conuersion bee speedy True Repentance can neuer be too late yet late repentance is seldome true We read but of one that repented at the last Aug that no man should presume and yet of one that none should despaire O then before the pearle be taken out of our field before the sound of the Gospel bee remooued out of our land before the Arke of God bee taken from vs 1 Sam. 4 11. as it was from the Israelites let vs be moued to awake vp our first loue quickly Gods mercy and iudgements and word the infinitenesse of our sinnes shortnesse of our life small number of those that shall bee saued ioyes of heauen and torments of hell are motiues and if these preuaile not our Church must fall as it is threatened to Ephesus in Gods visitation And wil remoue thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent The Church of God is compared to many things in holy Scripture secunda secundae to a house 1. Ti. 3. to a Body Ep. 1. to a field Mat. 13. to a net 1. Ti. 3.15 Ep. 1.23 Mat 13.24 v. 47. Mat. 25.1 v. 47. to ten Virgins Mat. 25. and heere to a Candlestick So it is expounded in 20. v. c. 1. The seauen Candlestickes which thou sawest are the seauen Churches God threatning to remoue the Church A fearefull iudgement whether we take it concerning the Minister that hee should bee depriued of his calling as the Lord threateneth vnto Ieremy If thou returne I will bring thee againe and thou shalt stand before me giuing him to vnderstand when hee had been wanting in deliuering the Lords will vnto his people partly through feare and partly through impatience that if hee returned not he should cease to be a Prophet vnto him Or if wee take it for the whole body of a Church that they should procure the remouing of the Gospell from them and the abolishing of the Gospell or if wee take it as it concerneth euery priuate man Commiâ—aâ—iones et promissines diuae sunt hypotheticae 33 mor. c. 15. that he shall lose the knowledge of God and other graces It is condionall Except thou repent Thus as Gregory noteth Vt pius it a iustus est Conditor As our Maker is mercifull so is hee iust Gracious and righteous Good and vpright is the Lord to teach sinners in the way Ps 25.8 Ps 25. Good and gracious in the multitude of his mercies to them that turne vnto him Righteous and vpright in the seuerity of his iudgements to them that cast him from them Heere are loue and wrath pitty and reuenge two Daughters of a great King goe hand in hand If the one cannot draw the other must the Church shall be remoued the light of the Gospell shall bee put out For as the Candlestick holdeth the light so doth the Church the word without this wee walke in darkenes and obscurity so that here I must land and fasten vpon this note Doct. That the taking away of the Ministry and preaching of the word is the greatest plague that can befall any The reasons are well knowne Where there is no vision the people perish Pro. 29.18 2. Ch. 15.3 Ro. 10.17 Pro. 29. Where there is not a teaching Priest and law there is no God 2. Ch. 15. Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10. so that take away the word and take away faith take away faith take away Christ take away Christ and take away eternall life Therefore vpon Aarons robe there were golden Bells signifying the preaching of the Gospell and Pomegranates signifying the sweete sauour of Christs death Exo 28.34 Ex. 28. The miseries which follow this are vnspeakeable To be blind and haue no guide and yet to walke there where treading awry is the tumbling into hell to be hungry and to famish to suck but on dry brests to be pined and not perceiue it which is an euill of euills Therefore was Ierusalem threatned that their prophets tongue should cleaue to the roofe of his mouth he should be dumbe and not be vnto them a reprouer Ez. 3. Ez. 3.26 and this fearful sentence was vrged from the mouth of Christ himselfe I say vnto you the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and giuen to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Mat. 21. Mat. 21.43 And if this kingdome be once gone their ioy goeth with it All the Empires and dominions in the world subdued all Scepters and Crownes heaped together cannot blesse them A greater iudgment then any inuasion of enemies then firing of townes ruinating of houses rauishing of wiues and daughters dashing of Infants against the stones in the streetes pulling out the eyes from the heads and bowels from the bodyes of a people Therefore the best haue euer dearly respected Gods Ambassadours the Pastours of the Church and the Ministers of the word Thus did they in the old law Iehoiada a Priest marrying Iehoshabeath the daughter of King Iehoram the sister of King Ahaziah 2. Ch. 22. 