the bloud of the Paschall Lambe was sprinkled vpon the doore posts to direct the punishing Angell not to mistake an Israelite for an Aegyptian And before the Babilonian Captiuitie God sent a Man with a Pen and Inkehorne to marke in the forehead those that should escape the Destruction wrought by the Caldeans and in the Reuelation the Seale of God is set vpon his Chosen that they be not wrapt in the Generall desolation So must we assure our selues Chap. 3.16 that God Knowes all His by name and there is a Booke of Remembrance of them before him as Malachie speaketh he will neuer misdeeme Wheate for Chaffe nor mistake a Sheepe for a Goate But the Scripture doth branch this Distinction and God doth distinguish His Contra and Supra Alios 〈◊〉 2 1◠Contra hee doth oppose them vnto others Wee learne it of the Apostle Others are without God without Christ without Hope Strangers from Gods Couenant Aliens from His Common-weale but they that are His haue God for their Father Christ for their Sauiour the Holy Ghost for their Comforter eternall Life for their Hope 2. Pet. 1.4 〈◊〉 2 1◠they haue pretious promises made vnto them and they are of the Houshold of God and Fellow Citizens with the Saints Neither doth God only thus oppose them to others but preferre them before others We learne this of Moses Exod. 19. though all the World be His yet they are His peculiar His treasure elswhere they are called his Inheritance his First borne his Image Kings Priests all tearmes of preheminence and note their prerogatiue aboue all others So doth God Distinguish His. And as he doth distinguish them so doth he also regard them and that in two points Contemplatione and Dilectione First Contemplatione His Eye is vpon his Canaan from the beginning of the yeare to the end thereof Deut. 11. The walls of Ierusalem are euer in his sight his Eyes are vpon the Righteous his eares are open to their Prayers they find grace in his eyes and his delight is to be with them they are a Seale vpon His right Hand and a Signet vpon His Arme finally they are the very Apple of his Eye If you reade the Song of Salomon you shall see this gracious Contemplation of God set forth at large where the Beloued doth confesse that he receiues a Loue-wound from this Contemplation And indeed the Righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse Psal 11.7 as his eyes doe behold the thing that is right and God doth therefore take delight to behold his Church that hee may vse that as a meanes for to draw from him the Arguments of his Loue Loue being the end of his Contemplation King Dauid doth excellently set this forth Psal 132. Where bringing in God testifying that he hath chosen Sion for his resting place for euer and that there he delights to dwell he goes on reckoning vp the Blessings that he will powre vpon the King and his Subiects the Priests and the People the poore and the rich and Deut. 11. where God professeth that his Eye is alwayes vpon the Land the End is expressed to giue them seasonable raine and make their Land fruit full for his Loue is Beneuolentia non latens he delighteth in the prosperitie of His Seruants The very same is meant by those Titles which God giues himselfe of Father Sauiour Husband the Fathers eye is vpon his Child to prouide that is fit for it the Husbands eye vpon his Wife to communicate both his Honour and his Wealth vnto her the Sauiour lookes vpon his Charge that hee may looke to it and not suffer any thing to annoy it and that he may procure the welfare of it This reall Loue makes good that which before I obserued that Gods Power concurres with his Wisdome and this speciall Knowledge is not Speculatiue but Practicke Gods Children feele most gracious effects thereof and neuer more liuely effects then at the Day of Iudgement whereof this Text especially is meant Well then The wicked in this World haue no Wisdome to discerne the Godly at least their Wayes though they obserue their Persons and the Power that they haue they bend against them in regard of their wayes you may see this excellently set forth in the Booke of Wisdome Cap. 2. But what need the righteous care They may say with the Apostle that they are though vnknowne yet knowne they are knowne to God 2. Cor. 6. ◠and God Power is their support and this makes a full amends for their worldly ignoblenesse that they are so Heauenly Noble and shall appeare such at the Generall Iudgement And so haue I opened the first speciall Act of Gods Iudiciall Prouidence which workes vpon the wayes of the Godly Let vs now see the second How the same speciall Prouidence workes vpon the wayes of the wicked The way of the wicked shall perish here you must supply the word Lord for he is the Person that doth destroy them And marke what he doth destroy Not the Person but the Way Quà m clementer saith Saint Hierome He seemes to gather Gods Mercie out of it in that Non perit impius sed impietas And indeed were it meant of this Life it were a great Mercy because that Sinne is not abolisht here but Grace succeeds and that is a Blessed Destruction But the Connexion of this Verse to the former shewes that this is meant of the life to come and then you shall find that the Destruction is wofull and it stands in two points as their Wayes doe import two things the Act of Sinne and the Fruit of that Act. The Act of sinne shall cease wherein they take pleasure for in Hell though there bee Sinners yet is there no Sinning the Corruption remaynes in their Persons the Guilt in their Consciences the one to make them fewell for the flames of Hell that they may neuer goe out the other to feed the Worme that shall neuer die but the terrour of the Iudge shall bee so great whose hand they shall feele in the fire and the Euidence of the euill of sinne shall be so apparent in the Worme of their Conscience that they shall not dare any more to fall to the act of sinne and so they shall be vtterly depriued of the pleasure they tooke therein That shall perish A second thing that shall perish is the worldly Fruit of their sinning which is Honour Wealth Friends and such like Saint Iames calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iames 1.11 Esay chap. 5. speakes it plainly Hell hath enlarged her selfe and opened her mouth without measure and their Glorie and their multitude and their pompe and he that reioyceth shall descend into it That for which they take all their wicked paines and wherein they took their wicked delight That shall Faile Faile Totally and Finally Totally the Glution shall not haue so much as a drop of water left to comfort him In this Life there is a kind of Mixture in
imaginations of my heart the Lord will not spare that man c. You see then that an inordinate good bringeth no true peace And it is as true that a perfect peace cannot spring from a scant good By a scant good I meane that good which belongs onely vnto a ciuill morall life Many keepe themselues within the bounds of naturall reason they exceede not in meates and drinkes neyther in thriuing nor aspiring are they scandalous or iniurious in their carriage towards men In so doing they doe well but they doe not well enough they haue a peace but it is onely humane and not diuine it might suffice were they onely men but beeing called to bee Christian men it should not content them Religion must carry them farther than they can reach by reason Abraham Isaac Iacob c. were Worthies of a higher pitch than Socrates Arisâ—ides Plato Aug. c. could be Pecistinos Domine propterâ—te irrequietum est cor nostrum donee quiescat in te The full rest of our soules cannot be attained by Reason onely Religion must bring vs to it And yet when wee looke abroad in the world how many shall we find that thinke they haue done enough if they goe so farre as they are ledde by Reason but care little for Religion which is the life of a Christian These forget the double communion which they must haue the one in things of this life the other in things of the life to come the first worketh peace on earth a ciuill peace but it is the later that worketh the heauenly peace which we should principally affect the good which will not reach so farre is a scant good therefore the peace that attends it must needs be imperfect peace Seeing then neyther the inordinate nor the scant good can worke that peace