Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	body_n	sin_n	spirit_n	9,196	5	5.3489	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69196	Foure sermons viz. 1. The blessednesse of peace-makers. 2. The aduancement of Gods children. Preached before the King. 3. The sinne against the holy Ghost. Preached at Pauls Crosse. 4. The Christian petitioner. Preached at Oxford on the Act Sunday. By Iohn Denison Doctor of Diuinity, and one of his Maiesties Chaplaynes.	Denison, John, d. 1629.; Denison, John, d. 1629. Beati pacifici.; Denison, John, d. 1629. Sinne against the holy ghost plainly described.; Denison, John, d. 1629. Christian petitioner. Shewing how we must sue for reward and remission.	1620 (1620)	STC 6587; ESTC S120377	95,129	308

the Lord albeit hee be the father of mercies and the God of all consolation n 2 Cor. 1.3 how oft I say doth he send forth his expresse prohibition to Ieremie o Ier. 7. 11. 15. chap. Thou shalt not pray for this people neither lift vp crie nor prayers for them Yea he is wont in such cases to stirre vp the spirits of his seruants to pray against such notorious sinners and to powre forth dreadfull execrations vpon them And to that end hath he armed the Church with that fearefull censure Anathemamaran-atha If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be accursed till the comming of p 1 Cor. 16.12 Christ Thus doth Dauid q Psal 59.5 desire the Lord not to be mercifull to them that transgresse maliciously Yea how oft doth he pursue the enemies of God most passionate and bitter imprecations Thus did Peter against Simon Magus as histories report r Theodor. hist l. 3. ca. 9. 17. 19. Thus did the primitiue Church pray against Iulian the Apostata and neuer left assaulting him with her weapons which are prayers and teares till hee had receiued his finall and fearefull stroake of destruction and then she sang Hallelujaes for his ſ Hieron super Habac. l. 2. ouerthrow Gods dearest children may commit very hainous sinnes yet they doe it of infirmitie and not maliciously The sinne of Peter was very fearefull yea could any almost be more hainous when as hee a chiefe Apostle at the word of a silly Maide against his constant protestation three seuerall times within the space of a few houres did not onely deny and forsake but euen forsweare his Master and Sauiour yea and that with dreadfull t Mat. 26.74 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 execrations vpon himselfe If he knew the man But alas all this proceeded from infirmity the present danger feare of death extorted those oathes and drew those execrations from him And therefore when he went forth and wept bitterly diluit culpam lachrymis when he wept he wipte away his hainous sinnes with bitter teares and the Lords compassions failed him not The fourth bad humour Reuel 8.11 SAint Iohn in the eight Chapter of the Reuelation speakes of a great Starre called Wormewood which falling into the waters and fountains made them bitter so that many died thereof Behold such is the humour of malice For whereas other sinnes doe but muddie the streames this impoisons the very fountaine of our holy profession and brings immortall death without remedy And this is the fourth degree of this dreadfull Apostasie which for the better handling I call a particular humour when it is indeed like the corruptions of all the humors in the body For it is not a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not some smaller distemper but a generall euill disposition and habit of Religion not a binding of Sampsons hands but a shauing of his locks not like the setting of the Sun in a clowde but a totall Ecclipse yea such a going downe as neuer admits any rising againe For it is a totall and finall Apostasie which doth vsually accompany the malicious resisting of the knowne truth And therefore Athanasius v Athanas ad Serapion ioynes that malice and Apostasie together in the definition of this blasphemy against the holy Ghost calling it a malicious denying of the faith which a man hath professed as x Sueton. Iul. Caes cap. 1. Sylla said in Suetonius Vno Caesari multos Marios in esse there were many Marijes in one Caesar So I may say there are many iniquities in this one sinne which indeede becomes a congeries of all abhominations For the curse of God seazeth vpon such a malicious sinner as hath beene mentioned to an vtter priuation of grace like Dauids heauie imprecation vpon mount Gilboe y 2 Sam. 1.21 You mountaines of Gilboe vpon you be neyther dew nor raine for euer And like our Sauiours curse vpon the figge tree neuer man eate fruite of thee while the world standeth Againe Sathan casts his violent and inuenomed temptations which the Apostle Ephes 6. calleth fiery darts and those where they strike they sticke fah and worke vpon the Soule like the