where wee find the saints professing and avowing their hope in God most confidently But say they yet for all this wee are uncertain of our Love But consider I pray you that S. Peter being demanded by our Saviour concerning his love to him answereth most confidently Thou knowest that I love thee Thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee So S. Augustine in his 8. book of the Trinitie 7. chap. saieth That wee more certainlie know the love that we carrie to our brother then our brother himself They answere to this That wee may know indeed certainly that there is in us a love and affection to God and our neighbour but yet say they we cannot know for what end and upon what motive wee love him and consequently whether our love be such as it ought to be But they should consider that the Apostle saieth 1. Cor. 2. â—1 That the spirit of a man knoweth the things of a man and that wee haue received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God Hence a most learned Romanist Vega in his 9. book of â—ustificat 39. chap. granteth That wee may know not only our own inward actions but also for what end and upon what motive they are exercised by us and consequently that we love God above all things and that wee are ready to suffer the losse of all things rather then to offend him and that wee have truly sorrowed for our bypast sinnes But to leave this let us mark here That it is not without great cause that DAVID intending to blesse exalt God mentioneth particularly this his assurance that God was his God that he had a particular interest in him This as we touched before is a most singular benefit from which many excellent fruits do spring For first hence floweth a boldnesse toward God a boldnesse to come in his presence and a confidence to be heard of him in our praiers If our heart condemne us not we haue confidence towards God 1. Iohn 3. 21. A son that is perswaded of his fathers love is bold to come to him and to present his sutes unto him when occasion serveth so wee being perswaded that God is our God and Father are confident to poure out our hearts in his bosome and to expect a gracious answere from him I have written unto you saieth S. Iohn 1. 5. 13. 14. 15. that ye may know that ye have eternall life And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us And we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him Where first wee have the knowledge of eternall life then confidence to be heard to have our petitions granted If wee have to do with a man of whom wee know not whether he loveth us or not we can have but small hope to obtain our sutes from him but if wee be assured that we have his favour wee are confident to obtaine our requests according to that degree of favour which we perswade our selves to enjoy so if we be perswaded that God is our God and Father we cannot doubt of obtaining from him that which is good If ye that are evill can give good things to your children how much more will your heavenly Father give his good Spirit and all good things to them that ask him He that gave to us his own Son when we did not pray to him how much more with him will he give to us all things which wee pray for Secondly This assurance that God is our God and that we are in his favour maketh us to go on cheerfully in the obedience of God It enlargeth our heart with comfort so that wee runne the way of Gods Commandements There is nothing that will make a good servant cheerfull in doing his Masters will so much as to know that himself and his service is well accepted so nothing more fit to stirre us up to alacritie in well doing then to know that our persons and works are acceptable to God This is a notable spurre to a good life Hee that hath this hope purgeth himself that he may be holy as God is holy saieth S. Iohn I have hope towards God of the resurrection of the just and unjust saieth S. PAUL Acts 24. 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Thirdly This assurance that God is ours and that we have his love breedeth to us peace that passeth understanding and joy unspeakable and glorious even amidst all our worldly troubles S. Paul having said Rom. 5. 1. being justified by faith wee have peace with God subjoyneth That we rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God and that wee rejoyce also in our tribulations For being at one with God the peace of God keepeth our mindes Philip. 4. 7. It guardeth and defendeth them as a wall or garrison so the word signifieth It guardeth I say not only our bodies or estats always but also our minds that we sink not through the weight of our afflictions nor fall away from our stedfastnesse by any crosses For he that is in this estate can reason thus Though my wealth and preferment be taken away though my friends have forsaken mee though want and troubles sease upon mee Yet Christ is mine God is mine heaven and the inheritance of the joyes of it is mine These outward troubles can do no more but batter without and at the most pull down the earthly house of this bodie but That building which is without hands in heaven they cannot reach unto These troubles may take away my outward joyes but that joy which is within which is in God even my God is beyond the power of Life or death of height or depth of principalities or powers of things present or things to come Rom. 8. 38. This comforted Iob in the midst of all his grievous sorrowes I know saieth he that my Redeemer liveth and that with mine eyes I shall see him This comforted the godly Hebrews chap. 10. 34. Yee took joyfullie the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye haue in heaven a better and an enduring substance Hence hope which is grounded upon this assurance is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6. 19. An Anchor holdeth the ship firme and stable that it be not driven hither and thither or overwhelmed although the sea bee stormie and tempestuous even so our hope setleth our soules in the midst of tribulations that wee bee not swallowed up thereby So it is compared to an helmet 11. Thess 5. 8. For as an helmet securing the head putteth courage in a Souldier to fight so hope securing us of the maine point our eternall safety giveth courage and confidence to us in all our troubles I come now to David his last expression of that which he intendeth to praise and blesse That is the
you have descrived Exod. 30. The similitude is remarkable First brotherly love wherof concord and peace is the fruit is like anoyntment An oyntment maketh souple and active and Love maketh us prepared and readie to every good work 2. It is like unto the Priestly oyntment That was an holy and an sacred thing so brotherly love consecrateth us to God and is not to be found but among the godly Peace is the fruit of the Spirit and springeth not but from him that is rooted in Christ the peace of the wicked is no true peace It is either not sincere but corrupted by some by respect of gaine or pleasure or not grounded upon the right foundation which is God 3. This Concord and Peace is not like to any oyntment poured on the Priests but like to that precious oyntment that was poured on the head of Aaron the High Priest and poured in suth aboundance upon him that it did runne down to his beard and to the hemme of his garment sending forth a most sweet smell wherby all that were present were refreshed so is the peace and love among brethren It is in it self a most excellent thing and most pleasant and comfortable to all that perceive it Wo to that man whom this sweet smell offendeth he cannot be but miserable The second comparison followeth As the dew of Hermon and as the dew c. Here also an excellent comparison The similitude is taken froÌ„ the dew dew descending on the mountains even the mountains of Hermon and Zion which were in the holy Land among the people of God the one upon the one side and the other upon the other side The dew is not onlie a pleasant but also a most profitable thing Rayn is somtimes harmefull but dew is never hurtfull On the contrarâ— it is most profitable to the earth especially to the mountains upon which the rayn lyeth not but tunneth down to the valleyes so Peace and Concord is a most fruitfull thing Wher it is preserved Religion learning justice wealth all good things abound 2. He compareth this Concord to dew upon the mountains and to the oyntment upon the head running thence to the beard to signifie that this Concord and Peace should be carefully keeped by those who are Heads and Rulers of people either in the Church or in the state that thence it may be convoyed to them that are inferiours If these that are most high and eminent be at variance what wonder that those who are lower follow their example but if they be joyned in Vnitie the like may easily be found among others 3. The dew cometh from heaven the earth hath no power of it self to bring it forth so this brotherly Concord is the gift of God It cometh from heaven and from heaven it must be earnestly sought by them who would have it But why I pray you doth all this good accompany brotherly Concord and Vnitie The reason is set down by the PROPHET in the next words For the Lord hath coÌ„manded a blessing there c. Here is the Fountaine whence all that good floweth which accompanyeth Peace God hath commanded his blessing to attend it where his blessing is there all good is for what he blesseth shall bee blessed indeed Hee hath commanded not only the blessings of this life to attend this unitie and love of brethren but even life for evermore which is begun in this life by that peace of God which passeth understanding that keepeth our hearts and mindes through Christ Iesus and shall be accomplished by that eternall peace which shall be in the sight of God for ever in the heavenly Ierusalem which signifieth as much as the vision of peace He that is united to his brother in God shall be blessed with that blessed union with God and he that is divyded from his brother to whom he should adhere in God shall be separated from God himself Hee will say to him Depart from mee ye cursed c. Thus David hath given us a short but a divine portracture of brotherly Concord wherby we may also perceive what Discord Division is If we look to brotherly Concord and behold her as hee comemndeth her Nothing in her face but beautie and sweetnessee nothing in her heart but love The songs of joy are in her mouth Wheresoever shee goeth shee sendeth fourth a sweet smelling savour like precious oyntment or like a field which the LORD hath blessed Her stepps drop fatnesse Shee is from heaven heavenly blessings attend her whersoever she goeth and in end Eternall blessing crowneth her One the contrar Division is as an horrible and hellish Monster Hatred is in her heart furie in her eyes horror is in her face destruction is in her hands shee sendeth forth most filthie and noysome smell both to God and man wheresoever shee steppeth there is desolation Did shee meete with the fields of Ninâ—ve or Babylon wher the garden of Eden was shee can make it a Wildernes can make grasse to grow in the streets of the most populous cities It is no blessing but a curse that followeth her and which will presse her down to eternall perdition In a word The very wicked spirits themselves abhorre this Monster of division among themselves and labour as much to hold her froÌ„ themselves as they are earnest to place her among others For if Satans kingdome were divided it could not stand saieth our Saviour From all this observe first the corruption of our nature which is such that we stand in neede to be exhorted to a thing so good so pleasant so blessed as brotherly unitie Neither need wee onlie to bee exhorted to it but the Spirit of God also thought fit to use reasons for this effect taken from our own utilitie and pleasure Hee might have said This is a thing that is righteous and which God hath commanded but he saieth to alluire us to this excellent good How good how pleasant is it for brethren to dwell together in unitie It is like the precious ointment like the fruitfull dew is accoÌ„panyed by assured blessing All this argueth our corruption pronnes to dissention which we should labour to be sensible of that we may strive against it that wee may earnestly beseech God whose gift this is as we said to send down this heavenly dew on our soules Our corrupt cankered nature striveth against it the divell laboureth by al means to deprive us of it It is well remarked by S. August in his book of the profit of fasting That the divell careth not much for the dissention of them that worship a false god because he hath them alreadie but he is most earnest to divide them who are the worshippers of the true God and have rejected his service he seeth he cannot divide the true God nor put an idoll in his place to make them to worship it and therefore he laboureth to make herefies and schismes and
