for being there were none in the house but they two neither of them could produce any witnesses The case hung thus even no more evidence on the one side then on the other no lesse confidence on the one side then on the other Solomon indeed by that wisedom wherewith God had endowed him in a transcendent measure found out a means whereby to turn the scales to untie that hard knot and to discover the hidden truth But what could a Iudge or a Iury of no more then ordinary wisdom then have been able to have said or done in such a case but even to have left it as they found it And truly for any I know Ignorance must have been their best excuse 12. And as first in the Information so there may be a defect secondly in the Proofs He that hath the better cause in veritate rei may yet fail his proofs and not be able to make it judicially appear that he hath the better Cause In which case the old axiome holdeth Idem est non esse non apparere it is all one in foro externo and as to the determination of a Judge upon the Bench who is to pronounce secundùm allegata probata for a man not to have a right not to be able to make it appear in a legal way and by such evidence as is requisite in a judicial proceeding that he hath such a right Or he may be outsworn by the depositions of the witnesses produced on the behalf of the adverse part though it may be utterly false yet direct and punctuall against him and so strong enough howsoever to cast him in his suit For what Iudge but the great Judge of heaven and earth can certainly and infallibly know when two or three men swear directly to a point and agree in one whether yet they swear a falshood or no Or what should induce a mortall Iudge not to beleeve them especially if withal he see the proofs on the other side to fall short And if in such a case following the evidence in the simplicity of his heart he give away an honest mans right from him to a Knave he is not to be charged with it as a perverter of justice but hath his apologie here ready fitted for him in the Text Behold we knew it not 13 Adde hereunto in the third place the great advantage or disadvantage that may be given to a cause in the pleading by the artificiall insinuations of a powerfull Orator That same flexanimis Pitho and Suadae medulla as some of the old Heathens termed it that winning and perswasive faculty which dwelleth in the tongues of some men whereby they are able not only to work strongly upon the affections of men but to arrest their judgements also and to encline them whether way they please is an excellent endowment of nature or rather to speak more properly an excellent gift of God Which whosoever hath received is by so much the more bound to be truly thankful to him that gave it and to do him the best service he can with it by how much he is enabled thereby to gain more glory to God and to do more good to humane society then most of his brethren are And the good blessing of God be upon the heads of all those be they few or many that use their eloquence aright and employ their talent in that kinde for the advancement of justice the quelling of oppression the repressing and discountenancing of insolency and the encouraging and protecting of innocency But what shall I say then of those be they many or few that abuse the gracefulness of their elocution good speakers but to ill purposes to enchant the ears of an easie Magistrate with the charms of a fluent tongue or to cast a mist before the eyes of a weak Iury as Juglers make sport with Countrey people to make white seem black or black seem white so setting a fair varnish upon a rotten post and a smooth gloss upon a course cloth as Protagoras sometimes boasted that he could make a bad cause good when he listed By which means judgement is perverted the hands of violence and robbery strengthened the edge of the sword of justice abated great offenders acquitted gracious and vertuous men molested and injured I know not what fitter reward to wish them for their pernicious eloquence as their best deserved see then to remit them over to what David hath assigned them in Psalm 120. What reward shal be given or done unto thee O thou false tongue Even mighty and sharpe arrowes with hot burning coales I might adde to those how that somtimes by the subtilty of a cunning sly Commissioner sometimes by the wilful misprision of a corrupt or the slip of a negligent or the oversight of an ignorant Clerk and by sundry other means which in regard of their number and my inexperience I am not able to recite it may come to passe that the light of Truth may be so clouded and the beams thereof intercepted from the eyes of the most circumspect Magistrate that he cannot at all times clearly discern the Equity of those Causes that are brought before him In all which cases the only Apology that is left him is still the same as before even this Behold we knew it not 14. But when he perfectly understandeth the whole business and seeth the Equity of it so as he cannot plead Ignorance of either there may yet be thirdly place for his just excuse if he have not sufficient means wherewith to relieve and to right his wronged brother A mere private man that is not in place of authority may bemoan his poor brother in the day of
his adversity and give him his best advise to the measure of his understanding what to do but can otherwise do very little towards the delivering of him from the mischief that is intended him Unless perhaps by mediating for him as well as he can with that little power or interest he hath either with the adversary or with the Magistrate that they would be good to him And that is ordinarily the utmost that such a person can do for his poor friend for he may not endeavour beyond the warrant of his calling and the sphear of his power Nay he cannot do even that with any great confidence of success unless he have some special interest either in the Magistrate or Adversary especially if the Adversary be either a faithless or a fickle or a captious or a wilfull man as few of those that molest others wrongfully but fall under some part of this character yea he may rather in that case fear lest possibly by his intervention he should but provoke the adversary the more and then he should by his officiousness do his friend more harm then good 15. Not to speak of infinite