unrest was the greatest part of his reign I note it not with a purpose to enter into a set discourse how many and great the troubles are that attend the Crowns and Scepters of Princes which I easily believe to be far both more and greater then we that stand below are capable to imagine but for two other reasons a great deal more useful and therefore so much the more needful to be thought on both by them and us It should first work in all them that sit aloft and so are exposed to more and stronger blasts the greater care to provide a safe resting place for their souls that whensoever they shall meet with trouble and sorrow in the flesh and that they shall be sure to do ofter then they look for they may retire thither there to repose and solace themselves in the goodness of their God saying eftsoones with our Prophet Return unto thy rest O my soul. It was well for him that he had such a rest for his soul for he had rest little enough otherwise from continual troubles and cares in his civil affairs and estate And it should in all reason secondly quicken the hearts of all loyal and well-affected subjects by their prayers counsels services aids and cheerful obedience respectively rather to afford Princes their best assistance for the comfortable support of that their weighty and troublesome charge then out of ambition discontent popularity envy or any other cross or peevish humor add unto their cares and create unto them more troubles 15. David you see had troubles as a man as a godly man as a King But who caused them Sure in those his first times when as I conjecture he wrote this Psalm Saul with his Princes and followers was the chiefest cause of most of his troubles and afterwards crafty Ahitophel caused him much trouble and railing Shimei some and seditious Sheba not a little but his rebellious son Absalon most of all He complaineth of many troublers raised by the means of that son in Psalm 3. Domine quà m multiplicati Lord how are they increased that trouble me Yet here you see he overlooketh them all and all other second causes and ascribeth his troubles wholly unto God So he did also afterwards in the particular of Shimei's rayling Let him alone saith he to Abishai Let him curse on for God hath bidden him Even as Iob had done before him when the Sabeans and the Chaldeans had taken away his cattle and goods he scarce took notice of them he knew they were but instruments but looked at the hand of God only as the chief and principal cause Dominus abstulit The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away Neither did David any injury at all to Almighty God in ascribing it to him for God also himself taketh it all upon himself I will raise him evil out of his own house and I will do it before the sun 2 Sam. 12. 16. How all those things wherein wicked men serving their own lusts only in their own purpose do yet unwittingly do service to God Almighty in furthering his wise and holy designs can have their efficiency from causes of such contrary quality and looking at such contrary ends to the producing of one and the same effect is a speculation more curious then profitable It is enough for us to know that it neither casteth any blemish at all upon him that he maketh such use of them nor giveth any excuse at all to them that they do such service to him but that all this notwithstanding he shall still have the whole glory of his own wisdom and holiness and they shall still bear the whole burthen of their own folly and wickedness But there is another and that a far better use to be made hereof then to trouble our selves about a mysterie that we shall never be able in this life to comprehend and that is this that seeing all the troubles that befall us in any kind whatsoever or by what instruments soever come yet from the hand of God we should not therefore when at any time we meet with trouble rage against the second causes or seek to venge our teen upon them as of our selves we are very apt to do but laying our hands upon our mouths compose our selves to a holy patience and silence considering it is his will and pleasure to have it so to whom it is both our duty and wisdom wholly to submit 17. We may learn it of holy Iob. His wife moved his patience not a little by moving him to impatience Thou talkest like a foolish woman saith he shall we receive good things at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil also Or we may learn it of good old Eli. When he received a message from the Lord by the mouth of young Samuel of a right heavy judgment shortly to fall upon him and his house for his fond indulgence to his ungracious children he made no more reply but said only It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Or to go no further then our Prophet David we may learn it sufficiently from him Psalm 39. I was dumbe saith he and opened not my mouth Quoniam tu fecisti for it was thy doing This consideration alone Quoniam tu fecisti is enough to silence all tumultuous thoughts and to cut off all farther disputing and debating the matter that it is God that causeth us to be troubled All whose judgments are not only done in righteousnesse as we have hitherto heard but towards his children also out of much love and faithfulnesse as we are next to hear I know that of very faithfulnesse thou hast caused me to be troubled 18. In the former part of the verse where he spake of the righteousnesse of God he did it indefinitely without mentioning either himself or any other person not particularly Thy judgments upon me but indefinitely I know O Lord that thy judgments are right But now in this latter part of the verse where he cometh to speak of the faithfulness of God he nameth himself And that thou of very faithfulnesse hast caused Me to be troubled For as earthly Princes must do justice to all men for Iustice is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every man may challenge it and there must be no respect had no difference made of persons therein but their favours they may bestow upon whom they think good so God will have his justice to appear in all his dealings with all men generally be they good or bad that none of them all shall be able to say he hath done them the least wrong but yet his tender mercies and loving kindnesses those he reserveth for the godly only who are in special favour with him and towards whom he beareth a special respect For by faithfulnesse here as in sundry other places of Scripture is meant nothing else but the special love and favour of God towards those that