2 Ch. 22 11. Thus Ioash the King of Israell came downe in person to visit sick Elisha and wept ouer his face saying O my father my father the Chariot of Israell 2 Ki. 13.14 and the horsmer thereof 2 Ki. 13. In the new Testament wee find many Possessors of lands and houses selling them and laying downe the prices of them at the Apostles feete Act. 4. Act. 4.34.35 The honorable Treasurer of Ethiopia Act. 8.31 Act. 10.25 Act. 17.4 Gal. 4.14 taking Philip vp into his Chariot Ac. 8. Cornetius a deuout liberall Martialist falling downe at the feet of Peter Aect. 10. The chiefe women in Thessalonica consorting with Paul and Barnabas Ac. 17. The Galathians receiuing S. Paul as an Angell of God euen as Christ Iesus Gal. 4.14 Ecclesiasticall stories abound in examples of Valentinian Ambr in obitu Valentin so reuerencing Ambrose that seeing him in his sicknes come vnto him salutem sibi quandam venturam arbitrabatur he thought he saw health it self comming vnto him of Alexander lighting from his horse and bowing to Iaddus of good Theodosius sending for Meletius to kisse his lippes and embrace him Theod. l. 5. c. 7. of Constantine kissing that eye of Paphnutius Râ—ff 1.4 a Bishop of Thebes which had loft light by the violence of the Arrians of that noble Earle Terentius who hauing obtained a great victory and being bidden of the Emperour Constantius to aske what he would Templum petiit pro orthodoxis Theod. l. 4. c 3â— he asked to haue the Church restored to the orthodoxall teachers I omit how much others haue beene honoured Hilarius at Arles Paulinus at Nola Cyrill at Alexandria Chrysostom at Constantinople Plut. in Demo. Augustine at Happo Ambrose at Millan Cyprian at Carthage For if the Oratours are once yeelded Athens must soone to wracke Zac. 13.7 if the Shepheard be smitten the Sheepe will be scattered if preaching and the Candlesticke of
where art thou De quibus bonis de qua beatitudine de qua gratia in quam miseriam cecidisti From how many good things blessings and graces into what misery hast thou fallen Non tam interrogatio quam increpatio est it was not so much an interrogation as an increpation Sometimes God vseth to speake by his secret inspiration 2. Kin. 20.4 as to Isaiah 2 Ki. 2. Sometimes by his Angells who speake by voyce onely as to Christ there came a voyce from heauen Ioh. 12. or by vision internall Ioh. 12.28 Ge. 28.12 Ge. 18.1.4 as the ladder that Iacob saw in his dreame Ge. 28. externall in humane shape as to Abraham Ge. 18. By other Creatures either without sense as by fire in the bush to Moses or hauing sense as the Angell spake in Balaams Asse Here because writing remaineth when the voice periseth an Epistle is sent vnto Ephesus teaching the art of the happiest memory whose obiects are good things once practised omitted euill things committed Repentance must follow and doing the first workes Repent and doe the first workes A Spirit of slumber was fallen vpon Ephesus as heauy as that of Adam when he lost his rib or of Isbosheth when hee lost his head The case stood betwixt Christ and Ephesus as betwixt a louing sonne and his sicke father who labouring with a lethargie The Phisitian tels the son that his fathers immoderate desire of sleepe is mortall therefore hee must nor suffer him to slumber The sonne seeing his father heauy pulsat vellicat pietate molestus est hee knocketh pulleth and so seemes to be troublesome but it is because hee loueth him Aug. ho. 11. quinque hom ser 60. do verbis Domini inter se comp AEgrotat humanum genus saith Austin All Mankind is sicke of sinne amongst these Ephesus Christ Iesus the great Phisition cryeth out Awake thou that sleepest open thine eyes that thou sleepe not in death it is now time to arise and repent and doe the first workes Either the Pastors seeing their preaching take little effect grew negligent as Hugo Cardinalis supposeth the fault or they were not so liberall to the poore saith Arethas or wee may vnderstand it with Rich. de S. Victore of all faults now to be amended for Christ will beare no longer hee is impatient of any further delayes and therefore threateneth or else I will come vnto thee quickly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Originall is I will come to thee shortly so the vulgar Latine giueth it to this sense Venio tibi words taken in good part His going forth is prepared as the morning and hee shall come vnto vs as the raine as the latter and former raine vnto the earth Os 6. so Zac. 9. Reioyce greatly O daughter of Sion O◠6.3 Zac. 9.9 shout O daughter of Ierusalem Behold thy King commeth vnto thee But heere it signifieth a iudgement and therefore is rendred by Beza in these wordes veniam aduersum te cito I will come against thee quickly and his comming is for reuenge And will remoue thy Candlestick out of his place The Church shall neuer be vtterly destroyed but for sinne the Gospell is often remoued Merito patietur vltorem Aug. de verb. Dom. se 12. qui noluit audire praeceptorem If men will not heare Gods precepts they must beare his punishments Thus loue is violent and Foelix illa necessitas quae ad meltora compellit Aug. Ep. 45. it is a blessed necessity which enforceth vs to vertue God who forbeareth a long time payeth home at the last by remouing his Church and vpon this the taking away of the