other impediments and discouragements that may frustrate the good desires and endeavours of a mere private man concerning this duty let us consider how it is with more publick persons for they are the men upon whom especially I am now to press this duty Such persons I mean as either are indued with publick authority by vertue of their Callings being seated in the place of Magistracy and Government or else in regard of the eminency of their condition in the places where they live have some power among their tenants and neighbours to sway something with them Even these also both the one sort and the other may many times be destitute of requisite means and abilities to vindicate those whom they see and know to be wrongfully oppressed out of the hands of their oppressours Whereof there are besides divers other these apparent Reasons 16. First the laws of men cannot foresee all the mischiefs that may be done in a land nor can they prevent all those they doe foresee Wherein is observable a singular preheminence of the holy Law of God above all humane Laws in the world The Law of the Lord is perfect Psal. 19. absolutely perfect to meet with all sinful aberrations whatsoever But the best Laws that ever were devised by the wit of man were imperfect neither could provide against all emergent abuses and inconveniences I have seen an end of all perfection saith David again Psal. 119. but thy Commandement is exceeding broad The Laws of men are but narrow things in comparison and must of necessity leave out more then they can take in Gods Commandment only is broad enough to take in all For instance I shall name you but one or two of ten thousand The unconscionable racking of rents the selling of cattel to poor husbandmen that have not their money ready to buy in the markets upon a years day for almost double the price the underbuying of commodities far below the worth for disbursing a little money before-hand to supply the present necessity of such a one as might very ill afford such a penniworth and the like which are all very grievous oppressions in themselves and by the Magistrate knowen so to be Yet what can he do to help it so long as the Laws have provided no remedy there against True it is the Law of God reacheth them all and therefore if any man goe beyond or defraud his brother in any matter or in any manner he must not think to escape unpunished because the Laws of the State under which he liveth taketh no conusance of any such matter God who governeth according to his own Law and not according to mans Law will undoubtedly be the avenger of all such But the Magistrate who is to govern according to the established Laws of his Country must not stretch himself beyond his Rule but leave those evils that are without the reach of his authority to the just vengance of him to whom all vengance belongeth 17. Secondly mens Laws are subject besides that imperfection to another great impotency in this That they cannot effectually provide against those general inconveniences for the preventing whereof they are especially devised without leaving a possibility for particular mischiefs to fall and that right heavily sometimes upon and much to the prejudice of some honest well deserving men Now where a good subject that meaneth nothing but well is thus unhappily fallen under the heavy pressure of the Law and that may be any bodies case a just and compassionate Magistrate may be heartily sorry for him and if it lye in his power to procure for him from a higher power some mitigation of the Law he will do his best to effect it But for the most part especially where things are prosecuted eagerly and with malice against the poor man he cannot devise any means that may be effectual to deliver him without danger of bringing both himself into trouble and the Laws into contempt and of opening a wide gap to the exercising of an arbitrary power by the Judg then which there is scarce imaginable any evil of more mischievous consequence in a Common-wealth and to many other mighty inconveniencies 18. There is yet a third vanity whereunto the Law of God only excepted all other Laws are subject That when they are made with as much advised deliberation and drawn up into a form of words with as much fulness perspicuity and caution as the wisdom of the best heads could possibly contrive yet the nimble wit of man within the compass of a few moneths or years will finde out some hole or other to creep out at some slight evasion whereby to slacken the sinews and to elude the force and intention of the same By which means many times crafty companions are set without the danger and honest well-meaning men put beside the benefit of those Laws which were really intended for the curbing of the one sort and the protecting of the other and the Magistrate cannot do withal 19. These three reasons are taken from the quality of the Laws I adde but a fourth taken from the condition of the Times A good Magistrate may have the hap to fall into such evil times that if he should attempt to do that service to the publick by partaking with righteous and opposing against unrighteous men and causes with that freedom that would well become him to do if the times were better he should not only be sure to lose his labour but be in danger also to lose his place by striving against the current to no purpose Now in such times if he do not always lend his helpe to those that are hardly dealt withall in that measure which perhaps they expect his inability to do them good may be a reasonable excuse for him But is not this to teach the
