that remedy which he hath prouided for vs. And what is that By Faith to lay hold vpon CHRIST who to keepe off the curse from vs Gal 3. was pleased himselfe to become a curse You that are the Penitents shall doe well to make your benefit of this day of grace and so tremble at the consideration of that which you haue deserued as to shelter your selfes vnder the comfortable wings of your blessed Sauiour before the stroake of GODS vengeance light vpon you For as the word cursed doth import the merit of a sinner so doth it also his Iudgement if he continue irrepentant If repentance preuent not GOD will reward euerie man according as he deserues Rom. â— anguish tribulation and wrath shall be vpon euerie one that doth ill which CHRIST setteth forth in a liuely embleme when he cursed the Fig. tree in the Gospel Remember also that GODS curse is an vnresistable curse you may learne that of BALAAM Num. 22. he assured BALAK that none can alter it when it is gone out of GODS mouth and be you sure it is as vnchangable as it is intollerable There is much cursing in the world there be many whose mouthes are full of cursing and bitternrsse Ps 10. Iob 2. Some are so impious as to curse GOD himselfe as IOES wife would haue had her husband haue done and as that wicked one did Leuit. 24. and others mentioned Reuel 16. Some are so monstrous as to curse though not GOD yet men Cap. 3. euen with the same tongue where-with they blesse GOD St IAMES wisheth them to consider how much woâ—se they are then senselesse Creatures because out of the same Fountaine there commeth not sweet water and bitter also But of these curses we must hold these two rules to be true the one is SOLOMONS a causelesse curse shall not come Prou. 26. yea GOD will blesse them whom the vniust doth curse The second rule is that they that delight in cursing shall haue enough of it Ps 10 9. He that cloatheth himselfe with cursing as with a garment at shall run like water into his flesh and like oyle into his benes he shall be thorowly drencht with it But we must not conceiue so when a man is curst of GOD for as his curse commeth not without a cause so it will vndoubtedly sort its effect And though our cursing of him sheweth but our vneffectuall malice yet his cursing of vs will make vs see his effectuall Iustice Finally for these two causes are maledictions added to the transgressions of the Law First that we might acknowledge that it belongeth to GODS Iustice to see sinne punished Secondly that when we feele any calamities we may know from whom they come and why Hauing shewed you what the curse is that belongeth to your sinne you must now see by whom it must be pronounced and at the 14 verse we find that it was to be pronounced by the Leuites And indeed the act being not Politike but Ecclesiasticall as you may gather out of that which I haue obserued before the person must be suitable But whereas the name of Leuite comprehends the Priest also we must vnderstand here the Priest and not the ordinarie Leuite For vnto the Priest belonged the office of blessing and cursing in the Name of the Lord it is not for euerie one to intermeddle with that worke It is true Ecclesiasticall that if the oppressed curse the oppressor in the bitternesse of his Soule his prayer shall be heard of him that made him Math. â— But yet mens patience should be such as to blesse them of whom they are cursed and to doe good to them of whom they receiue hurt To curse GOD rather permits then commands them as he doth parents except they be led by the Spirit of Prophesie as NOAH and others for Prophets had this power by an extraordinarie vocation But the Priest onely hath it ordinarily by the power of his Orders as by the termes of blessing cursing planting building rooting vp destroying it is exprest in the Old Testament and it is expressed in the New by those of opening and shutting Heauen binding and loosing mens Soules remitting and retayning mens Sinnes in a word it is that which we call the Power of the Keyes So that the Minister doth no more then he hath good warrant for when he doth exercise this Iurisdiction and the people should feare it because he doth it in the Name of the Lord no lesse assured that GOD will confirme it then he is assured that GOD doth command him to doe it Although we doe not deny but our first intention should be to blesse Numb 6. and our power is giuen vs for edification and our desire is to be vnto you the sauor of life vnto life Yet when the peoples sinnes call for it importuning vs then we must come to the curse vse our weapons of destruction and be vnto the people the sauor of death vnto death For seeing we are not onely slow vnto obedience and need the spurres of GODS alluring blessings but also refractarie and inordinate we need the strong bridle of GODS curses to hold vs in when the World the Diuel and the Flesh carrie vs headlong vnto perdition Were it not so that men are headstrong to their own peril we shold not need to deliuer vnto them the terrors of the Law but onely the glad tydings of the Gospel but sinne sorceth vs to subordinate the curse to the blessing that by the terrors of the curse we may remoue from you the impediments of the blessing And happy shall you be if you make such a vse of it As the Priest is commanded to pronounce the curse so is he commanded to pronounce it with a lowd voyce he must not be afraid to vtter it and his voyce must be so lowd as that all Israel may heare the must not suffer any to be ignorant of it that which concernes all must be made knowne vnto all and the greater things are the more â—â—â—nestly they must be prest We cannot doe you greater wrong then conceale from you that which concernes you so neere and if we doe not worke powerfully into your Consciences the terror of this curse we should bring a curse vpon our selues Ser. 48.10 for cursed is he that doeth the worke of the Lord negligently But I hasten to the last point that will tell vs who is to approue this curse that is pronounced by the Priest and there we find that they are the people All the people shall say Amen Amen to the Curse If it were the blessing no doubt but all would say Amen but all must say Amen to the Curse also GOD will haue vs set our seale as well to his Iustice as to his Mercie and confesse that we subscribe to both We that is Prince Priest and People all must shew their loue vnto that which is good and detestation of that which is ill It is true
whose hands he knew he should haue no thankes for his labour So to confesse must needes be an ingenuous Confession And indeed such an ingenuous Confession doth well beseeme all in debates of Religion For it fals not out in them as it doth in the Games of Actiuitie wherein onely he that conquereth is crowned the conquered also shall haue his crowne in this case if being conuicted hee acknowledge and submit himselfe vnto the truth It were to bee wished that the World would imitate this Ingenuitie that God might forgiue vs our infirmities and giue vs grace to profit in the way of eternall life But the World is possest with a spirit of obstinacie so that men will not be perswaded though they bee perswaded nor conuicted when they are conuicted bee it in head or heart When wee deale with Papists or Anabaptists we haue too lamentable proofe hereof they carrie themselues like deafe Adders they stop their eares and will not heare the voyce of the Charmer charme he neuer so wisely But to leaue the absent and direct my speech to our selues that are present Are our Hearts better disposed then their Heads I would they were but experience teacheth that though our sinnes bee laid neuer so clearely before vs and Gods Law that condemnes them often applied close to our Conscience yet few there are that become sensible as Dauid was vpon Nathans reproofe or as the Niniuites were at the preaching of Ionas The want of this Ingenuitie is the cause why drunkards sweareas adulterers all wicked liuers notwithstanding all our instruction continue still like vnto themselues But let them take heed their obstinacie will one day cost them deare they will be put vnto a worse shame for perseuering in sinne Eccle 4 Aust Epist â—8 then euer their Repentance coulde bring vpon them You haue heard one branch of the Scribes Ingenuitie manifested in his acknowledgment of the truth when he heard it But hee doth not onely acknowledge but he doth iustifie it also hee sheweth that he is able soundly to confirme it And indeed this is compleate Ingenuitie when a man doth not onely yeeld when he hath nothing to say against the truth but also goeth farther and becomes an Aduocate thereof shewing the reason that moues him and may moue others to subscribe vnto it See how this Scribe doth it To loue God with all our heart saith he and our Neighbour as our selfe is better then all burnt offering and sacrifice Nothing could come in competition with Morall Law but the Ceremoniall giuing it then preeminence aboue the Ceremoniall he giues it absolute preeminence and so prooues Loue to be the great Commandement following herein the direction of God himselfe in Esay Osea Amos Cap. 1. Cap. 6. Cap. 5. Cap. 7. and Ieremie I haue handled this point vpon the fiftie one Psalme and therefore intend to passe by it at this time onely giuing you this rule whereby you may the better iudge of his proofe Charitie pleaseth God immediately of it selfe Sacrifices please not but in vertue of Charitie But marke how with this his Reason hee doth perstring his fellowes You know the Pharisees were for their Corban Irenie i. â— c. 323 and taught children to disobey and destitute their parents rather then not to performe their sacrifice which Doctrine of theirs this Scribe acknowledgeth to be most peruerse a fruit of couetousnesse Of whom we may learne this good lesson that we must not perfunctorily read the Scriptures but learne by them how to argue for them by knowing what is contained in them and weying what will follow vpon them Secondly marke that whereas this Questionist came as a Tempter he so profited by Christs answere that hee went away a commender of Christ which ingenuitie of his makes it probable that of himselfe hee was well disposed but carried away with ill companie of which sort no doubt but there are many in the Church of Rome many that rather follow the streame then their owne iudgement whose vnhappinesse it is to be so vnhappily yoked which must teach vs to take heed how we sort our selues with malicious aduersaries of the truth least wee become like vnto them at least be made instruments of theirs Finally obserue that Christ hath a greater conquest ouer the Pharisees then he had ouer either the Herodian or the Sadducee for he onely put them to silence so that it was left wholy to the Auditorie to iudge whether they were fully answered or no but the Scribe that thought to speed better is driuen to a harder straight hee is driuen to confesse and that before the people that Christ had answered the truth hee that thought to procure his disgrace is made the trumpet of his prayse and glorie so strangely doth God worke in the hearts and consciences of men according to that in the Psalme He receiued gifts for men euen for his enemies that the Lord God might dwell amongst them and to this purpose are his arrowes said to be verie sharpe and to pierce the hearts of the Kings enemies Psal 45. the preparation of the heart is of man but the answere of the tongue is of the Lord Baalam went to curse the Israelites God made him blesse them Saul went to take Dauid God made him prophesie of his succession the messengers went to take Christ but they returned with this commendations of him Neuer man spake as he speaketh Saul went to persecute the Christians of Damascus but on the way hee was so changed that when he came thither he preached the Gospell So doth the rage of man turne to Gods praise and the fiercenesse of their Spirits doth he refraine hee turneth Lyons into Lambes And thus much shall suffice to be spoken of the Scribes Ingenuitie I come now to Christs Clemencie the clemencie wherewith he entertained that Ingenuitie the Text saith first that he tooke notice of it he saw that he answered discreetly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is significant as one hauing a reasonable soule The proper obiect of our vnderstanding is Truth it is naturally carried thereunto and so is the will to Good the the naturall obiect thereof But these reasonable abilities are diuerted and peruerted by our sense and sensuall appetite which beset vs and which we are desirous to please Whereupon it followes that though men be reasonable creatures yet are their resolutions for the most part carnall so that it is no small commendation for a man to bee able to sequester in his consultations the better part from the worse and notwithstanding the solicitations of the worse to follow the direction and inclination of the better as did this Scribe And what he did Christ saw his piercing eye discerned not onely the words which he spake but the fountaine also from whence they sprang otherwise he would not haue spared after his custome to haue told him plainely that hee was an hypocrite But Christ is so farre from blaming him that hee seemeth rather
that we should bow before him the knees of our hearts no lesse then the knees of our bodies when we lift vp our hands vnto GOD we should lift vp our Soules also and our eyes should not behold Heauen but our faith should pierce vnto the Throne of GOD. Finally there is no Ceremoniall Law which should not attend some Morall as the shadow doth the body or the body should the soule the Sonne of SYRACH hath made a whole Chapter that teacheth this Lesson But the Iewes put a sunder what GOD had conioyned Cap. 35 they shewed much zeale for the Ceremoniall but were carelesse of the Morall Law expressed much submission of their bodyes but little deuotion of their Soules and drew neere with their lips but their hearts were farre from God Of this GOD complaineth ESAY 1. and doth passionately vary tearmes to expresse his dislike thereof they solemnized their Feasts and offered Sacrifices and assembled themselues in his House Esay 1 But what saith GOD To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices Who required your presence to tread in my Courts I hate your solemne Feasts The cause of all is Your hands are full of blood In the last of ESAY GOD is much sharper He that killeth an oxe is as if he slew a man Cap. 66. he that sacrificeth a lambe as if he cut off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation is as if he offered swines blood he that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol Marke the Reason They haue chosen their owne wayes and their soule delighted in their owne abominations You see then that in seruing GOD we may offend him grieuously if we seuer those things which he hath coupled for our seruice then will be plaine hypocrisie and Hypocrifie is by a Prouerbe noted to be double iniquitie And iustly is it so noted for therein we do first Interpretatiuè deny that GOD is the Searcher of the heart in that we doe not approue our heart to him Secondly we doe expresly preferre the Diuell before GOD in that we giue the better part I meane our Soule to the Diuell and reserue onely the worser part that is our bodyes for GOD. This should all that present themselues in GODS House seriously thinke on especially you that make shew of a solemne Penitent but such a shew as betrayeth that there is no broken heart within you nor contrite spirit seeing there appeareth so little euidence thereof in the outward man Be you assured that so repenting for sinne you doe but add vnto your sinne you are a transgressor of the Law in regard of your Separation of the Ceremoniall from the Morall Law But there is an other transgression of the Law which is the direct and immediate violation of the Morall part thereof This is the greater sinne and doth more apparently deserue such a name for the former though it be a sinne yet it is a cloaked sinne it maketh some faire shew in the eyes of men how vgly soeuer it is in the eyes of GOD but this walketh vnmasked and appeareth as it is Secondly the former is Malum quia prohibitum euill vpon no other ground but because by a positiue Law it is forbidden it is onely extrinsically euil the other is prohibitum quia malum by no meanes to be done though there were no positiue Law that did forbid it the euill thereof is intrinsicall for it is the violation of the Image of GOD according to which man was made and according to which he should liue In the particular Case that concernes this Penitent GOD that gaue a rationall facultie vnto the soule of man whereby he should order the sensitiue in the vse thereof would haue a man shew himselfe to be better then a beast And how doth a man differ from a beast that hath vnbridled lusts and neglect not onely sacred wedlocke but the degrees of Affinitie and Consanguinitie within which GOD and Nature require that his lusts be stinted This should you that are the Penetent seriously thinke on and measure the grieuousnesse of your sinne by this these things as well the transgression of the Morall as the seperation thereof from the Ceremoniall But the grieuousnesse of sinne is argued not only from what is done but also from the doing of the same Aliud est peccare aliud peccatum facere saith St AVGVSTINE It is one thing to sinne another thing to be giuen ouer to sinne and his distinction is not idle for it is grounded not onely vpon St IOHNS phrase 1 Iohn 3. but also vpon St IAMES his gradation Men are first inticed by their lusts Cap. 1. then lust conceaueth and brings forth sinne and sinne being perfected brings forth death and this perfecting of sinne is properly the doing of sinne All men sinne but they that haue grace take heed of doing sinne feare and shame are both shaken off by those that goe so farre they endeauour not so much as to hide their sinnes Of these Iewes our Psalme saith They sate they spake they ran they wrought euill they consented one with another and were professors of a wicked life And little better is the case of this Penitent who for many yeeres hath openly in the eyes of the world notwithstanding the clamor of many that iustly did detest it liued in abominable Incest which doth much aggrauate his sinne There is a third Aggrauation in my Text taken from the Person that doth commit the sinne Thou hast done these things And the circumstance of the Person doth much improue the foulenesse of a fault No man should sinne against GOD but they that are most bound should forbeare most Now the Iewes had a double Obligation one by Nature the other by the Couenant They were GODS Creatures and GOD vouchsafed to contract with them Not to performe the dutie which we owe especially when we haue solemnly vowed it maketh vs guiltie in a high degree And euerie one within the Church if he doe sinne is so farre guiltie his Vow in Baptisme will presse him no lesse then the Condition of his Nature And this must you that are the Penitent ponder in your Soule that you may answerably hereunto feele the burden of your sinne I doe not amplifie these things without Cause they must be the rather marked because the deeper the Iewe was in guilt the greater was GODS Patience Notwithstanding their double offence their Seperation and Transgression their double Obligation of Nature and Vow their double sinning in that they did not onely act but professe sin yet did GOD hold his peace he proceeded not against them but with great Patience GODS Patience is noted by his Silence the word signifieth to be deafe and dumbe and putteth vs in mind of a double voyce a voyce of sinne and a voyce of Iudgement That sinnes haue a Voyce you may read Gen. 4. where ABELS blood doth cry and in the Storie of Sodome Gen. 18. the voyce of whose sin came vp to