Ministry of the Gospell and the profession thereof in stead of truth there must succeed Ignorance Apostacie and Heresie vnlesse repentance and the fruits thereof attend the preaching of the word Remember therefore You see the drift of our wronged Sauiour the sum of the whole is a remembrance vnto Ephesus of a decay in spirituall graces which must be recouered else the meanes of saluation shall be taken away from them Wee may call it a soueraigne remedie against the fearefull sinne of Apostasie or a heauenly qualification of Lawe and Gospell mercie and iudgment or a diuine Remembrancer of al Churches by Ephesus Preacher Iohn an Euangelist Apostle and Prophet whose words which I haue read without racking fall a sunder into two parts 1. A remarkeable meditation for Ephesus Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen repent and doe the first workes 2. A zealous indignation vpon the not practising of this lesson Or else I will come vnto thee quickly and will remoue thy canalesticke out of his place except thou repent The 1. generall part containeth 2. particular circumstances 1. A recollection of time past Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen 2. A Christian resurrection for the time to come And repent and doe the first workes The 2 pointeth out 2. other 1. A speedy visitation Or else I will come vnto thee quickly 2. A terible execution of this commination yet mixed with much compassion And will remoue thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent The first includeth an accusation of falling deliuered to the memorie The second an inquisition of the former works to keepe from a final Apostasie The third a sudden triall wherein without repentance there must be seuerity The fourth and last the downefall of Religion and pietie Remember Thus Right Honorable Right Worshipfull and blessed Brethren I haue brought you a Text wherein there is not onely Iohn a Sonne of Thunder Mar. 3 17. Act. 4.36 Re. 2.7 If. 51.17 but Barnabas a Sonne of consolation Hee that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith or rather soundeth out for there can be no man vnlesse he haue drunke the dregges of the Cup of slumber but this message must awake him The Temple is opened the lists and land-markes of this holy Land propounded and now come farther to be surueied Let me beseech your Religious and cherefull attention My onely aime shall be the glory of God seruice of the Church discharge of my Conscience and your instruction The solemnity of the time and place required a Passion-Text Repentance is the Passion The Lord grant that it may finde and leaue vs true practisers of it But I must remember to goe backe to the dore of my Text the front and forehead whereof is Remembrance the 1. particular of my 1. generall Remember therfore from whence thou art fallen Amongst all the faculties of the soule there is none which sooner waxeth old then memorie Sins obliquitie hath caused the appetite still to desire yet neuer to be satisfied the affections to denie obedience vnto reason the desire to swell infinite the will is often mad the minde lame the memorie of the best by nature forgetfull and therefore grace must teach vs the art of memorie Man forgetteth himselfe to be man wherevpon the conquering Romans
the thiefe doth the sentence of the Iudge when flegme and spittle shall so wofully besiedge thy life besides groanes stitches cold sweat and burnings thou must then forget thy fathers house and leaue all the world therefore let this day be vnto vs all as if it were our last Let not sin reign in our mortall bodies Heb. 10 27. for if wee sinne wilfully after we haue receiued the knowledg of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certaine fearefull looking for of iudgement and fiery indignation Repentance is our guide and therefore Repent and doe the first workes If a man read ouer the morall writings of some Heathens Pri. sec he would pitty them to see their witty and carefull disquisition of true rest lead them to much vnquietnes They are like wandring Empiricks which in tables and pictures make great ostentation of cures yet can neuer approue their skill to their credulous Patients Many wrote of it none attained it Some placed true tranquilitie in a constant estate of outward thinges whereas these varie as often as the weather being got with care kept with feare lost with sorrow Others in such a temper of the soule as that it should neuer be affected with any casuall euents whereas while it is prisoner in the Dungeon of flesh and blood Seu. de Tranquill it is one while chearefull another while dull drowsie comfortlesse prone to rest loathing former resolutions Others hold the best way for peace to be when a man imployeth himself in some publike affaires then retyreth himselfe to his priuate studies thinking vpon the tryall of his ability nature of his businesses choise of his friends fore-imagining the worst in all casuall matters Nay further Sen. c vlt. in making the most of