This is his unchangeable Nature to render good to them that do good and evill to them that do evil Say unto the righteous it shal be well with him but wo to the wicked it shall ill with him Tribulation and anguish upon the soule of every one that doth evill c. When thy face was toward God his countenance shyned upon thee now thou hast turned thy back to him and what wonder that thou find not the beames of the light of his countenance since hee is unchangeable If thou would enjoy his face and favour as before turne to him againe and because of thy self thou cannot do it say to him with the PROPHET Turne thou me O Lord and I shall be turned heale thou me and I shall be healed I come now to the second perfection of God which the PROPHET here considereth in him IT is his Dominion or Kingdome implyed in this That he is the Lord and hath a Throne Hee meaneth that hee is the supreame Lord and that his Throne is exalted over all both these belong to him by way of excellencie There are many lords and kings but not as hee The greatest kings depend from him By me kings reigne saieth he Prov. 8. 13. Their power is his ordinance Rom. 13. and that is their chief dignitie that they ar his anointed He setteth the Crown upon their heads ps 21. It is he that hath called theÌ„ gods ps 82. 6. I have said Year gods And he hath their hearts in his hand as the rivers of waters and â—urneth them whither he will Prov. 21. Beside the dominion of other Kings even of the most free Monarchs dependeth in some sort from the subjects They stand in need both of their heart and of their hands and if they want these what can they do This is the defect of all earthly Dominion As the the servant standeth in neede of the Master so the Master standeth in neede of the servant and hath a kinde of dependance from him as August observeth upon the 69 psal Thy servant standeth in neede of thy bread and thou standest in neede of his travels but it is not so with God he dependeth from none for he standeth in neede of none O my soule thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my God my goodnesse extendeth not to thee Secondly This Dominion of God as it is supreame and independent so it is universall Other kings are called so with a limitation as the kings of France or Spayne or of some other particular Countrey but God is absolutlie the LORD and absolutlie the KING If thou ascend to heaven it is his Throne If thou look to the earth it is his Footstoole If thou looke to hell it is his Goale or his Prison All the creatures are his servants even the unreasonable and senslesse creatures the fire the haile the yâ—e the snow the winds and tempests they all obey his Will and do his Commandements and no wonder they are all his the Day is his and the Night is his Hee made the Light and hee made the darknesse hee createth peace and he raiseth warre and in a word Hee made and createth all things by the Word of his Power which none can â—â—sist and therefore the very Angels in heaven adore his Majestie and the wicked spirits in hell tremble at his power His dominion reacheth as to all things so to all that is in them our dominion goeth no further then the superfice as it were of things And we have rather the use of things then the dominion but the dominion of God reacheth to their verie substance which he hath made can preserve or destroy as he will What say I of the things that are even the things that are not are only possible are subject unto him He calleth the things that are not as if they were If he should call and but speak the word they should come forth out of that darknes of nothing wherein they lurke Thus he is the supreame and the true Lord and the King before whom the glorie and Majestie of all earthly kings is but vilenes they depend from him and others as we said he depends from none they haue some subjects and riches he hath all They so rejoice in their crowne the glorie of it that still they haue their own sollicitudes and fears and therefore some haue laid down their crownes but he reigneth in all tranquillitie securitie and peace Thus yee haue shortly his Dominion and Kingdome Now let us see how the consideration of it serveth for the use of the PROPHET may serve for ours First The coÌ„sideration of this most perfect Dominion of God is a most notable comfort against the temptations that are raised in our mindes in the time of trouble and adversity when we think that God hath forsaken us hath left us as a prey to our enemies to be swallowed up by them If thou be tempted by this consider first that thou are the special as it wer the domestick servant of this King albeit all the subjects of a king be his servants and that which they have his in some sort yet he hath some speciall servants that are nearer to him and more particularlie regarded He hath particular houses and possessions and jewels and treasures of his own so it is with God They that feare him are his particular servants they are his House wherein he walketh they are his Vineyard which he hath planted and which he manureth they are his Jewels and his Peculiar Treasure as he calleth them himself so it cannot be but they are deare to him Secondly Consider that he is such a King as is both willing and able to maintaine his own Yee know that it is said in the end of the Lords praier thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie As the kingdome is his so glorie is his whereof he is jealous aboue all things and as the glorie is his so power is his he is able to vindicate his glorie and to maintaine his servants against all that dare injure them Earthly kings somtimes forsake their servants for want of power but the power of this King is omnipotent able to secure all his friends and to subdue al his enemies If God be with us who can be against us saith the holy Apostle Although the kings of the earth would take counsell and princes would gather themselves together yet he that sitteth in heaven but laugheth at them and hath them in derision He can break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potters vessel His rod is the rod of strength he rules in the midst of his enemies and stricketh through kings in the day of his wrath Psalm 110. So then if we believe that we have such a Lord and such a king why do we fear for the terrours troubles of this world Hear what DAVID saith Psalm 99. The Lord reigneth let the people
how could he have expressed it more fully then in the termes which he hath used To the will I give the keyes of the kingdom of heaven whatsoever ye binde on earth it shall be bound in Heaven c. Whose sinnes soever ye retaine they shall be retained c. Thirdly the manner of our Saviours speech when he promised this Power which is with a serious and vehement attestation Verily I say unto you and the ceremonie used at the performance of it which was by breathing on them with these words receive the holy Ghost these circumstances I say do shew that our Saviour intended to give and did actually give a greater power then is that of declaring a thing to be which already is beside the Repentance of men is a thing which pastors cannot perfectly know and therefore they cannot certainly declare a man to be loosed from sinne For these and other reasons I make no doubt that the Power promised here by our Saviour is not barely a declarative but also an effectuall Power which worketh some effect upon men So the holy Fathers have understood this CHRISOST in his 3. book of the priesthood saith that Christ hath given to men that are upon earth a power to dispose of things that are in heaven This Power saieth he he hath not given to the angels or Aâ—changels for to whom of them hath he said to the will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth c. Earthly kings sayth he have power to binde loose also but their power extendeth to the bodies of men only whereas this Power reacheth unto the soul and unto heaven That which the servant doth here beneath the LORD confirmeth above and the LORD in a manner denizeth to follow the servant the binding on earth being prior at least in order of nature to the binding in heaven and the loosing on earth being before the loosing in heaven So writting upon the 20 of S. John on these words Whose sinnes soever ye retaine they are retained he sayeth that our Saviour indued his Apostles with such a Power as a king giveth to governours under him when he giveth them power to cast into prison and to take out of it and writting upon these words To thee will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 16. he saieth that Christ hath given to a mortall man the Power of all things that are in heaven for this cause our Saviour addeth here these words on earth whatsoever ye bind On earth To what purpose is this aded but to signifie the amplitude and greatnes of his Power and that how soever it be done by earthly men yet it shall have an authoritie force of a sentence and law in heaven as if a mighty Emperour would say to one whom he much trusted and to whom he had given a most ample commission Whatsoever thou wilt do in the remotest parts of my dominion I shall alow and ratifie it The farrer that servants are from their Masters they use to take to themselves the greater liberty and it is a token of great trust in the master when he committeth power to them in such a case Thus we see that Pastors have properly a power to binde and loose sinners let us now consider more particularly in what manner they do binde and loose and how their binding and loosing is accompanyed with binding and loosing in heaven The Bond wherewith Pastors by vertue of the keyes do binde sinners is directly and immediatly an ecclesiasticall bond exercised about sinue as it as an offence of the Church So their loosing is directly and immediatly an untying and loosing of that ecclesiasticall bond wherwith they have bound a sinner whence of necessity their binding most go before their loosing in this kinde they can loose nothing this way but that which before they have bound But how then yee will say doeth their binding or loosing reach to a mans sinne as it is an offence of God I Ans This is not but mediatly and indirectly in so farre as they do such a thing upon the doing whereof Christ hath promised to binde or loose the sinnes of a man The like we have in haptisme wherin sinne is taken away if he that is baptised put no impediment all that the minister doth is but a washing of the body and an incalling of the blessed Trinitie yet this Action as an instrument or condition carrieth with it the remission of sinne and purging of the soul So in the matter that we have in hand the pastor bindeth the person guilty with an ecclesiasticall bond directly and againe looseth that same bond by ecclesiasticall absolution or reconciliation yet by vertue of Christs promise set down in these words upon the doing of this GOD in heaven doeth binde or loose the sinnes of such a man Thus we see how God not only principally but also alone immediatly taketh away sin for the minister only performeth an ecclesiasticall action upon the doing whereof GOD by vertue of his own Promise taketh away the sinne of such a man Secondly Yee may ask wherein this ecclesiasticall bond consisteth I answer it standeth in a certaine excoÌ„munication whereby a grievous offender is separated in whole or in part from the Church of Christ and from the society of the faithfull and according the loosing opposed hereunto consisteth in the reconciliation of such an one to the Church or in giving him the peace therof whence our Saviour said in the preceeding words If he neglect to hear the Church let him be to thee as a heathen or aâ— a Publican This excoÌ„munication is of two sorts the one is called the lesser excoÌ„munication the other is called the greater In that a man is bound for some grievous offence by debarring him from the society of the faithfull in some things especially in the participation of the blessed mysteries of the body blood of out LORD and by imposing of the works of pennance and humiliation this is called a ponetentiall and medeoinall excoÌ„munication because the chief end of it is to cure him that hath sinned from that disease wherein he hath fallen This kinde of binding we use toward grievous sinners who submite themselves to the direction of the Church and in the ancient Church it was used with great vigor and severitie In the first 300 years when the devotion of Christians was fervent and their puritie great men were not ordinarly admitted to this outward repentance till for a long time with many teares and with great tokens of unfeigned forrow they had earnestly intreated to be admitted in the number of publick penitents when that was granted then they were not immediatly received to their publick repentance but were thrust down as it were first to the degree of the catechumeny or those who were yet unbaptised and did but learne the mysteries of the christian religion and in this degree they were called
conveeneth as as it were the servants of God into their sacred stations exciteth inflameth so adorneth them that he changeth as it were men into Angels and earth into heaven Hee accommodateth himself to all sorts and all estates of men to the young to the old to them that are in joy to them that ar in sorrow to the righteous and to the sinner That he is as it wer a divine Harpe joyning as it were the soules of men together to sing the songs of God in a most sweet and melodious harmonie Such is the excellencie of this part of scripture which wee call the Psalmes Againe amongst the Psalmes I may justlie say That this whereof I have read a part hath a speciall stamp and degree of worth If you looke to the matter IT is no lesse then God his infinite and divine perfections which are declared and praised here throughout the whole Psalme If you looke to the manner of framing this song IT is most divine all is set down here so sweetlie so grauelie so powerfullie Hence albeit God be praised in many other psalmes yet the Tytle of this Psalme by way of excellencie is DAVID his praise or his psalme of praise Beside every verse beginneth with the letters of the Alphabet in order Of which kinde there are no more but seven in the whole book of the Psalmes the xxv the xxxiv the xxxvi the cxi the cxii cxix this cxLv which is the last of them The matter argumēt of this psalme as we said is the praise of God his perfections his infinite greatnes infinite power infinite mercy the splendor excellencie of his kingdom the righteousnes and holines which appeares in his ways works and lastly his wonderfull providence to all especiallie to Mankinde and most singularlie to his own people In the words that I have read he setteth down his purpose to praise God in a poeticall manner by converting his speech to God I will extoll thee my God O King c. There are two things chiefly considerable in the words First The Person whom he intendeth to praise and a short description of him containing the ground of all his praise namlie The King is God as he hath manifested himself by his NAME 2. The praise which he intendeth of him which is not simple praising but extolling and blessing every day continuallie for ever and ever Let us come first to the Person praised and to the grounds of his praise 1. He calleth him God which importeth That he hath in himself infinite perfection and so is worthie of all praise 2. Hee saieth O King which importeth his Authoritie over all creatures even over himself who was a king and over others For hee calleth him King absolutlie meaning the King of kings and Lord of lords Who ruleth all is ruled by none who doth whatsoever he will both in heaven and in earth And thus also he termeth him to signifie that he was to praise him for his Attributs and works belonging to him as King and Governour of all especially of his own people 3. He calleth him his God to signifie that he had interest in the great goodnesse of God and that he was to speak what he sayeth heere out of the sense of his goodnesse towards himself Lastly He mentioneth his NAME in the 2. vers Which containeth yet a further obliedgement to thankfulnesse and praise as wee shall see hereafter IT will not be needfull to speak of God as he is God King for that which concerneth him