because as the Apostle teacheth she is of him and for him and therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7. yet in coniugall power they are equall Man hath no power ouer his body no more hath the woman ouer hers each is in the others power and that in solidum they haue coequall command each ouer the other So likewise their coniugall affections should be coequall they should embrace each the other with entire and vndeuided loue no reseruation of that kind may be endured by the bond of wedlocke on either side the mans or the womans It is true that Licentiousnesse hath distinguished where the Law hath not distinguished and libertie hath beene granted to men to share their bodyes and their affections amongst many women but women are denyed that libertie and haue euer beene required to confine their affections to one man and communicate their bodyes to no more then one which distinction of licentiousnesse hath specious grounds First they say the ends of marriage are lesse preiudiced if the libertie be granted vnto men then if it should be granted vnto women Are they preiudiced Then preiudiced But nothing should be granted that doth preiudice those ends Away then with that Apologie for Lust There is another taken from the example of the Patriarkes and indeed so the Iewes vnderstand this Text as if it were an allegation of the Fathers to proue Polygamie and read it thus An non vnus fecit Did not our father Abraham take many wiues And yet he had aboundance of Spirit i. aboundance of the spirit and grace of GOD he know what he did and he did nothing amisse Why should not we imitate him But supposing that reading to this obiection in the next words the Prophet shapes an answer he sought an holy seed that is as the Fathers say non fecit propter libidinem sed propter orbitatem he did it not to satissie his lust but that he might haue an heire according to GODS Promise And if you looke vpon the storie of the Patriarkes ABRAHAM and IACOB you shall find that though they had more wiues then one yet neuer had they them out of lust no nor out of their owne choyce ABRAHAM tooke HAGAR but he was importuned to doe it by his wife SARA yea and SARA too would haue the child reputed hers as borne vpon her knees IACOB chose but one wife and that was RACHEL LEAH was put vpon him by deceipt and the two Mayds by the opportunitie of his wiues The after times were worse and of all the Kings of Israel were most licentious they tooke too much after the Heathen Kings but their fact can be no good president because expresly forbidden by a speciall Law Deut. 17. Some excuse them by a dispensation as likewise the Patriarkes but being vrged to shew it they are saine to supply the silence of the Bible with a conceipt that the first that swarued from the Law had his warrant by inspiration and that others tooke their allowance from his example But the excuse is dangerous and vngrounded we may not make so bold with GODS Law rather may we thinke that the best of the Patriarkes were but men and that they were carryed away with the error of their times and that GOD in mercie bore with that as with other their imperfections but we may not venter to say his Iustice did allow it A dispensation is an allowance of Iustice notwithstanding the Law but a permission is a forbearance of mercie which doth not proceed against sinne according to the rigour of the Law either to checke or to correct it We may grant the Patriarkes the benefit of such a mercifull permission but a legall dispensation we cannot grant them without better proofe As for GODS giuing of SAVLS wiues into DAVIDS bosome 2 Sam. 12.8 we are to vnderstand NATHAN of those whom SAVL neuer knew otherwise they will iustifie Incest in the right line which DAVID so abhorred that he would neuer keep companie with those Concubines which ABSALON had abused much lesse would he admit into his bosome any woman which his father-in-law had knowne Vnto this principall onenesse we must adde the accessorie of honor and concord Onenesse of honor for Vxor fulget radijs mariti vt luna solis when a man marryeth a woman with his body he doth worship her and endow her with all his worldly goods that is she becomes as noble and as rich as he is reseruing alwayes the supremacie vnto man I meane reuerence to his person which is the fountaine of her honor and obedience to his command in dispencing the goods which she holdeth from him in chiefe Onenesse of concord is a like affection and disposition in prosperitie and aduersitie which can neuer stand with Polygamie the mother of iealousie and iealousie is the mother of discord as you may gather out of the storie of SARA and HAGAR RACHEL and LEAH and the wiues of ELCANAH SAMVELS father the best mens Families haue not auoyded it All this while that I haue spoken of the onenesse in marryage you must not mistake as some haue done for there are two kinds of Polygamie Simultanea and Successiua the hauing of more wiues successiuely or at one time Some haue ouer-rackt chastitie as some haue shrunke it Hist Fab. lib. 1 The Montanists as appeares by TERTVLLIAN in his Booke de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Nouatians as we learne out of THEODORET held that if a man buried one wife he might not marrie an other And the CHVRCH of Rome cannot excuse it selfe from this error in that it forbiddeth the blessing of second marriages in the CHVRCH and suffereth not any that hath had a second wife to enter into holy orders or that hath married a widow which is interpreted Polygamie But this kind of Polygamie was neuer forbidden by any Law it is not onely allowed Rom. 7. but commanded also 1 Tim. 5.14 Canin 8. Amb. de vidâ—â—â— The Councell of Nice hath made a Canon in defence of it and the Fathers iustifie it It is then onely Polygamia simultanea the hauing of many wiues together that is condemned by my Text by the Old Testament Austin de bono viduit c. 11. Cap. a. Cap. 19. by the New and by the Fathers as they haue occasion to speake either of the institution of marriage deliuered in Genesis or the interpretation of our Sauiour CHRIST in St MATHEW which Polygamie had its originall from LAMECH one of CAINES posteritie And this must you the Penitent obserue as that which giueth the first light vnto you of your sinne you haue offended against the onenesse of marriage As you haue offended against the onenesse the Worke so haue you against the Workemaster he is the second part that I pointed out in the Text of the Law for he is the cause of this onenesse In wedlocke there are three persons to be obserued first the Male secondly the Female and thirdly GOD that
our choyce that we pitch vpon a good guide wherein the Scripture bids vs take heed of two Rockes the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must neither our selues forge a Religion neither receiue any that is forged by others for guiding of our conscience as we must not be without Law so must we take heed what Law we vse And indeed we may vse none safely but The Law of God in such cases Lanes 4.12 that of the Apostle is true There is but one Lawgiuer no Law but his bindes vnto that for performance whereof we may securely expect that he will performe what in the Couenant for his part hee hath promised vnto vs. Many commendations wee read in prophane Writers of the the Lawes of Solon Lycurgus Zaleuchus and others but these must all be as imperfect as the Law-giuers whether we respect the Precepts or the Sanctions none comprehending exactly the Dutie of Man and therefore not being able to set Man in the way to the attaining of his Soueraigne Good This is peculiar to the Law of God But what is meant by the Law of God Surely the Law deliuered by Moses whereof the Prophets were but Interpreters and their Interpretation shewes the largenesse of the Text namely That the Gospell is included in the Law for the Decalogue cloathed with the Ceremonies what is it but Implicitum Euangelium The substance of the Gospell which is Saluation by Repentance and Faith in Christ And so must we vnderstand not onely Moses his commendations of the Law Deut. 4. but King Dauids also Psal 19. and 119 the truth whereof cannot be acknowledged if the Law and the Gospell be taken Oppositè and not Compositè if we oppose the one to the other and doe not by the one put comfort into the other Certainely in this place we must so vnderstand the Law because it is made the Way to Blisse And marke that here One Law of God is opposed vnto the three degrees of Sinne The Counsell of the wicked The way of Sinners and The Seat of the Scorners one to three to giue vs to vnderstand that what those three promise is performed in this One no true Counsell but in this Law no good Course but that whereinto wee are set by this Law and if we will be Doctors and despise the folly of others we must sit in Moses Chaire we must professe no other but the Law of God And thus much of that Whereunto we must be dedicated Let vs uow see How Wee must first receiue it in the Inward Man the word vsed by the Psalmist is Chephetz which signifies Voluntatem and Voluptatem and notes where and what entertainment wee must first giue vnto The Law Where in our Will so we finde in the tenour of the Couenant This shall be my Couenant Iere. 31.33 which I will make with the House of Israel saith the Lord I will write my Lawes in their Hearts c. God will not haue a seruile Dedication hee will not bee serued by compulsion and therefore those that serue him are called Psal 110. A willing People Neither can the seruice be reasonable wherein the Will is wanting for the Actions are not counted ours wherein the Will hath no part seeing it is by vertue of the Will that a Man is Dominus actionum suarum a free Agent neither is any Action free but that which is done willingly though we cannot partake of the Law but by our Vnderstanding yet is the principall obiect of the Law our Will for Theologia is Scientia not Theoretica but Practica wee learne not the Law for to know it but to doe it Adde hereunto that Inclinatio voluntatis is Inclinatio totius suppositi it is not without cause that God requires the Will seeing the Will hath power to sway the whole Man especially if the Will be Chephetz ioyned with Delight for so God doth require the Heart hee will haue it seasoned with Loue Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and Loue is the fulfilling of the Law King Dauid opens this Delight 1. Tim. 1.5 Psal 19. when he tels vs that the Law was sweeter than Honey and the Honey-combe the meaning of it is we must not be mercenarie but the pleasure we take in it must-be the cause why we entertaine it And marke the phrase His delight is in the Law Multi habent Legem in Corde sed non Cor in Lege saith Hugo de S. Victore Many treasure vp the Law in their hearts that doe not solace their hearts in the Law they only know it these also delight in it Saint Austin obserues a Distinction betweene In Lege and Sub Lege Qui est in Lege secundum Legem agit He whose heart is in the Law followes the direction of the Law Qui est sub Lege à Lege agitur he whose heart is vnder the Law Rom. 7.22 entertaines it rather of constraint then with a willing minde but wee must Delight in the Law of God in the Inward man as the Apostle speaketh For as ground is fruitfull not by receiuing but by liking of the seed Euen so man becomes not Religious by knowing but by affecting of the Law Amor est virtus Vniens by Loue doth a man become one with the Law yea himselfe is turned into a liuing Law for men are alwayes busie about that wherein they take Delight and the Law being receiued into the inwaâ—d man will ouer-spread the whole man which is implyed in the next branch He meditates on that Law To Meditate on the Law is First to ruminate on the Scripture and sound the depth of it for the Law is deliuered in few words wherein there are contained great Riches of sense which by Meditation we must worke out Christ hath giuen vs a patterne Mat. 5. Where he vnwraps the sense of seuerall Commandements of Murder of Adulterie of Diuorce In the sixth of Saint Iohn how much matter doth he draw out of the Storie of Manna And what mysteries doth Saint Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrewes find in the Ceremonies of Moses This is the first branch of Meditating the vnfolding of the Riches of that sense which God hath treasured vp in his Law This is the worke of our vnderstanding But the vnderstanding doth but prepare matter for the Affections There is a second branch therefore of Meditating which is the seasoning of our Affections with that which we know And as the vnderstanding prepares matter for the Affections so what vse of our Affections but to quicken our Actions Therfore as a man which takes into his mouth a morsell of good meate chewes it and by chewing doth discouer the sweetnesse and kindly nourishment that is in it and hauing rellisht it swallowes it downe and by meane conueiances disperseth it into euerie part of his body that euery part may be made more vigorous and Actiue thereby So