to be jealous over our selves with a godly jealousie would not only work in us a due consideration of our wayes that so we might amend them if there be cause but would be also of right use to prevent two notable pieces of sophistry two egregious fallacies wherewith thousands of us deceive our selves The former fallacy is that we use many times especially when our enemies do us manifest wrong to impute our sufferings wholy to their iniquity whereof we should do wiselier to take some of the blame upon our selves Not at all to excuse them whose proceedings are unjust and for which they shall bear their own burthens But to acquit the Lords proceedings who still is just even in those things wherein men are unjust Their hearts and tongues and hands are against us only out of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that superfluity of maliciousness wherewith their naughty hearts abound and for to serve their own cursed ends which is most unjust in them But the Lord sundry times hardneth their hearts and whetteth their tongues and strengtheneth their hands against us in such sort to chasten us for some sinfull error neglect or lust in part still remaining in us unsubdued which is most just in him 32. For as I touched in the beginning a mans heart may be right in the main and his wayes well-pleasing unto God in regard of the general bent and intention of them and yet by wrying aside in some one or a few particulars he may so offend the Lord as that he may in his just displeasure for it either raise him up new enemies or else continue the old ones As a loving father that hath entertained a good opinion of his son and is well pleased with his behaviour in the generality of his carriage because he seeth him in most things dutifull and towardly may yet be so far displeased with him for some particular neglects as not only to frown upon him but to give him sharp correction also Sic parvis componere magna Not much otherwise is it in the dealing of our heavenly Father with his children We have an experiment of it in David with whom doubtless God was well pleased for the main course of his life otherwise he had never received that singular testimony from his own mouth that he was secundum cor a man after his own heart yet because he stepped aside and that very foulely in the matter of Vriah The Text saith 2 Sam. 11. that the thing that David had done displeased the Lord and that which followed upon it in the ensuing chapters was the Lord raised up enemies against him for it out of his own house 33. The other fallacy is when we cherish in our selves some sinful errors either in judgement or practice as if they were the good wayes of God the rather for this that we have enemies and meet with opposition as if the enmity of men were an infallible mark of a right way The words of the Text ye see seem rather to incline quite the other way Indeed the very truth is neither the favour or disfavour of men neither their approving nor opposing is any certain mark at all either of a good or of a bad way Our Solomon hath delivered it positively and we ought to believe him Eccl. 9. that no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them It is an error therefore of dangerous consequence to think that the enmity of the wicked is an undoubted mark either of truth or goodness Not only for that it wanteth the warrant of truth to support it which is common to it with all other errors but for two other especial reasons besides The one is because through blinde selfe-love we are apt to dote upon our own opinions more then we ought How confidently do some men boast out their own private fansies and unwarranted singularities as if they were the God! The other reason is because through wretched uncharitableness we are apt to stretch the title of the wicked further then we ought How freely do some men condemne all that think or do otherwise then themselves but especially that any way oppose their courses as if they were the wicked of the world and Persecutors of the godly 34. For the avoiding of both which mischiefs it is needful we should rightly both understand and apply all those places of Scripture which speak of that Opposition which is sometimes made against truth and goodness which opposition the holy Ghost in such like places intended not to deliver as a mark of godliness but rather to propose as an Antidote against worldly fears and discouragements That if in a way which we know upon other and impregnable evidences to be certainly right we meet with opposition we should not be dismaid at it as if some strange thing had befallen us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beloved think it not strange saith S. Peter concerning all such trials as these are as if some strange thing had hapned because it is a thing that at any time may and sometimes doth happen But now to make such opposition a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mark whereby infallibly to judge of our wayes whether they be right or no as some out of the strength of their heat and ignorance have done is to abuse the holy Scriptures to pervert the meaning of the Holy Ghost and to lead men into a maze of uncertainty and error We had all of us need therefore to beware that we doe not like our own wayes so much the better because we have enemies it is much safer for us to suspect lest there may be something in us otherwise then should be for which the Lord suffereth us to have enemies 35. And now the God of grace and peace give us all grace to order our wayes so as may be pleasing in his sight and grant to every one of us First perfect peace with him and in our own consciences and then such a measure of outward peace both publick and private with all our enemies round about us as shall seem good in his sight And let the peace of God which passeth all understanding keep our hearts and mindes in the knowledge and love of him and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord And let the blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the holy Ghost be upon us and upon all them that hear his word and keep it at this present time and for evermore Amen Amen AD AULAM. Sermon III. NEWARKE 1633. 1 Pet. 2.17 Honour all men Love the Brotherhood 1. WHen the Apostles preached the Doctrine of Christian liberty a fit opportunity was ministred for Satans instruments to work their feats upon the new-converted Christians false Teachers on the one side and false Accusers on the other For taking advantage from the very name of Liberty the Enemies of their Souls were ready 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to teach them under that pretence
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
marvellously weakning the spirit and giving a mighty advantage to the flesh even to the hazard of a compleat Conquest 24. Lastly he speaketh of the great offence Totall and Final Apostacy which some understand to be the very sin against the Holy Ghost which cutteth off from the offender all possibility of pardon and reconcilement because it is supposed to be attended with finall impenitency and without pennance there is no hope of reconcilement or place for pardon David petitioneth to be kept back from these Presumptuous sins and free from their Dominion that so he might be upright and innocent from the great transgression As if these Presumptuous sins did make some nearer approaches to that great transgression and as if no man could well secure himself against the danger of final impenitencie but by keeping out of the reach of these Presumptuous sins 15. From all these intimations in the Text we may conclude there is something more in Presumptuous sins then in sins of Ignorance and Infirmity the Obliquity greater and the Danger greater Which we are now a little farther to discover that so our care to avoid them may be the greater Their Obliquity is best seen in the Cause their Danger in the Effects It hath been cleared already that Presumptuous sins spring from the perversness of the Will as the most proper and Immediate cause and it is the Will that hath the chief stroke in all moral actions to render them good or bad better or worse It is a Maxim among the Casuists Involuntarium minuit de ratione peccati and Voluntas distinguit maleficia say the