this way is set down at length in the Psalme herafter We shall content our self at this time to speak a little of this application which DAVID maketh when he saieth My God and of his NAME which he promiseth to blesse every day First Hee saieth My God God as hee is in himself God infinitlie perfect and King over all is most worthie to be extolled blessed and praised yet this praise will never flow from us so kyndlie and sweetly as it ought to do except we find him to be our God and to have an interest in him and communion with him as DAVID professeth here Thou art my God saieth David psal cxviii 28. and I will praise thee Thou art my God I will exalt thee It is the common doctrine of Romanists That a man can have no assurance of this that God is his God that he enjoyes his love favour but by deceivable conjectures and they oppose both our Divines and their own men who teach the contrar But if we had no other ground for this but conjectures to how weake a ground I beseech you should that praise joy confidence leane which DAVID professeth here in his own name and in the name of all the godly Suppone there bee infinite goodnesse and perfection in God as there is what sound or solid comfort can I have in God except I know him to be mine and that I have his favour the light of his countenance lifted up upon me Albeit David knew that his sinne was pardoned by the voice of Nathan yet had he not contentment till he heard God himself speake as it were unto him Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit Make me to beare the voice of joy and gladnes that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce O but say they We cannot know assuredly that God is ours and that wee have his favour unlesse wee assuredly know that those graces are in us which he requireth and this knowledge cannot be had without revelation I minde by Gods grace to speak at length of this when I come to the 16. verse of the eight chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes where it is said That the Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God Now shortly I ask what are these graces required in us The chief are by the consent of all Faith hope and love As for Faith it may bee knowne for S. PAUL saieth Prove your selves whether yee bee in the faith 2. cor 13. 5. S. Augustine in his 13. book of the Trinitie 1. chap. saieth That hee who beleeveth knoweth by a most firme knowledge that he doeth beleeve as hee who beleeveth not knoweth that he doth not beleeve The reason is manifest Faith say our Adversaries is an Act of the understanding and a man hath certaintie of nothing more then of such acts Beside a true Christian is prepared to suffer any thing rather then to quite his faith it cannot be therefore but he is assured that he doth beleeve Lastly the prime schoolmen ancient recent grant this Thomas in the 1. of his 2 part 112. quaest and 5. art saieth That hee who hath science or saith knoweth that he hath it So Vasquez in his 201. dispute and diverse others The same also he granteth of Hope and if hee would deny it the scripture is cleare
it self Hee is not content to say simply that he will praise God but useth sundry pregnant words to this purpose to signify the vehemencie and fervencie of his desire to honour God First he saieth I will extoll thee or exalt thee Wee cannot exalt God by making him higher for he is most high and we are low and base There can be no accession to his Hignesse and though there could yet cannot we contribute to it We are said to exalt him in that sense that we are said to magnifie glorifie and sanctifie him This we do by acknowledging proclaiming worshipping his Greatnesse Glory Holinesse So we exalt him when wee acknowledge his infinite Highnesse and Excellencie when we most highly esteeme of it most highly love it and most humbly submitt our selves unto it Thus I will extoll thee is as if hee had said I will most highly praise thee reverentlie worship thee magnificently proclaime and incomparably prefer thy Highnesse and Excellencie to all others Secondly he saieth He will blesse Him and his Name BLESSING is a wishing of good to another and the bestowing and conferring of it when it lyeth in our power IT comprehendeth two acts the one of the Will the other of the Vnderstanding By the first wee wish or will good by the other we conferre it and so it is a practicall kinde of speech This Blessing as it proceedeth from God is ever effectuall If he speak good to us it is done his word is able to do whatsoever he willeth As when a King hath the honours of a kingdom in his own hand If he say to one be thou a Duke to another be thou an Earl it is so by vertue of this his speech these honours are conferred But it is not so with our blessing especially of God His good is either inward or outward as for his inward good it is in himself in infinite perfection Hee laiketh nothing nor can wee contribute any thing in that kinde All that wee can do in respect of this good is to congratulate and expresse our joy at this that he possesseth in himself all good As for the outward good which belongeth to him namlie the knowledge the love the feare and worship of his Name unto that we may and ought to contribute by his grace Wee should not only wish that good but so much as lyeth in us should endeavour to procure it Thus when DAVID promiseth to blesse him and his Name he meaneth that he wished all to know to feare to love him and that hee would to the uttermost endeavour to effectuat what he wished Thirdly Hee promiseth to praise Him PRAISE is a proclaiming of the excellencie that is in any by reason of his actions and worthie deeds So God is often praised for his acts of mercie justice and power The excellencie that is in any by nature is rather honoured then praised saieth the Philosopher yet often men are praised for naturall excellencies as engyne beauty strength c. And God here and often elswhere in scripture is praised for his Naturall excellencies Infinite greatnes goodnes power mercie c. Lastly DAVID promiseth thus to exalt praise and blesse God and his Name Every day for ever and ever He will beginne it now but is never to end it So long as hee lived hee did praise him and now being dead doeth praise him on earth by this other songs of praise and in heaven doeth and shall for ever blesse him Beside this he promiseth to do it without intermission Every day saieth he which signifieth that nothing should befall no change no trouble that should divert him from this exercise Whence we may learne this profitable instruction that it is our duty in every estate whatsomever befall us to praise and blesse God No trouble or temptation should make the praise or blessing of him to depart from our mouth nothing should make our courage to quaile our patience to wearie our tranquillitie to cease or stay the lifting up of our hearts to blesse his holy Name For this should be done by us every day and at all times Psal 34. 1. Thou should blesse him in the day of thy sicknesse aswell as in the day of thy health in the day of thy want aswell as in the day of thy aboundance in the day of desolation aswel as in the day of consolation in the day of adversitie aswel as in the day of prosperitie What great matter is it saieth holy AUGUSTINE upon this place that thou blesses God in thy joyfull day when all things flow to thee according to thy heart What if a sorrowfull and melancholious day appeare will thou not blesse him then also If thou will not thou did not truly say Every day will I blesse thee How many and how grievous evils came upon Iob and that how suddenlie yet did hee not intermitt the praising of God in that his most sorrowfull day When all the evill tydings had come unto him hee worshiped and said The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of the Lord. Thus ought we all to do and the reasons are manifest For first If God be thy God then thy heart is upon him thou places in him thy soveraigne good which is to be found in him alone Now no crosse or trouble can bereave thee of him unlesse thou thy self forsake him Iob his hudge wealth was taken away and his children for whom he keeped it were taken away but God who gave the one and the other and was able to restore that and infinitly more could not be taken from him Thus the day of worldlie sorrow cannot take our God from us and so we have the ground and matter of our true and chief joy and consequently have reason still to blesse him 2. Whatsomever God doeth to his own he doeth it for the best He maketh all their sorrows and troubles to work for their good yea oftentimes promoveth their good by sicknesse want adversitie more then it should have been advanced by health aboundance prosperity LAZAR us sores poverty wer more profitable to him then all the wealth dainties of the Rich-man were to him Both found it to be so in end when the Rich-man was laid in flames of fire was faine to beg one drop of water which yet he could not have and when Lazarus was carried by the angels into the bosome of ABRAHAM Wee may not judge of these outward evils by our own sense but by the word wisdome goodnes and power of God which maketh them all to serve to our good Now if it be so we have reason in the midst of all our worldlie sorrowes to blesse and to praise the Name of our God Happy is he that can do so this is a most happy holy way by which a man may go through all the sorrows of this life to heaven rejoycing and exulting The Lord grant that we may so do
respect dependent from another which implyeth a manifest contradiction Thus the light of nature leadeth us to the infinitnesse of God By the light of scripture this is also manifest for beside this many other like places the Lord descriving himself to his servant Moses Exod. 3. 14. taketh the name of Being to himself as proper and peculiar to him Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel saieth the Lord I AM hath sent mee unto you by which name he signifieth that he is alone of himself whereas all other things of themselves are not That he is fullie containing in himself the amplitude of al that is or hath or can have any being that he is eternally and unchangably So being that he cannot cease to be at all or to be what he is and in a word that he is Being it self the unbounded Ocean of being from which all being flâ—weth and dependeth whence S. Paull out of the poet saieth That in him we live move have our being so then the Being of God both by the light of scripture and nature is such as excludeth not being infinitly which therefore hath not nor can have any place in him IT is not so with the creatures They are of themselves nothing and therfore of themselves they tend to nothing and while they are bounded and limited within some one kind of being without which they are not But so it is not with him whose Greatnesse hath no end or bounds which the PROPHET here ascriveth to God Now let us in the third place see more particularly what belongeth to this infinite and unbounded greatnesse of God The first thing that belongeth to him by reason of his infinite Greatnesse is that hee comprehendeth in himself all kinde of being and perfection that either is or is possible created or increaâ—ed There is no good in man or angels in earth or heaven no jâ—y or blesse no goodnes or beautie c. which is not in him If it he in the creatures it must needs be in him Shall not hee see who made the eye or shall not hee heare who made the eare There is no perfection in the creature which is not the expression of his eternall conception and a footstep oâ— resemblance of that perfection which is in him In like manner that is nothing or perfection possible which is not in him If any such thing or perfection be possible it must needs be in him by whom alone it can be brought forth and made actually to bee for if hee have it not himself how can he give it unto others So then name or conceive what perfection you will Sense Life Vnderstanding goodnes Beauty Wisdom Mercie Power Truth c. it is in him yea infinitly more perfections are in him then wee can conceive even all that are or any way can be This is the first thing which belongeth to his infinite Greatnesse The second thing is That all the kindes of being or perfections are in him in the highest degree of perfection and excellency that can be As all things are in him so there is nothing in him according to that maÌ„ner of imperfectioÌ„ in which we perceive by our sense or conceive by our minde Look unto things sensible to the heavens to the earth or to any thing that is therein there is nothing like to him To whom will yet liken God and what liknesse will ye compare unto him Isai 40. 18. There is Beauty indeed in him but not such a beauty as we perceive in things bodily but a beauty which the angels caÌ„not coÌ„prehend There is Light in him but not such a light as is in the sun or the startes he dwelleth in light that cannot be approached unto which no man hath seen or can see There is Sweetnes in him but not such as is in meat or drink or any such like thing but a sweetnes which exceedeth the capacity of al other things Hence holy AUGUST in his 10. book of the city of God and 6. chap. saieth what do I love when I love my God Not the beauty of bodies nor of bodily sound or smell or sweetnes yet wheÌ„ I love him I love a certain light voice smell food embracement Even the light voice smell food embracement of the inward man wher that shyneth to my soul which place caÌ„not coÌ„prehend that soundeth which time taketh not away that smelleth which no blast can dissipate c. And again look to the perfectioÌ„s which our minds conceive these aâ— not in God as conceived by us For example Neither goodnesse nor justice nor wisdome nor mercie nor truth at in him as we conceive them we conceive them but imperfectly and so they are not in him as they are conceived by us they are finite and bounded and distinct one from another but so in him they are not So if wee would conceive God and his greatnesse aright wee must not only transcend our sense but also all the imaginations and thoughts of our minde and must consider that he is infinitly more high and excellent and all that is in him then all that we can conceive or comprehend His Wisdom as I said is not as ours but of a boundles perfection It containeth all the kinds degrees and measures of wisdome that is or is possible and extendeth it self to all that can be understood that actuallie is or is not present bypast to come His Beauty in likemanner comprehendeth all kinds and degrees of beauty bodily or spirituall that are or can bee and in a manner infinitly more perfect then wee can conceive So it is with his Goodnesse Power c. This is the second thing that belongeth to his infinite greatnesse namlie that hee hath in himself all perfections in the highest degree of excellencie The third thing is That he hath all these his perfections joyned in the most perfect manner namlie in a most perfect Vnitie and simplicity His perfections are not in him as ours in us Our perfections are distinguished one from another but it is not so in him By his most simple nature and essence as hee is God so hee is Wise and Just and Good and True and Omnipotenz c. each of these perfections including other as they are in him for they are one and the same with his own Essence God saieth holy Augustine in his 6. book of the Trinitie and 7. chap. is called Great and Wise and True but wee may not think that his Greatnesse is another thing then his Wisdome or that his Wisdome is another thing then his Goodnesse and Truth or that his Truth is differentifâ—oÌ„ any of these we conceive these things indeed as really distinct but that is through the imperfection of our minde which caÌ„not coÌ„ceive things divine according to that â—ie sublime manner after which they are in God but most needs think of them with a proportion to the creatures in which we