proofe is the vnreformedliues of the Professors therof It caÌ„not then be denied but that though in the eye of flesh bloud when we sin wee satisfie our lusts vpon the creatures mandoth iniurie vnto man as Dauid to Vriah to Bathsheba yet the offence redounds vnto God and God is a party Against whom we Sinne whensoeuer we sinne Tibi peccaui I haue sinned against thee must be put in the Confession of euery sinner Besides this Confession that is common to all sinners here is added another Confession which is proper vnto Kings Tibi Soli peccaui against thee only haue I sinned could no man say but he that is a Soueraigne But to open these words more fully we must obserue that some vnderstand them Absolutely some Comparatiuely and of those that vnderstand them Absolutely some vnderstand them onely de Facto some de Iure some consider only what was done some what ought to be done these different senses agree all well with the Text and because the knowledge of them is vsefull I will touch at them all First at the sense which conceiueth in these words that which was vsually done Great Men especially Kings are beset with flatterers that will rather blanch sinne then set it forth in its owne colour pleade for it rather then against it they turne Princes vices into vertues and adore their imperfections as if they were heauenly perfections and so if they begin to bee bad they neuer leaue vntill they haue made them starke naught to glorie in their shame 〈◊〉 10. â—4 which they see others magnifie But God hath no respect of persons he soweth no such Pillowes vnder the elbowes of Kings neither will hee couer their ruines with such distempered morter when their subiects doe sooth them 〈◊〉 3.5 he will speake home and be a swift witnesse against them when all others hold their peace hee feareth not the faces of the mighty neither will he spare to strike the greatest Monarch Iob toucheth this more then once and the Author of the Booke of Wisedome doth euidently amplifie it neuer a Booke Historicall in the Bible that hath not some examples of it And this may be the first thing that King Dauid meaneth in these words he might haue slept and died in his sinne for ought was sayd or done vnto him by men but hee found one that rowsed him that searched his wounds to the quicke and that was onely God when the Prophet when the Priest the Councellors of State all were silent none made any Remonstrance to the King of his sinne God put forth His voice 〈…〉 yea that a mighty voyce that shiuered both the soule and body of King Dauid and made him acknowledge the difference betweene his Soueraigne in Heauen and his Subiects on Earth saying Against thee onely haue I sinned As these words are true de facto note what is vsually don so are they true de Iure also note what lawfully may be done In sinning there is a double difference betweene a Subiect a Soueraigne the one is ratione Praecepit Commandments Lawes the other is ratione Paenae mulcts and Chastisements The subiect hath two obligations vpon him the Law of God and of the King hee is bound to yeeld his Obedience to them both neither can hee dispence with his Obedience vnto either of them the King is absolutely bound only to Gods Law ouer his owne Lawes hee hath power although hee should vse them as Directions for the good of his people yet when there is iust cause he may dispence not only with himselfe but with others also in this respect do the Lawiers affirme that a Monarch is Solutus Legibus that a King in regard of his own Lawes cannot deale vniustly because in foro Soli hee onely is to iudge when it is expedient for him to dispence with his Lawes So then when a Subiect offendeth he offendeth against the Law of his Soueraigne and of God but when a King offendeth against the Lawes of a Soueraigne he cannot offend hee offendeth onely against the Lawes of God And so in that sense it is true Tibi Soli peccaui Besides the Precepts of Lawes there are Sanctions these containe the Penalties which they incurre that breake the Lawes as manifold as the Lawes are so manifold are the Sanctions And here commeth in a second difference betweene a Subiect and a Soueraigne A Subiect is liable to both Sanctions to the Sanction of his Soueraignes Lawes the Sanction of Gods Lawes if he offend he is punishable by both But a Soueraigne is subiect but vnto one Law so but vnto one Sanction that Sanction which is annext vnto the Law of God to the Sanction of his owne Law he is not subiect Nature abhors progressum in infinitum as in Philosophie so in Policy therefore subordination of Persons that ariseth by degrees must rest when it commeth to the Soueraigne all within his Territories are subiect to his chastisement but hee to the chastisement of none In Apolog. Dauid Cap. â— tutus est Imperij potestate saith Saint Ambrose it is the principall of his Roiall prerogatiues and vpon this point doe most of the Fathers insist that haue occasion to speake of these words euen from the verie dayes of the Apostles haue they made these words a Sanctuarie vnto Kings and a sacred plea for their exemption from the censure of any vnder God This Doctrine is the rather to be vrged in this Age because the two extreames that impugne the truth Papists on one side and Schismaticks on the other are both vsurpers vpon the Crowne and Scepters of Kings both will giue them Lawes both will correct the errors of their Liues and Gouerment one by the Pope the other by the People But both their vsurpations are condemned in this Text Tibi Solipeccaui Against thee only haue I sinned confuteth them both and subiects that will not passe for Rebells must be contented to take not to giue Lawes to suffer from not to inflict Punishments vpon their Soueraignes Yet though this be the duty of Subiects Princes are not lawlesse neither is this a Doctrine of Impunity for though it bee peccaui Soli Tibi yet it is Peccaui and Tibi God is their Lawginer and will call them to an account for breaking of his law Et potentes potenter Wisd 6. the greater they are the greater shall their punishment bee Lactant. Lib. â— de Iustitia c. 24 though they bee exempted from the power of man they are reserued vnto a greater power the power of God This may stop all mutinous mouthes and hold in all treacherous hands that declame against the vnbridled power of Soueraignes and thinke it long before Iustice is done vpon them But enough of the absolute sense of these words Some obserue besides this a Comparatiue sense King Dauid offended God and Men though the offence were great against both yet was the former infinitely
then they would put it off and say it was but his priuate conceipt The like Stratagem doth the Church of Rome vse they publish their opinions by single men whom we haue refuted they tell vs they are not bound no not to the writings of Bellarmine himselfe As for the Pope he is carefull to resolue few doubts out of his Chaire And so they prouide that they will not be refuted no not when they are refuted But Chrysostome giueth them a good Item Leuis est consolatio si quis in seipso confusus est quod ab alijs ignoratur it is but a cold comfort for a man to set a good face vpon a businesse when the conscience is sensible of its owne confusion Although the Person were but one yet was he no ordinary one hee is set forth here two wayes first as very great in shew great for his learning for he was a Lawyer S. Marke calleth him a Scribe And here I must open one Antiquity more If we looke into the originall of the Iewes Religion which is Moses Law we shall find that God committed the teaching of his people vnto the Priests and Leuites Whereupon is grounded that saying of Mâ—lachi The Priests lips should preserue knowledge Chap. 2.7 and the people should aske the Law at his mouth And to that end were the Priests and Leuites not onely to minister in the Temple and teach in the Synagogues but to be of Councell also in the Synedrion at Ierusalem and in the inferiour Senates throughout the whole holy Land But when corruption had ouer-flowen the Church of the Iewes and the Priests and Leuites had degenerated then started vp certaine vsurpers that tooke vpon them the doctrinall part of their function Of whom Christ speaketh in the Gospell The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses Chaire Matt. 23. Which two seemed to differ as Genebrard thinketh no otherwise then the Canonists and the Schoolemen in the Church of Rome Or to speake more properly to the Iewish aniquities the Scribe was a Textuarie and the Pharisee a Traditionarie Diuine Vnderstand me not exclusiuely for the Pharisee did allow the Text and the Scribe the Traditions but it should seeme they were not both alike studied in or zealous for them both Neither must you thinke that all Scribes were Vsurpers for if they were of the Tribe of Leuie as was Esdras their calling was lawfull But they did vsurpe Moses chaire if they were of any other tribe Much like vnto the orders of Fryers which started vp in the night as it were of Christendome and taking aduantage of the ignorance of ordinarie Pastors encroach't vpon their function and ingrost all Deuotion into their hands When you heare this questionist called a Lawyer you must vnderstand that he was by degree a Rabbin or a Doctor of the Law For there were Nouices which were brought vp at the Doctors feete as Paul at the feete of Gamaliel Yea they had Lay-followers as the Friers haue lay Dominicans lay Franciscans and lay Iesuites who hold it no small ghostly comfort to weare the badge of any of those Fraternities and to be partakers of their merits And the Fraternities doe gladly imbrace such followers they thriue not a little by their Almes and their countenance But such followers are called Disciples they haue not the honour to bee called Rabbins neither come they vnder the name of Lawyers or Scribes Whereupon it followeth that this man was great for his learning But this greatnesse was onely in shew for though they were accounted Doctors by their Nouices yet were they but ill seene in Gods Law Legis verba tenent hi Scribae saith Saint Ambrose vim ignorant they were readie at the Text but altogether ignorant of the sense like Anabaptists and Brownists Christ obserueth two notable defects in them the one was that they did reatch the Ceremoniall Law too farre and the other that they did shrincke the Morall Law too much So that their Key of knowledge did open the Kingdome of Heauen neither to themselues nor others Wherupon Saint Paul doth not without cause moue the question Where is the wise Where is the Scribe 1. Cor. â— Where is the Disputer of this world So wee may conclude of this Scribe that hee was great for learning but that greatnesse was onely in shew He was not great onely for learning hee was great for holinesse also for he was a Pharisee and Pharisees were Saints among the Iewes For they did supererogate liued not onely according to the written Law but according to the traditions also Whatsoeuer did concerne solemne prayers or religious worship was learned from them and they were a Law vnto the people Auiâ—â—â—â— 18 cap. 2. lib 17. cap. 13. â—â—de â—eâ—â— Iudâ—â—â—â— lib. 2 cap. cap 7. Flauius Iosephus saith that they had gotten such Authority by their holinesse that though they did oppose King or Priest yet the people would giue credit to them I wil not trouble you with particularizing their superstitions they were as apish as the Friars are And they were as great busie bodies as either the Iesuits or our precisians are But all this holinesse was but in shew if the things themselues did not speake it our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel doth paint out the vanity thereof Saint Paul after hee had beene a Pharisee and was become a Christian telleth vs that he accounted all his Pharisaisme was no better then losse and dung Phil 3. Heres 16. Epiphanius passeth a very true censure vpon it when he telleth vs that it was spontanea superflua Religio nothing but a packe of will-worship and that which setteth a man neuer a whit forward towards Heauen nay it set them backward rather Christ giueth the reason they made the commandements of God of none effect by their Traditions Mat. 15.6 or at least they leauened them So that when I say he was a great man whom they made their Champion I meane great in their eyes but not indeed or in Christs eyes What he was indeed and what he appeared to Christ is intimated by that which followeth he came with a sword in his heart hee was a Tempter what is that but a Diuell It is one of the Titles which Saint Paul giueth vnto him and all Tempters doe resemble him Tempters in that sense which is here meant for God is said to tempt not as ignorant of vs but to make vs to know and shew our selues and not with any ill meaning towards vs but intending our good But diuelish Temptation proceeds either from Infidelitie when it is bent against God and sheweth that wee doe not beleeue that which wee ought to acknowledge in God namely his Wisedome his Power his Holinesse c. so the Iewes are said to haue tempted God in the Wildernesse or else it proceeds from malice when it is bent againstman and seeketh some aduantage to worke his destruction The temptatation that in my Text is bent against Christ is
shewed whensoeuer wee approach God or haue to doe with sacred things That we may learne and practice it Let vs in the feare of God listen to that which I shall further say of these points briefly and in their order The first is Moses charge He must make a fence betweene the people and the Hill set bounds round about the People or as it is in the 23. verse He must sanctifie the Mountaine and make of it a Sanctuarie And indeed well might it so be reputed when it was couered with all the visible tokens of Gods maiesticall presence and if it be sanctified hereunto then it followeth it must be reuerend in our eyes and inuiolable by vs wee must not esteeme it as common ground nor make bold with it as if it were such Euerie man should know his distance and obserue it but ignorance in some and negligence in others are the causes why men left to themselues either know not what they should doe or doe not what they know God therefore in pitie of our ignorance and to hold in our vnrulinesse hath appointed those that shall set vs our bounds especially in things indifferent wherein presuming of lawfulnesse few will haue an eye to expediences The vulgar eye is not sharpe enough to discerne it neither is the vulgar heart plyable to the obseruance of it It is the worke of the Gouernour to remedie both these defects Neither onely in things indifferent but also in moralities for they are to make Lawes euen vpon the Law of nature and keepe vs to the doing of that which we would not doe though our Conscience suffer vs not to bee ignorant thereof because the morall Law is written in our hearts What man that hath not put off a man knoweth not that murder adulterie theft are sinnes And yet what more common in mens liues The commonnesse hath made it necessarie for all States to set bounds vnto their people in regard of these things And if in regard of Ciuill how much more of Ecclesiasticall things Men are neuer more lawlesse then in those things wherein you would exspect that euery man should especially bee a Law vnto himselfe that is in keeping his distance from God But herein also we need a Boundarie and God hath appointed those that must set it And who are they but such as Moses those that are set ouer vs For Moses must be considered here not onely as a messenger from God but also as a Ruler of the Israelites neither were they to heare him onely as a Counselour but as a commander his words did more then informe they did order their liues And in a word this is a principall branch of Magistracie to take away the common excuse of offenders which is Non putaram I wist not that this was my dutie and to direct them by Lawes before they call them to an account for their liues I will not here fall vpon the question which is much debated at this day whether Magistrates may set bounds vnto the people in causes Ecclesiasticall as well as Ciuill Onely take notice that here by an example we are taught that they may And let this suffice for Moses charge The Israelites charge is They must not presume to goe vp vnto the Mount And indeed a Boundarie were no Boundarie if it might bee passed You know by your ground that an Inclosure is no Inclosure if it may bee common how much more must this be conceiued of the Inclosure of God that Ground which he hath fenced vnto himselfe for a Sanctuarie If it be a trespasse to breake through your neighbours fence how much more through the fence of God This is Transgression indeed it is indeed Peccatum for that is quasi pecuatum playing the vnruly sheepe that will not be kept within his penne or to speake plainely with S. Iohn 1 Iohn 3 4. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Transgression of Gods Law But God will not haue his people Sonnes of Belial such as cannot indure his yoake Psal 2. hee will not haue them like those insolent ones that say Let vs breake his bonds and cast his cords from vs. God hath giuen a Law to the sea saying Iob. 38. Hitherto shalt thou come and here thou shalt stay thy proud waues and the Sea passeth not the bounds which God hath set it How much lesse should we presume notwithstanding the swelling of our nature and the impetuous affections thereof God exspecteth we should checke the presumption of our nature But about all presumption we should take heed of that which is the highest going vp into the Mount prophaning of the Sanctuarie of God and ventring in sacred things farther then he giueth vs leaue Curiositie in this kind hath beene the mother of Heresies when men haue beene busily wittie in searching into rather then belieuing of that profound Article of the Trinitie Man that is not able to vnderstand his owne nature Dauid confesseth such knowledge is too wonderfull for him dreameth that hee can comprehend the nature of God 〈◊〉 39. Others haue lost themselues while they haue diued into the mysteries of the Incarnation who are not able to vnderstand their owne regeneration Some ouer-studie themselues in the Booke of Gods prouidence and would know more then is possible for man to conceiue of Gods counsell in Predestination of the cooperation of grace in free-will c. Others climbe not so high but yet they goe to farre in determining the manner of the mysticall Vnion in the Sacrament and discouering of mysticall senses in many passages of the Scriptures To say nothing of the Iewish Cabalists of Astrologian diuinations of hereticall Reuelations and heathenish mysteries It is too cleare that what with the curious Cur Why of some and quomodo How of others there hath beene manifold passing the Bounds climbing the Mount and intrusions vpon God and the things of God It is naturall to a man to desire knowledge but since wee did eate of the forbidden fruit we haue beene very peruerse in that desire we that haue no mind to know God as we ought are very eager to know him as we ought not In this world Non Deum scrutari sedam are debemus we should rather desire to loue God then to know him whereas wee desire rather to know him then to loue him and as our first parents desire rather to eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill then of the tree of life And we need as a spurre vnto good and sauing knowledge so a bridle to restraine vs from that knowledge which is curious and presumptuous 〈◊〉 12. wherefore blessed is that discretion which maketh vs wise vnto sobrietie I will conclude this point with a good admonition of the Sonne of Syrach 〈◊〉 3. Seeke not out the things that are too hard for thee neither search the things that are aboue thy strength but what is commanded thee thinke therevpon with reuerence The ground of that good