which our Prophet speaketh of we must seeke out a good which is ordinate and full the enioying whereof is the peace here meant Now such a good both ordinate and full is onely God and the participation of him is the peace noted in my Text. But this exposition is yet too short and too darke though I neede speake no more of the good for that is the glory which before I opened and the desire of all Nations yet of the enioying thereof which is the peace I must speake more Obserue then that as God is but one so did he make all at one and at one they were by communion with him that is but one Separate them from God and by and by they fall at odds they fall one from another yea and one vpon another vntill they are consumed So that there is no coniunction lasting no comfortable vnion which is not consolldated and souldered with and in God Apply this in speciall to men Gods image in vs is the ground of our vnion with him for where there is no similitude there can bee no vnion therefore the losse of Gods image was the cause of our rent from him and as the Prophet speaketh finne separateth betweene God and vs. And this separation interrupted the peace wherein wee were created by a foure fold Warre First it armes Gods iustice against vs who prouoke him by sinne hee whets his sword he bends his bow prepares the instruments of death against such rebels he hath his full vials of wrath ready to bee poured out against the vngodly Vpon this followes a second warre a warre in our bosomes for seiudice nemo nocens absoluitur a mans conscience is a thousand witnesses against him yea and iudges also it vexeth him with accusation with condemnation yea and execution also caeco verbere pulsat it is a hell that goeth before hell a neuer-dying worme Besides this we haue another ciuill warre the law of our members rebels against the law of our mindes and carrieth vs captiues vnto sinne We are full of fleshly lusts that fight against our soule 1 Pet. 2.11 yea that are such weapons of vnrighteousnesse as fight against God against our Neighbours Which is a fourth warre springing from this third So St. Iames cap. 4. teacheth from whence come warres and fightings amongst you come they not hence euen of your lusts that warre in your members Men that haue vnruly affections within them will suffer none to be at quiet that come neare them the couetous will dispoyle other men of their goods the malicious will bereaue them of their liues the ambitious will supplant them the crafty defraud them there is not an euill roote within vs from whence our Neighbour shall not gather some cuill fruite This foure-fold warre sprang out of our first separation from God and our true and full peace must put an end vnto this foure-fold warre First it must take away the guilt of our sinne and propitiate God it must make an attonement for vs and free vs from the curse for if thou O Lord Psal 130.3 marke what is done amisse O Lord who is able to abide it if hee enter into iudgement no flesh can be righteous in his sight Psal 143.2 But the first degree of our peace is that which turneth our Iudge into our Father and maketh the eies wherewith hee beholdeth vs no lesse gracious than pure The second degree of peace is that which killeth the worme and quieteth our conscience making it of an accuser to become an excuser of a condemner an absoluer and of a tormenter a comforter being no longer priuie to our selues of the guilt of sinne we feele not the horrours of hell in our soules A blessing to bee highly esteemed because fearefull are the examples of those who hauing felt the sharpenesse of such horrours haue beene so disconsolate notwithstanding all worldly comfort that they haue beene driuen to seeke a release of their paine by butchering themselues The third degree of peace is the purging of the corruption of our nature that the conflict betweene the worser and the better part may cease So that though sinne remaine yet it raigneth no longer in vs all our powers and parts are brought in subiection vnto Christ and we yeeld vp our members as weapons of righteousnesse vnto holinesse Rom. 6.19 Whereupon followeth the fourth degree of peace which abolisheth all dissention between men and men it maketh them all of one minde of one heart to loue together as brethren and as to haue a fellow-feeling one of anothers state so likewise a louing disposition to aduance each the others good neither couetousnesse nor malice nor any other wicked affection shall disturbe the common good as much as lyeth in vs we will haue peace with all men These bee the foure degrees of peace which must concurre to make vp Shalom which is peace in the Hebrew tongue but such peace as is intire and perfect and we vnderstand it too shallowly if we doe not comprehend these foure degrees in it Hauing found out what the peace is we must in the next place see where it shall rest the place is
this word imports is That the sinnes which we entertaine for friends shall suddenly turne to be our foes they shall appeare as an Army furnished with the instruments of Death So we learne of St PETER Brethren I beseech you 1 Pet. 2 11. as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule We thinke that by them we sight against GOD but GOD is impenitrable the arrowes that we shoot rebound backe and wound our selues And no maruell for sinne is the sting of death and we cannot commit sinne but we receine that sting and when GOD shall come against vs as Iâ—HV against IEZEâ—EL and call who is on my side who Our owne sinnes 2 King 9. as her Eunuches shall stand out and at his command cast vs downe to be trampled vnder feet and to be made meat for Dogges to be insulted vpon by the Fiends of Hell and to be gnawne on by Death But where shall this martialling be Surely in our owne bosome in our owne conscience that shall then be a true and a cleare glasse representing our sinnes and representing them armed against vs. And this shall adde much to our miserie it shall not be then with vs as it is in this world here we behold our naturall face in a glasse Iames 1. and by and by goe away and forget what manner of person we were but this glasse shall still be before vs and our eye shall still be on it And why It is nothing but the worme that neuer dyeth we can no more be rid of it then we can be rid of our soule the Conscience is an essentiall power of the Soule and this worme by an irreuocable decree is made a perpetuall companion of a guiltie Conscience the wicked shall carrie it with them from the Iudgement-Seat and shall keepe it with them so long as they shall burne in the flames of Hell This is a powerfull Motiue and should worke in you that are guiltie a care to disarme so powerfull an Enemie to plucke out the sting before the wound be vncurable so many sinnes as remaine vnrepented of are as so many treacherous Souldiers howsoeuer they doe now speake friendly to you yet when they are least feared they will giue deadly strokes you shall feare them when you shall haue no remedy against them What I say to you I say vnto all nay GOD himselfe saith it in the close of this Psalme Heare this all ye that forget God Iewes and Gentiles whatsoeuer you be if you be adulterers drunkards vsurers blasphemers any way wicked liuers Consider this saith GOD least I suddenly take you away and there be none to helpe you for if we be guiltie of such sinnes and encourage our selues in them by base conceipts of GOD GOD will not faile to reproue vs and marshall such wickednesse before vs to conuict vs thereof and confound vs therewith God giue vs all timely repentance that we may preuent so fearefull a vengance Amen Πάντοτε δόξα Θηῶ. A SERMON PREACHED AT St ANDREWES IN WELLS A WOMAN DOING PENANCE FOR INCEST GALATH. 