all his benefits so especially for that of our Redemption By the right performance of this duty we begin our heaven on earth for the proper exercise of heaven is PRAISE blessed ar they that dwel in thy house for they ar still praising thee The blessed spirits are still singing blissing and glory and honour and power and wisedome c. Beside thanksgiving for former benefits is a secret and real prayer drawing down new benefits it preserveth the benefits we have receaved and procureth the increase of them wheras Vnthankfulnes depriveth us both of that which we have and of that which we ought to have looked for Iustly therefor saieth CHRISOST that thanksgiving is great wealth and treasures an unexhausted good which while a man hath he hath aboundance although he had lost all other thing Hast thou lost thy means and yet doest thou praise God thou hast gained thy soule and GGDS favour in greater measure then before When all other things was taken from IOB yet having an heart to praise God and to say The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken blessed be his Name He was most rich even in that his povertie Let us therefore earnestly apply our hearts and minds to this praise of God And let every one in his temple think speak of his glory Wee proceed now to the next duty And unto thee shall the vow be performed As Praise so vowes and the performance thereof belongeth to Thankefulnesse And therefore these two are ordinarly joyned in scripture For clearing of this point we will shortly shew what is a Vow 2. How it belongeth to Thankefulnesse For the first A Vow is a religious promise made to God willingly of a thing acceptable to him It is a promise A purpose to do a thing is not sufficient to make a Vow which is a kinde of Contract betwixt God and man obliedging a man to the performance of something by way of fidelity which obliedgment cannot be without a promise or practical kinde of speech as Schoolmen speak whereby a man tyeth himself as he tyeth another by his commandement Secondly It is a Promise made to God Vnto thee saieth my Text shall the vow be performed Vow pay your vowes unto the Lord psal 76. 11. Offer unto God thanksgiving pay thy vows unto the most High psal 50. 14. In a word everiewher in holy scripture we find vows made to none but to God And yet this day the practise of the Roman Church is to make vows to saints And their Doctours labour to justifie this practise It is acknowledged by Bell. That a vow in holy scripture is ever taken for a promise made to God And yet saieth he vows are rightly made to saints A strange thing How can these two consist Heare I pray you his answere When the scripture was written saieth he vowing to saints was not in use This certainly is true but to confesse it what else is it but to condemne their own practise as an innovation whereby the honour due to God alone is given to the creature O saieth he The saints are Gods by participation They in a most excellent manner are partakers of his naturall glory but by no distinction may the honour due to God be given to any other by the same shift they might alleadge offering of sacrifice to saints with which making of vows is cōmonly joyned in scripture Thirdly I say It is a religious Promise VOWING is a proper act of Religion or the worship of God As by an Oath which is an proper act of worship we profess God to be the supream truth and the Maintainer of it so by a vow wee professe God to bee most good and to be well pleased with the doing of good and indeed a vow is not much different from a promisarie oath except That the Oath is made to man but the vow is made to God 2. To vow to a false God should be Idolatrie and therefore a vow to the true God is true religion and worship which shall hereafter more appeare Fourthly It is a promise made willingly God loveth a cheerfull giver repelleth that which is done by constraint or vnwilingly A vow is as it were a private Law whereby a man bindeth himselfe and differeth in this from a general Law that a general Law bindeth a man whether he be willing or unwilling but so doeth not a vow therefore if made without the use of reason or through ignorance or fear it obliedgeth not Fifthly It must be of a thing acceptable to God That is of such a thing the doing thereof is better then the not doing of it If the thing vowed cannot serve for an good purpose it is but the sacrifice of fools If 〈◊〉 a thing evil as was that of these who vowed not to eat or drink till they had killed S. Paul Act. 23. 12. It maketh the vow abominable for beside the wickednes of intending or doing such a thing he that voweth it cōmitteth akynd of blasphemy in so far as by vowing it he confesseth that God is pleased with such an evil The matter therefore of a vow must be a thing that may be done acceptable to God but these things are of two sorts some are not necessare in particular to be done by such or such a person some againe are necessare Of both some doubt is made whether they bee a fit matter of vow Some Papists affirme that our Divines deny that a vow may be made of a thing not cōmanded or not necessar but this is a calumnie Our learned Divines acknowledge that ther at some things which if a man omitt he shal not sinne yet to do them were better then not to do them and consequently that a man may vow to do such a thing For example such or such a man should not sin not to give such a summe of money to the poo◠or pious uses yet if he would give it he should do better and may vow so to do The same may be said of Fasting or abstinence at such and such times That such things may be vowed is cleare from scripture which everie where almost speaketh of such vows Deut. 23. 21. 22. The Lord cōmands That if a man mak a vow be shal perform it but saith the Lord If thou forbeare to vow it shall not be sinne unto thee To give such or such a summe of money to the poor is a good work without a vow and pleasing to God being an act of charitie why then should it not be pleasing to God when a Vow is passed upon it That which our Divines condemn in such vows is That men ascrive Merite unto them account them works of supererogation and by making them rashly ensnare their own Consciences These and like abuses being removed they acknowledge that vows made of such things are hinderances of sinne nourishments of devotion and profitable exercises whereby the minde is confirmed in good and keeped
are sâ— fraile and vaine We trouble our selveâ— about many things which are needles and worthles but there is one thing only necessarie even to provide for that good part which shall never be taken away Secondly The consideration of Eternity and of that Kingdome wherein God shall reigne in us and we with him for ever should encourage us against travailes and comfort us against all troubles wherewith wee encounter here First it should encourage us against all our travailes Our flesh is ready to faint under the burden of pains and travailes that must be endured in the service of God but all that wee endure this way should seeme light if righty compared with the reward of this eternal Kingdome In it is eternall rest And Eternall rest saieth holy AUGUST is worthie of eternall traveles Yee see what travailes Souldiours are content to undergo for the hope of a small gaine They go to warre in their youth they continue it may be almost al their dayes that they may gaine some little thing to sustaine them in their old age which both is short and uncertaine yet what are they not content to suffer for this What hunger what thirst What heat what cold To how many dangers necessâ—ties and wounds do they expose themselves Alace should not we be content to suffer much more for this glorious and eternal Kingdom A Kingdome wherein we shall be equal with the angels wherin wee shall be joynt heirs with Christ yea wherein wee shall bee made one spirit with God enjoying his inâ—inite Essence and entered into the fulnes of his joy wherein we shall continue not an hundreth or a thousand years or ages but unto all eternitie What travaile or pains can we take in serving God which may be compared with this glory and the eternitie of it Secondly This should also comfort us against our troubles afflictions that we meere with in the service of this great King Heare what S. PAUL saieth Rom. 8. I reckon that the afflictions of this present life are not worthie to be compared with that glory that shall be revealed in us And againe The light afflictioâ—s that endure but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Blessed are these sufferings which draw after them this great eternall Reward Blessed is that hunger and thrist which bringeth us to be satisfied with the fatâ—es of Gods house and to drink of the rivers of his pleasure for ever Blessed is that contempt which is followed with eternal honour Blessed is that povertie which is followed with eternal treasures Blessed is that sorrow which is followed with eternal joy we ought not therfore to faint for the miseries distresses that we meeâ—e with here for God and his righteousnesse We may not think that he forgetteth or forsaketh us because we are exposed to them he looketh to this eternitie for which by these sufferings he prepareth us Who could be more miâ—erable then Lazarns who was full of sores could not haue so much as the crumes that fell from the rich mans table who seemed more happie then the rich man who swimmed in wealth and pleasure yet now experience teacheth that farre more blessed were the sufferings of the one then the pleasures of the other Now Lazarus findeth being in Abrahams bosome where he shall bee to all eternitie The trueth of our Saviours sayings Blessed are they that hunger and thrist for they shall be satisfied Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted So They that wandred in sheep-skins and goat skins in dens and mountains and caves of the earth afflicted desture tormeÌ„ted Heb. 11. 37. 38. Would haue seemed to haue been men forsaken of God But indeed were deare unto him and Now find by experience That blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousnes for great is their reward in heaven Thirdly The consideration of this eternitie should make all men to tremble and feare to offend God the effects of whose wrath are everlasting If thou be the enemie of God thou shall be deprived of his Eternall Kingdom there can be no greater losse for it is the losse of an infinite and eternall good Thou shall be subjected to most grievous and eternall pains To the fire that never shall be quenched to the worme that never shall die In a prison eternall and in darknes eternall Who would for all the joyes and honours and riches of this world be content to burne a hundreth year in fire and yet take a thousand and ten thousand millions of ages from eternitie and it is as fresh to begin as it was before O dreadfull eternitie who is able to conceive the greatnes of it what strength of man or angell is able to endure the burden of it Alace we are afraied of nakednes povertie and contempt here These seeme to us so terrible monsters that to eschew them we care not what we do even against God and against conscience but what are these to eternall fire and to eternall darknes and to the eternall companie of the Devill his Angels Would God this eternitie were alwayes before our eyes and deeply settled in our hearts It alone were enough to beat down all our pride to breake the hardest heart and daunt the stoutest courage of bold impenitent sinners It alone were enough to make us detaste all wickednes froÌ„ which this eternall evil springeth Who would delight in the fulfiling of his Lust if he considered deeply that his Lust will kindle a fire which will burn both the soul the body for ever that it will breed a worme which shall ever live to torment him who would delight in the inordinate desire of riches if he considered that this is the roote of all evill which whill men follow after pierceth them through with everlasting sorrowes and maketh them to fall into a temptation and snare and in many foolish and noysome Lusts which drowne men in everlasting Perdition Lastly The consideration of this eternitie should make us carefull of the right use of this present time Since though it be but a moment yet from the use of it our eternall well or wo dependeth in particular First this should make us carefull not to mispend our time in things unnecessare unprofitable The time is short and precious in respect of the use of it thou are still hasting to the Tribunall of the great Iudge who is to passe an eternall sentence of thy Bodie and Soul what folly then is it to spend the short time upon things which will availl us nothing then Hee might be justly accounted a foole who having occasion of a market wherein he might gaine as much as might make him rich all his life time would go and spend all his money and time in buying of trifâ—es of no worth Even so is it with us who waste our time by sport or idle coÌ„ference things not only unprofitable but