contented with so much as he doth reueale but we should spend all our time and paines in obedience and conforming our selues to Gods Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hâ—mil de Sement tom 1 Ioâ—l 2.23 Esay 61. Reuel 21 Gal. 5. Rom 6. Therefore doth Gods Law and a showre of raine come in Hebrew both from one root to signifie that wee should drinke it in as fruit trees doe raine to be the better for it In Ioâ—l it is plainly called the raine of righteousnesse and of raine Athanasius his obseruation is good though the substance of it be but one yet doth it yeild sustenance for diuers fruits Sure I am that the Scripture calleth vs Trees of Life Trees of Righteousnesse and we should bring forth fruits of the Spirit which is called the fruit of Sanctification haue a man neuer so much knowledge if hee goe no farther then knowledge hee can deserue no better a name then the Deuill hath who from his knowledge is called Daemon Nâ—mdicit Qui non seâ—it sed nonâ—â—cieâ—â— fructâ—m â—â—omâ—er enim oportet ferre 〈…〉 Nam cetheri â—â—serâ—cors fueris 〈◊〉 rapinâ—s sis dâ—dities â—on cris bonus but the Scripture denominateth a good man from his vertue Chasidh But there remayneth one note more which Theophylact maketh vpon this description Hee saith not euery tree which hath not borne but euery tree which is not bearing for wee must alwayes bee bearing fruit though the other day thou wert mercifull if to day thou be an extortioner thou shalt not goe for a good tree And God himselfe doth iustifie this doctrine telling vs that all the righteousnesse of an vnconstant good man shall be forgotten Those that be planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God 〈…〉 they shall still bring forth fruit in their old age they shall be sat and well liking The Tree described Psal 1. and Reuel 21. confirme this truth To shut vp this description of a member of the Church out of it we must learne these few Lessons First God expecteth to behold in vs rather our workes then his owne what we yeild then what wee receiue and our care must be rather to doe our duties then boast of our gifts seeing for those not these we are called to an account Secondly we must beare fruit according to our kind Men doe not gather Grapes of thornes nor figges of thistles it is vnnaturall for Vines to beare hawes or Figge-trees burres wee betray our selues rather to bee in then of the Church if we beare such fruit and though wee cannot bee challenged for being idle yet shall wee be for being ill imployed If to beare fruit were enough the case of the wicked would bee better then that of the godly for as wild trees commonly beare greater burthens then the grafted or planted you know Aesops reason for it so doe the wicked commonly abound in workes more then the good But God considereth not How many but How good yea the more of euill workes the worse so that when we come to cast vp our account wee must consider not so much the number as the qualitie of them remembring to write vpon the euill vanity of vanities all is but vanity and vexation of spirit for what fruite is there in those things whereof we shall be then ashamed wee must desire to beare that fruit which may abound to our accompt Philip. 4. And so haue I deliuered vnto you so much of my Text as concerneth the persons speaking of them so farre as I haue beene occasioned by their resemblances I come now to the Iudgement whereof wee must consider first the Cause where we shall see that God obserueth his owne Law and cutteth vp no tree in this siege that his vengeance layeth to his Church but such as are no fruit trees It is a clause in the couenant Deut. 2â— that as God maketh vs fruit trees so we should beare good fruits if we faile he is no longer tied to continue vs trees or performe vnto vs the blessing Sanction of his Law Deut. 28. his Iustice requireth that hee make good the second sanction which curseth sinners and come to eradication But to open this cause a little fuller wee must obserue that Gods dealing with men though it bee acted by his Power yet it is ordered by his Iustice neither doth he vse his power vntill he haue examined our deserts this is vndoubtedly true in plagues though not in blessings In blessing he preuenteth vs but he neuer striketh vntill he bee pronoked therefore the Scripture seldome mentioneth any iudgement of God but it prefaceth it with some cause thereof first giuen by man you may reade it in the doome of Adam the old World Sodome Gen. 3.6 1â— Chron. 2. and Israel In this place the not bearing of good fruit is expressed as the cause of the iudgement which followeth the not bearing I say of good fruit For whereas the Commandements of God are Affirmatiue or Negatiue The Affirmatiue are those for which our faculties were giuen vs the performing of the Negatiue are but with standings of such impediments as hinder vs therein Adde hereunto that the Affirmatiue is the measure of the Negatiue so that wee know not how farre we must withstand but by knowing how much we are bound to doe moreouer the Deuill that hee might haue vs at leasure to doe what wee should not maketh vs neglect to doe what we should Because then we should striue to the heighth of vertue for homo est animal officiosum man is made for vertuous action and his commendations is well doing and doing ill is but a necessarie consequent of not doing well as appeareth by the Parable of the vncleane spirit it is impossible for a man to be idle it would imply a contradiction to the definition of the soule therefore the transgression of the Affirmatiue Commandements are here called in question they are alleadged for the cause of Iudgement Si sterilitas in ignâ—m mittitur rapacitas quid meretur Fulgent Serm. de dispen Duplex fructus bonus Gratiae Poenitentiae Aust de Contritione cordis And if Omâ—ssions be so punished what is due to Commissions It is Fulgentius his collection If barrennesse burne in hell what shall wickednesse seele the deeper men goe in sinnes the greater is the account they haue to giue But lest men should not well conceiue this cause wee must learne of Saint Augustine that there is a double good fruit of Grace and of Repentance we should indeed principally take heed of Omissions and bee filled with the fruits of righteousnesse but if insteed of those good fruits we fall into sinnes of commission there is a second good worke wherewith we must relieue ourselues a worke of repentance in the defect of the first this second must succeed Though God might by the Law punish vs for want of the first yet from the Gospel wee haue this comfort that he
will not punish if we doe the second And indeed this being a Sermon of the Gospel supposeth vs to want the first good fruit and challengeth vs that we doe not supply the second The world is very busie in seeking out the cause why so many run heâ—dlong into Hell I doubt not but they which with sobrietie enter the Sanctuarie of God may discerne a higher ground of Gods Iudgements But let no wicked man deceiue himselfe if hee will take the paines but to studie himselfe he shall find that himselfe is the cause of his owne ruine wittingly and willingly refusing to beare that good fruit that should grow vpon such a tree as he is vouchsafed to be barren not only according to the Law but also to the Gospel and then what remaineth but if the cause bee found in him the Iudgement one day light on him And so from the Cause I come to the Iudgement whereof I told you there are two parts As our sinnes are compounded of Omissions and Commissions so is our Iudgement either priuatiue or positiue there is some good which we should doe but we doe not and therefore there is some good which we might haue whereof we misse there is some euill we should not doe but we doe it and therefore there is some euill which we might scape and yet we shall feele it the Omission goeth before the Commission in sinne so doth the priuatiue before the positiue part in Iudgement I begin therefore with the priuatiue figured by the laying of the axe vnto the root and cutting vp of the tree What is the axe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian Tom. 1. pag. 633. saith Nazianzene hee answereth that which cutteth off an vncurable person though God hath done what was fit for his recouerte which you may expound by that of the Poet Cuncta prius tentanda sed immedicabile vnlnus Ense recidendum est When milder Physicke will doe no good we must come to searing and cutting off a rotten member After Gods complaint What could I haue done for my Vine which I haue not done the next newes we heare is the desolution of the Vine and the instrument of desolation is the Axe By the Axe some vnderstand Gods owne hand some the Armie of the Romans both say true for both did concurre Gods hand intelligibly and the Romans sensibly but if we parallel this place with that in Esay Chap. 14. it seemeth more proper to vnderstand the Romans here For the Axe is an instrument and the instrument is distinct from the efficient But howsoeuer the word giueth vs to vnderstand that God wanteth not meanes to execute his vengeance the Scripture obserueth varietie of them sometimes his Bow and Arrowes sometimes his Sword sometimes his Hammer but here his Axe as best fitting an Husbandman that hath to doe with barren trees the axe is laid to the root of such trees What is meant by the root there is some question To passe by the tropologicall interpretations of the word the literall is vnderstood by some to note Abraham by other some Christ And indeed Abraham is immediatly meant as you may gather out of Saint Paul Rom. 1â— If the root bee holy c. and hee is tearmed The Father of the faithfull but mediately Christ is meant who is the root of that root and therefore doth he make all the faithfull branches of himselfe who is their Vine But wherefore is the Axe layed to this root to cut it vp The Axe hath two vses the one to prune the other to cut vp if a tree beare not so much fruit as it should then it is enough to prune away the rotten the watrie branches but if it beare none then cut it vp for the tree that doth no good will doe a great deale of hurt it maketh the ground barren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 13.7 not only by taking vp the roome of a fruitfull tree but by hurting aboue ground and hurting vnder ground it keepeth off the comfortable Sunne from better plants that is the mischiefe that commeth from the barren trees boughes besides which there is another mischiefe that commeth from his roots for they sucke away the iuice that should feed better trees therefore must the Axe be put to them not only to the branch but also to the root Behold the Image of Gods lesser his greater Iudgments if our deuotion be cold God correcteth vs by restrayning our luxuriant affections and cutting off our wastfull lusts hee pincheth vs in things temporall that wee may haue the more appetite to things eternall but if our deuotion be none at all he will no longer indure vs to be the bane of others But wee must not mistake it is not meant that the root shall bee cut vp but the Tree shall bee cut from the root the fruitlesse branches should bee cut off from the cognation which they haue with Abraham Rami iudigni excidentur à cognatione Abrahae Theoph. Iohn 15. Abraham shall continue a root still you heard that proued in my last Sermon much more shall Christ continue a root without whom no tree can bee But the wicked shall take no root in them they shall not be partakers of these roots either sweetnesse or fatnesse they were trees planted in Gods Orchard the choicest of grounds the best manured on which the Husbandman bestoweth his greatest care but they are not suffered to abide there any longer To speake it plainly see what they were and iudge thereby what it is to bee cut off Rom 3.9 Ephes 3. Heb. 12. it is to be depriued of God our Father Christ our Sauiour the Holy Ghost our Comforter the protection of Angels the Communion of Saints the inheritance of heauen a wofull case to indure such losse And yet this is the losse which they endure which haue beene members of the Church and are cut off Infidels as well as Christians are shut out of Heauen yet they that had meanes shall bee more afflicted with the losse then they which neuer had meanes shall bee afflicted with the want of Heauen for Miserum est fuisse foelicem it is a double woe to haue beene happie Hee that is borne poore is not so sensible of pouertie as he that of rich is become poore neither is he so sensible of sicknesse that was neuer well as hee that hath long enioyed his health want is not so bitter as losse This we must consider as the chiefest part of the trees punishment which beareth not good fruit It is the chiefest but not the only part one mischiefe commeth not alone there is another part which is more feared before hand though when wee are in it it is lesse felt and yet the sense thereof must needs be very painfull the word importeth as much the word is fire The curious wits of the Schoolemen misled by their bad Geographie Deigne inferni ca usmodi fit vel in qua mundi vel terrae plaga suturuâ—
nothing is still prone to returne to nothing especially being wrought vpon by the Diuell and the World you will not so much wonder that the children of Israels garments did not cleane weare out in their forty yeares passage through the Wildernesse as that the garment of Regeneration which we receiue in Baptisme weareth not out all the daies of our pilgrimage in this world But we must not mistake stability doth not exempt vs from stormes yea stormes that may shake our house and peraduenture vntile some part thereof and breake some boughes off from our tree but the foundation the roote are immoueable the house the tree shall neuer fall And this is the vttermost of that stability which we must expect in this world The gates of hell shall not preuaile Valere poterunt non poterunt praeualere We shall experience that they had might but not might enough to ruine vs they may giue vs wounds but none that are vncurable they may bruise our heele but shall not be able to breake our head we are so farre established in this world and in the world to come wee shall be established farther euen so farre as to be free from all stormes and all wounds we shall not be at all moued You heare how Christ doth stablish how he doth order But these things may bee done eyther well or ill Many make orders which are not good and support their people in doing euill it is not so with this King in doing both hee followeth a good rule Iudgement and Iustice I will not trouble you with the diuers significations of much lesse with the manifold commentaries vpon these words I suppose the fairest to bee that which points out the two especiall acts of a King which are the calling of his people to an account of their liues that is Iudgement and to proceede in their trials by an euen rule that is Iustice Euery man is required to haue a care of his life and to be respectiue of the society wherein hee liues A Romane Emperour in the Preface of his Institutions makes this abridgement of ciuill conuersation A man must honestè viuere not doe ought disgracefull to his owne person that is not enough hee must bee carefull of others also alterum non laedere that he worst not another mans state while he would better his own yea he must suum cuique tribuere so liue that euery man be the better for him This is the duty of a Subiect and the King looks that he shall performe it to this end he keepes an Assizes and executeth Iudgement It fareth with the body politicke as it doth with the body naturall in the body naturall if the humours keepe their proportion wee shall haue our health no sooner doe they swarue from it but they begin a disease which maketh way to putrefaction and so to dissolution wherefore we apply physicke to reduce them againe into a due temper euen so while good Lawes sway our carriage towards our selues towards our neighbours each man doth well the Common-weale doth prosper but no sooner doth the subiect breake these bands but a ciuill putrefaction entreth which maketh way to the ruine of a State wherein euery particular mans wel-fare is hazzarded with the whole the remedy whereof is the worke of Iudgement Iudgement then is a fit remedy but it must bee attended with iustice also not the Kings affections but his lawes must moderate his iudgement and the medicine must bee fitted to the disease otherwise if the Scales of iustice doe not first weigh the merits of the cause the