6. VERSE 1. Brethren if a man be ouertaken in a fault you which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted WE are all compounded of the Old and New man and euerie one feeles the solicitations of both These solicitations exercise both our head and our heart our head to discerne betweene them our heart to make a good choyce vpon a right iudgement And that we make such a choyce it should appeare in our works they should argue the death of concupiscence and the life of grace in that we beare fruit not to the Flesh but to the Spirit Now the fruit of the Spirit is either pietie or charitie it testifieth that our selues are carefull to be good and being good we are not vnrespectiue of others Not of them that are good for it keeps vs from being ambitiously insolent not of them that are bad for it makes vs compassionately mercifull The exercise of this last branch of charitie the opening of our tender bowels towards such as offend is the Argument of these words which I haue now read vnto you Here we haue Offendors described and Compassion enioyned Offendors not of all sorts but such as ought to be the subiect of Compassion Offendors that are ouertaken in a fault we are enioyned to shew Compassion to these to restore them in the spirit of meekenesse And touching this Compassion we are moreouer taught First who must shew it and secondly what must moue them therunto They that must shew it are here called Brethren and spirituall each name importeth a reference they haue vnto the Offendor the first a reference of their persons they are their Allies and therefore may not shut their bowels against them the second of their guifts the better they are the more good they must doe such are the persons that must shew compassion And they must be moued thereunto out of an apprehension of the common danger danger is common to all Thou mayst likewise be tempted and no man must be vnobseruant hereof he must consider his owne selfe So haue you the contents of this Text which I meane now farther to enlarge as this spectacle doth occasion and shall be most behoofefull for vs all I begin first at the description that is here made of an Offendor where you shall see first his fault and then the cause thereof The fault is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fall a fall taken by stumbling The fall is not corporall but morall yet by a corporall you may vnderstand a morall fall for he that falleth in regard of the sight of his body commeth lower and withall ordinarily taketh a bruise euen so is it in a morall fall GOD by Creation made a man dominum socium If you looke to this visible world he made him dominum as it appeareth Genes 1. where Soueraigntie is giuen ouer the Beasts Birds Fishes and euerie other Creature made for the vse of man But if you looke to the inuisible world then was he to be Socius a confort with the Angels in the blessed state of Heauen Yea in this Microcosme the Fabricke of the nature of man which is as it were an Epitome of these two other worlds the better part had the guidance of and commanded ouer the worse the Soule ruled the Body But so soone as man sinned he came downe domintos became servus and these base creatures began to tyrannize ouer vs who were ordained their Lords hence goods meats drinkes and other corruptible things are become Idols and we fall downe and worship them and what will not a man doe transported by the vanity of this world As for the societie we had with Angels the blessed Angels of Heauen we haue lost that and are become the Serpents brood not onely Beasts but also Diuels Finally Earth hath gotten the vpper hand of Heauen the Body of the
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-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
were slaine with him and these murders brought out another murder euen the murder of Dauids owne child for though he died iustly by Gods hand yet was Dauid the murderer of him by reason of his sinne to say nothing of Absolons rebellion which shed much bloud and was denounced for this sinne of Dauid Dauid attending vnto these manifold iniquities of his doth wrap them vp all in this word blouds as being all the euill fruites of his sinfull flesh and bloud But we must not vnderstand onely Sinne by the name of Blouds the Scripture applieth the word vnto the Punishment of sinne also and noteth 〈◊〉 12. that all sinne proueth bloudy to the sinner and therefore the Apostle obserueth that without shedding of bloud there is no expiation for sinne whereupon it followeth that all sinnes are mortall and doe slay the sinner Chap. 2. But of all sinnes this is especially true of Murder the Law in Deutronomic doth intimate as much when it doth require so curious an expiation of vncertaine murder yea before Moses dayes God exprest so much vnto Noah not onely mystically when he forbids the eating of bloud but literally when he saith hee will require bloud-shed both from man and beast Gene 9 4.5 yea he doth so abhorre murder and pursue it vnto death that hee commands that whosoeuer hath wilfully shed bloud shall bee violently taken from his Altar if hee take Sanctuarie there and bee put to death â—â—od 21.14 Goe higher to the Old world and there see how murder is iustly called bloudy and proueth mortall to the murderer Caine was the first that shed bloud and Caine is recorded for a monument of Gods vengeance Lamech speaketh fully who is thought by some to haue flaine Caine and so to haue paide home bloud with bloud Gene. 4. I haue slaine a man saith hee to my wounding and a young man to my hurt that is the stabbe which I haue giuen to another proues a deadly wound vnto my selfe in murdering him haue I become mine owne murderer so that in effect Dauid in the phrase intimateth thus much bloud calleth for bloud and I deserue to haue my bloud shed that haue shed anothers This was that that perplext him the conscience of this was the worme that gnawed him And no wonder he had heard from Nathan that he might not build Gods House because he had shed much bloud and yet the bloud which he had then shed was onely the bloud of the enemies of Israel and it was iustly shed in battell how farre then might hee well thinke himselfe estranged from God that had so treacherously so villainously spilt the bloud of his owne subiects of his faithfull seruant yea of his owne child Saint Ambrose obserueth that seeing Dauid was of so gentle a nature that he spared the bloud of his aduersarie Saul we cannot thinke but he grieued much when hee found himselfe ouer-taken with a sinne which the goodnesse of his nature so much abhorred gesse at his disposition by his speech vnto Abigal who wisely charmed him when in a fuâ—ious moode he would haue destroyed churlish Nabal and all his family Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel saith Dauid to Abigal which sent thee this day to meete me and blessed be thy aduice and blessed be thou which hast kept mee this day from comming to shed bloud It were to bee wished that Christian Kings had as tender hearts and were as easily pacified as they are enraged there would not be so much Christian bloud shed neither would they bee such vnnaturall butchers of their owne subiects Or because that is rather to be wished then hoped for though it would make much for the publike good that murder were preuented yet I would at least that when it is committed Princes were not so altogether without remorse of that which they haue done and in godly sorrow would imitate King Dauid and be timely feeling of their offence and prouide for the safetie of their soules Though Dauid were a King and free from the danger of his owne Law yet found he a controller in his owne bosome and was indicted by his owne conscience from which the greatest Monarches cannot free themselues Nero Emperour of the Romanes Richard the third an vsurper in this Kingdome are in seuerall Histories reported to haue felt the vexation of this furie and the biting of the worme And if Monarches are not free how shall meaner men bee priuiledged And yet I cannot without griefe behold the senselessenesse of many that embrew their hands in bloud whether in their cups or for their honour and neuer call themselues to an account neuer iudge themselues before they are iudged of the Lord but smother their owne conscience with frollicke liuing vntill their wofull ends make them fearefull examples vnto others It were well for them if they felt more smart that they might with King Dauid desire ease and crie out Deliuer The word is Vox confligentis or ingementis Ingementis groaning vnder the slauerie of sinne peccatiseruitvs pessima sinne is the worst kind of flâ—uerie and therefore no wonder if it force a crie and as the children of Israel in their Aegyptian bondage so men enthrawled spiritually crie Deliuer Or if it bee not vox gementis it is vox confligentis Dauid was now