declared his Wrath against it by dreadfull judgements In this kinde we have a notable example in Eusebius his ecclesiastick Hist 6. book and 8. chapter There he reporteth that three wicked men had conspired against Narcissus Bishop of IERUSALEM in the time of the Emperour Severus who was a man of singular holinesse but somwhat severe These wicked persons fearing to bee censured by him accuse him of Vncleannesse to perswade men to beleeve them did use fearfull curses and impreeaâ—ions against themselves if they spake not the truth The first of them wished that he might be burnt The second wished that his body might rot be consumed The third wished that he might be blinde if it was not true which they spake Notwithstanding of all this the people were so perswaded of the holinesse of their Pastor that they beleeved them not And in the meane time ere it was long the judgement of God came upon these three The house of the first took fire and in it hee and his familie was burnt The second fell into a grievous disease which consumed his bodie away The third considering the vengance of God that had come upon his fellowes is brought to repentance confesseth publickly the whole matter shed tears so aboundantly then and afterwards that he lossed the sight of his eyes So the curse of every one of them fell upon themselves Thus we may perceive that the Apostle his cursing did much aggravate his sin Secondly the matter which he denied with oathes execrations was most great and important It was no lesse then his LORD and SAVIOVR even he to whom before he had said Lord whether shall we go from thee for thou hast the words of eternall life and we know and are sure that thou art the Christ the son of the living God Thirdly he who denied this was no mean person but a great and prime Apostle which aggravateth the offence it was Peter whose name Christ had changed and whom he had called Peter to signifie that the strength and firmnes of a rocke should be in him It was Peter who had been so familiar with his Lord had seen him worke so many miracles and had wrought miracles himself in his Name Peter who had been with him in mount Tabor had tasted there the heavenly joyes had heard this voice from heaven Thou art my well beloved son c. Peter to whom the Father had revealed this That Jesus was the son of the living God Math. 16. And to whom our Saviour said To thee will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde upon earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth shall be loosed in heaven Fourthly In this his denial appeareth great pusillanimitie weaknes and distrust of God for at the first assault of a hand-maid and doore-keeper he denyed That he knew Christ Behold saieth holy AUGUSTINE The most firme pillartrembls whollie at one small blast of the aire Where now saieth he is thy former confidence and bold promises where now are these words I am ready to follow thee both to prison and to death Is this to follow thy Lord to deny that thou knowest him Is this to lay down thy life for him to deny him at the voice of a damsell for preserving thy life how strangely is thy voice changed now and yet thou art not brought unto publick thou art not presented yet before kings or governours thou art not yet put to the rocke or torture It is not a scribe or pharisee or priest or souldier or executioner that demandeth of thee but a woman a servant and a doore-keeper Thus we see there was in him exceeding great weaknes and feare Lastly There was a kinde of obstinacie in his sinne for he denyed and swore againe and againe and the third time There was betwixt his second and third deniall about the space of an houre wherein the had time to recollect his confounded thoughts and to call to minde what he hade done that he might have repented or at least might have eschewed a new sinne but notwithstanding of this he continued still unmindefull of Christ and what he had done Thus we see his sinne in many respects was grievous which we have discovered not for the reproach of that great and holy Apostle God forbid but that we may learne these uses from it Which the spirit of God would have us to learne which is the third point propounded by us The first use that we should make of this fall of the great Apostle is we may perceive clearly in it humane weaknes infirmitie how great it is and how little it should be trusted unto This great Apostle was by nature fervent and veâ—ement and had received many excellent graces and priviledges from Christ as we said before yet when he trusteth to much in himself and is for triall and humiliation left to himself he falleth and that most foullie He that assured himself of victory before the fight trembleth now before the sound of the trumpet he that should not have denied Christ although the sword had been at his throat denieth him now at the voice of a damsell The like we may see in DAVID who was a man according to the heart of God and yet fell both in adulterie murther This should teach us all humilitie feare and watch fulnes and to trust in nothing but in God and his Graceâ— S. Peter himself learned these things by his fall When our Lord after his resurrection asked him whether he did love him more then others did he did not preferre himself to any but was content to expresse his own sinceritie saying LORD thou knowest that I love thee So in his 1. epist 1. chap. He saieth That we are kept by the power of GOD through faith unto salvation and in the 5. chap. of that epist he giveth this exhortarion to all Be sober be vigilant for your enemie the devil goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devoure Let us in like manner learne to be humble and to feare and watch If the strong pillars and mighty cedares be so shaken and so soone what may become of us who have scarce grace rooted in our hearts in the day of our temptation What is man without the Grace of God saieth holy AUGUSTINE in his 124. Sermon of time But that which Peter was when he denied his LORD yea suppose thou had never so much grace yet thou hast this treasure in an earthen vessell thou art like to a rich ship full of precious wares that is tossed in the sea and in danger to be swallowed with the waves or to dash upon the rocks Be not therefore high minded but feare Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Remember that S. PAUL hath said Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling And that he himself did beat his body down and kept it in
subjection Lest by any means when he bad preached unto others he himself should be a cast-away Our securitie is to feare alwayes our strength is to distrust our own strength and to put all our confidence in the Mercie of God and Merites of Christ Who hath prayed for us that our faith faile not Let us therefore say to God every one of us LORD thou hast been my help leave me not neither forsake me O GOD of my salvation Secondly we may perceive from this fall of Peter that one sinne especially if it be grievous draweth another after it and that without stay till Christ look againe upon the sinner Hence sinne is called by S. PAUL The sâ—ure of the devil Ye know when a bird is taken in a sâ—are she is still more and more fastened and entangled If thou give place but to a light lust at the first as Peter did to the servant-maid one to a hundereth but from that thou shalt fall into a greater sinne from that to worse againe as S. Peter from denying came to swearing and from swearing came to extreame cursing of himself This should teach us not to give any place to the devil but to resist him stedfastly and to pray with DAVID Order my steps in thy word and let no iniquitie have dominion over me Thirdly It is observed by holy AUGUSTINE in the place before citted that this fall of S. Peter was permitted by God to make him the more ready to compassionate others when they should fall He was by nature vehement as appeareth by many passages of the Gospell and particularly by cutting off the eare of Malchus He was to be a prime pastor ruller of the Church and to receive the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven An innummerable multitude of people was to be committed unto him loaden with manifold iniquities Now if he had never fallen himself like enough it was that he would have been the lesse inclind to piâ—tie comiserate others Therefore saieth holy AUGUSTINE The secret of Gods providence was so disposed that he himself was permitted first to fall and that foullie that he might temper the severitie of the sentence against others by the remembrance and consideration of his own fall Thus God hath taught us also by his fall that it is most necessar in a pastor to have a tender heart ready to pitty compassionat others He will never act the part of a pastor faithfully that can do nothing else but rule with authoritie terrifie censure punish That is not the way to win men to God but to drive unstablished souls from God and to cast those that ar weak and distressed into despaire Fourthly It is to be observed that a man may deny Christ although by his mouth he say not that he knowes him not as S. Peter did We may professe that we know him with our mouths and yet by our works deny him as S. PAUL teacheth us Tit. 1. we deny him also wheÌ„ we deny our selves to be his disciples as we see in S. Peter here Now our Lord hath told us That he that will not take up his crosse and follow him cannot be his disciple and that hereby all men shall know that we are his disciples If we love one another And That we must abide it s his word and do the will of his Father If we would be his disciples So also S. PAUL saieth That they that are Christs hath crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof If therefore thou art not content to take up thy crosse with patiencâ— if thou love not thy brother abide not in Christs words art not carefull to do the will of his heavenly Father and to crucifie thy flesh with the lusts of it thou denies thy self to be his disciple consequently denies him In a word Christ is the trueth and therefore if thou believe him not thou deniest him Christ is the way If thou follow not him thou doest deny him Christ is the life therefore if thou be given to the dead works of sinne thou deniest him Thus alace many wayes often-times have we denied him and so have deserved that he should deny us before his Father and his Angels and have need to slie to the mercie of God whereof we may see a notable demonstration in Christ his dealing with S. Peter But there is mercie with God as yee will see most clearly in the next part of my text to which now I come S. Peter having fallen in the manner before declared immediatly whill he was yet speaking the Cock crew the second time and with all Jesus turning looked upon him where upon he remembred and called to minde the words of Jesus how he had said before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice and so went out and weeped bitterly Here is the historie of his rising or repentance Two things are to be considered in it First the cause of his repentance 2. the repentance it self for the first the cause of his repentance was Jesus turned and looked upon him Some thinke that the Look of Christ was only spirituall and that he did not look upon him with his bodily eyes But the Text showeth that he did this also for it is said That be turned and looked upon him Now to what purpose should his turning been mentioned if he had not looked upon him with the eyes of his body But say they S. Peter was without and could not be seen with the bodily eyes of Christ Yet this convinceth not but it may bee that he was brought to the court wherein Peter was or that being in an upper roome as the Gospell showeth he might from thence being turned about see him with the eyes of his body Neverthelesse it is certain that his spirituall look was that which pierced into the soul of S. Peter and cleansed and renewed his heart For clearing of this more fully ye are to consider that the spirituall look of God as it is descrived in scripture is somtimes in Justice somtimes in Mercie somtimes to Humble somtimes to Exalt somtimes to Reward somtimes to Punish In Iustice he looked upon the first world when all flesh had corrupted their wayes and the effect of his Look was an universall diludge of waters Thus he looked upon them that were building Baâ—el Gen. 10. and the effect of his look was the confounding of their languages and the scattering of them upon the earth He looked thus upon Sedom and Gomorrah Gen 18. I will go down saieth the Lord and see if it be according to the cry which is come up unto me and the effect was the destroying of them with fire brimstone from heaven Thus he looked upon Sâ—nnacherâ—b Isai 37. And the Angell of the LORD that same night smot a hundreth fourescore and five thousand of his armie He looked thus upon Corah Dathan and Abiram numb 16. and was displeased and in his fiâ—ie indignation he consumed