iudgement will as much disquiet the State as discontent the parties iudged If you put these words together to order and to stablish with iudgement and iustice each requires both ordering is not perfect without iudgment and iustice nor stablishing perfect except both concurre for stablishing is nothing but a perpetuating of good order Therefore to set the subiects right the King must vse iudgement guided by iustice and that he may keepe them in that state he must perseuere in so doing These words as you see haue an euident truth in a Common-weale and from thence are they borrowed but to note a higher truth which concernes the Church whereof Christ is King And here we must obserue an improuement of the vertues vpon which Christ will passe his iudgement Honestè viuere is not only to liue as beseemes ciuill men but as beseemeth Saints children of God expressing his image members of Christ leading his life and temples of the holy Ghost bearing in our foreheads Holinesse to the Lord. And as for alterum non laedere it is not enough for vs not to defraud others we must loue our very enemies blesse them that curse vs doe good to them that hate and persecute vs. Finally our suum cuique tribuere must be to deny our selues our friends our life when we will testifie our duty to God yea to lay down our liues also for the Brethren after the example of Christ So dear must their welfare be vnto vs. As that which comes into iudgement is so improued so is the iudgement it selfe also for Christs iudgement is without preiudice without partiality nothing can be concealed no person can be exempted he will bring all both persons and things secret and open before his iudgement seate all bookes shall then bee opened and the secrets of all hearts reuealed he will iudge them all But his iudgement is ordered by iustice and this iustice is of a higher straine than ciuill iustice can be for the iustice is Euangelicall wherein God through Christ doth so question vs as that he tenders withall a pardon vnto vs and is as ready to forgiue as to discouer our faults Not only to forgiue them but also to amend vs it sufficeth not Christ graciously to clense vs from the guilt of sinne hee also giueth vs a new heart and createth an ingenuous spirit within vs by which wee may bee held in from sinning With such iudgement and with such iustice doth Christ order and stablish his Church And here must wee marke a notable difference betweene this King of heauen and Kings on earth earthly Kings neyther giue minds vnto their subiects to obserue their Lawes neyther is it lawfull for them in all cases to exempt their subiects from the stroke of iustice when they haue offended But our King can doe both hee can rectifie our conuersation and when we haue sinned he can comfort our distressed consciences Last of all in vsing this rule whereby he directs and supports his State this King is constant he doth it incessantly from henceforth and for euer As the growth hath an eternity so must the cause thereof which is the Kings policie haue an eternity also For there could be no eternity in the effect were there not an eternity in the cause especially in effects which are alwaies in fieri and not in facto such as is this It is in the mystical body as it is in
hee desired Christ not to take so much paines marke what reason he giueth I my selfe am a man set vnder authoritie and I haue souldiers vnder me and I say vnto one Come and he commeth and to another Goe and hee goeth and if I a petty Captaine that haue but a handfull of men vnder mee can so easily command them what mayst thou doe that art Generall of heauen and earth thou mayst doe whatsoeuer thou wilt for all things are thy host wherefore only speake the word and my seruant shall be whole Where by the way and yet fitly to our purpose we may obserue that he reputeth sicknesse one of Christs souldiers before I made the Armies consist only of persons I must now enlarge it also vnto things for indeed no lesse things than persons are Christs souldiers The Sunne shineth and scorcheth the Earth whereupon followeth a drought accompanied with those noisome creatures which are engendred in a drought these are souldiers of Christ And Ioel setteth them forth like an Armie The raine fals and glutteth the earth from whence spring weedes the off-spring of raine and vndigested moystures whereupon followeth the diseases of fruit and corne these are souldiers of Christ The pestilence wasteth the citie the sword cateth vp the people these are souldiers they come to execute Christs wrath as truly as the good Angels do pitch their tents about vs for to guard vs or any other good meanes is bestowed vpon vs to doe vs good Wherefore wee must not consider the Creatures only as they are in their owne nature but according to that employment also which they haue vnder God for they are all souldiers of the Lord of Hostes There is one thing more which I may not forget the whole world is called Gods Host but the Church is it in a speciall sort Salomon calleth it en Armie with banners Cant. 6. Moses speaking of the Church vnder the Old Testament calleth it the entring into the Leuiticall ministrie ingressâ—m in militiam St. Paul of the New Testament bids Timothie doe what himselfe had done fight a good fight 2 Tim. 2. and cap. 4. the whole body is called a Church Militant When we assemble together then Dauid will tell vs Psalme 110. Thy people O Lord will come willingly at the time â—f mastering thine armie in holy beauty The Lords day is his muster day all that are enrolled should then appeare before him Ephes 6. partly to furâ—â—â—h hemselues out of his armorie and partly to be directed how to carly themselues in their seuerall stations for euery man must walke as hee is called 1 Cor. 7. Which they should obserue that little frequent the Church and take as little notice why these Church meetings were instituted No wonder if they be vnarmed no wonder if they offend were we carefull to appeare at the musters we would be more resolute when we are gone thence because we should be compleately armed and more vigilent against the enemie because we should be better instructed As the Church is an Armie so it is but one Armie though diuided into seuerall bands Though there be particular Congregations yet there is but one holy Catholicke Church and seeing the Host is but one there should be no mutinie against the Generall That disloyall speech Nolumus hunc regnare super nos Wee will not haue this man raigne ouer vs Luke 19.14 receiued in the Gospel a iust reward of treacherie As we must not mutinie against the Generall so must not the souldiers side betweene themselues We should not sheathe our swords one in another corporally much lesse spiritually there should be no ciuill there should be no ecclesiasticall rents between the parts of Christendome for so Michaels Host doth degenerate into the Host of the Dragon that of the Womans feede into the opposite which is the Host of the Serpents brood To weaken them God is pleased that his enemies should be as the Madianites by his prouidence one of them doth ruine the other but hee would haue his children alwaies one man and be alwaies of one minde not to hazzard their owne liues nor the liues of others but in his quarrell and against his enemies This religious this honourable disposition of a Christian that is a souldier in Gods Host is much to bee wisht though little to be hoped for in these vncharitable and bloudy daies I haue spoken enough of the power of the person I come now vnto his signature which I told you is plaine and peremptorie It is plaine for here are no logicall demonstrations nor rhetoricall declamations but a plaine expression of Gods minde This is the best eloquence of Kings or Generals they are not bound to yeelde a reason of their commands or to vse insinuations into their peoples affections it is enough for them to expresse their pleasure in those things that are of their absolute command and if they do more they do it out of their goodnesse shew that they do as much desire to leade their subiects by reason as to require their obedience Much more may the Lord of heauen and earth do thus whose wisedome is vndeceiueable and his power most absolute though he be pleased sometimes to giue vs a reason of his command yet may we not expect it farther than he is pleased to vouchsafe it The signature is plaine but it is peremptorie for hee that speaketh so plainely speaketh as one that hath authoritie we may not dispute much lesse resist such commands because they are the commands of the Lord of Hostes This is to be noted both by Pastor and People for thus saith the Lord of Hostes is the Pastors warrant for his message he must bring nothing to the people without this signature I speake of things necessary to saluation For otherwise as in the Common-weale so in the Church there be many indifferent things which are left vnto the disposition of those that are in authoritie who are referred only vnto the generall rules 1 Cor. 14.26 Let all things be done to edification Let them bee done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 But in matters necessary to saluation it is with the Church as it is with the Common-weale wee must distinguish betweene the Law-makers and the Executioners thereof They that are the Executioners of Lawes may not take vpon them to make new Lawes Iudges and Iustices in their assizes and sessions informe the people what is the Law already established and by vertue of their Commissions they doome euery mans cause according to such Law Euen so God the King of kings hath decreed the Lawes of Christian Faith and Life and these Lawes hath hee committed to the Pastors of the Church hee hath committed vnto them the promulgation application of his lawes and more he hath not committed The Church of Rome agreeth with vs in the generall rule that thus saith the Lord of Hostes must be the warrant of the Pastors proceeding the Councell of Trent layeth it for
word doth encourage them to dye for who would be troubled when he is called to lay his wearied bones at rest But as the word hath that encouragement so hath it a better also and which doth comfort more For notwithstanding the rest expected yet the parting of soule and bodie is irkesome the rather because we see that this sweet companion our body must vndergoe so different a condition from the soule The soule goeth to Abrahams bosome there to be feasted with the foode of Angels but the body must turne to dust and become the foode of wormes And who can endure this surely he that remembers that it is but for a moment the body doth but sleepe it shall awake againe and awake to be of the same condition with the soule for so much we are taught in the next word which is Primitiae first fruits aequiualent to the Resurrection a phrase well befitting the season To vnderstand it we must obserue that in the Law there were two kinds of first fruits One generall consisting of the first of all the Holy Lands increase Leuit. 23. Verse 10. 17. and those might bee offered at any time of the yeare another speciall that was restraind to certaine seasons Easter and Whitsontide The first season was Easter day for the Passouer was slain vpon Good friday the day whereon Christ dyed the next was to bee a holy Conuocation wherein Christ continued in the Graue and the day following was the sheaff of first Fruits to be presented to the Lord and that was the first day of the weake the very day wherein Christ rose from the dead So that this word Primitiae is vere significant and shewes how the Truth did answer the Type Christs Resurrection was meant by that first fruits Hauing found the originall of the phrase let vs now rip it vp and inquire into the meaning of it and then we shall finde that it intimates two things Christs Prerogatiue and our Communion First of Christs prerogatiue Though the Resurrection belong to Christ and them that slept yet first to Christ first dignitate causatione some adde tempore also but I leaue it to bee disputed by the learned that may passe inter piè credibilia but these two are articles of faith for doubtlesse Christ had it in a greater measure and the measure that we haue we haue it from him First of the digintie Vnumquodque recipitur ad modum recipientis as was Christs capacitie so was his participation his capacitie was infinitely beyond ours his participation must be answerable The capacitie may bee conceiued by his Vnction and his Vnion Our Mysticall vnion comes farre short of his Hypostaticall and the vnction of him the Head farre exceeds the droppes that distill therefrom into euery one of vs that is but a Member when he rose his glorie was without all comparison The best of men is but a Starre of what magnitude soeuer hee bee but Christ is as the Sunne at the presence whereof the glory of all starres vanisheth Therefore is hee Reshith Biccure the first fruite of first fruits as the Law speakes eyther word notes an eminencie the first alluding to his title The Head the other to his title of First borne how much more eminent then is he when both are ioyned together This is his first Prerogatiue intimated by his being The first fruits But as he is Primus dignitate so is he causatione also Scrm. 10. de Pasâ—h for he caused his owne and is the cause of our Resurrection His owne St. Bernard so differenceth him from others Reliqui suscitantur solus Christus resurrexit Well may others be raised Christ only rose hee only by himselfe could conquer death Therfore though the word be passiue yet must it be vnderstood actiuely Christ was so raised that he raised himselfe and that not onely merito but efficacia also as the Godhead graced the manhood to merit it so was the manhood inabled by the Godhead to atchieue it But Christ rose though in se yet pro alijs in his owne person for our good that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his purchase by death 1 Pet. 2.9 This is meant in the Law of First fruits when God telleth the Israelites they shall be presented to make you accepted and therefore as hee was the cause of his owne so is he the cause of ours also Primum in vnoquoquegenere est causa reliquorum God hath giuen eternall life but this life is in the Sonne He that hath the Sonne hath this life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not this life Ioh. 1.5 for he only is the quickning Spirit and hath the keyes of death and hell But Causa is eyther aequiuoca or vniuoca Christ is Causa Resurrectionis in both senses he is Causa aequiuoca euen to the wicked for he is iudge and therefore shall summon all in the Graue his Angels shall gather as well tares as wheate and the goats as well as the sheep shall he call before him Yea hee shall not only cause their rising but their incorruptibilitie also for it is by his Almighty power that they shall bee supported to endure their torment This causation only is not here meant but causatio vniuoca also for he is Primitiae faciens primitias what himselfe hath he makes others to enioy and therefore Theophylact obserues well Primitiae ad sequentes respectum habent these first fruits haue respect to others as if one of many should beginne to doe that wherein he is afterward to be followed by others And this appeares in our Communion Communion in name and in the condition answerable to the name In name For as Christ so wee are called Primitiae so speakes Ieremy cap. 2. v. 3 Israel was holinesse to the Lord and the first fruits of his encrease and S. Iames cap. 1. v. 18. Of his owne will begot hee vs that we should bee a kinde of first fruits of his Creatures and Reuel 14. These are redeemed from among men being the first fruits of God and the Lambe Hee is not so then the first fruits as if we were left to prophane vses for though in comparison of vs Christ is the First fruits yet in comparison of the world we also are so esteemed Leuit. 23. and therefore there is a second First fruites mentioned in the Law which was offered at Whitsontide and represented the Church to whom the Law was giuen and vpon whom was poured the Holy Ghost But as we communicate in name 1 Cor. 15. so doe wee also in the condition answerable to the name for Christus est Typus Christianorum As wee haue borne the image of the earthly Adam so shall we of the heauenly also To open this Point a little farther Christus is Typus victoriae vitae There bee two things wherein the first fruits doe warrant vs communion with him Victorie and Life Victorie ouer all ouer enemies they shall all be subdued no