in a hard conflict a conflict with remorse of sinne a conflict with the feare of punishment both were able to wrest from him this word Deliuer Sinne is compared to an armed man by the sonne of Syracke all iniquitie saith he is as a two edged sword Chap. 21. the wounds whereof cannot bee healed it is there compared also to a Serpent which will bite to the teeth of a Lyon which slaies the soules of men he therefore counselleth vs to flie from it yea and we had neede crie out too sinne maketh a hideous crie against vs it crieth in the eares of the Lord and calleth for vengeance it crieth in our conscience and gineth vs no rest there is good reason therefore why wee should crie out Deliuer deliuer vs from the inward from the outward crie which so distresseth which so afflicteth But when we crie out against the crie of bloud wee must remember that there is Mors sicca as well as Mors humida many doe murder that shed no bloud Si non pauisti occidisti Hee that suffereth the poore to perish for want of food is plainely a murderer how much more if hee take their liuing from them whosoeuer doth either of these had neede pray Deliuer me from bloud guiltinesse bloud euerie day and euerie where toucheth bloud as Hosea speaketh and yet we see little remorse and few there are that with King Dauid pray Deliuer that pray to be loosed from the bands wherein they haue ensnared themselues and to bee eased of their guilt I told you before that Bloud doth not onely signifie actuall but originall sinne and so the Fathers some of them vnderstand King Dauids
to be made a vessell of mercie this man flyeth and the more he exerciseth himselfe in these the swifter he flyeth from the wrath to come But to come closer to the text flight from the wrath to come is the benefit of Baptisme for these Iewes came to the Baptisme and Saint Iohn mouing then this question thereupon doth shew that flight from the wrath to come is the right vse of Baptisme Baptismus aqua est sed quae igneÌ„ aeternum possit extinguere which Nazianzen doth wittily intimate when he saith that Baptisme is such a water as is able to quench the eternall fire Saint Peter more plaine in his Paralel of Baptisme to Noahs Arke sheweth that in Baptisme there is to be considered not the washing away of the filth of our flesh but a good Conscience maketh request vnto God through the resurrection of Iesus Christ This is the manner of flight But from what must wee flie Marke From wrath from wrath to come From wrath there is the stroake which wee feele and the stampe of Gods displeasure in that stroake that wherewith wee must be moued most and from which we must especially flie is Gods displeasure which is the sharpest part of the stroke As good men out of grace in this world when they repent doe grieue more for that they haue offended God then that they haue cast themselues in danger of Hell so by Gods prouidence to the damned shall the losse of Gods fauour be more gricuous then the torments of Hell which is answerable to the nature of sinne wherein auersion from God is more grieuous then the conuersion to the world therefore in our flight our eye must bee principally not vpon the stripes which wee might feele but vpon Gods disfauour Thus must we flie from wrath And our flying from it must be whiles it is yet wrath to come no flying from it when it is present there is no Oyle to bee bought by the foolish Virgins when the Bridegroome is come Noah entred the Arke before the floud came Lot went out of Sodome before it rained fire and brimstone the children of Israel sprinkled the bloud of the Paschall Lambe on their doores before the destroying Angell slue the first-borne of Egypt in Ezekiel in the Reuelation the seruants of God are marked and sealed before Gods wrath is executed all these are but Types signifying that if we meane to escape wee must take aduantage of the time agree with our Aduersarie in the way Luke 12. left hee passe vs ouer to the Iudge the Iudge to the Serieant the Serieant to the Goaler neuer to bee released vntill wee haue paid the vtmost farthing then hath God no eares to heare our crie no eyes to pitie our state but Wisdome will laugh at our destruction and reioyce when our feare commeth wherefore prouide Phisicke before thou art sicke and Righteousnesse before Iudgement You haue heard the Euill and the Remedie the miserie of these Iewes was this that they wanted this Remedie and why They wanted one that should forewarne them to flie Wee can cast our selues into danger but foresee that whereof we are in danger wee cannot it is the Deuils policie to hoodwinke vs in this respect or to busâ—e vs with other obiects lest we should be reclaimed by this therefore it is Gods second mercie that wee haue forewarners The word signifieth to shew and to foreshew Intus apparens excludit alienum to shew to Sense and Reason Touching our Sense that Axiome is true If there be any Obiect that busieth it other Obiects are not discerned by it Now hee that draweth vs into sinne taketh order that wee shall not want varietie of other obiects therefore this obiect needeth a Remembrancer we need haue a Map of Hell to bee set before vs not such an apish or rather impious one as is depainted in the Iesuites Chamber of Meditations whereby they make Proselytes treacherous Proselytes such as this Age hath had too much proofe of but such a Map as the Scripture maketh and which by the finger of the Spirit is able to make a solid impression in our soules as it is excellently described in Iob. Chap. 33. So must he shew to Sense There is a shewing also to Reason for euen when we see these things flesh and bloud hath sophisters wherewith to stay this flight they that doe not denie there is a Hell yet thinke that Gods prouidence doth not see them amongst so many thousands or cares not for that which they doe therefore there must be a confutation of that sophistrie such a one as is Psal 94. Vnderstand yee brutish among the people and yee fooles when will yee be wise He that planted the eare shall not he heare and he that framed the eie shall not hee see Hee that chasteneth the Heathen shall not hee correct Thus must the forewarner shew Neither shew only but foreshew also for if there bee no flying but from the wrath to come then before the wrath come it must be shewne for when it is present it shall need no shewing the testimonie of our owne conscience shall the cleere our fancie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and resolue our reason our sense shall then haue nothing else to apprehend neither shall our reason cast any doubts of the truth thereof whosoeuer then is iudged of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall also be condemned of his owne conscience he shall set to his seale That God is true and that his Iudgements are most iust you haue such a confession in the fift of Wisdome Foreshew then he must But all foreshewing is not enough for many can indure to see it afarre off Amos 6.3 as they in Amos that did not denie but put farre off the euill day and so the euill seruant in the Gospel My Master will come but after a long time therefore the word here vsed signifieth to foreshew a thing imminent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath foreshewed you to flie from the wrath hanging ouer your heads that the Iudge is at the doore that yee are at the gate of Hell such a kind of foreshewing is that that will shake off carnall securitie and will if any thing make men betake themselues to this flight Finally marke that the forewarning must be not only of the wrath to come but also of the flight If the forewarning were only of the wrath to come and wee had only the torments of Hell set before our eyes what could this doe but make vs at our wits end and ouerwhelme vs with despaire but here is the comfort of the forewarning that it setteth before vs the flight also and as it fixeth one eye vpon the danger to humble vs so doth it the other vpon the Remedie wherewith it is Gods pleasure to relieue vs. The Ministers for they are chiefly these Forewarners haue two branches of their power to bind to loose to bind the obstinate to the wrath to come and