being ended the Physitians look to the part being to use their cure But there they found all to be whole and sound But ye will say to me whence cometh it then to passe that our prayers have so small effect I answer we pray not aright and therefore find not the wished fruite of our prayers We follow not this patron which is proposed unto us She cryed and prayed fervently being sensible of her great distres but our prayers have no life in them and that because we have not a due sense and feeling of our misery which is farre greater then hers But you will say to me there is none of us blessed be God vëxed with a devil how thē can we be in such or a worse estate then she was The answer is easie for first the devil vexed but the body of her daughter and amongst us many have their soules fully subjected to his power through grievous sinnes Sinne is a great devil sayeth CHRISOST writting upon this place at least it is an argument of his presence in a most wofull manner The bodies of good men and women may be vexed with Satan and that makes them to be but the objects of pittie but when sinne reigneth in the soul men are wicked and the objects of the wrath and Hatred of GOD. Now how much the devil prevaileth by sinne and holdeth men captive at his pleasure the great abominations of this land and citie do plainly testifie the Love and Fear of God is not in the hearts of men his Name is prophaned his Sabbaths are violated Superioures are disobeyed the hearts of men are full of hatred and malice every place is polluted with whooredome falshood oppression lies slanders abound What a strange power then hath Satan gotten over us if there be any sense in us how great reason have we to mourne and sigh for al our own sinnes and for all the sinnes and abominations done in the midst of this land Secondly we have great reason to fear that Satan and his instruments shall get power over our bodies and estates When I pray you is the devil more loosed in this kinde then in the time of warres If at any time his Throue is then set up for then the exercise of religion is banished or much hindred Justice hath no place the authoritie of lawes is contemned Men give themselves to uncleannes to drunkennes to the oppression of the weak poore The bodies of men are murthered their meanes are spoyled This is one of the most terrible Plagues of GOD whereto David preferred the pestilence Now this we justly fear and have we not reason then out of the deep sense of so great an evil to cry unto God mightily this woman cryed vehemently for one but among us many thousands are in danger Secondly Her prayer proceeded from a true and lively faith whereby her heart was purged from her former sinnes and now set wholly upon God But alace we continue still in our iniquities and what wonder then that our prayers are not heard Would we have God to do our will when we rebell against his most Holy Will Though ye multiply your prayers I will not hear saith the LORD when ye spread out your hands I will hide my face because your hands are full of blood And again Is this the fast that I have required for a man to hang down his head as a bulrush is not this the fast that I have required to loose the bands of wickednesse to undo the heavie buedens and to let the oppressed go free Isai 58. Hence it is that our manifold humiliations and prayers bring not forth the desired fruit Some will acknowledge their sinnes and promise to amend them but in the meane time bring forth no fruits worthie of amendement of life Some will not so much as acknowledge their own sinnes but stand still in the maintenance thereof Wee reade Jeremiah the 42. and 43. that IOHANAN and the remnant of the Jews that were with him after the destruction of Jerusalem desired IEREMIAH to pray to God for them and promised to obey the Word of the LORD whatsomever it was IEREMIAH did so brought him back this answer That if they would stay in the land of Judea it should be wel with them that they needed not fear the king of the Caldeans of whō they were affraied for the slaughter of Gedaliah for God would incline his Heart to favour them whereas if on the other part They would go down to Egypt as they intended They should perish by the famine by the sword and by the pestilonce IOHANAN and the rest of the proud men having heard this which was contrary to their humor replyed That this which he said was false and that the LORD had not spoken so but that BARUCH the sonne of NERIAH did set him upon them to perswade them to stay in the land that they might be delivered into the hand of the Caldeans Even so it fareth with many They promise indeed to obey the Word of the LORD but when the Word of the LORD is told them if it crosse their intentions and desires they say it is not the Word of the LORD and so continue in their evil courses No wonder then that GOD heare not their prayers not the prayers of others for them If we would be heard we must wash our hearts from wickednes and put away our vaine thoughts from us and as we said before most still continue knocking at the doore of Gods Mercy This if we do we may be sure God in end will give us a comfortable answer which the LORD grant and that for the Merits of Christ to whom c. A SERMON UPON the XVIII Chapter of S. MATTHEW Vers 18. Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall binde one earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven OUr blessed Saviour having declared in the words preceeding in what manner a sinner that is obstenate and disobedient to the voice of the Church is to be delt with Namly that he should be accounted as an heathen and as a publican He now in the words that I have read sheweth what is the efficacie power of the Sentenco of the Church even that it is no lesse then if it were pronounced in heaven and by GOD Himself A man rejected by the Church and ordained to be accounted as an heathen and a Publican might have thought within himself what albeit such or such men esteemes so of me if they misregard me account of me as of an heathen or publican I shall do the like to them and shall as much disesteeme them No saieth our Saviour it is not only their bare sentence and esteeme that is to be looked too That which they do rightly in this kinde is ratified confirmed and allowed by God in heaven And he that will despise them must despise GOD and Heaven
and therefore they against whom this Sentence of the Church is pronounced are not only liable to the contempt and disesteeme of men but also to the Judgement and Condemnation of GOD for saieth our Saviour Verily I say unto you whatsoever yee shall binde on earth shall be bounde in heaven The words ye see containe a promise Therefore we shall shortly first consider to whom this promise is made Secondly we shall consider the promise it self for the first it is to be observed that the promise is made not to one of the Apostles but to all for it is said in the plurall number Whatsomever ye shall binde c. in the 16. of S. Matth. Our Saviour saieth particularly to S. Peter to thee will I give the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and whatsomever thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heaven But here that same power is expresly promised to al the Apostles was accordingly performed in the 20 of S. Joh. when our Saviour saith to al the Apostles not only to S. Peter A◠my father sent me so send I you receave the holy Ghost whose sins ye remitt they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained It is manifest therefore that nothing more was promised or given to S. Peter then to the rest of the Apostleis It is true that some do affirme that the keyes promised to S. Peter importeth a greater power then is this of binding and loosing but Cardinall BELLAR in his first book of the bishop of Rome and 12. chap. rejecteth this conceat as new and unheard of and affirmeth that the full and perfect effect of the keyes is to binde and loose The power and authoritie promised sayth he is expressed by the keyes the use thereof by binding loosing which our Saviour setteth forth in these termes to shew that the power expressed by the keyes rather then by opening and shutting is in borrowed tearmes that heaven is opened or shute when men are loosed from their sinnes or bound therein So the Iesuet Maldonat writting upon the 16. of S. Matthew saieth that the power of opening and shutting heaven is Mataphorically expressed by the keyes and the same power saieth hee is thereafter declared by another Metaphor of binding and loosing Thus it is cleare that as all the rest were equall unto S. Peter in the power of binding and loosing So were they equall to him in the power of the keyes and therfore S. Hilarie in the 6. book of the Trinitie saith of all O holy and blessed men who did obtaine the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven and power to binde both in heaven and in earth Secondly It is to be observed that this power of binding and loosing was promised to the Apostles not as a personal priviledge which was to die with them It was appointed given by our Saviour for the benefice of his Church unto the worlds end and without it his Church had not been sufficiently provided of helps necessary for the preservation of it as we shall see hereafter This power therfore was promised to the Apostles as they were pastors of the Church to their successors in that office even to them to whom the Ministry of reconsiliation ordinarly belongeth whence this power hath ever been exercised by them in the Church of Christ as may appeare by the innumerable examples and canons of the christian Church But we come now to the promise it self Whatsoever saith our Saviour ye binde c. First when he saies that Whatsoever they binde shal be bound in heaven he meaneth not that he was to give the Apostles or their successors an absolute power to do in this whatsoever pleased thē No he sent them as he was sent in his own vice and stead to bind such as he will have to be bound and to loose such as he would have to be loosed In this he hath not left them to their own judgement but will have thē to follow his direction set down in his word he will have them rightly to use and governe the keyes and if they do that his promise is that whatsoever they binde on earth shall be bound in heaven c. Secondly The thing whereto the promise is made is their binding and loosing upon earth Whatsoever yee bind c. For clearing of this consider that a sinner is bound by his own sinne before any sentence of the Church be pronounced against him He is bound first by it in so far as being overcome by his own corruption hee is made the servant thereof unable to do good or eschew evill Secondly he is bound by his sin with the guiltines of eternal death and condemnation Hence sinners in scripture are so often compared to prisoners and captives and the effect of Christ his grace is called a deleverance from this Captivitie But this is not the Bond that is meaned here for it is not the Church but the sinner himself that bindeth himself in this kinde There are some who think that this loosing of the Church is nothing else but the preaching of the Gospel and that the power to loose is only a power to preach the Gospel This Exposition cannot stand for first the seaventie disciples received a power to teach the gospell Luke 10. but they had not the power to binde and loose which was given to the Apostles and not to them Secondly The Apostles had the power of preaching given to them long before this time as we may see Matth. 10. Thirdly A man may be well taught and yet not loosed from his sinnes and on the contrary many are not bound in this manner that our Saviour speaketh of who are not taught as all these who are without the Church to whom the power of the keyes extendeth not There are others who think that to binde and loose here is nothing else but to declare that a mans sinnes are bound or loosed by God But first this agreeth not with the words of our Saviour who saieth not Whose sinnes yee declare to be bound shall be bound but Whatsoever yee binde shall be bound so IOHN 20. hee saieth Whose sinnes yee retaine are retained and whose sinnes ye forgive they are forgiven and in the 16 of S. Matth he promiseth this Power under the name of the keyes as we said now if a man had only power to declare a doore to be opened that was open before or a man to be loosed that was loose before how could he be said truly to have the keyes of the house or to have the power of binding and loosing such a man certainly if it were thus it should not be so much pastors as sinners themselves who should have the keyes of heaven and the power to binde and loose Secondly suppose it had been the minde of our Saviour to give a true and proper Power of opening and shutting heaven of binding and loosing sinners of retaining and forgiving sinnes
hearers because of new they were againe instructed the mysteries of christian religion For it was presumed that they who had so grievously fallen had never rightly learned these heavenly mysteries and therefore were taught againe especially concerning the terrour of GODS Iudgements against sinne that they might the more willingly undergo what was injoyned them This done they were received to their repentance wherein for diverse years somtimes for seven more or lesse according to the greatnes of their offence they were exercised with most laborious works of humiliation and mortification TERTUL in the 9 chap. of his book of repentance saieth That they did humble themselves in sackcloth ashes they did lye prostrat upon the ground they did nowrish their prayers with fasting they did weep mourne and cry to GOD and did humblie beseech pastors and all faithfull people to pray for them S. CYPRIAN speaking of this same matter sayeth to them that had fallen That it behoved them to pray earnestly to passe over the day in sorrow to spend over the nights in mourning and teares to humble themselves in sackcloth aud ashes to despise the garment of the body since they had cast away the garment of Christ and to despise the food of the body since they had eaten at the table of the devil they thought not that such works of humiliation could merite any thing at the hand of GOD but they were injoyned as means appointed by GOD to promove unfeigned sorrow and detestation of their sinne which men after great faults especially do not ordinarly attaine unto without those exercises of fasting prayer and humiliation They were injoyned as means of mortifying those carnall lusts whereby they had been stirred up or whereby thereafter they might be stirred up to offend God and as expressions of their sorrow for their sinnes and just indignation against themselves because of their sinnes that so God through Christ might be moved to have pitty upon them that good christians might be assured of their unfeigned conversion and that all who did behold might be edified by their good example as they had been before offended by their fall When all this was done they were not yet admitted to the participation of the holy sacrament of the Body and Blood of our LORD but after a good space of time wherein they had given full proofe of the trueth and sincerity of their conversion Neither was it only those of the meaner sort who did subject thēselves to these ecclesiastical bonds two christian Emperours submitted themselves thereunto The first was Philip the first christian Emperour of whom ye may reade in the sixt book of Eusebius his ecclesiastical historie That when he would have come to the participation of the holy mysteries the bishop to wit Fabianus debarred him refusing to admitt him therunto because of his lowd life till he had made satisfaction by publick repentance which he yeelded unto The second was the glorious Emperour Theodosius He as ye may reade in the 5 book of Theodoret his ecclesiasticall historie 17. chap. after a great murther committed at Thessalonio◠by a rash commandement of his being come to Millane wher S. Ambrose was bishop and intending to enter into the Church and communicat was encountred by S. Awbrose without the Church who freely told him of the grievousnes of his sinne and that though he was an Emperour yet was subject to him who is the LORD of heaven and earth and that those whom he had killed were partakers of that same nature with him and made according to the Image of GOD aswel as he With what eyes saith he can thou