haue not been carefull to bring them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death to the knowledge of Christ and participation of the Gospel Much trauelling to the Indies East and West but wherefore some go to possesse themselues of the Lands of the Infidels but most by commerce if by commerce to grow richer by their goods But where is the Prince or State that pitieth their soules and without any worldly respect endeauours the gaining of them vnto God some shew we make but it is but a poore one for it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an accessorie to our worldly desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not it is not our primarie intention wheras Christs method is Mat. 6.33 first seeke ye the kingdome of God and then all other things shall be added vnto you you shall fare the better for it in your worldly estate If the Apostles and Apostolicke men had affected our saluation no more we might haue continued till this day such as somtimes we were barbarous subiects of the Prince of darknesse Those of the Church of Rome boast of their better zeale for the Kingdome of Christ but their owne Histories shew that Ambition and Couetousnesse haue beene the most predominant Affections that haue swayed their endeauours and they haue with detestable cruelty made their way to those worldly ends in stead of sauing soules haue destroyed millions of persons We should take another course for their conuersion yea the same that was taken for ours and if wee doe it is to be hoped God will continue vs his people and adde daily to his Church such as shal be saued For Popish Recusants let me speake a word their case is mixt consisting partly in ignorance of the truth and partly in the seed of disloyaltie Wee haue made many good Lawes if not to roote out at least to keepe downe so much of their corruption as is dangerous to the State it were to bee wisht that greater care were taken for informing their consciences and indeed there should our Lawes beginne with them vnder a reasonable paine to vrge them to conference for why should we doubt but that God would blesse the honest endeauours of the Ministers of the truth who permits the Seducers to steale away so many hearts from God and the King Of this we may be sure that eyther God will worke that which we wish the recouery of those which are seduced or at least their obstinacie will bee without all excuse and the punishment thereof by sharpe Lawes will be no more than is iust in the sight both of God and man The neglect of this care of infidels and recusants is no small cause of that great distresse which at this day is fallen vpon the reformed Churches and God thereby calleth vpon vs to amend these defects Let vs vse our punishment well and let Gods chastisement prouoke vs to a better life though it seeme grieuous to vnderlie Gods heauy hand yet it is much more grieuous to be neuer a whit the better for the plagues for it is a second refusing of grace the same God that doth at first recommend vnto vs pietie by sweetning it with temporall blessings when that course speedeth not tryeth whether wee will bethinke our selues if we smart for our vntowardlinesse and certainly his case is desperate who is the worse for his stripes as you may reade in Gods complaint passionately exprest by Esay Cap. 1. Cap. 5. Cap. 4. by Amos and Ieremie hath illustrated it by an excellent simile of reprobate siluer which is molten in vaine because the drosse cannot bee separated from it Amend then wee must That is not enough we must be constant in our amendment we must feare God all the dayes of our life that is true Repentance when a man so turneth to God that he doth not returne againe like a dogge to his vomit or a sow to wallow in the myre Relapses are dangerous as Saint Peter teacheth 2 Pet. 2.21 and our Sauiour Christ tels the recouered lame man in the Gospel Iohn 5. Behold thou art made whole goe thy way sinne no more lest a worse thing happen vnto thee I will hearken saith the Psalmist Psal 85. what the Lord will say vnto me for he will speake peace vnto his people and to his Saints that they returne not again vnto their folly We should all remember Lots wife who for looking backe was turned into a pillar of salt Animae in vitia relabentis accusatricem a visible inditement of relapsing soules Most men are to God-ward like Planets sometimes in coniunction with him sometimes in a more or lesse aspect too often in plaine opposition but let vs take heed we be not in the number of those wandring stars of whom St. Iude speaketh to whom is reserued the blacknesse of darknesse for euer To begin well and not to go on is as if a man should put a soueraigne plaister to a dangerous wound and after a while teare it off againe thinke you that man would bee the better for his salue or the worse rather you heard before our sinnes are wounds and although repentance be a soueraigne salue yet proueth it not such vnto vs except it be lasting There is a good reason giuen by St. Bernard Cecidimus in lutum lapides our sias are like vnto fals into the myre wherein there are stones the mud doth soile vs and the stones bruise vs we may soone wash away the myre but we cannot so soone recouer our bruise euen so the guilt of our sin is sooner remitted than the corruption can be purged Therefore Repentance taketh time to restore our spirituall health and doth not compasse it but with much fasting watching praying almesdeeds c. and is watchfull ouer vs that second wounds make not the first more dangerous in a word being deliuered from our enemies and the hands of all that hate vs we endeauour to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Here are added two motiues vnto this constant amendment taken from the place wherein they liue It is true that wheresoeuer they liued they were to feare God all the dayes of their life because God is euery where a knower of the the heart a rewarder of men according to their workes But the place of their aboad put no small obligation vpon them first because it was an eminent place eminent corporally a good Land a Land flowing with milke and honey eminent mystically for it was the seate of the Church and a type of heauen and who should bee fruitfull in good workes rather than they that dwell in a fruitfull Land and holinesse beseemeth Gods house for euer But to sin in the Land of Immanuel in the Land of vprightnesse is no small improuement of sin and hee that is barren of good works in a fruitfull Land shall haue the earth that brings forth her increase rise vp in iudgement against him Our Countrey hath both
these prerogatiues and therfore it preacheth vnto vs that which Canaan preached to Israel Amendment of life and constancy therein The second Motiue which the place doth yeeld is the tenure thereof God saith Salomon gaue it to our fathers they held in franck Almoigne and God telleth vs in the Psalme that hee gaue it them to this end that they might keep his statutes and obserue his Lawes And should not men bee dutifull vnto God when God is so liberall vnto men Wee may thinke haply that this doth not concerne vs because we came otherwise by our Lands If we thinke so wee plod too much vpon the second causes but we must know that whether we come by them by purchase or by gift we are beholding vnto Gods blessings for the mony wherewith wee purchase and for their good will which bestow it on vs and the same God that could haue hindred vs of both can strip vs of both at his pleasure But to shut vp the matter of my Text. You see the end of Gods plagues and of his mercy They doe sollicit vs to returne in time This doth call vpon vs not to bee weary of well-doing Wherefore let vs entertaine Gods chastisements prudently let vs not contemne them because they are fearefull and the contempt of this temporall will but procure vs eternall wrath at least in this life God may rise from smaller vnto greater plagues Nor let vs despaire because God is mercifull yea he hath shewed a great deale of mercy in that multi corriguntur in paucis in presenting before vs some few mens harmes hee bids vs all beware and what should our praier be but Domine ne in supplicijs nostrie alios erudiamus Let not vs by thy heauy hand bee made examples to others cum liceat nobis aliorum cruciatibus emendari whereas if wee haue grace other mens corrections may be our instructions To you of this assembly let me say boldly That the greater we are in place and power the greater share should we haue in this worke of Repentance by our example we should teach the people compunction for sin correction of life the two most preuailing folliciters of Gods mercy and preseruers of a State God forbid that it should be with vs as it was with Israel Ier. 5. Amos 6. that God should find the great men more sons of Belial than the meaner sort it would be a shrewd prognostication of very euill dayes to come This day promiseth better things I pray God the continuance be answerable and that we repent not that wee haue resolued to repent but that euery day sinne may more and more dye in vs and grace liue more and more if we do so we may be sure that though for a time we sow in teares yet in due time wee shall reape in ioy Nothing remaineth now that I haue for your greater edifications opened and applied the pious assertions that are contained in my text but that wee should returne it againe into that forme wherein King Salomon conceiued it and make it our common petition vnto God LOrd there is great feare of a famine the pestilence hath entred already far vpon vs by the enemies of thy truth and our peace we are forced to prepare for war we knowing euery man the plague of his owne heart cast our selues downe before thy Throne of Mercy deprecating thy wrath and supplicating for grace beseeching thee to take off thy heauie hand from vs and fight for vs against our enemies because without thee vaine is all the strength of man Heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place forgiue do and giue to euery man of vs according to his waies Thou which only knowest the hearts of all men that we may fear thee all the dayes which we liue in this good Land which thou hast giuen to our fathers And bee vouch safed after this life to attend thy Throne with thy blessed Saints in the Kingdome of Heauen Amen יהוה TWO SERMONS PREACHED in WELLS at the Ordination of MINISTERS THE FIRST SERMON MATTH 28. Vers 18 19 20. All power is giuen vnto mee in Heauen and in Earth Goe ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you And lo I am with you alway euen vnto the end of the world Amen THese words contain one of the last solemne acts which our Sauiour Christ performed immediately before he ascended into Heauen and that was his sending of his Apostles to conuert the world In this act our Sauiour Christ doth informe them first of his owne right to send All power is giuen me both in Heauen and in Earth then of the errant whereupon they were to be sent Goe yee therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them c. But more distinctly About Christs right our first enquiry must be of what sort the power here mentioned is and wee shall finde that it is heauenly and my Text will teach vs that this heauenly power of Christ is lawfull because giuen vnto him and full because in it selfe vnlimited it is All power and extendeth to euery place it worketh both in Heauen and Earth Vpon this power of Christ is grounded the Apostles Embassage that must you gather out of the Illatiue Therefore In the Apostles embassage or errant we will consider their common charge and comfort In the charge we shall see 1. What they must doe they must Goe Ite 2. To whom they are sent and whereabout They are sent farre and wide Goe yee to all Nations That which they must doe is to winne them vnto Christ teach them or as the Originall hath it make them Disciples If they preuaile with any if any entertaine the Gospell then they are to consecrate their persons vnto God Baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and to worke their obedience wholly conformable to euery one of those precepts which themselues had receiued from Christ Teach them to doe all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you This is their common charge Their common comfort standeth in the powerfull and perpetuall assistance of Christ Assistance He is with them and this presence is powerfull for he that is present is Ego I that haue all power both in Heauen and Earth and it is perpetuall Hee is with them alwayes vnto the worlds end Alwayes without intermission vnto the worlds end therefore not onely with their owne persons but also with their successors Vpon this common comfort they must all fixe their eyes Ecce Behold it and their faithfull prayer must hopefully expect it so much is meant by the close of all Amen These bee the particulars which offer themselues in this Text to our consideration I will God willing speake of so many of them as the time will permit Consider you what I say and the Lord giue you a right vnderstanding in
the law of the Lord thy God and the Kings law let him haue iudgement without delay whether it be to death or banishment or confiscation of goods or imprisonment THese words that I haue read vnto you are the close of a Commission granted by Artashasht King of Persia at that time also King of the holy Land vnto Ezra a religious Priest and learned Scribe of the Iewes This Commission consisteth of manie branches the last commands the creating of Iudges in the Territorie of Iewrie concerning whom it is expressed How they ought to be qualified and Whereunto they are authorised Their quality is set downe vers 25. their authority is the argument of my Text a great authoritie because it is of the Sword the King giues this power that biddes them giue Iudgement But that their power may be as good as it is great they must vse it against malefactors so saith the King against them that will not doe the law and against them they must vse it so that first they frustrate not the end of the law A iudgement vnseasonable is vnprofitable they must therefore giue iudgement without delay Secondly they must not sway the indifferencie of the law to haue respect of persons in iudgement is not good they must then giue iudgement against whomsoeuer whomsoeuer will not doe the law But there are lawes diuine and humane the Iudges must proceede against the violaters of both against them that will not do Gods law against them that will not do the Kings law but with two cautions they must take heed that the God be the God of Ezra the true God they must no maintaine false religion and they must not forbeare to giue iudgement against them that violate the kings lawes though he be a king of Persis a false religion doth not hinder him from being a lawfull Soueraigne the Iudge must not foster seedes of rebellion They that violate the lawes of that God of this king the Iudge must draw his sword against them But how farre may he draw it and how deepe must he strike with it Surely so farre as the Magistrate is Gods instrument for the peoples weale so farre may he be his instrument for their woe His prouidence reacheth to their liues liuings and libertie so farre may his vengeance reach also thus farre he may draw his sword But he must giue no deeper wound therewith to offenders than offenders giue to the law the degrees of punishment must answer the degrees of offences some must dye some be fined some restrayned euery one as he deserues You see the substance of this Scripture withal conceiue that theron we must consider of these two points The power the vse of the sword the vse two-fold lawfull full I speak to them that haue vnderstanding therfore need I touch these particulars but briefly but that I touch them not vnprofitably I beseech you in the feare of God to iudge what I say And first some may demand why being to speake in the name of God vnto Iudges sent from a Christian king I remember vnto them the instruction of a king indeede but a heathen king such an author as may much lessen your regard of the matter It may but not except it be mistaken For besides that it is correspondent to the like in Moses and the Prophets Ezra acknowledgeth in the next verse that this Commission was indited by diuine inspiration God put it into the heart of the King And were it not so yet it is of no small moment to heare reason concord with religion The vse of this power is the more obseruable when it is enioyned by the pen not onely of God but also of man yea the lesse likely a Heathen King is to write it the more faulty a Christian Iudge if he set light by it Heare then what is your power it is to giue iudgement But iudgement is either of Discretion or Iurisdiction the first is common to all the second belongs but to a few all may discerne right from wrong but all may not right them that suffer or correct them that doe wrong He that takes the sword vngiuen shall perish with the sword as Christ told Peter Mat. 26. and told it him when hee was too busie with his sword it is not giuen to euery man And it is well that it is not giuen our affections do with such a false light delude our iudgements that where there are scarce moates we see great beames in other mens eyes but beames in our owne are so insensible Matth. 7. as if they were not so much as moates And as wee apprehend so would wee proceed Our strength would be the law of vnrighteousnesse Wisd 2. and as Tacitus well notes Malice the more vniust it is the more violent How many Cains would there start vp in the world that would kill their owne brother Abel onely because his deedes were good and theirs euill And if some would not be so vnnaturall yet would they be so vnreasonable as Simeon Leni of whom their own father pronounced Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell Genesis 48. we are so partiall and impotent when we haue the law in our owne hands and may satisfie our own lusts that wee will proceede without cause or at least aboue measure God knowing this vnbridlednesse of our nature hath laid this charge vpon all priuate men Auenge not your selues but giue place towrath for vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord Rom. 13. Whatsoeuer therefore they pretend of the lawes of honour that apologize for Duels in a ciuill in a Christian common weale they should be reputed no better and it were good if they did fare no better than murderers they would not be so common if they were branded with their true name and had their iust reward Priuate men may not reuenge But who may It is only his right that is the Law-giuer or theirs that hold from him to recompence euery man according to his deeds Gods law is Deut. 19. that when two striue together they shall stand before the Lord euen before the Iudges where the Iudges are there the Lord is Psal 82.1 God standeth in the assembly of Gods he iudgeth among Gods the Apostle therefore calleth them the Ministers of God Rom. 13. So that a Iudge doth not only represent the person of a King but is in part with him the Deputie of God When the burden was too heauie for Moses God assisted him with the Seuentie but marke how he inaugurated them He took of the Spirit of Moses and conferred it on the Seuentie intimating his immediate presence and concurrence with them Wherefore what Shecaniah spake to Ezra cap. 10. when he lamented the disordered liues of the Iewes that must I say vnto you Arise for the matter belongeth vnto you bee of good comfort yea and courage too for this age moues more than teares and do it Giue