arrowes on Iobs body z Iob 6.4 The venome whereof dried vp his spirits And then as in the generall deluge when the waters increased to a certaine height all flesh a Gen. 7.21 perished so in this great ouerflowing of sinne all sparkes of grace are vtterly extinguished This is implyed here when the Apostle speakes of an opposition against the causes of our saluation namely The Sonne of God the bloud of the Testament and the spirit of grace And this elsewhere b 1 Tim. 1.19 hee calleth A shipwracke of faith and an Apostasie from the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 1 Tim. 4.1.2 1 Tim. 4. And addes the reason Hauing their consciences burnt with an hot Iron For when the conscience is cauterized there followeth an vtter benumming of the sanctified faculties so that there is left no spirituall sense of grace As we say of griefes so it is in sinnes Curae leues loquuntur ingentes stupent the smaller sins at first are irkesome and terrifie but being growne many and great they stupifie So that he which was wont to crie out with Saint Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Rom. 7. can make a couenant with death the graue and hell Esay 28. He who was pressed downe with the ponderous waight of his sinnes which were as a heauy burden too heauie for him to beare Psal 38. can at last goe as roundly away with them as euer Sampson went with the Gates of Azzah The conscience at first will diligently obserue and censure the sinner but the same being neglected hee becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euen condemned of d Tit. 3.11 himselfe and yet continueth in sinne with great securitie If a wounded man haue but one Surgeon and one salue to cure him and yet hee alas would slay that Surgeon and cast away that salue what hope can there be of his recouery And such is the condition of a desperate sinner Christ Iesus is the Surgeon and his precious bloud the blessed balme to cure our wounded soules If a man shall then offer violence to his person Crucifying againe to himselfe the sonne of e Heb. 6.6 God And contempt to this plaster In treading vnder-foote the blood of the f Heb. 10.29 Testament Is there any meanes left in heauen or earth to cure him Surely no but that must needes follow which our Sauiour Christ threatned to the Iewes g Iohn 8.24 You shall dye in your sinnes Saint h 1. Tim. 4.1 Paul prophesieth of some that in the latter times shall depart from the faith and Saint Peter saith i 2. Pet. 2.1 verse 20. there shall be some that will denie the Lord that bought

a sinner giues way to his owne corruptions and Sathans temptations hee becomes like the Image in Daniel i Dan. 2.45 whose head was gold his brest of siluer his belly of brasse his legs of iron his feete of clay thus doth he waxe worse and worse till at last as a stone cut out of a mountaine without hands smote the image and brake it in peeces So the iudgements of God not created in the beginning by the hand of God but cut out of the mountaine of mans transgressions doth beate him in peeces like a potters vessell For if our sinnes doe increase and come one in the necke of another like the messengers of Iob our punishments must needes follow like the plagues of Aegypt Therefore Woe be to them saith the Prophet that k Esa 5.18 draw iniquity in the cords of vanity and sinne as with cart-ropes Cordes are twisted of many small threds which seuerally haue very small force but vnited are very strong and so it commeth to passe that the threds of smaller sinnes being twisted by oft committing and drawne out by long continuance doe at last make this great gable of the sinne against the holy-Ghost wherewith the sinners hands and feete being bound He is cast into vtter darkenesse where is nothing l Mat. 22.13 but wayling and weeping and gnashing of teeth Be carefull to auoide the least sinne lest the same be an introduction to greater For as the Philistims came vpon Sampson and ouercame him by diuers insinuations first bound his hands then platted his hayre and at last shaued off his locks So doe sinne and Sathan winde themselues in by diuers inferiour temptations still proceeding and augmenting the same till the locks of grace be quite shaued off As it is said of Ninus Victores m Iustin 1. lib. 1 Quaeque sequentis victoriae causa fuit euery victory was the means of another conquest So euery smaller suggestion of Sathan becomes an instrument of a greater temptation Had king Dauid at the first beene perswaded to murder Vriah hee would haue said what murder Vriah my loyall subiect my faithfull seruant God forbid not for the one halfe of my kingdome Yet after that hee had sinned with Bathsheba adultry made way to cruelty Sinnes are like the sores of the body which at first are but vitious humours then tumours after that impostumate and at