is unperformed the disobedience is sure to be punished let the offender pretend and alledge never so largely to excuse it Quid verba audiam facta cum videam It is the work he looketh at in all his retributions and where the work is not done vain words will not ward off the blows that are to be inflicted for the neglect nor any whit lessen them either in their number or weight Will they not rather provoke the Lord in his just indignation to lay on both more heavier strokes For where a duty is ill-neglected and the neglect ill excused the offender deserveth to be doubly punished once for the omission of the duty and once more for the vanity of the excuse 36. Let me beseech you therefore dearly beloved brethren for the love of God and your own safety to deal clearly and unpartially betwixt God and your own soules in this affair without shuffling or dawbing and to make straight paths to your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way Remember that they that trust to lying vanities and false pretences are no better forsake their own mercy And that fained excuses are but as a staff of reed a very weak stay for a heavie body to trust to for support which will not only crack under the weight but the sharp splinters thereof will also run up into the hand of him that leaneth upon it You see what God looketh at It is the heart that he pondereth and the soul that he observeth and the work that he recompenseth Look therefore that your hearts be true and your souls upright and your works perfect that you may never stand in need of such poor and beggarly shifts as forged pretences are nor be driven to fly for refuge to that which will nothing at all profit you in the day of wrath and of triall Let your desires be unfeighned and your endeavours faithful to the utmost of your power to doe Iustice and to shew Mercy to your brethren and to discharge a good Conscience in the performance of all those duties that lye upon you by vertue either of your general calling as Christians or of your particular vocations what ever they be with all diligence and godly wisdom that you may be able to stand before the judgment seat of the great God with comfort and out of an humble and well-grounded confidence of his gracious acceptance of your imperfect but sincere desires and endeavours in Christ not fear to put your selves upon the triall each of you in the words of holy David Psal. 139. Try me O God and seek the ground of my heart prove me and examine my thoughts Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me and lead me in the way everlasting in the way that leadeth to everlasting life Which great mercy the Lord of his infinite goodness vouchsafe unto us all for his dear sons sake Jesus Christ our blessed Saviour To whom c. AD MAGISTRATUM The Third Sermon At the Assises at Notingham in the year 1634. at the request of ROBERT MELLISH Esq then High-Sheriffe of that County 1 Sam. 12.3 Behold here I am witness against me before the Lord and before his Annointed Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Asse have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you 1. A Bold and just challenge of an old Iudge made before all the people upon his resignal of the government into the hands of a new King Samuel was the man Who having continued whilest Eli lived in the service of the Tabernacle as a Levite and a private man was after his death to undergoe a new business in the exercise of publick judicature For that fanatical opinion which hath possessed some in these later times that no Ecclesiastical person might lawfully exercise any secular power was in those dayes unheard of in the world Eli though a Priest was a Iudge also and so was Samuel though a Levite after him And we finde not that either the people made any question at all or that themselves made any scruple at all of the lawfulnesse of those concurrent powers Samuel was now as it is collected by those that have travelled in the Chronology aged about five and thirty yeers and so in his full strength when he was first Judge Which so long as it continued in any measure he little respected his own ease in comparison of the common good but took his yearly circuits about the countrey keeping Courts in the most convenient places abroad besides his constant sittings at Ramah where his dwelling was for the hearing and determining of Causes to the great ease of all and content no doubt of the most or best 2. But by that he had spent about thirty years more in his countries service he could not but finde such decayes in his body as would call upon him in his now declining age to provide for some ease under that great burden of years and business Which that he might so do as that yet the publick service should not be neglected he thought good to joyn his two sons in commission with him He therefore maketh them Iudges in Israel in hope that they would frame themselves by his example to judge the people with such like diligence and uprightness as himself had done But the young men as they had far other aims then the good old father had so they took quite other wayes then he did Their care was not to advance Iustice but to fill their own coffers which made them soon to turn aside after lucre to take bribes and to pervert judgement This fell out right for the elders of Israel who now had by their miscarriage a fair opportunity opened to move at length for that they had long thirsted after viz. the change of the government They gather themselves therefore together that the cry might be the fuller and to Ramah they come to Samuel with many complaints and alledgements in their mouthes But the short of the business was a King they must have and a King they will have or they will not rest satisfied It troubled Samuel not a little both to hear of the mis-demeanour of his sonnes of whom he had hoped better and to see the wilfulness of a discontented people bent upon an Innovation Yet he would consult with God before he would give them their answer And then he answereth them not by peremptorily denying them the thing they so much desired but by seriously disswading them from so inordinate a desire But they persisting obstinately in their first resolution by farther direction from the Lord Samuel condescendeth to them and dismisseth them with a promise that it should be done to them as they desired and a King they should have ere it were long 3. And within a while he made