Lawyers So that albeit there be many circumstances as of Time Place Persons c. and sundry other respects especially those of the Matter and of the End very considerable for the aggravating extenuationg and comparing of sins one with another yet the consent of the Will is of so much greater importance then all the rest that all other considerations laid aside every sin is absolutely by so much greater or lesser by how much it is more or less voluntary Sithence therefore in sins of Ignorance and Infirmity there is less Wilfulness the will being misled in the one by an Errour in the Judgment and in the other transported by the violence of some Passion and in sins of Presumption there is a greater wilfulness wherein the will wanting neither information nor leisure to resolve better doth yet knowingly and advisedly resolve to do ill it will necessarily follow that Presumptuous sins are therefore far greater sins then either of the other are The Will being abundantly and beyond measure wilful maketh the sin to be abundantly and beyond measure sinful Doubtless far greater was Davids sin in murthering though but his servant then either Peters in denying his Master or Sauls in blaspheming and persecuting his Saviour 26. Nor only do Presumptuous Sins spring from a worse Cause then the other and thence are more Sinful but do also produce worse Effects then they and so are more Dangerous Whether we look at them before or at the time of Repentance or after Before Repentance they harden the heart wonderfully they waste the conscience in a fearful manner and bring such a callous crust upon the inner man that it will be a long and a hard work so to supple soften and intender the heart again as to make it capable of the impressions of Repentance For alas what hope to do good upon a Wilful man The most grave admonitions the most seasonable reproofs the most powerful exhortations the most convincing Reasons that can be used to such a man are but Tabula caeco as a curious picture to a blinde man for who so blinde as he that will not see and Fabula surdo a pleasant tale to a deaf man for whoso deaf as he that will not hear 27. Thus it is with wicked men and cast-aways whose brawny hearts are by these wilful rebellions fitted for and fatted up unto destruction And verily not much better then thus is it with Gods faithful servants for the time if at any time they hap to fall into any presumptuous sin In what a sad condition may we think poor David was after he had layen with the wife and slain the husband What musick could he now trow ye find in his own Anthems with what comfort could he say his Prayers Did not his tongue think ye cleave to the roof of his mouth and had not his right hand welnigh forget her cunning To the judgment of man no difference for some moneths together during his unrepentance betwixt holy David the man after Gods own heart and a profane scorner that had no fear of God before his eyes Such waste and havock had that great sin made and such spoil of the graces and pledges of Gods holy Spirit in his soul. Look how a sober wise man who when he is himself is able to order his words and affairs with excellent discretion when in a sharp burning-fever his bloud is inflamed and his brain distempered will rave and talke at randome and fling stones and dirt at all about him and every other way in his speeches and motions behave himself like a fool or mad-man so is the servant of God lying under the guilt of a Presumptuous sin before Repentance 28. And then when he doth come to repent Lord what ado there is with him before that great stomach of his will come down and his masterful spirit be soundly subdued And yet down it must subdued it must be or he getteth no pardon What shrinking and drawing back when the wound commeth to be searcht And yet searcht it must be and probed to the bottome or there will be no perfect recovery Presumptuous sins being so grievous as hath been shewed let no man think they will be removed with mean and ordinary Humiliations The Remedy must be proportioned both for strength and quantity Ingredients and Dose to the Quality and Malignity of the distemper or it will never do the cure As stains of a deep dye will not out of the cloath with such ordinary washings as will fetch out lighter spots so to cleanse the heart defiled with these deeper pollutions these crimson and scarlet sins and to restore it pure white as snow or wooll a more solemn and lasting course is requisite then for lesser transgressions It will ask more sighs more tears more indignation more revenge a stronger infusion of all those soveraign ingredients prescribed by St Paul 2 Cor. 7. before there can be any comfortable hope that it is pardoned The Will of a man is a sowre and stubborne piece of clay that will not frame to any serviceable use without much working A soft and tender heart indeed is soon rent in pieces like a silken garment if it do but catch upon any little nail But a heart hardened with long custome of sinning especially if it be with one of these presumptuous sins is like the knotty
the latter branch in laying an unlawfulness where they should not 10. But I shall not meddle much with either sort though they are deeply guilty both because professedly abhorring all communion with us I presume none of them will hear and then what booteth it to speak There be others who for that they live in the the same visible communion with us do even therefore deserve far better respect from us then either of the former and are also even therefore more capable of better information from us then they Who yet by their unnecessary and unwarrantable strictnesse in sundry particulars and by casting impurity upon many things both of Ecclesiastical and civil usage which are not in their own nature unlawful though some of them I doubt not in their practise much abused have done and still do a world of mischief in the Church of Christ. A great deal more I am verily perswaded then themselves are aware of or then themselves I hope intend but I fear withal a great deal more then either any of us can imagine or all of us can well tell how to help That therefore both they and we may see how needful a thing it is for every of us to have a right judgement concerning indifferent things and their lawfulness I shall endeavour to shew you both how unrighteous a thing it is in it self and of how noysom and perillous consequence many wayes to condemn any thing as simply unlawful without very clear evidence to lead us thereunto 11. First it is a very unrighteous thing For as in civil judicatories the Iudge that should make no more ado but presently adjudge to death all such persons as should be brought before him upon light surmises and slender presumptions without any due enquiry into the cause or expecting clearer evidence must needs pass many an unjust sentence and be in great jeopardy at some time or other of shedding innocent blood so he that is very forward when the lawfulnesse of any thing is called in question upon some colourable exceptions there-against straightwayes to cry it down and to pronounce it unlawful can hardly avoid the falling oftentimes into errour and sometimes into uncharitableness Pilate though he did Iesus much wrong afterward yet he did him some right onward when the Jews cried out Crucisige Away with him crucifie him in replying for him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why