Iewes were pricked at the heart when St. Peter preached vnto them Acts 2.37 and as perplexed in conscience cried out Men and Brethren what shall we doe before they receiued the comfort of the Gospell Saint Paul was stricken downe to the ground from Heauen before he was conuerted The Goaler came trembling to him and Silas Acts 16. Esay 67. before he was baptized It is a broken and contrite heart that must make vs capable of grace neyther will the filiall feare enter except way bee made by the seruile This may bee the reason why the holy Ghost by whose power the Apostles were to conuert the world Acts 2. Cap. 4. came vpon them at first in fire and with a mighty winde and a second time with an earth-quake which shaked all the house wherein they were It shewes how their Ministry should shake the hearts and consciences of the World for in omnes terras exiuit sonus eorum Besides this spirituall Luke 12. the Nations had a corporall shaking I came saith Christ to send a sword into the World No sooner had he begunne the Gospel but wee see how the Herodians the Sadducees the Pharisees bestirre themselues against him and against all the Apostles The Apostles intimate as much when in their prayer they repeat those words of the Psalme Psal 2. Acts 4.25 Why doe the Heathen so furiously rage together and the People imagine a vaine thing the Kings of the earth stand vp and the Rulers take counsell against the Lord and against his anointed And how furious was the Dragon against the Woman Reu. 12. because shee had borne a Man childe I will not trouble you to reckon vp the Heathenish or Hereticall Persecutions of the Primitiue Church Gen. 3. Ponam inimicitias I will put enmity betweene the Woman and the Serpent and betweene their seedes is the true ground of this shaking and it holdeth in all ages No sooner is the vanity of Oracles of Idols and of false worship discouered and deserted but the Diuell in reuenge of his quarrell will set Nation against Nation Family against Family Kindred against Kindred and a mans enemies shall be those of his owne houshold Wee haue wofull proofe of it in this age the bloody warres which haue beene and are in these westerne parts whence haue they sprung Gal. 3.1 but from Christs comming amongst vs in the truth of his Gospell which St. Paul to the the Galathians termeth a second forming of Christ in vs and as it were a crucifying of him before vs. But the enuious man that sowed tares cannot bee contented that hee should bee so ouer-topped with good eares of corne therefore there will follow a shaking I haue sufficiently shewed you that both Worlds were shaken but I may not forget a difference which is between their shaking though both are rowsed and giue their attendance at the first comming of Christ yet the great world doth it only effectu it serues to the honour thereof but not knowing what it doth But the little World attends also affectu it is sensible of that which it doth And indeed the shaking of the great World is only to worke a sensible shaking in the little World Which as it is wont to be wrought in other cases as when vpon the sight of Eclypses and blazing Starres men are affrighted and prognosticate vnto themselues Famines Pestilences Waâ—res Confusion of States which is likewise done by them vpon the sight of Earth-quakes So God would haue it also in this case he would that men should be obseruant and feeling of his extraordinary Workes wrought vpon the Heauens and the Earth in honour and testimony of his comming into the world who is the Sauiour of the world I haue done with the shaking I will onely giue you an obseruation or two vpon it and so passe on to the Time The first is St. Chrysostomes Hom. 14. in Mat. c. 14 Hom. 1. ad Rom. God when hee doth any great Worke in the world non solet subrepere stealeth not vpon the World but giueth signification before hand So did he before he brought on the Floud before hee deliuered his People out of Egypt before he gaue the Iewes ouer vnto the Babylonian captiuity We cannot reade those Stories but we must needes finde in them Gods palpable harbingers So that if men be surprised it is not because men are not forewarned but because they will take no warning The old World though the Arke was building before their face yet were they eating and drinking marrying and giuing in marriage till the floud came Though Moses told Pharaoh what euill God would bring vpon him yet did Pharaoh still harden his heart and the Iewes mocked the Prophets that early and late told them of their captiuity neyther would they beleeue it vntill they were past recouery 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospell be hid saith St. Paul it is hid vnto those whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that they should not beleeue Acts 26 2â— for as hee told Agrippa the things which they preached were not done in a corner As the corporall Sunne doth not rise without a dawning of the day so Christ came not into the world without some prognostication thereof Iewes and Gentiles that doe not beleeue are without all excuse because God hath so plainely shaken both the Worlds Neyther shall we haue ought to pleade for our selues if we neglect or forsake the Truth which God hath brought vnto vs because he hath accompanied it with so wonderfull deliuerances and comforts vs in honour of it with so many diuers blessings God hath vouchsafed many wayes to premonish vs let vs take heede that wee dis-regard him not The second Obseruation is this Mat. 5.18 No Creature can hinder the performance of Gods will Heauen and Earth shall passe rather than one iot of his word shall be vndone Wee neede not feare any opposition on the worlds part notwithstanding it is the common feare of worldly men because all the world is in Gods power hee can shake and shiuer it at his pleasure Of this God doth often put his People in minde by the Prophets and biddeth them bee bold thereupon And wee may say Si Deus nobiscum quis Rom. 8.31 yea and quid too contra nos Quid Is it the great World God can shake Heauen and Earth the Sea and the dry Land Quis Is it man God can shake him also hee can shake all Nations therefore we neede not feare what eyther World can doe vnto vs. And thus much of the manner of the Preparation I come now briefly to shew you the time thereof When a man heares of such great matters hee will be inquisitiue after this circumstance he will desire to know how often how soone And the holy Ghost doth here resolue both those questions How often Nazianz. orat 37. p. 607. â—rat 21. p. 388 if you aske he answers Yet
see how GOD dealeth with vs he maketh our Hearts the Chronicles of our liues a Chronicle indeed for hereinto are entered both what we doe and when and wee can as hardly deny the Record as we are vnwilling to belie our selues and therefore we should take heed what we doe seeing the euidence thereof will remaine with vs. Neither is it an idle Euidence but the presentment of a Iurie our Conscience is as it were a whole Iury empanelled to trie vs whether Guiltie or not Guiltie it is alwayes going vpon vs and presenteth vs as it findeth vs. And who would not bemoane his case that will he nil he himselfe must bee tried by himselfe and that his sinnes are so palpable in his owne eyes that himselfe must bring in a Verdict against himselfe This is wofull bee cause the Conscience that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee will not spare to doome our selues if we finde our selues guiltie wee will power confusion vpon our owne soules and with confusion and horror breed that worme suddainly which will bite vs intollerably we will bitter and sower our relish with the foretast of Hell Mala Conscientia tota est in desperatione August in Psa 31. we will make our selues most forlorne creatures In the Conscience which is guiltie there are stings dreadfull which the patient feeleth but none other can bee acquainted with and it is a true rule that Tribulationes tanto acerbiores quanto sunt interiores The Spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can beare especially the spirit which himselfe woundeth but hee is his owne afflictor who is asllicted in Conscience A man may flee from his enemie but who can slie from himselfe It is true that a Conscious man would euery where thrust himselfe from himselfe but he findeth by wofull experience that he can neuer goe from himselfe no though hee would vnnaturally bereaue himselfe