most looked upon and soonest drawn into example so to order themselves in their whole conversations that such as come after them may be rather provoked by their good example to do well then encouraged by their evil example to do amiss If at any time hereafter Saul should take any mans Ox or Asse from him by any manner fraud oppression or bribery the constant practise of his immediate predecessour for sundry years together shall stand up and give evidence against him and cast him Samuels integrity shall condemn him both at the bar of his own conscience and in the mouths of all men at leastwise he shall have no cause to vouch Samuel for his precedent no colour to shroud his miscarriages under the authority of Samuels example 14. We cannot now marvel that Samuel should thus offer himself to the tryal when as no man urged him to it sith there may be rendred so many congruous reasons for it Especially being withal so conscious to himself of having dealt uprightly that he knew all the world could not touch him with any wilful violation of justice He doth not therefore decline the tryal but seek it and putteth himself upon it with marvellous confidence challenging all comers and craving no favour Behold here I am witness against me before the Lord and before his anointed Here is no excepting against any witness nor refusal of any Iudge either God or Man He had a good cause and therefore he had also a good heart All vertues are connext among the rest so are Iustice and Fortitude The righteous are bold as a Lion The Merchant that knoweth his wares to be faulty is glad of the dark shop and false light whereas he that will uphold them right and good willeth his customers to view them in the open sun Qui malè agit odit lucem He that doth evil loveth to skulke in the darke and will not abide the light which is to him as the terrours of the shadow of death lest his evil deeds should be found out and laid open to his shame Even as Adam hid his head in a bush when he heard the voice of God because his conscience told him he had transgressed 15. A corrupt Magistrate or Officer may sometimes set a face upon it and in a kinde of bravery bid defiance to all the world but it is then when he is sure he hath power on his side to bear him out when he is so backt with his great friends that no man dare mutire contra once open his lips against him for fear of being shent Even as a ranke Coward may take up the bucklers and brave it like a stout Champion when he is sure the coast is clear and no body neer to enter the lists with him And yet all this but a mere flourish a faint and fain'd bravada his heart the while in the midst of his belly is as cold as lead and he meaneth nothing less then what he maketh shew of If the offer should be indeed accepted and that his actions were like to be brought upon the publick stage there to receive a due and unpartial hearing and doom how would he then shrink and hold off trow ye then what crowching and fawning and bribing and dawbing to have the matter taken up in a private chamber and the wound of his credit a little overly salved though upon never so hard and base conditions His best wits shall be tried and his best friends to the utmost if it be possible by any means to decline a publick trial 16. Be just then Fathers and Brethren and ye may be bold So long as you stand right you stand upon your own legs and not at the mercy of others But turn aside once to defrauding oppressing or receiving rewards and you make your selves slaves for ever Intus pugnae soris timores Horrours and gripes within because you have knowingly done what you ought not Terrours and fears without lest your wicked dealings should come to light whereby you might receive the due shame or punishment thereof Possibly you may bear up if the times favour you and by your greatness out-face your crimes for a while But that is not a thing to trust to O trust not in wrong and robbery saith David Psal. 62. The winde and the tide may turn against you when you little think it and when once you begin to goe down the winde every base and busie companion will have one puff at you to drive you the faster and the farther down 17. Yet mistake not as if I did exact from Magistrates an absolute immunity from those common frailties and infiâ—mities whereunto the whole race of mankinde is subject The imposition were unreasonable It is one of the unhappinesses that attends both your calling and ours Magistracy and Ministry that every ignorant Artisan that perhaps knoweth little and practiseth less of his own duty can yet instruct us in ours and upon every small oversight make grievous out-cries by objecting to you your place to us our cloath A man of his place a man of his Cloath to do thus or thus As if any Christian man of what place or of what cloath soever had the liberty to do otherwise then well or as if either we or you were in truth that in respect of our natures which in respect of our offices we are sometimes called we Angels and you Gods Truly how ever it pleaseth the Lord for our greater honour thus to stile us yet we finde it in our selves but too well and we make it seem by us alas but too often that we are men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subject to the like passions ignorances and sinful aberrations that other men are And I doubt not but Samuel notwithstanding all this great confidence in his own integrity had yet among so many causes as in so many years space had gone through his hands sundry times erred in judgment either in the substance of the sentence or at least in some circumstances of the proceedings By mis-informations or mis-apprehensions or by other passions or prejudices no doubt but he might be carried and like enough sometimes was to shew either more leâ—ity or more rigour then was in every respect expedient 18. But this is the thing that made him stand so clear both in his own conscience and in the sight of God and the world that he had not wittingly and purposely perverted judgment nor done wrong to any man with an evil or corrupt intention but had used all faithfulness and good Conscience in those things he did rightly apprehend and all requisite care and diligence so far as humane frailty would suffer to finde out the truth and the right in those things whereof he could not know the certainty This doe exercising your selves with St. Paul to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men and then you may with him also be bold to call both