last become vncurable So the sores of sinne waxe greater and greater Mortem parit immortalem Chrys in Psal 6. Bern. de aduent Ser. 6. Et in Cant. Serm. 15. till they breede and bring eternall death And therefore Bernard doth very fitly call sinne morbum animae and mortem animae The soules sicknesse and the soules death Thus as robbers put some little villaine into the house which sets open the dores to all the theeues And as warriors by a smaller breach doe get into the besieged City and then doe rob and kill and burne and vtterly spoile it So doth the diuell get entrance and aduantage of men by some smaller sinne and preuaileth more and more till hee hath battered the foundation of their faith dispoyled them of the rich ornaments of grace and become euen Lord of the Soule If at any time you be cast downe by the temptations of the diuell as alas who can alwaies stand let him not keepe you downe That is good counsell of our Sauiour o Reu. 2.4 Remember whence thou art fallen repent and amend The prodigall childe is set forth a patterne to this purpose who p Luke 15 Ver. 18.21 said and did what he said that hee would rise and goe to his father confesse his sinnes and craue pardon for the same Redeat homo per quotidiana lamenta vnde corruit per vana delectamenta q Aug. de temp Ser. 182. saith Saint Austin Let a man returne by daily lamentations to that from whence hee is fallen by vaine delectations Repentance is the onely stay that holds vs from falling into hell Repent therefore and proportion your Repentance according to your sinnes like Manasses who hauing caused the streetes of Ierusalem to flow with blood made the prison in Babylon to runne with teares r Cyprian de Laps Ser. 5. Alto vulnere diligens medicina non desit saith Cyprian a deepe wound must haue a diligent cure Thus let euery sinner rayse vp himselfe by true and vnfayned Repentance lest his slippes of infirmity become the fall of Apostasie Take heede of backsliding reciduation in sinne is no lesse dangerous then a relapse in sicknesse The bone oft broken will hardly be set The tree that 's oft transplanted will scarcely prosper Hath Christ washed Å¿ Reuel 1.6 thee in his blood Cured thee with his stripes Esa 53.5 and healed thee with his wounds hath he paid thy debts cancelled the bond vpon the crosse and set thee vp being a t Col. 2.13 bankrupt in grace Returne not with the swine to wallow in thy filthy sinnes let not the diuell wound thee againe by fresh bleeding iniquities runne not into debt hy new transgressions Yea sinne no more lest a worse thing happen v Ioh. 5.14 to thee Thus all sinnes are carefully to be auoided yet some are more especially to be shunned as hauing a spice of this dangerous disease the sinne against the holy Ghost and some duties likewise are more especially to be practised as meanes and mithridates against that wofull euill Amongst many I will obserue some in both kindes It is dangerous to sinne against knowledge and more dangerous yet to sinne against the checks of conscience but most dangerous to sinne against the motions of Gods blessed spirit It is dangerous madnesse for the pilot to shut his eyes against the starres that should guide him And such is the case of all those who wilfully put out the light of knowledge and regard not the checks of conscience The Lord tels Israel in the second of Hosea I will stop thy way with thornes and so doth hee set the stings of conscience to stay the sinner if it be possible from his wicked courses and fearefull is the neglect thereof For he that regards not the cry of his sinnes to his conscience shall surely haue them crying to heauen against him for vengeance Take heede of scorning or vilifying the blessed word of God especially the Gospell of Peace When men shall be angry with the word 1 Reg. 22.8 as Ahab was with Michaiah because it reproues their corruptions it is with them as our Sauiour saith y Ioh. 3.19.20 They hate the light because their workes are euill and it argues their deformities that they cannot abide to looke into the glasse z Iam. 1.23 which discouers them When men doe thus disesteeme and shunne the Gospell of Christ it is a shrewd signe that the same is no pardon of theirs but rather their inditement There are some who haue scarce three sentences of Scripture yet of those they

