God Oh therfore labor we earnestly for the graces of Gods spirit be infused into us to drive away the darksome clouds of corrupted nature and to make us see the odiousnesse of the entertaine of sinne and the speciall worth of grace and pietie for the naturall man discerneth it not 1. Cor. 2.14 And because the word of God is the ordinary meanes to worke this upon our soules for which cause the blessed Gospell of Christ is called the ministration of the spirit 2. Cor. 3.8 Rom. 1.16 1. Pet. 1.23 2. Tim. 3.15 the power of God to salvation an immortall seed able to beget us anew and to make us wise unto salvation oh therefore frequent we it diligently and heare we it with all reverent attention for the happie infusion of heavenly grace Pro. 13.13 for hee that despiseth this sacred truth shal be destroyed Pro. 28.9 he that turnes his eare away from it his very prayer shall be abominable it shall bee easier for Sodome and Gomorrah at the day of judgement than for that man Mat. 10.15 Ier. 29.18.19 the Lord will make him a curse an astonishment a hissing a reproach among all nations And thus beloved in Christ Iesus wee see the first point the blindnesse of man in corrupted nature intimated from the multiplicitie of sinnes for hee commits not onely some thing but things even many things worthy of death Come I now unto the second point the patience of God in executing revenge upon the wicked intimated in this that though they commit things worthy of death yet hee forbeares and doth not presently throwe them downe to death The Gentiles committed things worthy of death even many things worthy of death eternall death yet God with patience did forbeare and did not presently execute upon them the strength of his justice nor cast upon them his finall wrath Rom. 6.23 when yet as the Apostle speakes The wages of sinne is death even of any sinne whatsoever Behold then here the greatnesse of Gods patience sinne is committed yet God forbeares nay sinnes things worthy of death many loathsome and odious sinnes yet God forbeares to execute the due deserved stroke of his justice that well might Chrysostome say Chrysost Deus quasi invitus compellitur cum magno dolore peccatores condemnare Ezek. 33.11 God is as it were against his will with great sorrow compelled to condemne stubborne-hearted sinners and to throwe them downe to eternall death for as himselfe doth seriously protest hee doth not desire the death of the wicked but doth earnestly invite them Turne you turne you from your evill waies for why will yee dye oh yee house of Israell Aug. Aversos benigne revocat cuÌ„ ferire potuit praemia promittit Oh saith Aug. he calls back the averse and froward spirits and when he might strike them with the final stroke of his justice he rather doth promise them rewards to move them to revert turne from their evill waies God is patient toward man intensivè extensivè durativè though they commit things worthy of death Thus God is patient sparing man in sinne sparing man the subject of sinne long sparing him though he hath committed things worthy of death How well therefore might this instruct us to bee cautious that wee no longer abuse the patience of our God but now presently revert from our evill waies and turne unto his blessed Majestie for God himself tells us My spirit saith he shall not alwaies strive with man Gen. 6.3 When God would prescribe repentance to that spacious citie of Ninive Ion. 3.4 he offords it but forty daies Yet forty dayes and Ninive shall be destroyed And to his owne particular people hee limits them onely a moneth A moneth saith he shall devoure them with their portions Hos 5.7 Oh that then wee would even now returne from our evill waies and turne to this loving God abusing his patience no longer for wee have his own word Zach. 1.3 Turne unto me saith the Lord of Hostes and I will turne unto you Oh if we turne to him with mourfull hearts deploring our transgressions how soone will hee turne to us speaking peace to our soules and consciences Psal 51.17 for a contrite spirit is a sacrifice unto God yea these Christ himselfe invites Come unto mee all yee that are wearie and laden you that growne under the burthen of your transgressions and I will refresh you Mat. 11.28 I will speake peace to your soules and comfort to your consciences But if we will yet bee so pernicious as to despise the patience and long sufferance of our God by which he would lead us to repentance Rom. 2.4 oh then remember wee what Salomon tells us Eccle. 8.12 13. that though a sinner doe evill an hundred times and God prolong his daies c. yet it shall not bee well with the wicked c. God will not alwaies spare him Aug. Tunc Deus iâ—ascitur quando non irascitur Gen. 19.23 24 for as Austine speakes then is God angry when hee seemes not to bee angry We may see that when the Sunne did rise upon Sodome and there was no expectation of judgement then the Heavens were opened then fire and brimstone was poured out upon it utterly to destroy it Mat. 3.10 Oh take we knowledge therefore that now the axe is laid unto the root of the tree if we will yet bring forth no fruit no true repentance for sinne but wee will still abuse the patience of our God and still commit things worthy of death that it is just with him to hew us downe and cast us into the fire even eternall fire never to bee extinguished And thus much for the second point the patience of God in executing revenge upon the wicked intimated in this That though the Gentiles did commit things worthy of death yet God did patiently forbeare and did not presently throw them downe to death Come wee now unto the third point observed in the matter of this pollution the equitie of God in punishing the wicked exprest in this that he throws down none to death but for things worthy of death they committed things worthy of death Sinne is the cause of Gods wrath and mans miserie Esay 59.2 Your iniquities saith the Prophet Esay have separated between you and your God your sinnes have hid his face from you Lam. 3.39 Iude ver 6. Wherefore saith the Prophet Ieremie is the living man afflicted man suffereth for his sinnes For sinne the Angells were throwne downe from Heaven for sinne Adam was thrown out of Paradise Gen. 3.24 Gen. 6.7 Gen. 19.24 Cassio Tantum unusqulsqua repellitur dividitur à Divinitate quantum ejus peccata cumulantur and a curse denounced against him and his posterity for sinne the old world was drowned and Sodome and Gomorrah burned oh saith Cassiodorus so far is every one repelled and divided from the
divine power as his sinnes are heaped up many sinnes makes a deepe separation nay if we consider the eternall decree of God or as it is manifested in time and this either negatively or affirmatively that is as he denies saving grace unto some or as hee wills to throw them down to endlesse miserie sinne is the cause for for the foreseen sinnes of the wicked the Lord decreed to forsake them and to impose upon them everlasting horror Therefore saith the Lord by the Prophet Ezechiell That soule that sinneth that soule shall dye Ezech. 18. with which the Apostle Paul accords Ephes 5.6 For these things saith hee commeth the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Hence it is Hos 13.9 that the Lord concludes by the Prophet Hosea Thy iniquitie hath destroyed thee oh Israell Furthermore hatred and wrath as they are punishments are not infflicted but for sinne But God hated Esau penally and hee will shew his wrath in the destruction of the wicked therfore for sinne Briefly the doctrine is cleer he delivers none to death but for things worthy of death for the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 How fitly therfore might this instruct us to remove all murmuring and to loath and detest all sinne and wickednesse First to remove all murmuring and repining against God for is the hand of God upon thee and doth he begin to execute his wrath murmure not against him but look into thine owne soule and behold thy sinnes and thy transgressions for they have caused that judgment Ezech. 