the commandments of God But he meaneth it of his secret will the wil of his everlasting Counsels and purposes and that too of an effectual resistance such a resistance as shall hinder the accomplishment of that will For otherwise there are thousands that offer resistance to that also if their resistance could prevail But all resistance as well of the one sort as of the other is in vain as to that end Though hand joyn in hand it will be to no purpose the right hand of the Lord will have the preheminence when all is done Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces Take counsel together and it shall come to nought speak the word and it shall not stand Esay 8.9 10. But the counsel of the Lord that shall stand and none shall be able to hinder it 31. Lay all these together the Soveraignty the Eternity the Wisdom and the Power of God and in all these God will be glorified and you will see great reason why the Lord should so often blast mens devices bring all their counsels and contrivances to nought and take the wise in their own craftiness Even to let men see in their disappointment the vanity of all humane devices that they might learn not to glory in or trust to their own wisdome or strength or any thing else in themselves or in any creature but that he that glorieth might glory in the Lord only 32. Let every one of us therefore learn that I may now proceed to the Inferences from the consideration of what we have heard First of all not to trust too much to our own wit neither to lean to our own understandings Nor please our selves over-much in the vain devices imaginations fancies or dreams of our own hearts Though our purposes should be honest and not any wayes sinfull either in Matter End Means or other Circumstance yet if we should be over-confident of their success rest too much upon our own skill contrivances or any worldly help like enough they may deceive us It may please God to suffer those that have worse purposes propose to themselves baser ends or make use of more unwarrantable means to prosper to our grief and loss yea possibly to our destruction if it be but for this only to chastise us for resting too much upon outward helps and making flesh our arme and not relying our selves intirely upon him and his salvation 33. Who knoweth but Iudgment may nay who knoweth not that Iudgment must saith the Apostle that is in the ordinary course of Gods providence usually doth begin at the house of God Who out of his tender care of their wel-doing will sooner punish temporally I mean his own children when they take pride in their own inventions and sooth themselves in the devices of their own hearts then he will his professed enemies that stand at defiance with him and openly fight against him These he suffereth many times to goe on in their impieties and to climbe up to the height of their ambitious desires that in the mean time he may make use of their injustice and oppression for the scourging of those of his own howshold and in the end get himself the more glory by their destruction 34. But then Secondly howsoever Judgment may begin at the house of God most certain it is it shall not end there but the hand of God and his revenging justice shall at last reach the house of the wicked oppressour also And that not with temporary punishments only as he did correct his own but without repentance evil shall hunt them to their everlasting destruction that despise his knowen Counsels to follow the cursed devices and imaginations of their own naughty hearts The Persecutors of God in his servants of Christ in his members that say in the pride of their hearts with our tongues with our wits with our armes and armies we will prevail We are they that ought to speak and to rule who is Lord over us We have Counsel and strength for war c. what do they but even kick against the pricks as the phrase is Act. 9. which pierce into the heels of the kicker and worke him much anguish but themselves remain as they were before without any alteration or abatement of their sharpnesse God delighteth to get himself honour and to shew the strength of his arm by scattering such proud Pharaohs in the imagination of their hearts and that especially when they are arrived and not ordinarily till then almost at the very highest pitch of their designes When they are in the top of their jollity and gotten to the uppermost roundle of the ladder then doth he put to his hand tumble them down headlong at once and then how suddenly do they consume perish and come to a fearful end Then shall they finde but too late what their pride would not before suffer them to believe to be a terrible truth that all their devices were but folly and that the Counsel of the Lord must stand 35. A terrible truth indeed to them but Thirdly of most comfortable consideration to all those that with patience and cheerfulness suffer for the testimony of God or a good conscience and in a good cause under the insolencies of proud and powerful persecutors When their enemies have bent all the strength of their wits and power to work their destruction God can and as he seeth it instrumental to his everlasting counsels will infatuate all their counsells elude all their devices and stratagems bring all their preparations and enterprizes to nought and turn them all to their destruction his own glory and the welfare of his servants 1. Either by turning their counsels into folly as he did Achitophels 2. Or by diversion finding them work elsewhere as Saul was fain to leave the pursuit of David when he and his men had compassed him about and were ready to take him upon a message then brought him of an invasion of the land by the Philistines And as he sent a blast upon Senacherib by a rumour that he heard of the King of Ethiopia's coming forth to war against him which caused him to desert his intended siege of Ierusalem 3. Or by putting a blessing into the mouth of their enemies instead of a curse as he guided the mouth of Balaam contrary to his intendment and desire 4. Or he can melt the hearts of his enemies into a kinde of compassion or cause them to relent so as to be at peace with them when they meet though they came out against them with mindes and preparations of hostility as he did Labans first and Esaus afterwards against Iacob 36. Howsoever some way or other he can curb and restrain either their malice or power or both that when they have devised devices against them as they did against