dreame be to them that hate thee and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies so let this pardon be to all trecherous and incendiary Papists and the reseruation of punishment to them who are enemies to the grace of God and our gracious Soueraigne Miserable O miserable were our condition if our pardon were not absolute For as one bad humour left vnpurged may be the death of the body one small cranny vnstopped may be the drowning of the shippe so the least sinne vnpardoned must needes be the death and drowning both of soule and body in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer But blessed be God Colos 2.14 we know that Christ Iesus hath fully satisfied the iustice of God Reuel 1.5 cancelled the bond of our debts and washed vs in his precious blood Hee was condemned that we might be iustified hee was punished that we might be pardoned Bern. in Cant. Serm. 22. Non gutta sed vnda sanguina largitèr per quinque partes corporis emanauit as Bernard saith There flowed out of fiue parts of his body not droppes but euen streames of blood that with him might be plenteous redemption and he might redeeme Israel from all his sinnes Auant therefore to the Merchants of Rome with their stained Merits their super-arrogant workes of supererogation their blasphemous satisfactions to God What needeth there a miserere where there is a mereri What neede is there of mercy where there is merit A man may fitly say of these men as Bernard speaketh of the boasting Pharisee Bern Annunci Domini Serm. 3. Nimirum plenus est nec habet in eo gratia Dei locum surely these men are so full of their merits that they haue no roome for Gods mercy Againe how miserable is the condition of those men who doe daily run through as many grosse sins as there are signes in the Zodiacke yet haue no power to finde remorse or seeke for remission and those who in stead of this humble Petition Pardon me according to thy great mercy do take vp Kaines desperate complaint My Sinne is greater then can be pardoned Farre Gene. 4.13 O farre be it from vs thus to abuse Gods mercy Let vs be truely penitent for our sinnes and then let vs put vp our Petition and craue pardon for the same yea let vs neuer be quiet till wee haue our quietus est Psal 39.8 euen a generall acquittance for all our transgressions And here againe I must briefly aduertise you that you must resume the former compellation to this Petition Pardon me O my God It is odious to God and dangerous to men to seeke for Romish indulgences it is impious to thinke that wee may appeale from God to the Virgin Mary for mercy Bernardino de Busto It is blasphemous to affirme that Christ hath imparted to his Mother the disposing of mercy and reserued to himselfe onely the dispensing of Iustice Gabriel Biel in Canone Missae as certaine Papists teach Hee that rewardeth vs must also pardon vs according to that of Esay Esa 43.25 I euen I doe put away doe put away thy iniquities Here that I so redoubled is emphaticall and exclusiue as it is in the eleuenth Verse I euen I am the Lord. I euen I as if he should say I and none but I. We indeede by preaching of the word may draw your pardons but God in mercy must grant them and by his spirit must seale them 2 Sam. 12.13 according to Nathans words Dominus transtulit the Lord hath put away thy sinne Giue me leaue in a word or two to passe from the act to the person Pardon me Me here the comfort is more ample and excellent in the originall then in our translation and no maruaile for no translation can keepe a proportion quoad pondus with the originall the Hebrew which we translate me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is gnalai vpon me or ouer me as if hee should say let thy pardon protect me and let thy mercy be spred ouer me like the glorious Canopie of heauen Let it be like the clowdie pillar which was as a vaile and couering to the children of Israel So that Nehemiah craueth here a protecting Pardon both a protection and a Pardon and the Lord granteth them both in one Patent It is like Dauids wordes in the fift Psalme For thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous Psal 5.13 and with fauour wilt compasse him as with a shield Here also the Hebrew fountaine runnes fuller of diuine comfort then the English streame for the Hebrew word signifieth to compasse with a crowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus with Gods pardon there goeth his protection with this protection his crowne and benediction all these comforts doe flowe from the fountaine of his mercy as it followeth Pardon me according to thy great mercy The manner VVHen I come to speake of the mercy of God I enter into a Labyrinth without end and diue into an Ocean without bottome It fareth with mee as with the traueller who hath farre to goe and little time to spend but let mee craue your patience and I will hast to the end of my iourney The word Kesed here translated mercy plus est quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Pagn è Rab. Kimchi saith a learned Linguist it is more then naturall loue which you know runneth with a strong current Therefore when you heare of Gods tender mercies thinke vpon the affection of a tender hearted mother and remember yet that the mercy of God doth as farre surmount the same as the resplendent