33.17 and remember that the way of the Lord is equall for he delivers none to death but for things worthy of death but that thine owne way is unequall for thou hast wilfully heaped up sinnes against his Majestie and therefore hast deserved wrath and judgement from the hand of the Lord. We may see 1. Sam. 15. that God rejected Saul 1. Sam. 15. but what was the cause why his transgression and rebellion wherefore the Prophet tells him that to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fat of rammes but that rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and idolatrie We may also see in the twenty fourth verse of this chapter that the Lord delivers up the Gentiles unto their hearts lusts c. and unto vile affections but what was the reason why as the coherence of the text doth plainely shew their former grosse and odious sinnes was the cause of it for these the Lord delivered them up unto a reprobate condition Oh then if the justice of God seaze upon thee murmure not against his Majestie but rather cry out against thy selfe who by thy sinnes hast provoked the Lords wrath against thee for hee is so equall that hee throwes none to death but for things worthy of death Secondly this should instruct us to loath and detest sinne and wickednesse for as God is so equall that he throws none to death but for things worthy of death so wee see hee is so just that for things worthy of death he throws them downe to death Oh then why should any bee so bold to entertaine sinne and wickednesse Esay 9.18 oh remember wee that wickednesse burnes like fire all wickednesse whatsoever Ecclus. 7.8 inkindling and inflaming the wrath of God against us therefore saith Sirach Bind not two sinnes together Eccles. 8.12 13 for in one thou shalt not goe unpunished For Salomon doth plainely tell us that though a sinner doe evill a hundred times and God prolong his daies c. yet it shall not bee well to the wicked Psal 92.7 but when the workers of wickednesse doe flourish then they shall be destroyed for ever Psal 73.19 then shall they suddenly perish c. and come to a fearfull end Oh that the ungodly did cleerely see this which draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sinne as it were with cart-ropes Esay 5.18 and as Salomon speakes reioyce in doing evill Prov. 2.14 and seeme to invite each other unto wickednesse Come let us enjoy the pleasures that be present Wisd 2.6 c. let us oppresse the poore that is righteous let us not spare the widow nor reverence the white haires of the aged that have lived many years Ver. 10. let our strength be the law of unrighteousnesse c. let us defraude the righteous Ver. 11. for hee is not for our profite but is contrarie to our doings he checketh us for offending against the Law Ver. 12. and blameth us as transgressors of discipline In a word who seeme as David speakes Psal 36.1 to have no feare of God before their eyes but seeme by their pernicious stratagems in sinne to disdaine all piety and religion and to declame against God and all his wayes with those wicked ones in Iobs historie Iob 21.14 15. Depart from us for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes who is the Almighty that we should serve him or what profit should we have if wee should pray unto him Oh that the ungodly that are so bold and greedie to entertaine any sinne and wickednesse oh that they did cleerely see the miserie that sinne brings upon them that so they might loath and detest all sinne and wickednesse Oh that this instruction might receive due impression upon their soules for we see it plain that as God is so equall that hee throwes downe none to death but for things worthy of death so the consequent arising from hence tels us that hee is so just that for things worthy of death hee will throw men downe to death And so much beloved for the matter of the pollution of the Gentiles They committed things worthy of death Come I now unto the forme of their pollution how they committed these things namely wilfully willingly for knowing the justice of God that is against these sins yet they committed them Wherin I consider first how God may bee said to be just secondly what is meant by justice in this place For the better opening whereof consider we that a thing may be said to be just in a three-fold maner We are justified by Christs righteousnesse not subjectively but effectively not materially as inherent within us but relatively and by way of imputation God in his mercie reputing it to every beleever as his owne proper righteousnesse wherfore when the Scriptures in any place expresse the Saints of God to be just or justified the meaning is not that they have no sinne but that it is not imputed for the materiall or blot of sinne remaines in some measure in the best of Gods children during their whole life in this world as the Scriptures plainly witnesse onely it is taken away in respect of the formall thereof that is in respect of the guilt thereof and the vindictive punishment by Grace by voluntarie obedience or by Nature First by Grace so the Saints and
Zophar in Iobs Historie Iob 20.12 c. When wickednesse is sweet in the mouth of the wicked when they hide it under their tongues when they favour it and will not forsake it but keepe it close in their mouthes then shall the meate in their bowells bee turned and the gall of Aspes shall be in the midst of them and the substance they have devoured they shall vomit it God shall draw it out of their bellies Thus wee see it cleere that the state of man may well be deciphered by a Race whether wee respect quantitie or qualitie his naturall life or his corrupted nature And thus much for the word Runne in the Abstract as it simply impies a Race Come we now to consider it in the Contret with the coherence of the Text as it implies a certaine speciall kinde of Race And because in every Race two things are specially remarkable the terminus à quo and the terminus ad quem the place from which and the place to which wee bend our passage consider wee therefore here in this spirituall Race the thing from which wee are to runne and the thing to which we are to speed our course And observe we That that from which wee are to bend our passage is the loathsome sink of sin our heape of foule corruptions And this for speciall reason for as the Prophet Esay speakes Esay 59.2 sinne makes a divorse between God and us Your iniquities saith he have separated betweene you and your God and have caused him to hide his face from you Sinne oh t is odious in Gods sight for as the Psalmist speakes Psal 11.5 his soule abhors all them that love iniquitie yea Hab. 1.13 saith the Prophet Habacuck his eyes are pure eyes and can behold no wickednesse that is to favour it Sinne as much as in it lyeth is distructive of the very nature of God or approve it wheresoever And no marvell for sinne as much as in it lies is distructive of the very nature and essence of God that is though not really yet intentatively although not in respect of the reall inferring of an evill for nothing can be opposed to God immediately in himselfe Nil Deo immediate in seipso opponatur contrariè vel privative Impius omnino vellet Deum peccata sua aut vindicare non posse aut nolle aut ea nescire Bern. Serm. 3. de resurrect Dom. either contrarily or privatively yet by attempting it and therefore in regard of will and affection for as Bernard speakes a wicked man would by all meanes that either God could not revenge his sinnes or that hee would not or that hee did not know them to be revenged of them therefore great reason all sinne should bee odious in Gods sight as endeavouring as much as in it lieth to destroy the very nature of God for if that could befall God which a wicked man desires he could not be God it would destroy his Deity Rom. 6.23 Hence therefore it is that the Apostle worthily concludes that the wages of sinne is death and that not onely temporall and corporeall but eternall of soule and body for ever And this also most iustly for what can be more equall than that there should bee an eternall and an infinite punishment imposed upon that which carries with it a certaine kinde of infinitie But sinne doth carry with it a kinde of infinitie though not * Non secundum Physicam entitatem physically or intrinsically yet morally and extrinsically or avertively and obiectively avertively as it is an evill turning man from an infinite good Peccatum non est infinitum in genere morali ut est malum hominis sed ut est malum