POINT II. The children of the world wiser then the Children of Light As being 19 1. More Sagacious then they 20 2. More Industrious then they 21 3. More Cunning then they 22 23 4. More United then they 24 28 with sundry Reasons thereof 29 Two Inferences thence  1. Not to be scandalized at their prosperous successes 30 31 2. But to emulate their wisdom 32 33 POINT III. The worldlings wisdom but folly 34 Proved and 35 discovered in sundry particulars Sermon XVI Ad Aulam on HEB. XII III Sect. 1-3 THe Occasion Coherence Scope 4 and Division of the Text. 5 6 The former General part Wherein 4 Particulars viz.  I. The Malady Weariness 7 12 II. The Inward Cause Faintness 13 18 III. The part affected The Soul or Minde 19 22 with the Inference thence 23 24 IV. The persons and what fear there might be of their fainting under the Cross in regard 25 1. Of the greatness of the Tryal 26 29 2. Of the natural Frailty of man 30 3. Of the neglect of watchfulness and preparation 31 32 4. Of Gods desertion 33 35 The Inference thence 36 37 A Caution concerning the lawfulness of shunning afflictions 38 43 sundry Objections to the contrary answered 44 c. A short view of the chief heads contained in the Second General Part. Sermon I. Ad Magistratum I. Ser. on PROV XXIIII X XII Sect. 1. THe Scope and 2 3 Division of the Text. 4 5 The main duty The delivering of the Oppressed proposed and proved 6 The Necessity thereof inferred from divers considerations Some respecting 7 8 I. God viz. 1 his Command  2 his Example 12 13 II. Our selves viz. 1 The power we have 14 2 the Need we may have 15 16 III. Those that are oppressed viz. 1 The greatness of their distress 17 2 the paucity of their friends 18 22 3 the Equity of their Cause 23 26 IIII. The Effects of the Duty viz. 1 Honour to the Calling 27 2 the blessing of the poor upon the Person 28 3 a reward from God for the work 29 32 4 Mercy to the Land 33 34 The Sum of all and the Conclusion Sermon II. Ad Magistratum II. Ser. on PROV XXIIII X XII Sect. 1. THe Scope and 2 5 Division of THE TEXT 6 Three Points proposed to be handled 7 I. POINT The Excuse We knew it not may be sometimes just Either through 8 I. Ignorance of the Fact When the Oppressed 9 either have not 1 the opportunity to complain 10 either have not 2 the minde to complain 11 II. Doubtfulness in point of right Through  1 uncertainty of the Evidence 12 2 defect of proofs 13 3 artifices to becloud the Truth 14 15 III. Inability to help Through 16 18 1 some defect in the Lawes 19 20 2 the iniquity of the Times 21 24 Inferences thence 1 Governours not to be rashly censured if all be not remedied 25 2 nor discouraged if they have done their part towards it 26 27 II. POINT That Excuse sometimes but pretended 28 29 Referred therefore to the judgment of the heart 30 32 III. POINT That Excuse where it causelesly pretended of no avail with God Because it can 33 1 neither escape his search 34 2 nor avoid his knowledge 35 3 nor exempt from his punishment 36 The Inference thence Sermon III. Ad Magistratum on 1 SAM XII III Sect. 1-3 THe Occasion 4 Scope and 5 7 Division of the Text. 8 I. POINT Samuels voluntary offering himself to the trial 9 13 Five probable Reasons thereof 14 15 II. POINT Samuels confidence of his own Integrity 16 18 The Inference and Application 19 21 III. POINT Samuels Justice I. In disclaiming all unjust gain II. In general 22 24 With the general Inference thence 25 26 and special application to Judicature 27 30 in the Particulars viz. 1 Fraud 31 34 2 Oppression 35 39 3 Bribery 40-41 a special property whereof is to blinde the eyes 42. c. II. In offering Restitution The First Sermon Ad Populum PROV XIX XXI Sect. 1-3 BEtween Gods wayes and Ours 4 5 Three remarkable Differences in the Text. 7 14 DIFF I. in their Names 15 17 II. in their Number 18 21 III. in their manner of Existing 22 REASONS thereof taken from 23 24 1 The Soveraignty of God 25 26 2 The Eternity of God 27 28 3 The Wisdome of God 29 30 4 The Power of God 31 INFERENCES thence 32 3 The First 34· The Second 35 37 The Third 38 39 The Fourth 40 41 The Fifth 42 An Objection 43 44 Answered The Author to the Reader BY reason of my great distance from the Press and the flow returns of Papers to and fro it could not be avoided without making more stops in the work then was meet but that many more mistakes must needs escape both the Printers and Correctors observation then would have done mine had I been neerer who am best acquainted with mine own hand and best know mine own minde Although to do them both right I must acknowledge they have used good care and diligence in doing their part The number of Sermons in the Titles of the pages and likewise the Texts are sometimes mistaken slips also there are in point of Orthography or mis-accenting here and there as Dissentions Senecdoche c. Which I desire the Reader of himself to pardon and correct Those that either do alter or might obscure the sence though the mistake seem but small as the exchange or omission but of a letter or syllable so far as in the perusal of the sheets I could observe them are here presented Pag. Line Read 2 D 7 reason both as  E 2 bark 3 E 2 this kind 5 C 8 her Empire  E 5 with 7 A 1 imitation 9 D 6 sight 11 B 4 Insomuch 16 marg si me toto laudat 17 A 8 talke theirs 22 A 4 our names 29 C 3 a Souldier  7 we would have bespeake 35 A 6 if the one 48 A 2 is more 49 B 10 manifest 50 E 1 statue's 51 C 1 representation 66 B 8 surview 74 C 1 subreptionis  E 6 implying 102 B 1 him because 116 C 10 sphere 124 B 7 are not only 131 A 2 premises 136 E 2 Mortgager 137 D 2 would greive 145 E 3 his name 147 A 8 Vir 154 E 4 embellish 169 B 8 even 176 A 1 ijsdem 182 A 8 with 187 E 5 disguising 204 A mar ni me 206 E 2 holdeth under 223 B 6 affectation 247 C 8 with all meekness and tenderness fairely 276 D 2 of the blinde 279 B 2 they are 1   298 B 2 officer 303 B 10 is of 308 B 6 is terminus  C 5 apposito 310 A 1 up 2   320 A 9 befall us in 340 C 3 these 359 A 2 would 360 C 8 for any thing  D 7 and not to be 364 D 6 the sway 368 B 1 wretches 370 C 1 greater 383 B 3 seen 1 291 marg STOKE