thou hast armed with thy power that with a watchfull and single eye they may obserue and represse with a seuere yet a tender hand all vnsound Beleeuers and inordinate liuers that Church and Common weale may blesse them as happy Supporters of this Christian State and themselues may with comfort make their last account to the vnpartiall ludge of quicke and dead and now and euer both of vs may giue glory vnto thee that art our most mighty and most mercifull Lord. Amen Blessed are they that keep iudgement and doe righteousnesse euermore Psalme 106. יהוה A SERMON PREACHED IN OXFORD AT AN ASSIZES 1613. PSAL. 75. Vers 2 3. When I shall receiue the Congregation I will iudge vprightly The earth and all the inhabitants are dissolued I beare vp the Pillars of it Selah THis Psalme was penned if not by surely in the name of some worthy Iudge the people blesse God for the comfort they receiued by him and hee promiseth to redresse the disorders of the people put both their speeches together and you haue a good Commentary vpon the title of this Psalme The title is Ne perdas or rather Non perdes the Hebrew Al-tasheth will beare both and it imports That a good Iudge yeelds the best hope that a disordered State may recouer although it be farre gone Who this Iudge is all are not agreed some ghesse at him by one part of the Psalme some by another and according to their different apprehension giue the Psalme some a mysticall some an historicall interpretation both may stand true as elsewhere so here But being to fit this present occasion my purpose is to passe by the mysticall and insist only vpon that sense which is historicall According to the history the person that speakes seemeth to bee the king of Israel and that king as it is most likely is king Dauid He speaks here first of his owne Tribunall the Tribunall of a king but because that was set at naught by many insolent ones hee calleth them to an higher Tribunall the Tribunall of God and telleth them that it is God which from time to time appoints those that shall iudge here on earth till by Christ he call that great Assizes and fit Iudge of all the world This is the effect of the whole Psalme my Text containes so much thereof as concernes the Tribunall of the king the Dignity the Necessity the Vtility thereof To vnfold it I beseech you to marke therein The person and His work the person is the king whose worke is to iudge I will iudge But of the iudgement wee are farther taught When it shall be executed and How The time is at an Assizes When I shall receiue the Congregation The manner is according to the law to try the vprightnesse of mens liues I will iudge vprightly and that of mens vprightnesse the word Mesharim reacheth so farre As if this were not enough here is a seuerall reason added to each of these branches a reason of calling an Assizes It is no more than needeth there is much amisse in the people The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolued And a reason there is why the king must iudge vprightly and of vprightnesse because if any goe awry if any swerue hee must set and keepe them strait so saith the king I beare vp the pillars of it These be the points that are to bee considered on this Text and that they are to be considered seriously you may gather by the last word Selah the character of a remarkable sentence it signifieth an extraordinary eleuation of the speakers voice which calleth for a more than ordinary attention of the hearers eare Consider then I beseech you in the feare of God the particulars that I shall deliuer thereon and God grant you a fruitfull vnderstanding of them all The first is the Person and this person is the King to Iudge is his work At Ierusalem are Thrones set for iudgement saith another Psalme and those thrones belong to the house of Dauid therefore in the Scripture is the kings throne called not onely the throne of Glory but of Iudgement also yea therefore of Glory because of Iudgement the Glory is giuen to countenance the Iudgement So that the plaintiffes speech was though not very courtly yet very true which hee vttered to a king denying him iustice Si non vis iudicare noli regnare implying that it is the proper worke of a king to be a Iudge And indeed God commits the power of iudgement immediately to the king and to that end setteth him vpon his owne Throne But you know what Iethro obserued to Moses Exod 18. and what Moses himselfe in his complaint to God confessed to be true A king in his owne person cannot beare all this burthen if he attempt it hee vainely tireth out both himselfe and his people wherefore it is Gods pleasure that so much as he cannot doe by himselfe he shall doe by his officers Whereupon ariseth a good distinction of a kings person It is either naturall or politique and vnder the politique are contained the Iudges This is cleare by Gods owne fact for when he called the 70. to bee assistants vnto Moses and to that end did qualifie them he saith not that hee will take of his owne spirit though that which hee tooke was the spirit of God but God is pleased to call that the spirit of Moses which he tooke and gaue to the 70. Numb 11. giuing vs to vnderstand that they were alwayes to bee reputed a part of Moses Yea and they communicate also in the same diuine title for I haue said yee are Gods containes not the peculiar title of a king it extends to euery Iudge as Moses teacheth in the Law if it be not plaine enough in that 82. Psalme So then when a king sendeth Iudges hee sendeth his owne eares to heare the complaints of his people his owne eyes to looke into their causes and his owne mouth to pronounce according to that which is heard and seen The person then in my Text though at first sight it seeme to bee onely the king yet now appeares to bee moreouer the Iudge and by I it is most plaine Honourable and Beloued that you are vnderstood The Vse of this point for the people is made by St. Peter 1. Pet. 2. Wee must be subiect to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the King as supreame or to Gouernours sent from him such as are the Iudges the improuement of their persons must make them reuerend in our eyes But there is a Vse also which Honourable and Beloued must be made by you you may not mistake your eares your eyes your mouth you haue of two sorts priuate and publike the priuate you may vse about your domesticall affaires but to the Bench you may bring none but the publicke you must heare there with none but the kings eares and you know that a king is Abimelec my Father the king
in your priuate families to what end should a man giue instructions to his houshold if he neuer meant to take account of their conformitie thereto But all this is no more than a ciuill ground it deriues an Assizes only from the light of reason my text goeth farther it maketh it also a sacred Assembly Mogned signifieth such a one And indeede how can it be lesse doth not God stand in this Congregation and are not they that sit vpon the Bench called Gods Psalme 82. The Lawyers that plead at the Barre are euen in the entrance of the ciuill Law called Sacerdotes iustitiae they haue a kinde of Priesthood the Iurors and all persons of necessary seruice are bound Iuramento Dei with the Lords oath so the Scripture calleth it the worke as Salomon speaketh Prouerbs 21. is more than a sacrifice finally the place is Mogned a Synagogue a holy place I obserue this the rather because I would raise the estimation of that place to a higher rate than it commonly passeth at with the vulgar people The Iudge when he passeth from the Church to the Bench doth but passe from one sacred assembly to another only with this difference that sitting but as a sheepe in this fold in the other he sitteth as a shepheard Wherefore the Iudge when he sitteth there must remember the saying of Natianzene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art the Image of God and they with whom thou dealest beare his image also if any staines haue blemished that image purge them but neuer forget so to deale with the people as those that beare Gods image The Lawyers must remember that the Iudges Bench is Gods Altar and being Priests thereat they may not sacrifice with eyther polluted tongues or hands The Iurors that haue bound themselues to God must deale as in his sight they must take heed of that wherewith they are too vsually charged that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 priuate men the common weale are not so much abused they are not abused so cunningly by any thing as by their oathes The words are significant giue me leaue to open them Sinnes are compared to debts he that breaketh a Law becommeth a debter thereby the Iudge commeth to enquire after those debts that satisfaction may bee made for priuate for publick wronges the Iurors are trusted with the relation and taxation of these debts they are to bring in who is in debt and how far and their oathes are credited herein but their oath is become a sophister and cunningly priuate wrongs at the one barre and publike at the other receiue an acquittance and yet the debter makes no paiment or surely no such payment as in equitie he should If their oath were Iuramentum diaboli their sophistrie were tolerable but I beseech them in the feare of God to consider that sinceritie is the attribute of the oath of God and let them take heed lest obliging themselues to God and doing seruice to the Diuel they descend not into hell when they hope to ascend to heauen Finally whereas the ground whereupon the Assembly standeth is holy ground let euerie man put off his shooes put off his corrupt affections so shall the worke be an acceptable a profitable sacrifice which may yeeld a sweet sauour vnto God and a sauour of rest vnto our whole Land it shall so be and it shall do so if the Iudge hauing called this assembly iudge according to the rule if hee iudge vprightly I come then from the time to the manner Some take the word Mesharim for a Nown some for an Aduerb wherupon arise two interpretations one respecting the person of the Iudge the other that whereupon the Iudge worketh If you respect the person of the Iudge then the words are I will iudge vprightly that is according to the Law Before you heard of a publicke standard whereat mens causes must be tryed the Iudge is not fabricator but adhibitor mensurae Iupiter ipse duas aequato examine lances Sustinet the King himselfe much more the Iudge is put in trust with it not to make it but to vse it and as St. Augustine speakes Non iudicat de legibus sed secundum leges he must not confound a Parliament with an Assizes That is the first thing that must be noted A second thing is that the word signifieth streight or right lines which is the proper attribute of a Law and you know that recta linea est brenissima inter eosdem terminos and if mens causes be iudged according to Law the handling of them must not take the next way about the proceeding must be as euen so speedy And yet which wee must note in the third place the straitnesse of the Law is not a mathematicall but a morall straitnesse It is not inflexible but it is so farre to be bent as the minde of the Law giuer did intend A Iudge must not insist vpon the words of a Law but put on the minde of a Law-maker and a Law-maker doth follow medium not arithmeticum but geâ—metricum not rei but rationis The circumstances of quid quantum cui quando Heb. 7. do varie the proceeding and yet the rule is still euen Prouided alwaies that the King and the Iudge bee as Melchisedeck 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so righteous a King and Iudge that he hath no consanguinity nor affinity but only the common weale If a Iudge follow such a rule hee then iudgeth vprightly But I told you though Mesharim may beevsed Aduerbially yet is it a Nown and so the Ancients did take it in this place as appeares by their translating it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recta and I thinke it is most naturall here to referre it to that whereupon the Iudge worketh Hee calleth an Assembly to see what vprightnesse there is in mens carriage God as the Preacher speaketh made man straight the word is iashar that is set him in a straight way the holy Ghost doth much delight to resemble Lawes by waies and that resemblance is implied in this word but man being set so straight sought out many inuentions c. The Rule is as true in policie as in diuinitie S. Iohn Baptist the harbinger of Christ according to the Prophefie of Esay crying vnto the people to prepare Christs way and to make his path straight doth reduce all the obliquitie thereof vnto foure heads saying that euery hill must be brought low You shall finde some men through pride to swell like hils like mountaines lifting themselues aboue their ranke and vsurping more power than belongs vnto them such are the violent oppressors of the poore And I adde vnto them those that are mountainous also the supporters of the man of sin dwelling vpon the seuen hils who vsurped spirituall power of old but of late is grown more eager for a temporall hee hath many Proctors for both in this Land and they should all be brought low Besides these Mountaines you shall find Valleyes men that by base qualities fall below their
ranke the ranke of men such as are Epicures yea vnto the ranke of diuels such as are profest Atheists this Land swarmeth with too many of them they are not ashamed so gracelesse are they yea so senslesse that they do not tremble to name themselues the damned Crue such vallies would be filled vp if it might be by discipline they should bee reclaimed if not by the sword they should be cut off lest they proue bottomlesse gulfes and swallow vp the whole Land it is to be feared if thâ—y bee long tolerated God will pursue with vengeance the whole Land for their blaphemies Besides these you shall find some serpentine waies S. Iohn calleth them crooked waies the waies of subtill foxes that wilily circumuent yong ones and simple ones and strippe them of their goods of their lands they would be set straight and that craft which preuailes elsewhere should not serue when they are pierced into by the direct eye of a Iudge Finally you shall find ruffe waies the waies of scandalous persons that are exemplarily ill and make many weake ones to fall they must bee made smooth if their hearts cannot be altered yet their deeds must be bridled that they cause not others to offend such are the corrupters of youth by gaming by drinking other loose liuing In a word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you must apply your measure to them and spare no obliquitie that is in any of them then shall the way of all the people be via librata as Esay speakes of the way of righteous men it shall bee straight or leuell There is one thing more which I may not omit This word is neuer read but plurall the reason therof may be manifold the worst is worth your marking If you look vpon the persons on whom a Iudge workes they are good or bad he must withhold iustice from neither of them and iustice requires that one haue proemium the other poenam each receiue according as he deserues and iudgment is not full except both parties haue their due so saith the Law The Iudge shall iustifie the righteous and condemne the wicked You may not violate this Combination There is another Combination in the Rule by which you iudge and that is of commutatine and distributiue Iustice you haue two Barres one for nisiprius and the other for criminall Causes my text requires that the measure be euen at both Barres Adde hereunto that you are Custodes vtriusque Tabulae and must haue a care as well that God bee serued as the Common Weale keeping your selfe to the discreet limitation which Constantine the Emperour set vnto himselfe leauing Episcopatum ad intra vnto vs I meane the defining of sacred things and taking vnto your selues no more but