behold this temple or how can thou trade upon this holy ground how can thou stretch out these hands embrued with blood or open that mouth which hath commanded so much innocent blood to be shed to receive the sacred Body and Blood of Christ depart therfore said he and adde not a new sinne unto thy former sinne but accept of these bonds wherewith he that is LORD over all hath commanded thee to be bound for these bonds have a power to put away the disease and to restore health unto thee againe The good Emperour hearkned unto him and returning did give himself to mourning and humiliation after he had been excercised thus eight moneths the feast of the nativitie of our Saivour was come in which he begane most grievously to mourne and weep being demanded of one of his chief courteours Ruffinus why he did so alace said he you understand not the evils wherein I am Servants and beggers have accesse to the House of GOD but I am debarred both from the Church Heaven For I remember that sentence of our Saviour Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Afterward when he was admitted by S. Ambrose the historian saieth That when he entred into the Church he did not stand nor kneel praying but that he did fall down upon the ground saying these words of DAVID My soul cleaveth unto the dust quicken thou me according unto thy word and began to strick his face and to rive his hair and to water the ground with his teares If so great so glorious an Emperour disdained not in such a manner to submitt himself to ecclesiasticall censure is it not strange that every one almost now who is any thing in their own eyes disdaineth to embrace this remedie which Christ hath appointed for grievous offenders S. AUGUST speaking of this purpose saieth in the 49. Sermon of his book of fifty homiles Let no man say I will transact secretly betwixt God and my self I shall have sorrow in mine heart c. Then saieth he The keyes of the kingdome of heaven were given in vaine and in vaine it was said whatsoever yee binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Shal a Senator saieth he be ashamed to do that which the Emperour Theodosius did shall a craftsman or a merchant be ashamed to do that which so glorious an Emperour did I come now to the other sort of excommunication whereby men are bound This is the greater excommunication which is a most fearfull and dreadfull anathema eurse By it a man is wholly separated from the communion of the faithfull in meetings in prayers and in all other sacred fellowship such an one is fully cast out of the Church and cut off from the body of Christ as a rotten and corrupt member by reason wherof he is subjected to unspeakable evils For if he be so cut off from Christs Body he can no more be partaker while he is in that estate of the vitall and saving influence which cometh from Christ the HEAD Being separate from the Body of Christ he can no more have his Spirit then a member of the body cut off from the rest can be quickned with that soul which giveth life to the rest of the body and if a man have not the Spirit of Christ he is not his Such an one
is no more partaker of the intercession and prayers of the Church and of the blessings which thereby are plentifully obtained to those that are within it In a word such an one is left to himself as a wretched and forlorne creature destitute of the presence assistance and protection which God graciously giveth to his Church and to the Members thereof and wherewith he covereth it as it were as the cloud did the tabernacle and so is exposed to the will the furie of the devil as a sheep without a shepherd to the Wolf for the kingdome of the devil is especially without the Church of God There he ruleth and reigneth in the children of disobedience Hence according to the judgement of many such are said 1. Cor. 5. To be delivered over unto Satan albeit it be true also that in the Primitive Church for the greater terrour of disobedient persons who suffered themselves to bee excommunicat◠Diverse of them were given over to Satan as to an Executioner to have their bodies afflicted by him So some think that the incestuous Corinthian 1. Cor. 5. was not only excommunicated but also delivered to the Devil to be afflicted bodily and so they think also of Alexander and Hymeneus of whom S. PAUL saith 1. Tim. 1. That he had delivered them to Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme This is the most dreadfull sentence of the Church which Christ promiseth here to ratifie and confirme in heaven It were better for a man saieth Augustine in his first book against the Adversaries of the Law and Prophets and 17 Chapter that he were stoned to death or killed with the sword or torne with the teeth of beasts then to be strucken with this sentence Hee that is bound this way saith he is bound with more grievous and terrible bonds then if they were of iron and adamant The principall Intention of the Church is not to reclaime the person guilty in this Excommunication for it is exercised against such who are incorrigeable and refuse to heare the voice of the Church It is true the reclaiming of such an one is secondarlie intended for he is separate from the society of good Christiās that he may be ashamed that so he may come in end to a sense of his own sinne but the maine intention of the Church is to purge it self from such rotten and infecting Members which obstinatly go on in an evil course and there is none but may see that this proceeding is full of equity if a member of the bodie be corrupted and the rest of the bodie in danger to be infected thereby it must needs bee cut off In all well governed Cities Leprous persons those that are infected with the Plague at separated from others in a word Those that ar obstinatly disobedient and refractarie in any wel governed society or at least cast out of that society and is it not reason that they who are disobedient to the voice of the Church who are ready to infect others with an infection that tendeth to everlasting death be removed and debarred from the fellowship of the faithfull Hence yee may observe first what is the reason that we so slowly proceed to the pronouncing of this sentence of excommunication against those that are disobedient to the voice of the Church Some that have zeal but without sufficient knowledge accuse us for this as negligent or favouring the errours of those persons God knoweth we detaste their errours and that the true cause of out leasurlie proceeding is that knowledge which we have of the terrour and dreadfulnesse of this sentence A physitian will use all means to cure a diseased part of the body before he proceed to the cutting it off and when he is forced to do that he will not do it but with grief and sorrow It is reported of the Emperour Titus who was called the delight of mankinde that even at the just executions of malefactors he used to sigh and monrue Though Absolom had rebelled against his father David and would have taken from him both his crown and his life yet when his army went out against him he said Deale gently with the young man and when he heard that he was killed he cryed out O Absolom Absolom my son Absolom would God I had died for thee and yet the love of spiritual father ought to be greater toward their children then the love of any carnall father can be as CHRIS observeth Is it any wonder then that we are loath to cut any off by the terrible and dreadfull sentence of excommunication and to deliver them to Satan the enemie of mans salvation especially since we are taught by the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. That the servant of the LORD should he gentle and patient in meeknes instructing them that are contrarie minded if GOD will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may escape out of the snares of the devil who holdeth them captive at his will Secondly Ye may perceive hence how wofull and lamentable is the state of those persons who by their obstinate disobedience to the voice of the Church draw upon themselves this fearfull and terrible sentence It is not without cause that such are compared by an ancient writter to those that are mad Mad persons though they be most strongly bound yet they esteem nothing of their bonds for they are not sensible of their own misery so is it with those of whom I speak They contemne all that is done to them in this kinde and yet in the meane time they are bound both in earth and heaven by GOD and by man Would God that their eyes were opened that they might see the miserable estate of their own soules which are fertered with most strong chains that will draw them unto eternall condemnation Heaven and Earth may passe away but this Word of our LORD shall stand firme Whatsoever ye binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Let them not therefore flatter themselves with this that they see not now the visible judgements of God immediatly ceasing upon men and women that they see not their bodies afflicted by the devil or any such thing GOD is a Patient and Long-suffering GOD but in end recompenseth the delay of punishment with the weight of it if we despise his Goodnesse and by so doing Treasure up wrath to our selves against the day of wrath revelation of the righteous Judgement of GOD. Lastly I beseech you all to remember that it is your duty to esteeme those to be bound both by GOD and by his Servants whom we do binde by this fearfull sentence of excommunication and to carry your selves toward thē as if they wer heathens and publicane So is the Commandement of our Saviour urged againe againe by the Blessed Apostles who requireth that we withdraw our selves from such persons In the ancient Church they did so shune the company of persons excommunicat that scarce they would
abide to look upon them let be to speak with them Alace it is a pitty to see the company of excommunicat persons so much haunted as it is by some among you This is to transgresse the expresse Cōmandement of God this is to disappoint the Gracious Intention of GOD which is that such Persons may be ashamed of their sinne yea this is to confirme and barden them into their sinne to make your selves partakers thereof I beseech you therefore to esteeme such as we cast out to be indeed cast out of the society of the faithfull and unworthy with whom good Christians should converse The LORD imprint these things in our hearts and that for the merits of Christ to whom c. THE FIRST SERMON Upon the XII Chapter of LUKE Vers 15. And he said unto them Take heed and beware of covetousnesse for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Vers 16. And he spake a parable unto them saying The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully Vers 17. And he thought within himself saying what shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits Vers 18. And he said This will I do I will pull down my barns and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods THere is no time of the year wherein ye are more distracted about worldly cares then at this time To the end therefore that you exceed not due measure I thought good to present to your meditation these Words of our Saviour wherein most powerfully he diswadeth frō covetousnesse First ye have his dehortation Take heed and beware of covetousnesse Secondly it is inforced by a pregnant reason for the life of man c. Thirdly this reason is confirmed and cleared by a most divine parable where in to the life is represented the folly wickednes punishment of avarice And he spake unto them a parable saying Let us return to the dehortation And he said unto them take heed c. Before we consider the words ye are to understand that this dehortation was occasioned by the discord of two brethren of whom one came to our Saviour as ye may reade in the preceeding words desiring him to move his brother to divide the inheritance with him It was covetousnesse which made the one to retain that part of the inheritance which was not his own and which made the other to have recourse to our Saviour not for the health of his soul as he should have done but for redresse in his temporall estate It made him more mindfull of his patrimony in earth then of that which is in heaven Hence our Saviour taketh occasion to exhort him and all these that were present and in them us all to take heed and beware of covetousnesse Take heed and beware of covetousnesse This is the duty which he recommendeth That which he wils us to beware of is covetousnesse Elsewher it is called The love of money but the word used here is more large signifying a desire and seeking after that which is more then is needfull and sufficient whether in money or houses or lands c. It is a vice in defect contrary to liberality whereby a man esteemeth loveth and delighteth in earthly riches more then he ought whence he exceeds just measure in retaining or acquiring of them Thus one is guilty of this sinne 1. when against the tenth commandement he coveteth that which is not his own or against the eight commandement violently or fraudulently takes it 2. when he setteth his heart upon that which is his own placeth his delight therein or which followeth therupon niggardly tetaineth it when by justice or love or mercy he is oblidged to cōmunicat it to others This is the vice from which here our Saviour diswadeth neither sayeth he simplie Be not covetous but Take heed and beware of it Take heed fore see or consider we cannot be aware except by sound and right judgement what is good and to be desired what is necessary and what not This he will have us to consider and weigh and with all that present effect of covetousnesse among these bretheren and the like wofull effects which avarice bringeth forth This is not enough we must also beware We must carefully watch and strongly guard our hearts that this enemie get no accesse By this our LORD insinuateth two things first that covetousnesse is insidious next that it is also a pernicious evil First We must beware of it because it is an insidious evil It subtily creeps into the heart of man To this purpose it bath often the maske the appearance of vertue somtimes it seemeth to be frugality somtims justice and pretendeth titles of just and right Thus easily it prevails with our earthly minds and therefore almost there is no vice so universall it entred into the society of the holy Apostles and overthrew Judas there amongst the primitive Christians it poysoned the heart of Ananias and Saphira the courts of kings the cottages of poor men are easily tempted by it as experience teacheth Secondly It is a most pernicious evil S. PAUL 1. Tim. 6. sayeth The love of money is the roote of all evil distrustfull anxiety lying fraude perjury thift oppression discord and murther spring from it There is nothing more wicked then a covetous may sayeth the wise-man Ecclesiast 10. 9. for such an one will set his soul to sayle Ther is no law of man no law of God or nature which it will not make men to trample under foot That same Apostle sayeth It is Idolatrie It maketh a man to yeeld that honour to his gold which he oweth to GOD. That he beleeveth that he trusteth to that he delighteth in to it he offereth sacrifice upō the altar of covetousnesse Cursed is that altar sayeth CHRISOST in his 18. homile upon the epist to the Ephes The sacrifices offered upon it are the bodies and souls of men if thou go to the altars of pagan Idols thou shalt find the blood of sheep and oxen but the altar of avarice smoaketh with the blood of men There the skin is plucked from the flesh and the flesh from the bones of the Poore There their flesh is eaten and their bones brocken and choped in pieces as for the Pot. MICAH 3. 3. On this alter a man often sacrificeth himself He killeth his soul with deadly wounds and often his bodie How many hath it made to drowne or hang or steb themselves no wonder therfore that the Apostle calleth it the serving of an Idol They that serve it may say to it For thy Sake we are killed all the day as holy AUGUSTINE marketh in his 100 sermon upon the saints Besids it is a vice almost incurable The older men grow it cleaveth the faster to them when they are nearest to the earth and grave they cover often most for it and cannot be satisfied till