avertens ab infinito bono Peccatum contra Deum commissum quandam habet infinitatem ex infinitate divinae Majestatis tanto enim offensa est gravior quanto major est ille in quem delinquitur Aquinas obiectively in regard of the person against whom it is committed for as Aquinas speakes the offence is so much the greater by how much the person is greater against whom it is committed as therefore God is the obiect against whom sinne is committed so sinne carries with it a certaine kinde of infinitenesse In a word many are the instances of Gods loathing and abhorring sinne and wickednesse Gen. 6.13 We neede never speake of the old worlds many sinnes for which she was absorpt swallowed up with a generall deluge Gen. 7. â—â— wee neede never speake of Sodomes heape of crying sinnes Gen. â—8 â—0 Esay 9.18 for which she was destroyed with fire from Heaven for as the Prophet Esay speakes wickednesse burnes like fire all wickednesse whatsoever Alas Gen. 19.24 for one sinne Adam was throwne out of Paradise and became a prey to Satan Gen. 3.19.23 a terrour to himself a scourge to his posteritie obnoxious unto death even a threefold death corporeall spirituall and eternall nay looke we upon the second Adam Christ himself that immaculate lambe which had no inherent spot of sinne no sinne of his owne Esay 53.5 sinne onely imputative and no more for hee was wounded for our transgressions and was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him Matt. 26.39 yet when this blessed Saviour beheld the wrath of God against this sinne Luke 22.44 it made him grovell upon the earth it made him distill downe sweat like drops of bloud it made him mournfully complaine My soule is heavy round about unto the death it made him earnestly intreat Father Mat. 26.33 if it be possible let this cup passe from me From all which it is cleere that sinne is loathsome in Gods sight all sinne whatsoever what then can be more fit for us than to runne from the sinke of foule corruptions daily mortifying them The terminus ad quem or a place unto which we are specially to bend our Race 1. Cor. 2 9. and as it were leaving them behinde us continually more and more bending our whole course unto the blessed state of glory This is the second branch the terminus ad quem or place unto which wee are to speed our passage Oh this is a blessed state indeed such as the eye hath not seene such as the eare hath not heard nor can come into the heart of man to conceive Rev. 21.4 where as Iohn speakes all teares shall be wiped from their eyes where neyther death nor sorrow 1. Cor. 15.28 nor paine shall ever have anie entrance but God shall be all in all Rev. 22.4 Psal 16.11 and they shall behold the face of God before whose face saith the Psalmist there is the fulnesse of joyes at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore pleasures so absolute and full of delectation that when Peter had but some glimmering tast hereof in the transfiguration of our blessed Saviour upon mount Tabor it so ravished his
the equitie of God in punishing sinne First the blindnesse of man in corrupted nature from the pluralitie of the sinnes committed for the Apostle saith not they committed some thing worthy of death but things worthie of death Secondly the patience of God that he forbears to throw them downe to death though they commit things worthy of death Thirdly the equitie of God that hee throwes down none to death but for things worthy of death And first for the foremost the blindnesse of man in corrupted nature intimated from the pluralitie of the sinnes committed It is a grievous and a miserable estate to commit any thing worthie of death that is of eternall death the due reward of sinne Gen. 2.17 Rom. 6.23 for what is the force of eternall death oh exceeding grievous It doth not only sever a man from all joy from all blisse and glorie but loads him with all woe and miserie inwardly with the sting and worme of conscience to torment him outwardly with burning fire for ever to afflict him and yet never consume him for as S. Augustine speakes the motion of the heaven ceasing there shall be no passion materiall but spirituall Aug. l. 21. de Civit. Dei Cessante motu coeli nulla fiet passio materialis sed spiritualis But man blinded with corrupted nature discernes not this whence it comes to passe that he doth not only cōmit some thing worthy of death but things worthie of death even manie foule and odious sinnes thereby increasing the eternall wrath and judgement of God against him For as the sinne so shall be the punishment manie sinnes manie punishments One sinne may bring thee to eternall condemnation but many sinnes will aggravate the judgment and heape up an increase of wrath We know what the Lord speakes by the Prophet Esay Esa 28.17 that hee will lay judgement to the rule and Christ himselfe tells us that as Babylon hath sinned Rev. 18.7 so shee shall bee rewarded But corrupted man hee takes no knowledge of this therefore hee goes on every houre increasing his judgement for everie houre hee commits things worthy of death Oh thinke you if wicked Pharaoh had truly discerned that the multiplying of sinne had multiplyed the judgements of God against him As we may see from Exod. 3. to 14. would hee then so often have opposed the expresse voyce of the Lord Or thinke you that if pernicious Abab had truely understood that his deepe heape of sinnes would have drawne a deepe heape of judgements against him 1. King 21.25 would hee have committed so many things worthy of death would he have sold himselfe to commit wickednesse Oh by no meanes Or can we thinke that if that Epicure spoken of by our Saviour Christ had truely discerned that his heape of impieties Luke 16. his pampered feeding his unhallowed drunken discourses his cruell uncharitable affection that would heare no plaint nor mourning of poor distressed Lazarus that yet did crave but the crummes that fell from his Table thinke we if hee had truely discerned that his foule heape of sinnes would have brought upon him such a heape of punishments as to force him to cry out for one drop of water such a drop as might hang but on the tip of a finger Vers 24. and that poore Lazarus should bring it whom before he held so base as not worthy of the crummes that fell from his table and that to coole but the furie of his tongue onely a small request only one dip of but the tip of a finger to coole only the raging heat of one small part oh slender ease and if it had beene granted but can we thinke that if hee had truely understood that his so great heape of sinnes would have acquired so great a heape of iudgements that ever he would have contracted them oh void of question hee would not Or shall wee thinke that if the ungodly creatures of these times that runne headlong the path of sinne and wickednesse did cleerly see their miserable estate would they then commit so many things worthie of death to the daily increase of their punishment would they so violently reiect all exhortations all motions of the spirit and so furiously heape up sinne upon sinne adding not onely rebellion to their sinnes but strength to their rebellions oh void of question they would not But alas they are covered over with the darke veyle of sinne and corrupted nature so that they doe not truly discerne their miserable estates This was the condition of the Gentiles for although they knew in the generall that they which committed such things were worthy of death yet in the particular application they failed for in the soule of man two things are to bee considered the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respects the understanding which comprehends certaine principles of nature as that murther adulterie and such like be sins and worthy of punishment the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respects the conscience which makes the assumption or particular application after this manner But we have committed such things therefore we are worthy of punishment Now observe wee that in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or generall apprehension of the understanding the Gentiles discerned these things to be sinne and worthy of death but in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or particular application of the