what evil hath he done Doth our law judge a man before it hear him and know what he doth was Nicodemus his plea Iohn 7. I wonder then by what Law those men proceed who judge so deeply and yet examine so overly speaking evil of those things they know not as S. Iude and answering a matter before they hear it as Solomon speaketh Which in his judgement is both folly and shame to them as who say there is neither wit nor honesty in it The Prophet Esay to shew the righteousnesse and equity of Christ in the exercise of his kingly office describeth it thus Esay 11. He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his ears but with righteousness shall he judge the poor and reprove with equity Implying that where there is had a just regard of righteousness and equity there will be had also a due care not to proceed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our first apprehension of things as they are suddenly represented to our eyes or ears without farther examination A fault which our Saviour reproved in the Jews as an unrighteous thing when they censured him as a sabbath-breaker without cause Iudge not according to the outward appearance but judge righteous judgment Joh. 7. 12. All this will easily be granted may some say where the case is plain But suppose when the Lawfulness of something is called in question that there be probable arguments on both sides so as it is not easie to resolve whether way rather to incline is it not at leastwise in that case better to suspect it may be unlawful then to presume it to be lawful For in doubtful cases via tutior it is best ever to take the safer way Now because there is in most men a wondrous aptness to stretch their liberty to the utmost extent many times even to a licentiousness and so there may be more danger in the enlargement then there can be in the restraint of our liberty it seemeth therefore to be the safer errour in doubtfull cases to judge the things unlawful say that should prove an errour rather then to allow them lawful and yet that prove an errour 13. True it is that in hypothesi and in point of practise and in things not enjoyned by superiour authority either divine or humane it is the safer way if we have any doubts that trouble us to forbeare the doing of them for feare they should prove unlawful rather then to adventure to do them before we be well satisfied that they are lawful As for example If any man should doubt of the lawfulness of playing at Cards or of Dancing either single or mixt although I know no just cause why any man should doubt of either severed from the abuses and accidental consequents yet if any man shall think he hath just cause so to do that man ought by all means to forbeare such playing or dancing till he can be satisfied in his own minde that he may lawfully use the same The Apostle hath clearly resolved the case Rom. 14. that be the thing what it can be in it self yet his very doubting maketh it unlawfull to him so long as he remaineth doubtful because it cannot be of faith and whatsoever is not of faith is sin Thus far therefore the former allegation may hold good so long as we consider things but in hypothesi that is to say onely so far forth as concerneth our own particular in point of practise that in these doubtful cases it is safer to be too scrupulous then too adventurous 14. But then if we will speake of things in thesi that is to say taken in their general nature and considered in themselves and as they stand devested of all circumstances and in point of judgement so as to give a positive and determinate sentence either with them or against them there I take it the former allegation of Via tutior is so farr from being of force that it holdeth rather the clean contrary way For in bivio dextra in doubtful cases it is safer erring the more charitable way As a Judge upon the bench had better acquit ten malefactors if there be no ful proof brought against them then condemne but one innocent person upon meer presumptions And this seemeth to be very reasonable For as in the Courts of civil Iustice men are not ordinarily put to prove themselves honest men but the proof lieth on the accusers part and it is sufficient for the acquiting of any man in foro externo
dealing with the Iury perhaps get one packt for his turne tampering with the witnesses tempting the Iudge himself it may be with a Letter or a Bribe he will leave no stone unmoved no likely means how indirect soever unattempted to get the better of the day and to cast his adversary You may observe it likewise in Church-affairs A regular Minister sitteth quietly at home followeth his study doth his duty in his own Cure and teacheth his people truly and faithfully to do theirs keepeth himself within his own station and medleth no further But schismaticall spirits are more pragmaticall they will not be contained within their own circle but must be flying out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they must have an Oar in every Boat offering yea thrusting themselves into every Pulpit before they be sent for running from town to town from house to house that they may scatter the seeds of sedition and superstition at every table and in every corner And all this so wise are they in their generation to serve their own belly and to make a prey of their poor seduced proselytes for by this means the people fall unto them and thereout suck they no small advantage You may observe it also in most other things but these instances may suffice 29. The point thus proved and cleared that the children of this world are wiser then the children of light that we may make some use of it briefly First let me say with St Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marvel not my brethren when you see an evil cause prosper it may be for a long time together and the better side go down as if some strange thing had happened unto you and such as never had been heard in the word before neither be troubled or scandalized at it Fret not thy self saith David at him whose way doth prosper against the man that doth after evil counsels If you would but well consider how solicitous how industrious how smooth and cunning how unanimous they are on the one side how far short they on the other side are in all these and all other like advantagious respects you would soon finde that in the saddest events that ever your eyes beheld there is no matter of wonderment at all Yea did not the powerful hand of Gods over-ruling providence sometimes interpose giving the enemy now and then a sudden stop when they are in their full cariere in the height of their pride and jollity and making good his promises to his poor distressed Church by sending unexpected help and deliverance when they are brought very low both in their estates and hopes we might rather wonder that it is not even much worse with the people of God then it is and how they should be able at all to subsist their enemies having all the advantages in the world against them 30. Let not their successes therefore trouble us Rather in the second place let their wisdome quicken us to a holy emulation Not to imitate their wayes nor to joyne with them in their wicked enterprises God forbid no nor so much as to encourage them therein by any unworthy compliances It was not the stewards injustice but his wisdom that his master commended him for in the parable and that our master in the