of corporall life yet the tormenter abideth by him and whether soeuer he draweth himselfe he afflicteth himselfe euermore Many men that seele themselues euilly Conscious labour to put off the distresse thereof by solacing themselues with the pleasures and vanities of this life but their attempt is a poore and short palliation of a desperate disease Wherefore let vs take heed of an euill Conscience that loadeth vs with so much intollerable euill Though a man grow so desperately wicked that he regardeth no body yet he hath good reason to regard himselfe hee that feareth no bodies eye should feare his owne and feare the power that he hath ouer himselfe though hee feare not the power of any other Though we hide our sinnes from others we cannot hide them from our selues neither will wee spare our selues though all the world would spare vs. Hee neuer wanteth an accusing Iury nor a condemning Iudge that is infested with a guiltâ—â— Conscience As the Conscience dealeth vncomfortably with them that are guiltie so with them that are guiltlesse it dealeth very comfortably it doeth not condemne so speaketh St. Iohn But in his phrase there is a Litote Minus dicitur sed plus intelligitur there is more meant then is exprest And indeed it cannot bee otherwise for if the Conscience be a worke as it condemneth him whom it findeth guiltie so whom it sindeth guiltlesse him it absolueth it doeth iustilie And here also we must obserue that our Conscience if it be good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it knoweth all the good wee doe it Recordes it yea and tendreth the Record that we may solace our selues with the contemplation of it And indeed Conscientia recte factorum to bee Conscious to our selues of well doing is no small comfort Especially when goodnesse is little regarded in the world yea is commonly persecuted by the world it is no small matter to haue in our soules that which can sweeten all the crosses which are laid vpon our bodies Goodnesse hath pleasure inseparably linckt vnto it as in GOD so in godly men and our Conscience will not suffer vs to be defrauded of this heauenly pleasure which keepeth a memoriall of our by-past vertues and sweetens our life with the relation thereof It commeth not to absolue vs per Saltum but doeth it vpon as good a ground and as faire euidence brought out for vs as the condemning Conscience worketh vpon euidence brought against vs. It is then the first benefit of an absoluing Conscience that it keepeth and sheweth soorth when it may best steed vs the Record of our well-doing Neither doeth it onely tender it as a Iâ—ry but also as a Iudge sentenceth vs according to it As it keepeth in minde how well we haue obserued the Precepts of the Law so doth it award vnto vs the Sanction thereof all the Benedictions that GOD hath annext vnto it corporall Benedictions Benedictions spirituall temporall Benedictions and Benedictions eternall Although well-doing bee full of contentednesse yet the reward of wel-doing maketh no small accesse vnto it a good Conscience is accompanied with both it is accompanied with Bonum in re and Bonum in spe good in possession and good in expectation Wherefore blessed is the man that can enter into his owne heart and finde there so good Euidence and so good a Sentence But how may a man haue such a good Conscience St. Austin teacheth the method of it Psal 31. Vt habeat quis bonam Conscientiam credat operetur he that will haue a Conscience that shall giue in good euidence for him and pronounce a comfortable sentence on him must Beleeue well and Liue well Faith doeth purifie the Heart and a good life beareth the fruite that aboundeth to our reckoning when wee iudge our owne soule But a man must not looke to haue this blessing of a good Conscience suddainely Augst in Psal 66. Vade ad formicam piger got to the Pismire thou sluggard she gathereth graine in Summer whereof shee maketh vse in Winter Et formica Dei surgit quotidiè currit ad Ecclesiam c. GODS Emmet that is a man that will haue such a good Conscience riseth early hasteneth to the Church heares often prayeth often meditateth often and so doeth acquire this absoluing Conscience Colligentem in aestate videre potes commedentem in hieme videre non potes the outward meanes which he vseth are visible but the inward comforts which when time serueth he reapeth are inuisible Thus doeth Saint Austin moralize that Simile of Salomon and wee must not looke to haue such not-condemning or absoluing Consciences except we bee such Pismires of GOD. But here are two Rockes to be heeded at which many suffer Shipwracke while they mistake the doctrine of a not-condemning and a condemning Conscience First of a not-condemning Some confound herewith a seared Con-and because they are senselesse they doe not thinke themselues gracelesse Custome in Sinne or the busie pursuite of their corrupt lusts silenceth their Conscience that it speaketh
God many enormous sinnes had neuer beene committed neither would the people so familiarly shift their Religion at the becke of their superiour But aboue all vsurpations of Gods glorie in this kind take notice of the Votiue blind obedience of the Religious Romanists especially of the Iesuites they make it a part of their solemne profession and put it in practise impiously and mischieuously as the world hath palpaple and woful proofe True it is that they pretend good limitations set to their Vow as that the superiour must not be obeyed against Gods Law and the law of Nature but while they make the superiour the interpreter of both these Lawes and that they must rest in their superiours Voice as in the Voice of Christ what they abhorre in words that they commit in deeds they commit many things both against the Law of God and nature And in generall all Papists that hold the Popes infallabilitie taking from him the resolution of our faith and manners how doe they serue God against Gods will and massacre Gods seruants out of an erroneous zeale for Gods glorie Let the conclusion then of this point be that no man may dispute or resist any voice of God but withall he doth challenge Gods Truth and his Power and whosoeuer requires absolute credit and obedience to all his words he vsurpes Gods Attributes which are incommunicable that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnerring Truth and Vncontrowable Power And so haue you the first of those things which God doth require which is Obedience The second followeth which is Fidelitie Israel must keepe the Couenant of God a Couenant is a solemne contract made betweene diuers persons and Gods Couenant is the contract that is made betweene him and his Church in those termes I will bee your God and you shall be my people But of Couenants there are two sorts Foedus aequum and Faedus iniquum as the Ciuilians speake Foedus aequum is that which is made betweene persons that are of equall ranke whereof one is not superiour to the other Foedus iniquum is that which is made betweene persons that are impari iure of vnequall ranke whereof the one is superiour to the other When we speake of Gods Couenant made with man wee must not conceiue that that the persons are equall they are very vnequall there is no proportion betweene them neither can there be betweene an infinite and a finite person this must be obserued in the very first Couenant that euer God made the Couenant of the Creation for then the Persons differed as the Creator and Creature there was oddes betweene them Secondly as there may bee oddes betweene the persons that enter into a Couenant so there may haue beene before they enter into the Couenant no enmitie or no great enmitie betweene them Nations that neuer were at warre may enter into Couenant one to strengthen himselfe by the other or one to haue the freer commerce with the other but oftentimes it fals out that Leagues put an end vnto quarrels and Couenants are the securitie of a reconciliation and open the intercourse of mutuall good offices which war shut vp Though the Couenant of the Creation had no precedent enmitie yet that of the Redemption had and therefore it is called not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Couenant but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Reconciliation when we were enemies Christ died for vs and by his bloud