Episcopatum ad extra the compulsiue commanding of those that are refractarie vnto the good Ordinances appointed by the publicke authoritie of the Church that so the slanders of the Romanists may be refuted and yet that duetie that you owe to Gods Church bee discharged You must take care of this second Combination There is a third also that lookes to your owne persons here must bee a Combination of your head and your heart you must iudge not onely rectum but rectè that the sentence bee vpright depends vpon you skill but it is your heart that maketh it a vertuous sensentence And surely the Holy Ghost meaneth something when in the sixteenth of Deuteronomie it is said Thoushalt follow Iustice Iustice hee meaneth the Iustice of the head and the heart Yea seeing you are not onely Magistrates but Christian Magistrates there must bee in your sentence not onely Equitie but Pietie your Religion must raise your morall vertues vnto an heauenly pitch and what you doe you must doe in Faith and to the Glorie of God This is the last Combination and for you the best the former two doe rather benefit others I conclude this Point with a wish that you would imitate Iob who when hee came to the Tribunall reports of himselfe that hee put on righteousnesse and it couered him iudgement and it was a robe and a crowne vnto him Iob 29. And I pray God that righteousnesse may goe before you and set your steppes in the way And thus much of the manner of dealing It followeth now that we come vnto the Reasons which are two The first is the reason of assembling the people or calling an Assizes there is great reason for that for there is much amisse The earth and all the inhabitants are dissolued Were wee immutable though wee should neede directiue yet of correctiue instice wee should haue no neede A Parliament were enough to set vs in a good way it would bee superfluous to examine our wayes at an Assizes but our condition was mutable in Paradise it is much more so now It appeares in that wee may bee dissolued or as the word in the originall is melted But there are two kinde of meltings according as the parts of the bodie melted are of two sorts homogeneous or heterogeneous If homogeneous as gold and siluer then though they melt yet do they not loose their holdfast cast gold into the fire melt it will but so that in running the parts doe hold fast together But if the parts bee heterogeneous then not onely the whole melteth but the parts fall asunder and are loosed the one from the other The melting whereto wee are subiect is of the later sort and therefore the Interpreter intending the meaning rather than the signification of the word translates it are dissolued that is so melted as that one part hangs not to another But let vs looke a little farther into this kinde of melting As in our bodie naturall so in the bodie politicke melting groweth from some outward heate which extracteth the inward and so dis-inableth the parts which were strengthned thereby to hold together There is a fire of charitie and iustice by which the societie of men is fostered and cherished so long as they hold wee hold together and when they faile wee fall asunder now they faile not except they bee extracted extracted by a fire and that is the fire of Hell the Diuell that could not endure that blessed societie that we enioyed in Paradise with God with Angels each with the other but loosed all the bands and set vs at oddes cannot endure so much as the continuance of ciuill societies but hee is still at his forge and is blowing of his coales and wee are too apt to come neare his fire the fire of concupiscence which is a melting fire Saint Austine fitly on this place moueth the question and answers it himselfe Si defluxit terra vnde defluxit nisi à peccatis hee addeth cupiditate superiorum roboratur quasi liquescit cupiditate inferiorum if wee will finde out the true cause of melting wee must finde it in sinne And sinne what is it but the inclination of our heart vnto these base and earthly things which should bee
vntill the tenth Generation but against Incest he is more seuere Deut. 271 for he would not onely haue a generall curse pronounced against it whereunto he commanded all the people to say Amen but touching the Moabites and Ammonites the first spawne of Incest that we find in the Scripture though they were the posteritie of LOT whom GOD loued for AERAHAM's sake Deut 23. yet doth he command that they shall not enter into the Congregation of Israel for euer Israel is forbidden to seeke their peace at any time RVBEN is a second example marke what his owne Father IACOB said of him when he blest the Patriarkes Ruben thou art my first borne my might Gen. 49. the beginning of my strength the excellencie of digniâ—â—â— and the excellencie of power these were the preeminences of his birth-right but he forfeited them all for Incest as appeares in the verie next words of his Father Vnstable as water thou shalt not excell because thou wentest vp to thy Fathers bed then defiledst thou it He went vp into my couch A third example is ABSALON he abused his Fathers Concubines therefore he came to an infamous end he was hanged by the haire of his owne head he dyed childlesse and so his name did rot Leu. 8. The Land of Canaan spued out the old Inhabitants for Incest and GOD threatneth the destruction of Israel for that a man and his sonne would goe in to one maid Amos 2. By GODS Law no lesse then death was the punishment of Incest Leu. 10. The Lawes of the Land are more mercifull vnto you the Penitent that suffer you to breathe and leaue you to the censure of the CHVRCH But if you mind what you haue heard touching that censure and drinke in St AVSTINS conceipt therof you shall find cause enough to feare and freedome from death may seeme vnto you worse then death But yet your case is not desperate for there yet remaines one point in the Text which may yeeld a mitigation to your feares and a consolation to your Soule The censure is not mortall but medicinall as appeares in the end whereunto the censure serues Now a medicine you know doth first paine then it doth ease yea it doth therfore paine that it may ease so doth this ghostly censure it serues for the destruction of the flesh there is the paine but there followeth ease vpon it the spirit shaâ— be saued First of the paine As the flesh signifieth sometimes the substance sometimes the corruption of the outward man so may the destruction signifie either the mortalitie or the mortification thereof mortalitie if the censure proceed from the power which is proper to an Apostle but if it signifie the power which is common to Bishops with the Apostles it noteth mortification it signifieth the crucifying of the flesh with the lusts thereof the putting off the old man and the dying vnto sinne And indeed this we intend by our Ecclesiasticall censures We intend that you should root out the sinne for which you doe penance and so destroy your flesh This is painfull to flesh and blood but vt valeas multa dolenda feres you must brooke the paine that you may enioy the ease that followeth thereupon the spirit shall be saued The spirit noteth the soule or the grace thereof the sauing of the soule is the preseruing of grace therein if the soule loose grace it looseth it selfe in regard of all well-being and it were much better for it not to be at all then to be without grace so that the saluation of our spirit is no small part of our happinesse Which must the rather be esteemed because if our spirit fare well it will make euen the flesh that is destroyed in regard of the corruption to be farre better in regard of the substance for it shall be purged from dead works to serue the liuing GOD. But when shall we reape this easâ— out of paine In the day of our Lord Iesus Christ Though a peniten euen in this life shall find some case in his Conscience yet the full benefit of Ecclesiasticall censure is reserued to the day of the Lord because all this life we must be mortifying our flesh especially enormous sinners must be so imployed the greatest of their ease in this world must haue a mixture of paine but in the day of the Lord they shall haue ease without all delay But what day of the Lord is meant here Euerie mans particular day of death or the generall doomes day An account must be made at both and if we vse the Ecclesiasticall censure well we shall find that this Iudgment preuents that this temporall the eternall For as CHRIST at his first comming came not to destroy but to saue so his Ministers that dispense the Gospel vse their power not to destruction but to edification But I thinke the day of the Lord signifieth properly the last day CHRIST will publikely manifest before the CHVRCH tryumphant the effect of the Keyes which he hath committed to his Ministers to be exercised publikely in the CHVRCH militant he will then reueale how all stand bound in Heauen which were neuer loosed on Earth and all whom the CHVRCH hath loosed in Earth shall then appeare to be loosed in Heauen I end The successe which St PAVL had when he inflicted this sentence was that the Corinthians became verie sensible of their fault and the Incestuous person of his St PAVL himselfe doth witnesse this 2 Cor. 7. where he amplyfieth both their godly sorrowes and his congratulating indulgence towards them both Oh that like successe might blesse my paines that I may giue as good a testimonie to this Congregation for their hatred of sinne as St PAVL gaue to the Corinthians and to this Penitent the like mittigation of his Censure as St PAVL to that Incestuous person So may this penitentiall sheet of his be turned into a white robe of righteousnesse his teares into ioy and all we that are humbled for him in the Church militant be with him exalted in the Church tryumphant Amen A SERMON PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRAL CHVRCH OF WELS AT WHAT TIME TWO DID PENANCE FOR INCEST A MAN AND HIS WIVES DAVGHTER LEVIT 20. VERSE 14. Likewise if a man taketh a wife and her mother this is wickednesse they shall burne him and them with fire and there shall be no wickednesse amongst you NO sooner doe you heare this Text but I am ure you vnderstand this spectacle you vnderstand what sinners these persons are what doome this Law doth passe vpon them And indeed their sinne and Gods doome are the maine parts of my Text. But more distinctly In the sinne we must note first the fact then the haynousnesse thereof The fact is vnnaturall adulterie Adulterie because one man taketh more women then one that is plaine adulterie And this adulterie is vnnaturall because there is the neerest reference betweene the women the one a Mother the other her Daughter to take two
you that are the Penitents that it doth not you should not be here to doe penance if you had such doome as GODS Law requireth you are therefore bound to thanke GOD for the clemencie of the State and make good vse of this time of grace remembring that though you scape the corporall fire there is another fire which you haue cause to feare which St IVDE telleth vs was figured out in the perpetuall burning of Sodome and Gomorrha the fire of Hell and assure your selues that if the Land of Canaan spued out those impure persons Heauen will receiue no such and if they that transgressed MOSES Law perished ciuilly without all mercie most wofull shall their destruction be that are reserued for that fire which shall deuour the aduersaries the fire of Hell You shall doe well therefore to quench that fire before you come at it and there are three waters with which you must quench it The first is the water of your teares you must imitate King DAVID who all the night long washt his bed watered his couch with his teares there he sinned and there he bathed himselfe so must you But mans teares are too weake a water to wash away either the guilt or staine of sinne which are the fewell of that fire you must therefore moreouer vse two other waters the water of CHRISTS blood to wash away the guilt and the water of his Spirit to purge out the corruption of your sinne If you make good vse of these three waters that fire will neuer seize on you otherwise assure your selues that though we spare you GOD will not spare you he will one day punish you most seuerely And it were good that our Law did not spare so much as it doth considering the growth and ouer-spreading of impuritie It were to be wisht that our temporall Sword did strike as deepe as the Sword of MOSES did it may when it pleaseth the State and it shall not doe it without example of other Countreys Or if that may not be obtained at least it were to be wisht that the old Canons of the CHVRCH were reuiued and ghostly discipline exercised more seuerely for certainly the scandall is great which such sinnes bring vpon the CHVRCH and they that slander vs without a cause when they haue iust cause how will they open their mouthes against vs Our care then should be to stop their mouthes but principally we should prouide that there be no wickednesse amongst vs which is the end of the doome and the last point of my Text. I will touch it briefly The Iudgement was seuere but it was necessarie Necessarie for the State which is to preserue it selfe free from guilt there must no wickednesse be amongst you No wickednesse that is impossible in this world for viuitur non cum perfectis hominibus they that haue most of the Spirit haue some-what of the Flesh and the Field of GOD till haruest will haue Tares as well as good Eares and the good eares will haue chaffe as well as good graine and the good graine will haue bran as well as flower We may not looke then for any State wherein there is no wickednesse The Law therefore requireth onely that there be Nullum scelus no haynous wickeduesse no tantum scelus as the Vulgar speaketh enormous transgressions there must be no crying sinnes the State must haue a vigilant eye vpon such sinnes and execute vengeance vpon notorious sinners they must not be amongst vs. But they will the Serpent will be in Paradise yea Lucifer was in Heauen the Arke had a CHAM and amongst CHRISTS Disciples there was a IVDAS Be then they will amongst vs. But the meaning of the Law is they must not be indured by vs they must not scape vnpunished if they doe they will proue contagious such sinnes are like fretting Gangreenes they are like vnto Leauen they infect all about them and if they doe not infect they will make guiltie and for sparing such a one GOD will not spare a whole State And there is good reason for Qui non vetat cum potest iubet GOD taketh them for abettors that will not when they may reforme inordinate liuers Therefore the State must put away from amongst them such inordinate liuers 1 Cor. 5. Hierusalem below must as neere as may be be like vnto Hierusalem aboue Apoc. 22. of that aboue St IOHN saith Extracanes impudici no vncleane person commeth thither neither must any be indured here so soone as they appeare they must be made expiatorie Sacrifices and their death must free the State from guilt But I draw to an end A word to you that are the Malefactors Origen Ad paenitentiae remedium confugite qui praeuenti estis tam graui peccato Seeing you haue beene ouertaken with so foule a fault neglect not the remedy which GOD hath left you heartie and vnfained repentance for your sinne the rather because you haue to do with a most mercifull Iudge who doth not onely moderate the punishment but commute it also commute the punishment which you should suffer in Hell with a punishment which the CHVRCH inflicteth here on Earth Consider the qualitie consider the quantitie of these different punishments and you will confesse that it is a most mercifull commutation Cast then your eyes backe and consider what you haue done how haynous your offence hath beene and cast your eyes forwards likewise and consider what you haue deserued how great a danger you haue incurred by inioying a short and beastly pleasure Thinke vpon both these often and thinke vpon them seriously so shall you yeeld GOD the greater glorie for the mercie which he vouchsafeth you and he shall worke the greater comfort in your soules by assuring you of the remission of that sinne wherewith you haue so greatly prouoked him And to vs all this I say Eligamus priùs affectus castigare quà m propter ipsos castigemur Let vs plucke out our eyes cut off our hands rather then by retayning them to be cast into Hell-fire Let this spectacle remember vs often to set before vs the shame of the world and the horror of a guiltie conscience which befall enormous sinners in this life And if that will not hold in our corrupt nature let vs set before vs the neuer-dying Worme the euer-burning Fier Or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let vs begin here our life in chastitie Nazian that we may one day be in the number of those Virgins that follow the Lambe whether soeuer he goeth Reuel 14. And let Magistrates and Ministers both be iealous ouer the State with a godly iealousie that as by the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments it is espowsed to one Husband 2 Cor. 11. so it may be presented as a chast Virgin vnto CHRIST when those heauenly Nuptials shall be solemnized wherein standeth our euerlasting happinesse This God grant for Jesus Christs sake by the operation of the Holy Spirit To which one