application of the parable intended to commend to us for our imitation His example should kindle a holy zeal in us and an endeavour to be as wise for spirâ—â—uals and in the business of our souls as he was and as the children of this world usually are for temporals and in the affairs of the world It is no shame at all for us to learn wisdom of any whomsoever 1. Of a poor irrational contemptible Creature Vade ad formicam Goe to the pismire O sluggard and learn her wayes learn wisdom of her 2. Of an Enemy Books have been written by Moralists de utilitate ab inimicis capienda We curse our Enemies many times unchristianly whereas did we seriously consider how much we are beholding to them for the greatest part of that wisdom and circumspection we shew in the managery of our affairs we would not only bless them as we are in Christian charity bound but heartily bless God for them also by way of gratitude for the great benefit we reap by them 3. Yea of the Devil himself Watch saith St Peter for your adversary the Devil goeth about c. as if he should say He watcheth for your destruction watch you therefore for your own security and preservation Thus may we from the worldlings wisdom learn something that may be of use to us and that in each of the fore-mentioned particulars 31. From their Sagacity learn to forecast how to please God to fore-arme our selves against all assaults and wiles of Satan to fore-think and to be in some measure provided before hand of needful and proper expedients for any exigent or cross accident that may probably befall us 2. From their Industry learn not to be slothful in doing service nor to slack the time of our repentance and turning to God to run with constancy and courage to the race that is set before us to think no pains no travail too much that may bring us to heaven to work out our salvation to the uttermost with fear and trembling 3. From their Hypocrisie and outward seeming Holiness learn to have our conversations honest towards them that are without not giving the least scandal in any thing that may bring reproach upon the Gospel to shun the very appearances of evil and having first cleansed the inside well to keep the outside handsome too that by our piety devotion meekness patience obedience justice charity humility and all holy graces we may not only stop up the mouth of the adversary from speaking evil of us but may also win glory to God and honour and reputation to our Christian profession thereby 4. From their Unity learn to follow the truth in love to lay aside vain janglings and opposition of science falsely so called to make up the breaches that are in the Church of Christ by moderating and reconciling differences rather then to widen them by multiplying controversies and maintaining hot disputes to follow the things that make for peace and whereby we may edify one another Thus doing we may gather grapes of thorns make oyl of Scorpions extract all the medicinal vertue out of the Serpent and yet leave all the poisonous and malignant quality behinde 32. Emulate them then we may may we ought It is the very main scope of the parable to provoke us to that But sure envie them we must not indeed we need not if we will but take the Limitation along with us which now only remaineth to be considered and that the time so requiring very briefly How much wiser so ever these worldly-wise men seem to be or indeed are as we have now heard it is but quadantenus and in
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
yea or no 14. Neither yet only look at the Power thou now hast but consider withall what need thou mayest have of the help of others hereafter The world is full of changes and chances and all things under the sun are subject to rolling Thou who by reason of thy present power art now sought and sued to by others by a thousand casualties more thou canst imagine mayest be brought to crave help from others Now the Rule of Equity is Doe as thou wouldest be done to As thou wouldest expect help from those that are able to succour thee if thy self stoodest in need so be ready now it is in thy power to do it to succour those that stand in need of thy help and expect it from thee Learn by that speech of Iosephs brethren when they were distressed in Egypt Gen. 42. We were verily guilty concerning our brothers in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not heare therefore is this distress come upon us Learn I say from that speech of theirs what a dreadful pang and torture and corrosive it will be to thy conscience hereafter in the day of thy calamity when thou shalt sue to others and finde but cold comfort from them if thy heart can then tell thee that though men be hard yet God is just and that with what measure thou metedst to others before it is now measured back again with advantage perhaps into thine own bosome To prevent which misery learn wisdom of the unjust steward even to make thee friends of thy mammon and of thy power and of all those blessed opportunities and advantages thou enjoyest by doing good with them whilest thou hast time That when the tide shall turn thou mayest also finde friends to help in time of need to stand by thee in the day of adversity and to deliver thy soul from unrighteous Iudges He that would readily finde help it is but meet and right he should readily lend helpe 15. Pass we now from our selves in the third place to those poor oppressed ones to whom as a fit object for our justice and charity to be exercised upon we owe this duty of succour and subvention From whose condition we may finde sundry farther excitements to the performance of this duty if we shall consider the greatness of their distresse the scarcity of their friends and the righteousness of their Cause Whereof the first proceedeth from the Cruelty the second from the Potency the third from the avarice ambition or other iniquity of their oppressours First many times the distresses of poor men under the hand of their oppressours are grievous beyond the imagination of those that never felt them They are expressed in the Text whether by way of Synecdoche one special kinde being put to include all the rest or by an hyperbolical amplification for the fuller expressing of the grievousness thereof by the terms of Death and Slaughter If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn to death and those that are ready to be slain Verily oppressours are covetous and they that are covetous are cruel too For though their aim be the spoil and not the blood yet rather then fail the spoil they will not stick at the blood too Come let us lay wait for blood We shall fill our houses with spoil Prov. 1. And so the oppressour proveth both a thief and a murtherer a thief in the end he aimeth at and a murtherer in the means whereby to obtain it as Ahab took away Naboths life that he might enjoy his vineyard Now surely that man hath very little compassion in his bowels that will not set forward a foot nor reach out a hand nor open a lip to save the precious life of his poor brother when he may so easily do it Were it but an Ox or an Asse or some beast of less value that lay weltred in a ditch common humanity will require we should lend our hand and put to our best strength to draw him out Xenocrates made scruple of hurting the Sparrow that flew into his lap when a Hawk pursued it And ought not we then much more to set our selves with that power we have