Sunne exceedeth the little sparke of fire in brightnesse No man hath seene God at any time yet hath he manifested himselfe vnto vs by his Sonne incarnate Bern. in Cant. Serm. 61. Per cuius vulnera patebant viscera through whose side wounded with the speare you might behold the bowels of compassion wounded with loue Gods mercy seldome goeth alone but vsually it hath some epithet annexed to it as here it is called his great mercy Rab quantitatis qualitatis est say the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that it comprehendeth all whatsoeuer hath excellency in quality or amplitude in quantity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is Kerob casdeka secundum multitudinem according to thy many mercies as diuers doe translate it or secundum magnitudinem according to thy great mercy as here we reade it and neither amisse For as the Hebrew word so Gods mercy haue both the discreete and continued quantity When Iacob had got the blessing of Isaack as we reade Genes 27. Esau said to his Father in the anguish of spirit Hast thou but one blessing blesse me euen me also my Father Yet the good old man though an indulgent father had but one that was worthy the name of a blessing But happy are wee our heauenly Father is not so penurious He hath more then one

remains small hope of receiuing comfort by Christs eternall sacrifice but rather extreame terrour in the expectation of his dreadfull sentence small probability of being cleansed in his precious blood but rather a sore possibility of being deuoured by a violent fire Peccata sunt animae vulnera sins are the soules wounds according to the sacred Scriptures and the ancient Fathers phrase of speech And as the wounds of the body doe differ some being dangerous some more mortall some altogether incurable so fares it with the wounds of the soule some are cured more easily as the Maid was raised from death by Christ Mark 9. Some with lesse facilitie like the Widdowes Sonne Luk. 7. Some yet with greater difficultie like Lazarus Iohn 11. The cure will cost many a groane and many a sigh some are altogether vncurable the sinne cleauing to the sinner like the Leprosie of Gehazi for h 2 Kin. 5.27 euer Loe such a wound and such a sinne we haue in hand at this present euen the sinne against the holy Ghost For the subiect of this Scripture is a deadly wound euen a wound and death a wound going before and death following after it The wound is expressed in these words For if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth The death and danger in these words There remaines no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and a violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries Behold here is the most hainous sinne of all sinnes and the most grieuous iudgement of all iudgements here is a fearefull transgression and a dolefull affliction in the one behold the tower of Babel in the other the valley of Benhinnom in the one the extreamest degree of iniquitie in the other the vttermost measure of miserie in the one a sinners execrable condition in this life in the other his lamentable confusion in the life to come But now I purpose God willing onely to speak of the wound In the handling whereof I intend to take these courses 1. I will open it 2. I will search it 3. I will binde it vp againe by Application In the opening of the wound I finde it in the generall to be an Apostasie from the Gospell For it is a forsaking the communion we haue among our selues So saith the Apostle ver 25. And in the particular view thereof I note foure bad humours which feede it for mali humores sunt praui mores as Bernard h Bern. super Cant. ser 36. saith Vers 26 The first is an aduised sinfulnesse After we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth The second a resolute wilfulnesse If we sinne willingly Vers 29 The third is obstinate malice For here is an aduersary that despights the spirit of grace The fourth is a generall corruption of Religion For it is a treading vnderfoote the Sonne of God and counting the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing and both these points are expressed in the 29. Verse So that in a word I finde and consequently doe define this sinne to be A Witting Willing Malicious Totall Apostasie First for the matter of this sinne It is an Apostasie either from the publike profession or priuate acknowledgement of the Gospell For the manner of it It must be witting and not of ignorance It must be willing and not of co-action It must be malicious and not of infirmitie It will be totall and not some particular impietie In the handling of which points let mee say to you in i Chris var. loc in Mat. hom 9. Chrysostomes words Excutite pigritiam non est res leuis quam audituri estis rouse vp your spirits and raise vp your attention the