conscience they greatly failed namely that they were guiltie of these and therefore that eternall death belonged unto them From all which cleerly appeares the veritie of my first observation the blindnesse of man in corrupted nature intimated from the pluralitie of the sins committed for in this estate hee goes on in sinne hee commits things even many things worthy of death to heape up judgement and to aggravate his punishment Oh what shall this then inforce unto us but earnestly to labour for the grace of Gods spirit to purge and drive out this corrupted nature for were men once truly seasoned with the strength of heavenly grace it would make them mourne and deplore their sinne and transgression Psa 6.7 as blessed David speakes of himselfe Every night saith he did I make my bed to swim and watered my couch with my teares and no marvell Seneca for vulnera clausa plus cruciant wounds being stopt they are the more grievous but saith Chrysostome mournfull teares are as it were the spunges of sinnes to wipe them and wash them cleane away Chrys Lachrimae sunt spongia peccatorū Yea grace that worthy vertue would make them see the odiousness of the intertaine of sinne how displeasing it is to God and burthensome to the soule as wee may cleerely see in religious Ioseph who being truly seasoned with the graces of Gods spirit would not be drawne to commit wickednesse by any perswasion but in contempt of it breakes forth Gen. 39.9 How should I commit this wickednes and so sin against
mournfully confessing her sinne and her transgression which so inkindled compassion in this blessed Saviour that presently he pronounceth to her a comfortable absolution Thy sinnes are forgiven thee If therefore we will be the sheepe of Christ wee must heare his voyce humbly truely and mournfully confessing our impieties for to brave out sinne or to lay some colour upon it is to aggravate sinne and make it greater for as Chrysostome speakes malum est peccare Chrysost sed gravius negare aut indulgere it is evill to sinne but it is a greater evill to denie it or indulge it by any colour whatsoever No evill so great but a wicked man may lay some kind of colour upon it For what sinne is so vile that a wicked man may not lay some kinde of colour upon it The base drunkard may say it was companie that induced him to that foule pollution the savage murtherer may inforce it was furie and choler that moved him to that horrid act the damnable swearer may say it was rash inflamed passion that moved him to blaspheme the name of God The Adulterer may alledge it was lust and concupiscence that was the cause of his base wickednesse the greedie insatiable worldling that prosecutes oppression and with the teeth of fraud deceit and crueltie feeds upon living men how easily may he inforce that he doth it to maintaine his reputation to sustaine his charge to leave large revennues to his posteritie But alas these are foolish excuses the fruits of old Adam they doe not minuere but augere crimen they doe not diminish but increase the fault and therefore are never able to stand the tryall of Gods piercing iudgement Oh then as the true sheep of Christ heare his voyce humbly entirely confessing thy transgression Aug. Non crubuisti peccare erubescis confiteri for as Austine speakes wast thou not ashamed to sinne and art thou ashamed to confesse thy sinne oh let this be farre from a Christian heart Fourthly as a fourth speciall instance the true sheepe of Christ doe heare the voyce of Christ delightfully Oh t is a ioy a pleasure to their soules no voyce so welcome to them they long after it they hunger and thirst after it Psal 42. as David doth witnesse of himselfe who being in banishment and not able to come to the house of God to heare his voice he mournfully proclaimes that as the Hart desired the water brookes so his soule longed after God yea saith he my soule is a thirst for the living God oh when shal I come to appeare before his presence Bern. in Cant. Suavia ad gratiam foecunda ad sensus profunda ad mysteria Psal 19. Psal 1.19 And no marvell for as Bernard speakes his words are sweet unto grace pleasant unto the senses profound unto mysteries yea saith the Psalmist they are sweeter than honey and the honey combe and therefore concludes they were dearer to him than thousands of gold and silver And this for speciall reason Ioh. 11.43 44. Luke 7.14 15. Mat. 9.33 Mat. 8.32 Luke 9.42 for t is a precious treasure of admirable force and power for by this mightie voyce the voyce of Iesus Christ the dead were raised the dumb did speak the deafe did heare and divels did depart yea by this most powerfull voyce the hardned hearts of men that raged against this blessed Christ were so farre pierst Acts 2.37 that it did make them to cry out Men and brethren what shall we doe yea by this the darkned world eclipsed with the clouds of sinne Gentiles in the flesh Ephes 5.8 strangers from the covenant of promise Ephes 2.12 without God in the world by this powerfull voyce are made to be no more strangers nor forreiners Ephes 2.19 but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Ephes 5.8 no more darkenesse but light in the Lord even professors of the Gospell of Iesus Christ Well therefore might the Apostle call this blessed voyce the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 well might he conclude that this is a lively voyce mightie in operation sharper than any two-edged sword entering thorow Heb. 4.12 even to the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit In a word well may the sheepe of Christ delight in this voyce for it doth enrich their soules with incomparable happinesse true repentance with mournfull teares to condole their sinnes and their transgressions Now saith Chrysostome teares are the sponges of sinne Chrys Lachrimae sunt spongia peccatorū to wash them and purge them cleane away It doth enrich them with true faith to apprehend Christ Iesus by which they are made one with him Rom. 10.17 Ioh. 17.22 1. Cor. 12.27 Ephes 1.22.23 Ephes 4.15 16. Ephes 5.23 Rom. 8.17 the mystical bodie of that mysticall head and therefore heyres and co-heyres of his eternall kingdome Hence it is that the worthy Prophet doth conclude them to be blessed that live in the house of the Lord to be partakers of this heavenly voyce Blessed saith he are they that dwell in thy house Psal 84.4 they will ever praise thee Yea hence was it that it was such a speciall ioy to his soule to heare any speake of recoursing to those holy places as himselfe doth plainly witnesse I reioyced when they said unto me Psal 122.1 2. we will goe unto the house of the Lord our feet shall stand in thy Courts O Ierusalem O worthy affection prudently directed for as Augustine speakes Aug. in soliq Divina dulcedo quae omnem praesentem mundi amaritudinem toll it in this voyce there is a divine sweetnesse which takes away all the present bitternesse of the world all contempts and disdaines all distresses and afflictions fills the soule with such a secret inward consolation that it makes it conclude with the Apostle Rom. 8.18 that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the ioyes that shall be revealed yea it so assures it that it makes it able to say Rom. 8.38 39. that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate it from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus For this heavenly voice the pledge of Gods favour the anchor of the faithfull it is so fastned to their soules by the strength of Gods spirit Bern. that as Bernard speakes it is not broken off by any disease by decrepit age by the intercourse of things by the change of times briefly not by death it selfe but shall rest as a sure comfort and consolation upon the soule for ever Oh therefore Esa 52.7 as the Prophet Esay speakes how bewtifull are the feet of those that declare and publish this message unto the mountaines that is to the sheep of Christ whose affections are lifted up from the dirtie vallies and