by all lawful means to deliver our brother from the snare and from the pit of destruction 16. Ey you will say If it were to save a mans life much might be we would then strain our selves a little to speak or to do for him But that is a case seldom happeneth in a setled government such as blessed be God for it we live under The common oppressions of those times are of a lower nature and we are not bound by the Text to set in but in the case of life In petty grievances may we not leave men to the course of the Law and to shift as well as they can for themselves we would be loath to get the displeasure of some great ones we live neer and hold fair correspondency with when we need not and for trifles For answer First although the Text speak expresly only of Death yet by a Synecdoche membri usual in the Scriptures all other violences and injuries are intended As in the Law under the name of murder all malice and revenge and under the name of adultery fornication and all other uncleannesses are forbidden Secondly though oppressions should not be directly intended in the Text yet might they be inferred from it by the rule of proportion and for the reason of equity For where there is the same reason of equity as in the present case although with some difference of proportion or degree there is also the same obligation of duty the said difference of proportion or degree still observed But indeed Thirdly I take it that all oppressions are not only intended but also expressed under the names of death and slaughter Because to take away a mans substance whereby he should maintain his life is interpretative and to common intendment all one as to take away the very life it self Therfore as Abels blood crieth so the labourers wages crieth And the Scriptures so speak of oppressours as of those that grinde the faces of the poor that eat them up by morsels or that to save the labour of chewing swallow them up whole as the greater fishes do the small ones by which means they make the poor of the land to fail as the Prophet speaketh That which maintaineth life is not only according to the phrase of the world in most languages but even in holy Scriptures themselves sometimes so mentioned as if it were the very life it self the substance essence or being of a man And he that should violently take away that from another if the wise son of Sirac were of the inquest would certainly be found guilty of no less then murder Hear his verdict in the case and the reason of it The bread of the needy is their life he that defraudeth him thereof is a
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
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
good his promise The Lord had designed Saul to be their King and had secretly revealed the same to Samuel Who did also by Gods appointment first anoint him very privately no man being by but they two alone and after in a full assembly of the people at Mispeh evidenced him to be the man whom God had chosen by the determination of a lot Whereupon the most part of the people accepted Saul for their King elect testifying their acceptance by their joyful acclamations and by sending him presents Yet did not Saul then immediately enter upon his full Regalities whether by reason of some contradiction made to his election or for whatsoever other cause but that Samuel still continued in the government till upon occasion of the Ammonites invading the land and laying siege against Iabesh-Gilead Saul made such proof of his valour by relieving the Town destroing the enemy that no man had the forehead to oppose against him any more Samuel therefore took the hint of that victory to establish Saul compleatly in the kingdom by calling the people to Gilgal where the Tabernacle then was where he once more anointed Saul before the Lord and in a full congregation investing him into the kingdom with great solemnity sacrifices of peace-offerings and all manner of rejoycings 4. Now had the people according to their desire a King and now was Samuel who had long governed in chief again become a private man Yet was he still the Lords Prophet and by vertue of that calling took himself bound to make the people sensible of the greatness of their sin in being so forward to ask a King before they had first asked to know the Lords pleasure therein And this is in a manner the business of this whole Chapter Yet before he begin to fall upon them he doth wisely first to clear himself and for the purpose he challengeth all every of them if they could accuse him of any injustice or corruption in the whole time of his government then and there to speak it out and they should receive satisfaction or else for ever after to hold their tongues in the three first verses of this Chapter but especially in this third verse Behold here I am witness against me before the Lord c. 5. In which words are observable both the Matter and Form of Samuels challenge The Matter of it to wit the thing whereof he would clear himself is set down first in general termes that he had not wrongfully taken to himself that which was anothers Whose Ox have I taken or whose Asse have I taken And then more particularly by a perfect enumeration of the several species or kindes thereof which being but three in all are all expressed in this challenge All wrongful taking of any thing from another man is done either with or without the parties consent If without the parties consent then either by cunning or violence fraud or oppression over-reaching another by wit or over-bearing him by might If with the parties consent then it is by contracting with him for some fee reward or gratification Samuel here disclaimeth them all Whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received a bribe to blinde my eyes therewith That is the matter of the challenge 6. In the forme we may observe concerning Samuel 3. other things First his great forwardness in the business in putting himself upon the triall by his own voluntary offer before he was called thereunto by others Behold here I am Secondly his great Confidence upon the conscience of his own integrity in that he durst put himself upon his triall before God and the world witness against me before the Lord and before his Annointed Thirdly his great Equity in offering to make reall satisfaction to the full in case any thing should be justly proved against him in any of the premises whose oxe or whose asse c and I will restore it you 7. The particulars are many and I may not take time to give them all their due enlargements We will therefore pass through them lightly insisting perhaps somewhat more upon those things that shall seem most material or useful for this assembly then upon some of the rest yet not much upon any Neither do I mean in the handling thereof to tie my self precisely to the method of my former division but following the course of the Text to take the words in the same order as I finde them there laid to my hand Behold here I am witness against me c. 8. Behold here I am More hast then needeth may some say It savoureth not well that Samuel is so forward to justifie himself before any man accuse him Voluntary purgations commonly carry with them strong suspicions of guilt We presume there is a fault when a man sweateth to put off a crime before it be laid to his charge True and well we may presume it where there appeareth not some reasonable cause otherwise for so