as well as pleasure 9. The Epithite here given to Oyntments is in some former translations Good and so the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth but in our last rendred Precious All to one effect for good things are ever precious and the better they are the more precious The meaning is as if Solomon had said A good name is better then the most fragrant and odoriferous Oyntmements which for their exquisite pleasantness are held in greatest price and estimation 10. The word Better which decideth the whole controversie between the compared terms and is the just importance of that which the Hebrews in their idiome for want of the comparative degree express by the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prefixed must here be understood agreeably to the subject matter and without reference to Bonum jucundum Better that is to say more pleasant more contentful or as Solomon saith elsewhere comparing a good name with gold and silver Desiderabilius more to be wished or desired then a precious oyntment or Eligibilius in the choise to be preferred before it 11. From the words thus opened the whole result is briefly this A good name is a thing very worthy to be of every good man highly esteemed and to be held much more valuable then riches pleasures honours or whatsoever other outward things the men of this world can place their utmost felicity in Wise Solomon hath elsewhere delivered his judgement as positively as may be in this matter concerning one of these and that the chiefest of all the rest in most mens account the Worldlings Summum bonum Riches Prov. 22. A good name is rather to be chosen then great riches and loving favour rather then silver and gold And the wise son of Sirach also preferreth a good name before a thousand great treasures of gold Observe the gradation Before gold Treasures of gold great treasures of gold thousands of great treasures of gold ey and put life it selfe in to boot Sirach 41. Compare we a little the most esteemed delights of the sons of men those oyntments that are most precious in their esteem with a good name and see if it do not in very many respects goe beyond them all 12. If we should take an exact Inventory of all the particulars the World affords which worldly men hunt after with such eagerness that they not only spend all their strength and travel but adventure their healths also and lives in the pursuit nor so only but for the obtaining whereof they truck away their precious souls too we shall finde them all to come under one of these three styles whereunto S. Iohn hath reduced them summing them up as it were in the gross 1 Ioh. 2. The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet These are the things so much magnified and adored in the world with one or other of these baits Satan tricketh up all his temptations when he laieth wait for our souls Riches honours and pleasures And to each of these may the word Oyntment in the Text either by way of Metaphor or Metonymie of the adjunct be very well extended For Riches first it appeareth that Oyntments were of ancient time accounted and are so taken notice of by Historians as a special part of the royall treasure of Kings and Princes And therefore are the spices and precious Oyntments reckoned amongst the things which Hezekiah shewed to the Babylonish Embassadors when with vain ostentation he desired they should see the royall wealth and magnificence of his treasures Oyntments also secondly were the ensignes and symboles of the greatest honours as being used in the solemn consecration and inauguration of men into the Kingly and Priestly dignities Among the Heathens indeed in 〈◊〉 of the Hebrews as many other of their rites came in upon that account but among the Hebrews by speciall appointment from God himself Insomuch as some interpreters conceive it not improbable that Solomon in this place might have respect to those Regall and Sacerdotall anointings But above all thirdly Oyntments were the special emblems and expressions of mirth and jollity and therefore were used in entertainments and at feasts Testimonies hereof from the writings of Poets and Historians both Greek and Latine in great abundance besides that I finde them ready collected by sundry learned men are of themselves obvious every where But finding store enough also in the holy scriptures I need not recite any other There we read of the Oyle of joy and the Oyle of gladness When thou fastest saith our Saviour do not by an affected sullennesse and sadnesse make ostentation of thy fasting as hypocrites do but unge caput c. make semblance rather by anointing thy head and washing thy face as if thou wert going to a feast that so thou maist be out of the reach of all temptation to vain glory that way whilst thou dost not appear to men to fast When David recordeth in Psalm 23. how bountifully God had dealt with him and shewed him his goodness plenteously he setteth it forth in this manner Thou hast prepared a table before me thou hast anointed my head with Oyle and my cup runneth over To omit other places hitherto tendeth that ironical speech of our Preacher to the epicure chap. 9. Goe thy way eat thy bread with joy and drink thy drink with a merry heart Let thy garments be alwayes white another signe of rejoycing that and let thy head lack no oyntment Riches Honours Pleasures you see Oyntment hath somewhat to do with them all and so the word may well comprehend them all 13. Now then to enter into the Comparison first all these Oyntments even the most precious of them are equally common to the Good and Bad. The worst of men may have as large a share in them as the best the most notorious vicious liver as the most eminently vertuous person For though they be in truth secretly disposed by the most wise and just hand of a divine providence yet to the outward appearance and farther our eye will not pierce the dispensation of them seemeth to come from chance rather then justice and fortune rather then merit This the Preacher took into his consideration and complaineth of it chap. 9. as one of the great evils and vanities among those that are done under the sun that all outward things come alike to all and that there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked and thence inferreth that no man can know so as to pronounce thereof with any certainty whether he be in the love or hatred of God by all that is before him If in respect of these outward things there be any difference between the Good and the Bad the advantage is rather on the worse side bad men oftentimes having a larger portion thereof then good men have Why the