committed with a full consent or plenall swinge of will but are eyther sinnes of ignorance or sinnes of infirmitie and frailtie they delight not in sinne but doe hate it they continue not in sin without repentance but doe weepe and mourn for it Rom. 7.15 c. But the Regenerate sinne not with full swinge of will for as Saint Iohn speakes whosoever is borne of God sinneth not that is ex animo or tota voluntate from his heart or with a full swinge of will for as Saint Paul speaketh the evill which they do they allow not but doe hate it and are delighted with the law of God according to the inner man onely in the flesh the part corrupt and unregenerate there dwelleth no good thing in respect thereof they are led captive that is against their wills unto the law of sinne Therefore it followeth that the Regenerate cannot totally fall away from God 10 If faith may be lost so a totall desertion made from God then all the fruits and effects of faith But these cannot all be wholly lost for the Regenerate are never brought to that extremitie As we may see in Cain and Iudas Gen. 4.13 Mat. 27.5 as to contemne God and utterly to despaire of God for this is proper to the Reprobates onely Therefore faith it selfe cannot wholly be lost and consequently the Regenerate never totally fall from God Hence it is to shew the constant perseverance of the faithfull that our Saviour concludes that those whom his Father hath given him none shal take them out of his hands Iohn 4.14 that they which shall drinke of the water which he shall give them shall never thurst againe but it shall be in them a well of water springing up unto everlasting life This happy persevering estate of the faithfull the Apostle Paul knew right well therefore hee was constantly perswaded that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor principalities Est in nobis per Dei gratiaÌ„ in bono recipiendo perseveranter tenendo non solum posse quod velinus vetum etiam velle quod possumus Aug. Tom. 7. de correp grat cap. 12. col 1342. Nunc vero sanctis in regnum Dei per gratiam Del praedestinatis non tantum tale adjutorium perseverantiae datur scilicet ut possint perseverare si velint sicut datum fuit Adâ— sed tale ut â—is porseverantia ipsa donctur August Tom. praed Colum. 1343. nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature should be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. To this purpose to witnesse the perseverance of the faithfull speakes S. Augustine There is saith hee in us by the grace of God in the receiving good and the holding it perseveringly not only an abilitie to doe that which we will but also to will that which wee can doe And againe Now saith he to the Saints predestinate to the kingdome of God by grace is given not only such a helpe of perseverance that is that they might persevere if they would as was given to Adam but such a helpe that perseverance it selfe is given unto them To this purpose speakes also Chrysostome Neither man saith hee nor time Chrys in cap. 5. Epist ad Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.26 Psal 31.5 nor the change of things nor the Divill himselfe nor approaching death can drive us away from those things that is from the graces of God but when we dye then we hold them more certainely and alwaies profiting wee injoy more Here therefore may wee cleerly behold the third speciall qualitie observed in this last generall prosecution of the true sheepe of Christ they follow him perseveringly So that in their latest gaspe in the peace of conscience and assurance of Gods love toward them the spirit of God witnessing togerher with their spirit that they are the sonnes of God they are able to say Into thy hands oh Lord doe we commend our spirit Blessed therefore they that be the true sheep of Christ for these we see by the strength of his holy spirit dwelling in them overcome all the strength of sinne all the furie of Satan all the seducing objects of the world all the inducing provocations of the wicked and so persevere Rev. 21.7 that at length they come to inherit all things all the ioyes of heaven Psal 84.10 all the comforts of Gods everlasting kingdome where one day is better than a thousand else where Psal 16.11 for in the presence of our God oh there is the fulnesse of joyes and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore Blessed therefore these and truly prudent they that make this the subject of their affection and the speciall scope of their practice that they may be found to be of this blessed number even the true sheepe of Christ The which heavenly wisedome the eternall Father bee pleased to vouchsafe to impresse within us for the precious merits of his deare sonne Christ Iesus To which Father and Sonne with their most holy Spirit three persons and one indivisible essence bee all praise power glorie and dominion ascribed from this time forth for evermore FINIS ROM 1. ult Which knowing the justice of God that they which doe such things are worthy of death not onely doe them but favour those that doe them RIght Worshipfull and beloved in our Saviour Iesus Christ the worthie Apostle having first generally and afterward by particular enumeration set forth the horrid pollutions of the Gentiles wherewith they were infected at length he comes to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the accusation shewing with what violence and wilfulnesse they committed these sinnes removing from them all pretext and colour of ignorance and infirmitie of ignorance for knowing the justice of God they committed these things of infirmitie for they did not onely doe them themselves but they favoured them that did them Where for method sake and better apprehension I consider the two-fold gradation of the pollutions of the Gentiles the first in respect of their own proper sins the second in respect of the sins of others the first in these words They committed things worthy of death the second in these words that they not onely did such things but they favoured those which did them And first for their pollutions in respect of their owne proper sinnes wherein I consider both the matter and the forme The matter set downe in generall They committed things worthy of death the forme that they committed these things wilfully and willingly against their knowledge and their conscience for they did commit them knowing the justice of God that they which did such things were worthy of death And first for the matter they committed things worthy of death Wherin I consider three things first the blindnesse of man in corrupted nature Secondly the patience of God in executing revenge upon the wicked Thirdly
or excusing them And Hercules after he had slaine his wife and children became so perplexed in conscience that in the horror of it he concluded Nemo pollutojqueat animo mederi none of a polluted conscience can be cured And Aristotle was able to say of the wicked in the 9. of his Ethicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeph. 3.5 therefore Alexander a heathen man having slaine his deare friend Clitus became grievously troubled in his conscience his very conscience accusing him for that barbarous and savage cruelty Thirdly they knew this distributive or iudiciarie iustice of God by the examples of Gods iustice for that hath beene true and shall bee true for ever which the Lord sets down by the Prophet Zephany Every morning doth hee bring his iudgements to light and faileth not Therefore when Tull. Hostilius was slaine by lightning from heaven and his house burned the Gentiles understood this to bee the iustice of God against him for his irreligious exorcismes So that wee see it cleere the Gentiles did know this iudiciarie iustice of God yet wilfully against their owne knowledge and conscience they committed things worthy of death A grievous wickednesse for if every sinne deserve death even sinnes of infirmitie and ignorance as the Prophet David doth witnesse and therefore doth cry out unto God Psal 19.12 Oh clense me from my secret sinnes how much more sinnes of wilfulnesse committed against the full swinge of knowledge and conscience 1. Ioh. 3.8 as were the sinnes of these Gentiles for knowing the iustice of God they committed them therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 1.18 They detayned the truth in unrighteousnesse they knew it but they wilfully reiected it Now saith our Saviour Luke 12.47 Hee that knowes his Masters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes And wee may see that the Prophet Samuel calls the sinne committed against