their mouths be filled with the gravel of it Thus ye see that it is not without cause that our blessed Saviour so earnestly desires us to beware of so deadly a pest If a physitiā should say to thee beware of such an herb it is poyson if thou but taste it thou art dead thou would take heed to beware of it Our heavenly Physitian whose skill cannot be deceived hath recommended to us most earnestly to beware of this weede of avarice which of it own accord springeth up in our hearts David was a man according to the heart of GOD and yet he prayes earnestly Incline mine heart to love thy testimonies and not to covetousnesse Let us therfore fear and beware of it if we love the health life of our souls which that ye may the better do we will proceed consider our Saviours reason which is For mans life consisteth not in the abundance of these things that he possesseth The chief reason that moveth men inordinatly to desire and covet riches is they think that when they have gotten an abundance of them they shall have a happy a joyfull life This our Saviour plainly contradicts stricking at the very root of avarice that the cause being taken away this pernicious effect may cease As if he would say It is not as men think that when they have abundance they shall live and live happily it is not so Mans life consisteth not c. The life of man is neither the longer nor the more joyfull because of the plenty of these things First The life of man is not the longer for this yea often it falleth out that it is thereby shortened Abundance often draweth men to drunkennesse leachery which cutteth away innumerable in the midst of their dayes It draweth men often to other grievous sinnes for which God in his justice often depriveth them of life 2. It maketh not the life more JOYFUL The loue of money saieth S. PAUL is the roote of all evill which while some have followed after they have erred from the faith and haue pierced themselves through with many sorrowes They that would be rich saieth he fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men into destruction and perdition As avarice bringeth forth the evil of many sinnes so the evill of many sorrowes God hath joyned these two together that the daughter may scourge the mother Hee hath so disposed that the covetous heart is the afflicter tormenter of it self Let the abundance of the covetous be what it will his covetousnes is a chaine whereby the Devill draggs him through the thornes of piercing cares through the snares of temptations through the down-fals of errour deadly sinne and remorse of conscience It maketh a man to losse the joyes of heaven and yet suffereth him not to enjoy the good of the earth so like Judas to be hanged as it were betwixt heaven and earth Achab Jezebel thought that Naboths vineyard would have made their life more happy but indeed it was the way to poison it It brought Achab violētlie to his graue and made the doggs to licke the blood of Jezebel Achan thought the Babylonish garment the two hundreth shekels of silver and the Wedge Iosh 7. would help to make a joyfull life but it made him to be stoned to death and all that he hade to be burnt with fire Ananias Saphrya thought that a keeping back of a part of their moneyes would have bettered their life but it brought them to a sudden and fearfull death The Two talents covered by Gehazi brought him to Leprosie instead of happinesse 2. King 5. Thus wee see that neither out life nor the joy of it dependeth from our meanes or plenty of them It is not by bread that man doth live but by every word that cometh out of the mouth of God It is the blessing of the Lord which both maketh rich addeth no sorrowes with it This shall appeare farre more cleare by the following Parable which out Saviour bringeth for this same purpose and therefore now wee come unto it And he spake unto them saying c. To confirme and clearc the former reason our Saviour bringeth a most divine Parable or Similitude because this may be more easily understood and firmely retained That which he teacheth by it is most necessary to all therefore he setteth it down most perfectly and after a manner most effectuall to perswade First yee have the outward and worldly estate of this Wretch 2. The disposition of his minde 3. Gods judgement upon him for his covetousnesse 4. Our Saviours application 1. His outward estate The field of a certaine Rich-man brought forth plentifully Behold here abundance of outward meanes The Field of this man brought him forth plenty of fruits according to his hearts desire Was hee the better or the more happy for this No but worse and more miserable as shall appeare by that which followeth It is demanded here by some of the Ancients considering this place Why God giveth abundance to such men whom he seeth will not use it aright and to whom it will be occasion of greater condemnation To this they answere first God does so out of his great goodnesse and bounty which is such That hee maketh his sun to shine upon the good and the bade and his raine to fall upon the just and the unjust And this his goodnesse doeth that he may draw them to repentance For he delighteth not in the death of a sinner but would have all to turne and live 2. He doeth this that his Justice may appeare the more clearly in their condemnation if they remaine obstinate in their impiety for in that They have despised all his long suffering and goodnesse which should have lead them to repentance appeareth that they are the cause of their own perdition and That they have treasured up wrath against themselves in the day of wrath and of the revelation of his righteous judgement 3. Wicked men have somtimes some good which God out of the immensitie of his equity will reward with temporall good things As he afflicteth often his own servants for some evils that are in them that being purged therefrom they may escape eternal punishment 4. That wee may know that these earthly things are not much to be esteemed or desired since God giveth them to his enemies to them that hate and blaspheme him Hade they the worth which many apprehend to be in them he would not do so He will not cast pearles before doggs and swine which he hath forbidden us Here by the way we may observe that we cannot judge of GODS Favour or want of it by the abundance or scarcity of these earthly things Many wicked abound in them and many of Gods deare servants are pinched yea often the wicked have greatest plenty this way It is well observed by Greg. That a physitian when he seeth the state
is not from the earth but from heaven and if he give life to them that are dead he may be justly called The bread of life 3. He addeth these words to comfort Beleevers and to terrifie unbeleevers For no greater comfort can be to them that receive him by a true and lively faith then the assured hope that they shall be raised up by him from death to a glorious and immortall life and on the other part it is matter of exceeding terror to the unbelieving and wicked that they shall not be partakers of this blessed resurrection but they shall be raised up to shame and confusion This point is urged diverse times hereafter by our LORD and therefore it may be we shall have occasion to speak of it more fully Only now consider that this is a point which we should at this time deeply meditate upon He who calleth us and offereth himself unto us is no lesse then he who hath power of life and death even of eternall life and of eternall death If wee answer him and embrace his Calling we may look to have confidence joy and glory at our death and resurrection but if we do otherwayes we can expect nothing but terrour sorrow and confusion Though we think little now of death and resurrection yet they wil come It is appointed for all men once to die and after death cometh judgement The soul will be called out of the body the body will be called out of the grave and both will be called before the Tribunall of GOD. If thou hearkned devotly and obediently to his Calling here Thou shalt lift up thine head then being confident that thy redemption draweth near When GOD sayeth to thy soul at death Come out thou shalt encourage it and say Go 〈◊〉 my soule fear nâ—t it is the Voice of my Beloved calling not to destroy but to save thee It is the voice of him who hath often called me before and whom I have answered by his Grace It is the Voice of him that I was longing for He said to me before Behold I come I have answered even so Amen LORD Iesus come But on the contrary if thou hast despised his gracious and mercifull Calling here thy terrour shall be unspeakable at death and at the resurrection He shall call when thy Lamp is not prepared and albeit thou would not be drawn by his Mercy his Justice shall draw thy soule out of thy body at death and thy body out of the grave at the resurrection although thou call then he will not heare but will say Depart from me I know thee not Long have I cast open the doore of my Mercy unto thee but thou would not enter and now it is shute O how terrible shall this Calling or rather Drawing of iustice be to the disobedient soule body Faine would they draw back into that very nothing out of which they were brought Therefore the wicked shall say then unto the hills and to the mountains fall upon us and cover us from the Face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the Face of the Lamb. Let us therefore while we have time thinke both upon his Mercy Justice These are the two armes of his Providence whereby he draweth to good and from evil MERCY is as it were his Right-Hand which is alluring and comfortable justice his Left-Hand which is terrifying and dreadfull Let us labour That his left hand may be vnder our head as the Spouse speaketh and that his right hand may embrace us that is let us thinke upon his gracious Promises that we may be allured to obey him and withall consider his dreadfull terrours that we may stand in awe to despise his invitations I will speake no more of this Now I proceed It is written in the prophets And they shall be all taught of GOD c. Here he confirmeth and cleareth what he said of the drawing of men to him by the Father He confirmeth it by the testimony of scripture It is written sayeth he in the prophets they shall be all taught of GOD. This testimony is expresly set down Isaiah 54. 13. Where the PROPHET speaking of the happy estate of the Church of the new Testament sayeth to her All thy children shall be taught of the LORD and great shall be their peace According to the sense it is also to be found else-where especially in the 31. 33. of Iâ—r where the LORD speaking of the Church of the new Testament sayeth After those dayes it shall come to passe that I will put my law in their hearts writ it in their inward parts and they shall be my people and I will be their GOD and they shall not teach every man his brother and every man his neighbour but they shall know me from the highest to the least sayeth the LORD For clearing of this yee are to understand that to be taught of God is nothing else but to have our minds enlightned by the knowledge of him and to have his love â—â—â—ed abroad in our hearts so that we obey him and that not out of the fear of punishment but out of the love of righteousnes Of this teaching the Prophet spake when he said Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest and teachest out of thy law and when he said againe Teach me to do thy Will O GOD for it is good This our Saviour manifesteth in the next words wherein he explaineth what it is To be taught by GOD saying That such an one heareth and learneth of the Father and cometh to him that is he that is so taught understandeth and beleeveth that which the Father revealeth and embraceth it by sincere love and affection and so cometh to Christ by faith by hope by love and obedience Hence S. AUGUSTINE in his book of the Grace of Christ 12. and 13. chapters inferreth That this doctrine of the Father is nothing else but his heavenly Grace communicated to us whereby he maketh us not only to know what we should do but also to do what we know whereby he maketh us not only to beleeve that which should be loved but also to love that which we beleeve This is the doctrine of the Father whereby from on hye by his unspeakable Power inwardly he manifesteth his truth and communicateth to us the love of himself This also is manifest as S. AUGUSTINE observeth there from the 1. Thess 4. 9. where S. PAUL sayeth As for brotherly love yee have not need that I should write unto you for yee are taught of GOD to love one another So the Teaching of GOD maketh us not only to know what should be done but also to do that which we know And he that knowes and doeth not is not caught by God He is not taught according to grace but according to the law he is not taught according to the spirit but according to the letter Secondly Yee are to consider that our Saviour by urging