doing But there occur sundry reasons some apparent and the rest at least probable why Samuel should here do as he did 9. First he was presently to convince the people of their great sin in asking a King and to chastise them for it with a severe reprehension It might therefore seem to him expedient before he did charge them with innovating the government to discharge himself first from having abused it He that is either to rebuke or to punish others for their faults had need stand clear both in his own conscience and in the eye of the world of those faults he should censure and of all other crimes as foul as they lest he be choaked with that bitter proverb retorted upon him to his great reproach Physician heal thy self Vitia ultima fictos Contemnunt Scauros castigata remordent How unequal a thing is it and incongruous that he who wanteth no ill conditions himself should binde his neighbour to the good behaviour That a sacrilegious Church-robber should make a mittimus for a poor sheep-stealer Or as he complained of old that great theeves should hang up little ones How canst thou say to thy brother Brother let me pul out the mote that is in thine eye when behold there is a beam in thine own eye That is with what conscience nay with what face canst thou offer it Turpe est doctori every school-boy can tell you See to it all you who by the condition of your callings are bound to take notice of the actions and demeanours of others and to censure them that you walk orderly and unreprovably your selves It is only the sincerity and unblameableness of your conversations that will best adde weight to your words winn awe and esteem to your persons preserve the authority of your places put life into your spirits and enable you to doe the works of your callings with courage and freedom 10. Secondly Samuel here justifieth himself for their greater conviction
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
repeated in Deuteronomy in the self-same words Thou shalt take no gift for a gift blindeth the eyes of the wise and perverteth the words of the righteous A marvelous power sure there is in them that can work upon men so strongly yea sometimes upon wise and righteous men as Moses his words express as to stop their mouths and binde their hands and blinde their eyes that they can neither speak nor doe nor see what is right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in Euripides They say that even the gods may be tempted with gifts Very like if applyed to such gods as are spoken of in the Psalm Dixi Dij I have said ye are gods 40. But then what is it to blinde the eyes or how can bribes do it Iustice is not unfitly pourtrayed in the forme of a man with his right eye open to look at the Cause and his left eye shut or muffled that he may not look at the Person Now a guift putteth all this out of order and setteth it the quite contrary way It giveth the left eye liberty but too much to look asquint upon the person but putteth the right eye quite out that it cannot discern the Cause Even as in the next fore-going Chapter Nahash the Ammonite would have covenanted with the inhabitants of Iabesh-Gilead upon condition he might thrust out all their right eyes From this property of hood-winking and muffling up the eyes it is that a Bribe is in the Hebrew the Text-word here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Copher of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caphar to cover to dawbe up or to draw over with lime plaister or the like Whereunto our English word to cover hath such nere affinity in the sound that were it not apparently taken from the French Couurir and that from the Latine Cooperire it might with some probability be thought to owe its Original to the Hebrew But however it be for the word the thing is clear enough this Copher doth so cover and plaister up the eyes that they cannot see to do their office aright and as they ought 41. And the reason of all this is because guifts if they be handsomely conveighed and not tendred in the name nor appearing in the likeness of Bribes for then wise and righteous men will reject them with disdain and shake their hands and laps from receiving them but I say if they come as presents only and by way of kindness and respect they are sometimes well accepted and that deservedly even of wise and righteous men as testimonies of the love and observance of the givers And then the nature of ingenuous persons is such that they cannot but entertain a good opinion of those that shew good respect unto them and are glad when any opportunity is offered them whereby to manifest such their good opinion and to requite one curtesie with another Whereby it cometh to pass that guifts by little and little and by insensible degrees win upon the affections of such men as are yet just in their intentions and would not willingly be corrupted and at the last over-master them And the affections once throughly possest it is then no great mastery to doe the rest and to surprise the judgment The good Magistrate therefore that would save his eyes and preserve their sight had need not only to hate bribes but to be very jealous of presents lest some of those things which he receiveth but as Gifts be yet meant him for Bribes But especially to suspect those gifts as so meant where the quantity and proportion of the gift considered and compared with the quality and condition of the giver may cast any just cause of suspition upon them but to conclude them absolutely so meant if they be sent from persons that have business in the Courts 42. The only thing now remaining to be spoken to from the Text and that but in a word or two is Samuels Equity in offering in case any thing should be truly charged against him in any the premises to make the wronged parties restitution Whose oxe have I taken or c. And I will restore it you Samuel was confident he had not wittingly done any man wrong either by Fraud Oppression or Bribery whereby he should be bound to make or should need to offer Restitution Yet partly to shew what was fit to be done in such cases and his own readiness so to doe if there should be cause and partly for that it was possible in so long time of his government and amid so many causes as passed through his hands that he might through mis-information precipitancy negligence prejudice or other humane frailty have committed some oversight in judgment for which it might be reasonable for him to make some kinde of compensation to the parties thereby damnified he here offereth Restitution A duty in case of Injury most necessary both for quieting the Conscience within and to give satisfaction to the world and for the more assurance of the truth and sincerity of our repentance in the sight of God for the wrongs we have done Without which at least in the desire and endeavour there can be no true repentance for the sin and consequently no security of the remission of the guilt That of Augustine Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum is a famous received Aphorism in this case well knowen to all but little considered and less practised by most 43. There is an enforced Restitution whereof perhaps Zophar speaketh in Iob 20. That which he laboured for he shall restore and not swallow it down according to his substance shall the restitution be and he shall not rejoyce therein and such as the Law imposed upon thefts and other manifest