was the New Testament ratified Thirdly the Couenant primarily here meant is the Decalogue on those Ten Words did God make a Couenant with Israel and the Tables wherein they were written were called the Tables of the Couenant 1 eut 9 11. the Arke wherein the Tables were put is called the Arke of the Couenant 1. Reg 8.1 and the Tabernacle wherein the Arke was was called the Tabernacle of the Couenant But this Couenant of the Decalogue hath a double consideration whereof the one is Intrinsicall the other is Extrinsicall the Intrinsicall is that which looketh to the naturall power of the Law which is to discouer sinne to conuict a sinner and to doome him according to his desert the Extrinsicall consideration is that which looketh to the supernaturall power of the Law and that is to be a Schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ who is the end of the Law and came to fulfill it To shadow this double consideration the Decalogue was cloathed with the Ceremoniall Law wherein the offerer imposing hands vpon the Sacrifice did confesse himselfe guiltie and the slaying of the Beast shewed the desert of a sinner thus there appeared what is the naturall power of the Law The supernaturall power also appeared in the ceremonies in that the offerer vnburthened himselfe vpon the Sacrifice as a sinner doth vpon our Sauiour Christ and that by the death of the beast the offerer was exempted from death as men are deliuered from death by the death and passion of our Sauiour Christ Wherefore though the Couenant of the Redemption bee but one yet in regard of the shadow it is called the Old and in regard of the substance the New You haue seene what is the Couenant of God you must now learne what it is to keepe it First wee must learne to obserue our distance though God doe vs the honour to contract with vs yet must not we presume to equall our selues to God for so shall wee betray our ignorance that we know not of what kind the Couenant is we must therefore discerne the inequalitie of the Persons that haue contracted and wee must confesse how low God hath descended that hath vouchsafed to take vs into so neere a reference As in keeping the Couenant wee must obserue our distance so must we not be vnmindfull of the danger which we haue escaped thereby he that considereth not that he stood at Gods mercie when hee was receiued to grace that he was by merit a firebrand of Hell when by mercie he was designed to be a Saint in Heauen cannot as he ought keepe the Couenant of God Now the Decalogue wherein this Couenant standeth hath a double consideration therefore he that will keepe Gods Couenant must make vse of both First he must make vse of the Intrinsecall consideration and of euery branch thereof by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne therefore that he may haue a true iudgemement of the nature differences and degrees of sinnes he must be well conuersant in the Decalogue he must not trust to Morall Philosophie to Ciuill Constitutions and Customes to Pharisaicall or Papisticall Traditions these are but imperfect guides in such inquiries Only Gods Couenant can tell what is and what is not finne Moses is the best Casuist Secondly he must often suruey himselfe at this glasse of the Law and there find the excesses and defects of his life no other thing can represent them so truly as this will doe this Glasse will neither flatter nor deforme vs our consciences
directed hereby will returne a true verdict and indict vs of no lesse sinne then we haue committed Thirdly as a man must conuict himselfe according to the Law so according to the Law must hee doome himselfe acknowledge whatsoeuer is due to a wretched sinner what place what state what worme what fire what losse what paine that all these are due vnto himselfe this Intrinsecall consideration of the Law must euery one haue that will obserue Gods Couenant But he must not rest here he must come on to the Extrinsecall the supernaturall Power of the Law whereat the Lawgiuer did finally aime man finding no innocencie in himselfe must seeke it in Christ hee must vnload his conscience vpon the propitiatorie Sacrifice and wash his garments white in the bloud of that Lambe through confidence in Christs death hee must insult against that death which is the wages of his sinne Rom 6. Finally what was impossible for the Law by reason of the weaknesse of his flesh Rom. 8. this must be his comfort that God sending his owne Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might bee fulfilled in vs who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit You see what it is to keepe the Couenant of God I may not omit the reason why God calleth it his Couenant and the reason is twofold First because we being inferiours and enemies could not prescribe any Articles to God but were to take such as he was pleased to prescribe both to himselfe and vs so that though there be two parties to the Conenant yet is there but one that proscribes And we may well be content with it for being in that case that we were in wee could not haue wisht for so much as God hath done for vs. A second Reason is because in point of Religion couenanting with any other is forbidden God brooketh not that he hauing appropriated himselfe as it were vnto vs wee should communicate vnto others the honour that is due to him The Couenant of God is of the nature of those leagues which require intire offensiue and defensiue seruice we must haue to doe with no others but for the Lord and in the Lord. I draw to an end Let vs lay together the two parts of the Text and so you may learne two good lessons That which in the former part is called Gods voice is in the later part called Gods Couenant the later name sweetens the former the first is imperious the second is gratious and who would not heare that voice the argument whereof is nothing but Gods wonderfull fauour though the pride of our nature be impatient to be commanded yet can it not chuse but take it for a great honour that wee are contracted with by the Soueraigne Lord of Heauen and Earth that we are contracted with about our heauenly aduancement and our euerlasting emolument Our second Lesson is That seeing to heare Gods Voice is to keepe his Couenant the breach of our dutie is not only Sin but Persidiousnesse our euill deseruing of God is aggrauated by Gods well deseruing of vs which we should well obserue for if we haue not lost all ingenuitie the due consideration hereof will worke in vs the deeper remorse for sinne past and be vnto vs the stronger preseruatiue against sinne to come Adde a third Lesson that hearing the Voice is put before keeping the Couenant because that is a meanes vnto this for we cannot keepe Gods Couenant but by the grace which we receiue by hearing his Voice I will end with the Prayer of King Dauid TEach me Psal 119 33 34 O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it vnto the end giue me vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy Law yea I shall obserue it with my whole heart The fourth Sermon EXODVS 19. VERS 5 6. Then shall yee be a peculiar treasure vnto mee aboue all people for all the earth is mine And yee shall be vnto me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation IN the message which God sent by Moses to Israel testifying vpon what tearmes he would couenant with them there are as heretofore I haue obserued two remarkabe points the first teaching What God doth require the second What God doth offer And these points must be considered first in themselues wee must see what they meane then betweene themselues we must see how the one depends vpon the other I haue handled the first of these points I haue shewed you what God requires of Israel he requires their absolute obedience and their constant fidelitie that they heare his voice indeed and that they keepe his Couenant It followeth that I now come on to the second point that I shew you what God offers and that which he offers vnto Israel is a gracious Prerogatiue A Prerogatiue is some great good vouchsafed vs wherein wee exceed others and in Gods offer there is a manifold good contained This good is first specified then it is amplified In specifying it God doth first resemble it he telleth the Israelites they shall bee a pecullar treasure Then he brancheth it into a