knowledge and conscience 1. Sam. 15.23 a rebellion and compares it to those great sinnes witchcraft and idolatrie and Saul being guilty of this the Lord reiects him for ever What should this then impresse within us beloved in Christ Iesus oh how well might it serve to instruct us to be cautious how we entertaine or live in any sinne against our knowledge and our conscience First to be cautious how wee entertaine any sinne against our conscience 1. Iohn 3.20 for if as Saint Iohn speakes our conscience condemne us God is greater than our conscience and knoweth all things If therefore wee commit those things that our owne knowledge and our conscience is able to condemne us and pronounce iudgement against us for it how much more then shall the Lord condemne us and iudge us for these sinnes to whom they are farre better knowne than to our owne consciences Besides if our conscience bee able now to accuse us for these sinnes how much more shall it bee able to doe it at the finall iudgement Rev. 20.12 when the bookes shall bee opened even the booke of conscience and by the vigour of the divine power shall bee made able to call to remembrance all the thoughts words and actions whatsoever Rom. 2.15 had spoken or done by us and to accuse us or excuse us for them according as they have been agreeable or dissenting from the Law of God how much more then shall our consciences bee able to accuse us for all our sinister passages when they shall be thus opened and as it were quickned and awaked by the mighty power of God for oftentimes in this life through the long habite and continuance in sinne the conscience becomes as it were dead and the dictamen or voyce thereof strangely quailed but at length the Lord shall quicken it even the conscience of the most wicked as he did somtimes Cains which made him cry out Gen. 4.13 My sin is greater than can be forgiven or as he did somtimes Iudases which did so torment him that it made him bring backe his base corrupted hyer and to throw it downe at the feet of the Priests and Elders Matt. 27. openly confessing I have sinned betraying the innocent blood and as weary of his life desperately deprived himselfe of all vitall power Oh therefore be we cautious how we entertaine sinne against our knowledge and our conscience Secondly be we cautious how we live in any sinne against our knowledge and our conscience for this is a dangerous estate for saving Faith receives no impression where the conscience is wounded with plenall raigning sinnes committed against our knowledge and our conscience Therefore the Apostle ioynes these two together 1. Tim. 1.19 Faith and a good conscience that is a conscience purged and purified from raigning sinnes for these doe vastare conscientiam they wast and destroy the conscience therfore to these there is no comfort no peace with God no peace in conscience for there is no peace Esay 48 2◠saith the Lord unto the wicked In these that thus live in sin committed with full consent of will against their knowledge and their conscience there is no pietie nor religion there is no true feare of God nor obedience unto his sacred Word Psal 36.1 Oh that wee would therefore be cautious how wee live in any sinne against our conscience for if the Gentiles as the Apostle shewes us had no pretext to excuse their sins whose chiefest Schoolemaster to shew them Gods iustice against their sinnes was yet but the light of Nature if these were voyde of excuse oh then what shal we say to our selves If we live in sinnes against our knowledge our conscience even those grosse sinnes which wee see daily familiarly entertained drunkennesse adulterie deceit oppression envie malice and that hell-bred sinne of usurie how inexcusable shall we be to live in these sinnes who have not only the light of Nature Rom. 6.23 but the cleere and manifest word of God to shew us the iustice of God against these sinnes nay the excellent and precious gospell of Christ Marke 1.15 promising to the repentant that forsake their sinnes and beleeve this sacred truth Ioh. 3.16 17 18. eternall felicitie and happinesse oh then how voyde of pretext shall we be yea how greatly shall this aggravate iudgement against us to live in sinnes against our knowledge and our conscience to whom Gods iustice is so cleerly manifested Heb. 2.2 3. to whom so great meanes is afforded to reclaime us and recall us Oh know we if we against our knowledge and conscience will thus still continue our violence in sinne notwithstanding this great meanes afforded us it shall bee easier for these Gentiles at the day of iudgement than for us And thus much beloved for my first generall part the pollution of the Gentiles in respect of their owne proper sinnes Come I now unto the second observed generall the pollution of the Gentiles in respect of the sinnes of others which the Apostle sets downe as a deep
justice when we be come to that height of wickednesse as not only to defend our owne proper sinnes but to applaude and patronize the sinnes of others Briefly since this evill is so great since by this and by manie other wayes as hath beene made knowne unto us we become partakers of the sinnes of others to the heavie burthening of our soules and the deepe exasperating of the wrath of God against us Oh let it impresse within us these necessarie dueties First of all to be cautious to work out our salvation even with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 casting farre from us the unbridled raines of dissolute affections of all carnall presumption and securitie Secondly that we would intreat the heavenly Father to purge out of us the leaven of our corruption and daily to weaken in us the strength of sinne that doth so much presse us downe Hebr. 12.1 and hang so fast upon us that so considering our wayes we may everie one of us in our severall places both superiour and inferiour everie day turne our feete more and more unto Gods sacred testimonies And lastly Psal 119.59 Bern. Ve mihi misero cum venerit dies judicii aperti erunt libri in quibus omnes actiones meae cogitationes praesente Domino recitabuntur tunc demisso capite pro confusione conscientiae stabo trepidus anxius utpote commemorans commissa scelerorū meorum cum dicetur de me ecce homo opera ejus that we would be moved earnestly to desire him to prevent in us the participation of the sinnes of others for if as Bernard speakes in his owne person our owne proper sinnes be so grievous that they be able to make us stand before the Tribunall seat of Christ trembling and heavie with heads hanging downe for shame and confusion of conscience as remembring all our wickednesse when it shall be said unto us behold the men and their workes how much more then when the foule heape of other mens sins shall be laid to our charge which wee have wilfully contracted upon our soules and made them ours by participation How fit is it therfore that to prevent this great miserie wee would cry out with worthy David Let us not commit wicked workes with them that worke iniquitie let us not eate of their delicates but keepe us Lord from their snare even from the grins of the workers of iniquitie Ver. 9. setting not only a watch before our lippes Psal 141.3 and keeping the doore of our mouthes but guarding everie part of us preserving us as the apple of thine owne eye setting us as a seale upon thine heart Cant. 8.6 Psal 92.13 and as a signet upon thy arme that we thy servants may flourish in thy courts by a strength of grace in this life and by a state of glory in thy everlasting kingdome for ever The which pious care that wee may attaine to that glorious rest the heavenly Father be pleased to ingrave upon our soules and consciences for the precious merits of his onely Sonne Christ Iesus To which Father and Sonne with their most holy Spirit three persons and one indivisible essence be all praise power and glory of all creatures in heaven and in earth from this time forth and for evermore FINIS 1. COR. 9.24 Runne so that yee may obtaine THe Apostle in this present Chapter doth very diligently set forth beloved in our Saviour Christ how farre we are to discend from that Christian libertie which otherwise we might lawfully use when it tends to the edifying and gaining of them that be weake In which