wrongs which although not much worth is yet better then none But as Samuels offer here was voluntary so it is the Voluntary Restitution that best pleaseth God pacifieth the Conscience and in some measure satisfieth the world Such was that of Zacheus Luk. 19. in restoring fourefold to every man from whom he had gained any thing wrongfully It may be feared if every Officer that hath to doe in or about the Courts of Iustice should be tied to that proportion many one would have but a very small surplusage remaining whereout to bestow the one moity to pious uses as Zacheus there did 44. There is scarce any one point in the whole body of Moral Divinity that soundeth so harsh to the eare or relisheth so harsh in the palaâ—e of a worldling as this of Restitution doth To such a man this is durus sermo indeed a hard very hard saying yet as hard as it seemeth to be it is full of reason and Equity So full that I dare confidently say who ever he be that complaineth of it as a hard imposition when he is required to restore to the right owner that which he hath unjustly taken from him that man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
is not enough for a man that he can satisfie his own conscience in what he doth But 32 4 there ought to be a great care had also of preserving a good name And that upon these 33 CONSIDERATIONS 1. That it is our bounden Duty 34 5 2 That by our care much may be done in it 36 3 That a good name lost is of hard recovery 37 c. Some RVLES OF DIRECTION tending as helps thereunto Sermon II. Ad Aulam on PROV XVI VII Sect. 1. THe Sum and Division of THE TEXT 2 6 The Words in the former part of the Text explained 7. POINT I. The necessity of seeking to PLEASE GOD. 8 9 both in point of Duty and Relations 10 11 and in point of Wisdome and Benefit 12 14 POINT II. God is pleased with our wayes wherein he findeth  1 Conformity to his wayes 15 16 2 and Obedience to his Will 17 notwithstanding their imperfection 18 1 as being his own work in us and 19 2 beholding them as in the face of Christ 20 The Inference for Comfort 21 The Words in the later part of the Text explained 22 24 POINT III. God procureth the peace of those that please him 25 Their own endeavours subordinately concurring 26 8 A grand Objection removed 29 FOURE INFERENCES briefly touched 30 A FIFTH INFERENCE farther considered for the preventing of a double fallacy to wit 31 2 1 that of imputing our sufferings wholy to the injustice of others 32 4 2 that of thinking the better of our selves and our own wayes because we have Enemies 35 The Conclusion Sermon III. Ad Aulam on I PET. II. XVII Sect 1-3 THe Scope and Division of THE TEXT 4 8 The Duty of HONOURING ALL MEN explained 9 10 and enforced by Reasons taken 1. from Justice 11 2 from Equity 12 14 3 from Religion 15 A REPROOF 1. of those that honour none but themselves 16 17 2 of those that honour none but their Superiours 18 c. 3 of those that limit the duty with a condition Si meruerint 24 26 Who are meant by THE BROTHERHOOD 27 c. and what by loving the brotherhood 30 Two grounds of this duty viz. 1. Their Goodness in themselves 31 c. 2 their Neerness to us in sundry relations 36 c. We may in loving the Brethren prefer some 39 c. But not exclude any Sermon IV. Ad Aulam on PSALM XIX XIII Sect. 1-3 A general view of the XIX PSALM 4 6 The Scope and Division OF THE TEXT 7 The reading considered and cleared 8 Of Presumption in General 9 11 Of the Sin of Presumption materially taken 12 14 From the distinction of Sinnes of Ignorance Infirmity and Presumption 15 18 Severally Exemplified 19 The nature of PRESUMPTUOUS SINS declared 20 24 The hainousness of Presumptuous Sins declared by sundry Intimations in the Text 25 and by Reasons drawen Partly from their Cause 26 27 partly from their evil Effects  1 before Repentance 28 2 at the time of Repentance 29 32 3 after Repentance 33 For the avoiding of Presumptuous Sins 34 with our Prayers to God 35 we are to joyne our own Endeavours  FOURE PARTICULAR RULES for direction herein viz. 36 1 Doe nothing against Conscience 37 38 2 Get the mastery of thine own Will 39 43 3 Beware of Engagements to Sin 44 45 4 Resolve not to yield to any Temptation 46 The Conclusion Sermon V. Ad Aulam I. Ser. on PHIL. IIII. XI Sect. 1-4 THe Occasion Scope 5 Paraphrase and 6 Division of THE TEXT 7 12 FOURE OBSERVATIONS from the Apostles Protestation 13 14 THE NATURE OF CONTENTMENT gathered from the Text in three Particulars viz. 15 16 I. That a man be content WITH HIS OWN ESTATE without coveting that which is anothers 17 19 Illustrated by Examples both wayes 20 21 and proved from Grounds both of Justice 22 and Charity 23 Not all desire of that which is anothers forbidden 24 but the Inordinate only Whether in respect 25 26 1. of the Object of the Desire 27 29 2 The Act or of the Desire 30 31 3 The Effects of the Desire 32 The INFERENCE thence 33 II. That a man be content VVITH HIS PRESENT ESTATE 34 Because 1. That only is properly his own 35 2 All looking beyond that disquieteth the minde 36 3 The present is ever best 37 38 THE DUTY pressed 39 40 and the mis-understanding of it prevented 41 III. That a man be content VVITH ANY ESTATE 42 44 with the Reasons thereof 45. c. and Inferences thence Sermon VI. Ad Aulam II. Ser. on PHIL. IV. XI Sect. 1-3 THe ART OF CONTENTMENT 4 1 Not from Nature 4 2 Institution 6 3 or Outward Things 7 But from God who teacheth it us 8 1 by his Spirit 9 2 by his Promises 10. c. 3 by the Rod of discipline 12 INFERENCES I. Where this learning is to be had 13 II. Sundry motives thereunto 14 III. The trial of our proficiency therein by SIX MARKS 15 1 The despising of unjust gain 16 2 The moderating of worldly Desires and Cares 17 3 the carefull using and of what we have 18 4 the charitable dispensing of what we have 19 5 the bearing both of wants with patience 20 6 and losses with patience 22 SEVEN HELPS to further us in this Learning 23 24 1 A right perswasion of the Goodness and Truth of God 25 2 A through sence of our own unworthiness 26 3 Thankfulness for what we have 27 4 A prudent comparing of our Estates with other mens 28 5 To consider the Vanity of all outward things 29 30 6 Sobriety in a frugal and temperate use of the Creature 31 7 To remember that we are but Pilgrims here Sermon VII Ad Aulam on ESAY LII III Sect. 1. THe Sum and Division of the Text. 2 4 PART I. Man 's Sale 5 Inferences thence To take knowledg  1 of our Misery therein 6 2 and Presumption therein 7 The materials of the Contract viz. 8 10 I. The Commodity and therein our Baseness 11 15 II. The Price and therein our Folly 16 18 An Objection by way of Excuse removed 19 24 III. The Consent and therein our inexcusableness 25 PART II. Mans Redemption wrought 26 I. EFFECTUALLY Wherein are considered 27 1 The Power of the Redeemer 28 2 The Love of the Redeemer 29 3 The Right of the Redeemer 30 And thence inferred a threefold Duty viz.  1 of Affiance relatively to his Power 31 2 of Thankfulness relatively to his Love 32 3 of Service relatively to his Right 33 II. FREELY As to us who paied nothing towards it 34 37 But yet a valuable price payed by our Redeemer 38 Inference thence To exclude Merit 39 But not Endeavours 40 The Conclusion Sermon VIII Ad Aulam on ROM XV. V Sect. 1-2 THe Scope and Division of THE TEXT 3 5 THE FORMALITY of the Prayer Observations thence viz.  I. Prayer to be joyned with Instruction 6 9 II. God the only author of Peace