holy and wise God the first cause of all things that happen suffereth it so to be as to particulars that is counsel to us and we may not search into those secrets only we are assured in the general that he doth it for just and gracious ends best known to himself But as to second causes we see evidently reason enough to satisfie us why it should be likely to fall out thus rather then otherwise if but in this that wicked men what worldly ends they propose to themselves they pursue to the utmost not boggling at any thing that they think may conduce to the obtaining of the same be it right or wrong whereas godly and vertuous men make conscience both of End and Means and will neither pitch upon any unworthy end nor adventure upon any unlawful means Hath it not been always seen and still is and ever will be more or less to the worlds end That extorting Vsurers oppressing Landlords unconscionable Traders corrupt Magistrates and griping Officers have gotten together the greatest wealth and most abounded in riches That obsequious Flatterers temporising Sycophants perfidious Traytors bold and insolent intruders bribing and simoniacal chafferers have climbed up the highest rounds of Civil and Ecclesiastical preferments That men of base and unmanly condition rather to be called beasts then men if not Monsters rather then either of both such as some of the old Assyrian and Persian Monarchy and after them some of the Romane Emperours were have surfeited of pleasures to the full and wallowed in all manner of luxury and sensuality Worthless and wicked men may swim up to the chin in rivers of oyle and have their heads and beards ey and the very skirts of their garments too bedrencht in great abundance with the choysest of these outward Oyntments 14. But a Good Name is Peculium bonorum Gracious and vertuous men have a more special interest a kinde of peculiarity in it as being in the ordinary course of Gods providence the proper effect and by his good blessing for the most part the most certain temporal reward of Vertue and Piety Si quae virtus si qua laus saith the Apostle Phil. 2. If there be any vertue if there be any praise As if there could be no praise where there is no vertue no more then there can be a shadow where there is no body to cast it It was by faith and the fruits of faith that the Elders obtained a good report The projectors of the Tower of Babel aymed by that building to get themselves a name and they did but the name was Babel a name of Confusion little comfort or honour to them Many men are ambitious of a great name and sometimes they get it too as he that set Diana's Temple on fire only to be talked of But a great name is one thing and a good name another Greatness may get a man a great name but goodness only a good name You that are great men if you be not good withall do what you can for the preservation of your name and memory use all your best wit and art spend the most costly perfumes and precious ointments you have about it when you have done your utmost endeavours we may justly put that rebuke upon you which the Disciples did unjustly upon the good woman in the Gospel Quorsum perditio haec whereto serveth this wast Oleum operam you shall not be able after all this expence of oyle and toyle to preserve your names from stench and putrifaction It is nothing but godliness and righteousness that can do that The memorial of the just when Envy and Calumny have done their worst to blast it shall yet be blessed but the name of the wicked when Hypocrisie and Flattery have done their best to prevent it shall not notwithstanding A good name then is therefore first more excellent then any precious oyntment either in the letter or metaphor because less Common 15. Compare secondly the delights and comforts and contents of both and see the issue Oyles and Oyntments do give exceeding great delight to the senses so as scarce any one kinde of thing more which perhaps might be some cause why Solomon should here make choice of them rather then any other things whereby to express outward and sensual pleasures And this they do by three distinct qualities whereby they â—ffect three distinct senses The Qualities are Laevor Nitor Odor The Senses affected therewith Feeling Seeing Smelling The first Quality is Laevor a kinde of gentle softness and smoothness and supple glibbiness wherewith the touch is much delighted Upon which quality David the father and Solomon the son do both reflect in those proverbial speeches of theirs where speaking the one of flattering dissemblers saith Molliti super oleum Their words are softer then Oyle Psal. 55. the other of the whorish woman saith Her lips drop like a hony-combe and her mouth is smoother then Oyle Prov. 5. The second Quality of Oyls and Oyntments is Nitor a kinde of brightness and varnish which they cast upon other bodies making them loook fresh and glister which quality taketh the eye and affecteth the sightâ— As colours laid in Oyle have a gracefull verdure and lustre beyond those that are not so laid Of which quality the Psalmist maketh special mention Psal. 104. where describing the manifold works of God among other things he saith that God bringeth food out of the earth as namely wine to make glad the heart of man and Oyle to make him a cheerful countenance or as our last translation hath it somewhat neerer the letter but to the same sense to make his face to shine Their third Quality is Odor the sweet fragrancy which they send forth round about them to a good distance which maketh them wondrous pleasant to the Smell The Poets therefore sometimes call Oyntments and Perfumes Odoers in the abstract as if they were nothing else but smell To this quality do referr those reciprocal speeches in the Canticles Of the Spouse to her well-beloved in the first Chapter Because of the savour of thy good Oyntments therefore doe the virgins love thee And of him again to her in the fourth Chapter How faire is thy love my sister my spouse how much better is thy love then wine and the smell of thine Oyntments then all spices When Mary powred out her costly spikenard on Christs feet the story telleth us that all the house was filled with the odour of the Oyntment Joh. 12. 16. Oyntments then are good and pleasant But as Aristotle sometimes pronounced of the Rhodian and Lesbian wine when he had tasted of both that the Rhodian was good too but the Lesbian was the pleasanter so it may as reasonably be pronounced in the present contest that though the precious Oyntment be good and pleasant in his kinde yet the good Name for goodness and pleasantness is far beyond