double blessing an eminencie of their state They shall be a Kingdome of Priests and a Sanctitie of their persons They shall be an holy Nation These blessings so specified are also amplified in the words Eritis mihi yee shall be to me It is a great blessing to be a peculiar treasure to be a royall Priesthood to be an holy Nation but to he any of these how much more to bee all these vnto God doth not a little improue our blessing You see the Good is great which they are vouchsafed But wee doe not yet see that the hauing of it is a Prerogatiue It becomes then such if it be not a common good and if therein wee goe beyond others and such is Israels blessing that which God will vouchsafe them to be they shall be aboue all other Nations The offer you see doth containe a Prerogatiue But this Prerogatiue is moreouer Gracious gracious whether you respect the Receiuer or the Giuer the receiuer vos yee persons of no worth the giuer God that hath no want all the earth is mine in so litle worth of theirs and lesse want of Gods to honour them so farre must needs be a worke of Grace I haue laid before you Gods offer All Saints day it deserues your attentiue listning vnto it the day which we solemnize putteth vs in mind of our interest therein and wee may become all Saints because this gracious Prerogatiue is offered to vs all Wherefore that we may partake it let our diligent eares quicken the desire of our hearts to entertaine these particulars which I shall now vnfold vnto you briefly and in their order I begin with the Prerogatiue The Good therein offered is first resembled vnto a peculiar treasure Of the goods which a man hath if a man haue much goods
they ascended and descended vpon him when God brought his first begotten into the world Heb. 1. that was done which he commanded Let all the Angels worship him Mat. 17. And what did the Saints Moses and Elias came to him in the Mount and conferred with him about his death many also rose out of their graues and appeared in the holy City There remaines onely the place where God dwels and those blessed Spirits that also was shaken more than once for more than once did it open as we reade in the Gospell and in the Acts. You doe not doubt by this time but that the vppermost Heauen was shaken which was shaken so many waies Onely that shaking was answerable to the subiect it was without all corruption Come we now to the second Heauen that also had a shaking a double shaking Mat. 2. there appeared a Starre that was neuer seene before at Christs Birth which drew the Wise-men to seeke out him that was borne King of the Iewes And at his death the goodliest Starre in the Firmament I meane the Sunne lost his light when the Moone was at full Which sight was so strange to the Philosophers at Athens that as the Story saith it drew from Denys the Areopagite that memorable saying Aut Deus naturae patitur aut mundi machina dissoluetur either the God of nature is ouercharged or is disposed to end the world Tertullian obserues that the Romanes did register this Eclypse in their Chronicle I say nothing of the renting of that Heauen too Acts 7.55 for the vppermost could not be opened without opening the second also that the Doue might descend that St. Stephens sight might ascend and see Christ standing at the right hand of God The third Heauen remaines that also was shaken for Christ commanded the windes and they were calme hee suffered not the ayre to transmit the Species but was inuisible yea hee commanded it not to giue breath and to giue breath to men as pleased him you finde it in the storie of those that came to apprehend him Iohn 19. Enough of the Heauens the first part of the great world Onely obserue Acts 2. ver 17 18 19 20. that that which out of Ioel St. Peter obserues was in part performed in this shaking of Heauen The second part of the great world is the Earth The Earth in the beginning was one confused Globe of Water and dry Land vpon Gods commandement these two Elements were separated and each appeared by it selfe as wee reade Genesis 1. As then they first were and as they now are so are they here mentioned and so wee must vnderstand them Touching their shaking I might in few wordes referre you to the Psalme Let the Sea roare and the fulnesse thereof Psal 98. let the Flouds clap their hands let the Hils bee ioyfull together before the Lord for he commeth to iudge the Earth c. But I will shew you some particulars out of the New Testament there shall you reade the Earth-quakes that were when Christ was in the flesh the cleauing of Rockes Mat. 27. the opening of Graues which made the Iewes returne from his Crosse knocking their breasts made the Centurion say Of a truth this was the Son of God put the Scribes and Pharisees and high Priests to their briberie Mat. 28. lest the Souldiers should bewray what they could not deny As for the Sea that apparently tooke notice of Christ when he wanted Tribute-money he commanded the Sea to supply him and it did by a Fish when Peter Iames and Iohn had laboured all night at Sea and caught nothing he commanded them to cast out their net and the fish came readily and filled it to their great astonishment at another time when their ship was ready to be drowned Christ did but rebuke the waues Mat. 〈◊〉 and presently there followed a great calme Thus apparently did the Sea acknowledge Christ come into the World But because the word that wee render dry Land doth properly signifie a Desert or Wildernesse it is not vnlikely but that these two words doe imply a parallel of that which fell out while Christ conuersed on Earth and that which was wrought at the deliuerance of Israel out of Egypt the Sea then diuided and gaue passage to the Children of Israel vpon dry Land it did more to Christ it became it selfe as dry Land he walked vpon it and made St. Feter to doe so also And as for the Wildernesse it was to Israel no Wildernesse no more was it to Christ they were amongst wilde beasts there and so was hee and neyther was annoyed the Wildernesse yeelded them plenty of food and in the Wildernesse did Christ multiply the Loaues and the Fishes so that after many thousands were fedde the remainder was much more than was the first prouision There remaines one part of the Earth which I haue not yet touched and that is Hell Hell holdeth fast all that come thereinto but it could not hold him when hee descended thither and while hee liued vpon Earth how did the Fiends confesse him obey him come and goe at his pleasure It is cleare then fully cleare that seeing shaking doth signifie an extraordinary manifestation of the Deity working by or on the Creature contrary to their vsuall course the great world and the parts thereof were shaken at the first comming of Christ Let vs see now how true this is of the little world the world of mankind here called all Nations which are distinguished into Iewes and Gentiles both had their shaking The Iewes their whole policie was dissolued I meane that which was peculiar to them whether Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill as Daniel foretold Dan 9. Heb. 12. Gen. 49.10 so St. Paul affirmes both receiued an end by the comming of Christ Iacobs prophecie was then fulfilled The Scepter departed from Iuda and the Law-giuer from between his seete that State was not only shaken but shiuered all to pieces As for other Nations they had their shaking a double shaking a spirituall and a corporall Spiritually their heads were shaken their iudgements were illightened and amazed that euer they should be so sottish as to worship stockes and stones â—say 2. cap. 8. the workes of mens hands yea the Diuels themselues vpon this they threw away their Idols and cursed their forged gods This abrenunciation doth Gregorie Nazianzene Orat. 37. and Austin de Ciuit. Dei vnderstand by this shaking To this shaking of their head wee must adde a shaking of their heart A contagious aire is not purged but by thundering and lightening and a corrupt conscience must feele the terrour of Mount Sinai before it can haue the comfort of Mount Sion The voyce wherein God spake to Elias was a soft voyce 1 Kings 19. but there went before it Fire Winde Earth-quake c. the Peace which you shall heare of hereafter comes not to the spirituall Temple of God without some terrour going before The