respect he saith I am made all things to all men Ver. 22. that I might by all meanes save some By which speech we are to understand that the Apostle reflects upon things in their owne nature Indifferent but not upon things Dogmaticall for when the Apostle makes speech of points of Doctrine Gal. 1.8 we may see he is of another minde Whosoever saith he shall teach otherwise c. let him be accursed Besides we are to distinguish betweene the observation of things and the opinion of them for concerning the first the Apostle was contented to give way to the weake Iewes and Gentiles to win them to the Gospell wherfore he saith I doe all things for the Gospell sake 1. Cor. 9.23 For although the Ceremonies were to end in the death and resurrection of Christ Aug. ep 19. ad Hier. as then breathing out their latest breath yet the Apostles would not presently profanely cast them away as loathsome dead carkases but would rather religiously by degrees bury them yet so The Apostles gave way for a time to legall ceremonies indulged both Iew and Gentile for edification sake not with an opinion of necessity but that by this indulgence they might the better win them to the truth of the Gospell lest contrary to our Saviours example they should have quenched the smoking flax and broken the bruised reed Act. 16.3 Gal. 2.3 Rom. 14.19 Gal. 4 10 11. 1. Tim 4.1.3 as they did it for edification sake to draw on the weake and ignorant to entertaine the Gospell which was yet but in the cradle of infancie but not with any opinion of necessity as if they were necessary to salvation or to give way to the stubborne to whom the truth was cleerly revealed but yet would wilfully refuse it for although for avoyding of offence hee did circumcise Timothy yet hee utterly refused to circumcise Titus when it was urged as a matter of necessitie Hence it was that writing to the Romanes he permitteth free liberty concerning meats and observations of daies as things indifferent in their owne nature either to be used or not to bee used according as the strength of their conscience did perswade them for the conserving of peace and the edifying one of another But in his Epistle to the Galathians hee vehemently reproves this libertie because they observed it with an opinion of necessitie as being necessary to iustification and to obtaine salvation Hence it was that the Apostle to Timothy doth call the abstinence from meates the doctrine of Divells that is being commanded and inioyned as a necessarie part of Gods worship From whence we may see it cleer that the Apostle made himselfe all to all concerning things in their owne nature indifferent for edification sake to gaine the weake and that for a time onely untill the Gospell were more cleerly knowne unto them but not in points of doctrine or with any opinion of necessitie as if they were any part of Gods worship or necessarie to salvation In which the Apostle gives us this generall instruction That we use our Christian libertie not scandalously but to the edification of others And now the Apostle having shewed his practice he comes to this worthy Morall exhortation Runne so that yee may obtaine as if he should say Strive and contend so to frame all your passages to the glorie of God
marvell if these be no more fervent in the waies of the Lord Mat. 7.16 Can men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles alas what sweetnesse in Sepulchers what certaintie in Camelions what confidence in Syrens But let all those beloved in Christ Iesus that hope for a Crowne of immortall glory Oh let these runne fervently in this holy Race as zealous of Gods glory as loving to his Majesty as obedient to his truth so pure and constant in their affections that in the fervent resolution of their hearts they may say with the blessed Apostle That neither death nor life Rom. 8.38.39 nor Angells nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And thus wee see Beloved that as the first subsequent thing necessary in the forme of this Race we must runne fervently with an earnest zeale and resolution Secondly as the second subsequent thing necessary in the forme of this Race Bernard we must runne festinanter speedily for as Bernard speakes vita brevis via longa◠our life is short but the way is long therfore we must use a speedy course as David worthily resolved Psal 119.32 Interius vacui Exterius exonerati I will runne saith he the way of thy precepts Now know wee that for this two things are specially necessary That we become inwardly emptied and outwardly disburdned First inwardly emptied of the heape and burthen of our sinnes and transgressions daily lessening them more and more Gen. 4.13 Mat. 27.5 for sinne is so heavie a weight it utterly overthrowes this spirituall Race Oh this made Cain despaire and Iudas to lay violent hands upon himselfe yea so heavie a burthen is sinne though the world understand it not that it made blessed David himselfe cry out Psal 38.4 Mine iniquities saith he are gone over my head and are as a grievous burthen made more heavie than I can beare Oh they greatly hindered him in this spirituall Race Iob 13.26 This was Iobs case which made him cry unto God Thou writest bitter things against me Rom. ◠24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou makst me to possesse the iniquities of my youth yea this heavie weight so troubled the blessed Apostle Paul that it made him grievously complaine Oh man that I am wearied with continuall sightings who shall deliver mee from the body of this death Therefore that wee may runne speedily in this holy Race wee must endeavour to become inwardly emptied daily lessening the heavie weight and burthen of our sinnes else wee shall never so run as to obtaine Secondly to runne speedily wee must become outwardly disburthened that is Luke 16.13 Gregorie Nil laboriosius quà m terrenis desideriis aestuare Aug. in Psal 122. Qui majora cupit c. Ad hoc accesserunt divitiae ut egestas cresceret Aug. in Psal 137. Avaris ipsa foecunditas molesta est Aug. in Psal 29. Timoribus cruciantur tristitia contabescunt An insatiable worldling carrieth alwaies a kinde of hell about him in his conscience from the earnest prosecution of terrene things wee cannot serve God and Mammon we cannot prosecute the world and runne to obtaine a heavenly kingdome Therefore saith Gregorie There is nothing more laborious than to burne with earthly desires this is the most miserable poverty of all for fertility and plenty is a punishment unto these for they are tormented with feares and doe pine away with sorrow and anguish Alas the world is like to Iudas whom it kisses it cries out against him presently This is hee lay hold on him fill him with cares and distractions feares and horrours let him taste of hell before he come to hell Now these thus affected or rather infected whither tend all their passages what is their daily labour why to enlarge themselves to get the earth in possession to make their yongsters gallants of this age whom wee may often see to consume prodigally what their parents did get miserably But what a distressed condition is this when will these so runne as to obtaine a Crowne of immortall glory Alas this is impossible untill they become disburthened of these terrene prosecutions Wee may see in Matthewes Gospell Mat. 19.22 that that yongue man would faine have followed Christ but the world plucks him utterly away and makes him forsake that blessed Saviour Christ Iesus Act. 8.20 Wee may see in the Acts of the Apostles Simon Magus would faine have been a Religionist but the world so clogged him it wholly overthrew him Saint Paul doth tell us 2. Tim. 4.10 that Demas began this Race hee gave his name to Christ he was an associate of the Apostles hee followed him in his travells but this inchanting Paramour the world it pulled him cleane away 2. Pet. 2.22 to turne with the dogge to the vomit and with the sow to wallow in the myre Therfore well might the Apostle call this snare 1. Tim. 6.10 the very roote of all evill well might Chrysostome declame against it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh common plague oh deepe destruction of men for once insnared in this evill they hardly or never get out of it to obtaine a heavenly kingdome Oh! Mat. 19.24 so hardly that our Saviour himselfe concludes it easier for a cable to passe thorough the eye of a needle which we know can never bee but by great untwining Luke 19.7 We may see that Zacheus was sometime thus burthened and insnared but when did hee breake out from it oh never untill he came to this resolution Ver. 8. Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I give to the poore if I have taken from any man by false accusation Ver. 9.10 I restore him fourefold Lo then Christ concludes This day salvation is come unto this house then he proclaimes him to be the sonne of Abraham Esay 3.15 Ier. 5.26 Oh when will our greedy worldlings take this course that live by usurie and oppression by grinding the faces of the poore These are hardly removed from the outward act of these sinnes much lesse from the inward affection of them and therefore are far from the integrity of restitution by laying snares and making pits to catch men when will these make restitution nay when will they be perswaded so much as to desist from the Act and violent prosecution of these loathsome sinnes But let them know and all other dull-hearted Christians which have bookes in their hands and Christ in their mouthes but the world in their hearts that unlesse they runne this holy Race disburthened of terrene prosecutions they shall never runne so speedily as to obtaine that is a heavenly and a glorious Kingdome Thus we see that as the second subsequent thing necessary in this Race wee must runne festinanter speedily inwardly emptied of sinne outwardly disburthened of
aggravation of their wickednesse and is thus inforced to us in that they not onely committed things worthy of death themselves but favoured them that did the same It was a grievous wickednesse for them themselves to commit things worthy of death by their owne proper sinnes but to favour and patronize the same in others was most intolerable and declared them to be even of an incurable nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word used here by the Apostle doth not signifie merely an assent but an approbation or patronizing or as some reade an applauding of others in their wickednesse which was a thing common amongst many of the heathen So â—iscator for they mainetained and defended publikely those things which by the light of nature they knew to be sinnes and to deserve death as Fornication Idolatrie yea Murther it selfe as amongst divers others we may see in Anaxarchus Aristander and Calisthenes who when Alexander had slaine his friend Clitus they became patrons of that horrible wickednesse For the first an Epicure perswaded all things was lawfull for Kings the second a Stoick referred it wholly to fate and destinie the third used morall and civill perswasions onely but none of them laid open unto him the greatnesse and foulnesse of his sinne but did sooth him and defend him in that his horrid wickednesse Briefly for the further manifesting and opening this great and odious guilt consider we how many waies we may become partakers of the sinnes of others which wee may reduce unto twelve particulars 1. Iubendo First therefore understand wee that iubendo by bidding and commanding a wickednesse to be done we become to participate of that wickednesse So Saul became guilty of the murther of innocent Abimelech and his associats 1. Sam. 22.18 because hee did command this wickednesse to be done Dan. 3. So Nebuchadnezzer became guilty of the peoples Idolatrie in falling down and worshipping the golden Image because he commanded it to be done Mat. 1. So wicked Herod became guiltie of that great slaughter of infants done in Bethlehem and in the Coasts round about because hee commanded that bloody stratagem to be acted So also that Herod spoken of Mar. 6. Marke 6. became guilty of the death of that bright shining light Iohn the Baptist because he commanded it to bee done Thus first iubendo by commanding a wickednesse to be done we become guiltie of the sinne of others 2. Obediendo Secondly obediendo by obeying such unlawfull commands wee become to participate of the sinnes of others Dan. 3. This Shadrach Meshach and Abednego knew right well and therefore no violent threats nor terrors could draw them to yeeld to an unlawfull command This the worthy Apostles knew most cleerly wherefore when the Priests and Elders commanded them that they should teach no more in the name Iesus Acts 4.18 20. they plainly answer We cannot but speake the things which wee have seene and heard This was the fault of treacherous Doeg by which he became to participate of the wickednes of Saul for although Saul coÌ„manded his footmen that stood by him to slay Abimelech his associates not a hand was stirred nor foot moved to that bloudy action 1. Sam. 22.17 18. but assoon as he spake to Doeg he became presently a readie instrument to execute his cruell unlawfull coÌ„mand This also was the fault of Ioab for David writing to him that Vriah should be put in the forefront of the battell 2. Sam. 11.15 16. and that there should be a reculing backe from him that he might be smitten and dye presently hee consents unto this unlawfull command sinisterly to betray the life of an innocent man and so became to participate of that bloody sinne 2. Sam. â—4 So also when David commanded him to number the people though hee misliked it and his conscience told him it was an evill yet he desisted not but became the instrument of this sinne This was also the fault of those corrupt Iudges 1. Kings 21. 1. King 21. for pernicious Iezabel writing a letter to them in Ahabs name that they should get two wicked men to sweare against poore Naboth that they had heard him blaspheme God and the King and so to stone him to death they performed it with all expedition and so became guilty of that crying sinne the shedding of the innocent blood of poore Naboth oh how much better had it beene for them to have undergone the frowne of Iezabel and the anger of Ahab than thus to have enthralled their soules with the guilt of a grievous crying sinne And thus we see obediendo by obeying the unlawfull commands of others wee become guilty of sinne and wickednesse Thirdly consulendo by giving advice and counsell unto sinister and ungodly passages wee become guilty of the sinnes of others 2. Sam. 15. So Achitophel was guilty of the conspiracie of Absolom against his Father David 2. Sam. 16.21 2. Sam. 17.1 Ver. 14. because hee did advise and counsell him therein So in like manner the youngsters of Rehoboam were guilty of his violent answer to the people of Israell 1. King 12. and consequently of the rending of the ten Tribes from the two because they did advise and counsell him to that virulent replie So also pernicious Herodias became guiltie of the death of Iohn the Baptist Marke 6. because she did counsell and advise her daughter to make that the subiect of her request And so wee may see in the twenty third of Ieremie those false Prophets were guilty of the sinnes and errors of the people Ier. 23.26 27. because they did advise them to false and evill things the deceits of their owne heart Thus consulendo by advising and counselling unto evill we become culpable of that evill Fourthly adiuvando by giving any helpe or assistance unto evill wee become guilty of the evill whether it bee personally 1. King 22. verbally or manually First personally so was Iehosophat guilty of the sin of the Idolatrous King of Israell because he did personally assist aid him in his rash violent enterprise Againe verbally we become guilty of this sin when wee yeeld any assisting speeches to exasperate or set forward an evill So were the Edomites guilty of the crueltie of the Babylonians against Ierusalem Psal 137.7 because to exasperate and set forward the mischiefe they cryed out Downe with it downe with it even to the ground So in like manner were the Israelites guilty of the abomination of Baal Iudg. 6.29 30. whilst they used strong assistant speeches for him who hath done this thing who hath thus dishonoured Baal as to break downe his Altar and when they finde it was Gideon the sonne of Ioash Ver. 31. they cry out Bring out thy sonne that hee may dye that Ioash was faine to say Will yee plead the cause of Baal will you use assistant speeches for him and so participate