himselfe chearing vp his spirits with the variety of recreations and other indulgences Miserable comforters are all these Here is no mention of the greatest enemies Conscience of euill done and feare of euill to be suffered Can any man haue peace that is at variance with God and himselfe Or is that peace the peace of God which is thought to be with out him Ephesus is better instructed Repent and doe the first workes Jn aureis carminibus Pythagoras aduised that euery mans examination in priuate should runne vpon three Artcles Jn anrcis car minibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein wee haue transgressed that wee may repent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what good wee haue done that wee may hold out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what wee haue omitted which wee should haue done My second circumstance is more direct in as great a Laconisme and as perfect breuity as can possibly be described And therefore as Iustin Martyr spake of Aristotles booke de mundo In Apol. which he wrote to Alexander that it was the Epitome of all his Philosophie So may wee of this lesson of S. Iohn to Ephesus It is the summe of all his Diuinitie Repent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where if I would be contentious about words that cauill of Gregory Martin might giue sufficient occasion who taxeth reuerend Beza Greg. Mart. in a booke intitled A discouery c. auns by D. Fulke for translating the word Resipisce which saith hee should be rendred as the Vulgar Age poenitentiam I answer wee refuse those words which they translate Doe penance because they meane thereby satisfaction for sinnes past to be a necessary part of true repentance which is not contained in the Greeke word signifying onely a change of the minde that is not onely a sorrow for the sinne past but a purpose of amendment which is best expressed by the Latin word Resipiscere which is alwaies taken in good part as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Scripture whereas the latine word poenitere and poenitentia may and are vsed in latin of sorrow and repentance that are too late as of Iudas griefe of minde which caused him to hang himselfe but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resipiscere and Resipiscentia and therefore the holy Ghost speaking of his sorrow vseth another word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We abhorre that translation which maintaineth satisfaction for sinnes by any suffering of ours as blasphemous to the satisfaction of Christ whose blood onely cleanseth vs from all sin 1. Ioh. 1.7 If the word Satisfaction were vsed by any fathers of the Church It was not that they had any meaning to satisfie the iustice of God by externall works but that by those outward tryals of their repentance the Church was satisfied which by their fall was offended the gouernours of the Church by such signes of true sorrow and amendment were perswaded to receiue them againe into the congregation from whence vntill sufficient tryall had of their repentance they were separated excluded But I remember my Text is doctrinall and morall Repent and doe the first workes whence this collection necessarily ariseth That Repentance and the practise of a holy life Doct. are the direct meanes whereby sinners are reconciled vnto God The proofs heereof are so many and pregnant throughout both Testaments that whatsoeuer is there written may serue for a testimony Al the Sermons of Prophets and Apostles proclaime this This was the charg of Ezekiel Say vnto them Eze. 13.11 As I liue saith the Lord God I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Turne yee turne ye from your euill waies for why will ye dye O house of Israell Ez. 33. This was the subiect of the preaching of Isai Wash yee make you cleane Put away the euill of your doings from before your eyes Is 1.16 Is 1. Of Ieremy Returne ye now euery one from his euill way and make your wayes and your doings good Ie. 18. Ie. 18.11 Of Hosea O Israell returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thy iniquity Of. 14.1 Mat. 3.2 Mat. 4.17 Hos 14. Of Iohn the Baptist Repent yee for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Mat. 4. Of Christ Iesus himselfe the beginning of whose preaching was Repent Mat 4. This was the end of his passion and resurrection that repentance and remission of sinnes should bee preached in his name amongst all Nations Lu. 24.47 Luke 24. How many promises are added vnto this If thou wilt put a way thine abhominations out of my sight then shalt thou not remoue Ier. 4. Ie. 4.1 If the wicked restore the pledge giue againe that hee hath robbed walke in the Statutes of life without committing iniquity hee shall surely liue bee shall not die None of his sinnes that hee hath committed shall bee mentioned vnto him if hee hath done that which is lawfull and right Ez 33.15.16 Hee shall surely liue Ez. 33.15 Iob prayed for this a space to repent Are not my dayes few cease then and