matter you are to heare is of no small moment The first part The opening of the WOVND The first bad Humour VVHen almightie God had laid the foundation of the world his first worke was fiat lux let there be light and this light being dispersed and confused he afterwards placed in the Globe of the Sunne which he made vehiculum lucis So in the creation of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a modell of that greater world hee placed the light of vnderstanding in the firmament of his Soule to guide him in the way of holinesse and to bring him to the place of eternall happinesse But Sathan whose kingdome is the kingdome of darkenesse in enuie towards man and malice to God obscured that light with the clowdes of errour that so hee might lead wretched sinners blinde-fold to hell like the Syrians into the midst of k 2. Reg. 6.20 Samaria Yet God in mercy beholding this miserie into which man was cast gathering together as it were the scattered beames of knowledge doth by the spirit of illumination vnite them in the Globe of the vnderstanding and where hee affords this fauour the abuse thereof is very dangerous This is that knowledge of the truth which is here spoken of for it is cognitio accepta non acquisita knowledge receiued from the illuminating spirit of God not acquired or obtained by the light or industry of nature They who offend in this kinde must be such as Saint Paul speakes of you were once darkenes but now you are light in the l Lord. So that Turkes and infidels who neuer yet receiued the knowledge of the truth cannot commit this sinne Neither is this to be taken for some superficiall conceite swimming in the braine onely but such a knowledge as taking some place in the heart hath affected the same with a certaine comfort and delight therein and bringeth with it a glimpse of that glory which is reuealed in that truth and shall be receiued in the kingdome of heauen And therefore the Apostle attributes to those who commit this sinne not onely that they be lightned but that they haue tasted of the heauenly gift and beene made pertakers of the holy-Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to m Heb. 6.4 come Now when a man shall finde the taste of Gods word sweeter then the honie and the n Psal 19.10 honie-combe as it was to Dauid and shall afterward distaste and happily detest it as the Israelites did o Numb 11.6 Manna When he shall reioyce in the meditation of eternall life and yet reiect the consolation thereof like the yong man who ranne to our blessed Sauiour kneeled to him and cryed out good master what shall I doe that I may possesse eternall life yet went away like a p Mark 10.17 flincher When hee shall haue relished and euen beene rauished with the comfortable taste of the powers of the world to come like Balaam who passionately wished O let me die the death of the righteous and let my latter end be like q Num. 23.10 his Yet shall like a gracelesse man abandon the meanes and banish the care and cogitation thereof what probability nay what possibility is there that hee

Christ then Christ hath reliefe for the man and so may I say to you beloued If you haue grace to beleeue then haue you not so sinned against grace and mercie but that the Lord hath plentifull redemption for you in store Christ Iesus himselfe cals you the Church exhorts you the spirit of God inuites you to take the pardon for your sinnes and the pawne of your inheritance The spirit and the spouse saith come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and let whosoeuer will take of the water of life n Reuel 22.17 freely Behold here is that Aqua coelestis that whosoeuer tasteth of hee shall neuer thirst any more here is that Aqua o Iohn 4.14 vitae which whosoeuer takes and drinke he shall neuer see death Yea though he were dead yet shall it restore him to p Iohn 11.25 life Therfore I may say to euery Christian beleeuer as our Sauior said to the woman os Canaan q Mat. 15.28 O woman great is thy faith be it vnto thee as thou desirest But for as much as diuers delude themselues with a vaine conceit of that Faith they haue not and others are dismaide because they doubt of their Faith which sometimes they feele not therfore I must further exhort euery one of you to trie your hearts and examine your liues concerning your repentance For that gracious promise shall euer be found yea and Amen That hee which is soundly and seriously penitent so that he turne away from his euill waies hee shall not die but liue r Ezek. 18.22 Yea for the assurance of this you haue the Lords oath ſ Ezek. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord I delight not in the death of a sinner t Psal 51.15 The sacrifices of God are a troubled spirit a broken and a contrite heart the Lord will not despise It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a sacrifice but sacrifices because it is instar omnium in stead of all as Tremelius truely saith Which whensoeuer we offer vp the Lord smels a sauour of mercie and compassion as he smelled a sauour of rest in the sacrifice of n Gen. 8.21 Noah O bring then this sacrifice to the Lords sacred Altar and behold you shall alwaies finde the doore of his mercie open to receiue you and the armes of his compassion stretched out to imbrace you as the prodigall childe found at his returne of whom Saint Ambrose saith filius timet conuitium pater adornat conuiuium The sonne feared some sharpe reproofe but the father prepared a dainty banquet When Nathan reproued Dauid for his o 2 Sam. 24.10 sinnes it is said that Dauids heart did scourge him A fit Metaphor to expresse the nature of Repentance which is flagellum peccati euen the scourge of sinne which is flagellum animae the scourge of the Soule Doe your hearts smart and smite you and are your Soules troubled for your sinnes bee not dismaide For as the Angell troubled the Poole of Bethesda for the curing of the diseased So Gods blessed spirit of compunction hath beene with you and troubled your soules for your cure and consolation To conclude therefore if all that I haue now spoken hath wrought in you an indignation and dislike of your selues and a detestation and loathing of your sinnes with an earnest and a resolute purpose to banish and abandon them Then dare I be bold to pronounce that you are free from this sinne against the holy Ghost yea the God of heauen hath thereby sealed you a pardon for all your sinnes Though they were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red as skarlet they shall be as white as Wooll Which mercie that we may obtaine let vs humble our selues in Prayer Let vs pray O Lord our God who art able to preserue vs blamelesse and to present vs faultlesse before thy glory with ioy euen for thy tender mercies sake defend vs from this dreadfull sinne of Apostasie Keepe vs by thy power that we fall not restore vs by thy mercy when we are fallen preserue vs by thy grace that we neuer finally fall away O let not the gates of thy mercy be shut vpon vs neyther suffer the gates of hell to preuaile against vs But grant good Lord that albeit our fraile nature cannot obtaine an absolute freedome from sinnes of infirmity yet we may neuer set our selues against heauen or sinne with a high hand Renew a right spirit within vs that we may bewaile our sinnes Take not thy holy spirit from vs that we may reforme our liues Establish vs with thy free spirit that we may be confirmed in thy truth That being effectually sanctified in the kingdome of grace we may be eternally blessed in the kingdome of glory through the merites and mediation of Iesus Christ our alone and all-sufficient Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one eternall God let all prayse power and dominion be ascribed by all thy seruants both men and Angels this day and for euer Amen AMEN FINIS THE CHRISTIAN PETITIONER Shewing how we must sue in the Courts of HEAVEN both for Reward and Remission A Sermon Preached at OXFORD the seauenth day of Iuly being the Act Sunday By IOHN DENISON Doctor of Diuinity and one of his Maiesties Chaplayne LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at the signe of the greene-Dragon in Paules Church-yard 1620. A SERMON PREACHED AT OXFORD the 7. of Iuly being the Act Sunday NEHEMIAH 13.22 Remember me O my God concerning this and pardon me according to thy great mercy DIuers writers both diuine and humane Right reuerend Right Worshipfull welbeloued in Christ Iesus doe very fitly compare both euill men and manners in Ciuill and Christian gouernment to badde humours in the body and the Magistrate to the Physition to whom the cure thereof doth belong Now as the soundest bodies haue their bad humours which must be purged so the best gouerned Common-wealths and States doe in time grow subiect to corruptions which must be redressed The truth of this is most apparant in this present Scripture For Nehemiah comming by Artaxerxes warrant to the gouernement of Ierusalem found the house of God prophaned by Eliashib who of sacred structures had built a Chamber for Tobiah his kinseman This abuse as it grieued Nehemiah sore so did he like a worthy Magistrate redresse it and then came not to king Artaxerxes but to the King of Kings to whom especially he had done that seruice saying as it is in the fourteenth verse Remember me O my God concerning this and blot not out the kindnesse I haue shewed to the house of my God Againe as he found Gods sanctuary polluted so did hee finde his Sabbath prophaned for whereas almighty God had consecrated that day to a spirituall Mart there were some who had employed it in carnall Merchandise where Nehemiah hauing