vicissitude of days and nights caused by the constant certain motions of those heavenly bodies do continually preach and instruct men in the glories of the creator of heaven and earth 3. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard Paraphrase 3. They are not furnisht with language or words or an articulate intelligible voice as we men are 4. Their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world In them hath he set a tabernacle for the Sun Paraphrase 4. Yet have they ways to express themselves to make known to all the men in the world Gentiles as well as Jews the wonderful power and goodness and providence of God In the midst of them in an eminent and principal place is assigned a royal mansion for the Sun in which he moves constantly and by his motion inlivens and rejoyceth all that see him Wheresoever he comes he hath the day-Star and a streaming of light going before him as the torch-bearers before a Bridegroom when he comes out of his Bride-chamber and in his circuit he visits all the corners of the earth and drives on alacriously like a mighty invincible champion in a perpetual course or race He begins in one extreme point of the heavens and marcheth on through every part till he comes back to the very same point again and so in some part of his course or other takes in every climate of this lower World of ours there is no corner which doth not partake of the light and warmth he brings with him And in all this is there a farther mystical representation of the Gospel of Christ that Sun of righteousness with his Baptist before him to light him into the world whither when he is come he sends out his Apostles to preach the Gospel to all the dark heathen corners over all the earth and by so doing diffuseth his light and warmth the knowledge of his will and strength and grace in some measure to perform it and withall pardon and refreshment to all that do not love darkness more than light and so wilfully refuse to be inlightned by him 5. Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race 6. His going forth is from the end of heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat of it 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple Paraphrase 7. And as Gods glories are visible in the creation and wise and gracious disposal of the heavens c. so above all in his giving us such a guide and director of life as is the law and revelation of his will unto us A law made up of such excellent praecepts that it most eminently conduceth to the satisfying and refreshing the making all men happy that obey it It prescribes us an universal adherence and dependence on God and so is proper to repair and refresh our hungry souls which being fallen off from God by sin into a most doleful state have no other means of recovery or refection but this manna from heaven this spiritual food of ours 2. It is constant and in every part agreeable to it self and consequently is a means to settle and establish and confirm him that is most unsteady and seducible and carried away with every deceit of sin 8. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart the commandment of the Lord is pure inlightening the eyes Paraphrase 8. As for the particular precepts and commandments thereof they are made up of perfect justice and equity so agreeable to our own reason and the souls with which we are created that the performance of them is matter of the greatest present delight and joy to a rational man Gods commands are our spiritual food and the obeying them is refection and nourishment to the soul the original of all spiritual strength and vigor to it 9. The fear of the Lord is clean induring for ever the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether Paraphrase 9. The dread of offending God keeps the man from all impure mixtures suffers not any worldly or carnal aim to have admission with him and this and nothing but this will hold out in time of temptation and consequently yield him a reward from God in another world As for the things wherein our obedience is expected by God they are in themselves most just and equitable fittest to be done by us if they were not commanded nor should ever be rewarded in us and so are acknowledged by all wise men and cannot chuse but be discerned by us to be so if we seriously weigh them and practice them 10. More to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold sweater also than honey and the honey-comb Paraphrase 10. And indeed when we come to make that trial of them to know their true value by practice and experiences and not to judge them by those appearances and colours that the world hath of them and such as consider them at a distance and so think them rugged and melancholy we shall find them much more priseable than the greatest wealth in the world all that amass'd together cannot yield us any true contentment or satisfaction much more delicious and pleasurable than the richest and choicest sensualities that are most eagerly pursued and gustfully injoyed by us 11. Moreover by them is thy servant warned and in keeping of them there is great reward Paraphrase 11. All the splendor and greatness and flourishing condition that I injoy at this time or ever expect in this or in another world I hold only by this tenure as long as I keep my self close to the commands of God For thus hath God pleased in his infinite goodness to deal with us he gives us most excellent precepts commanding us to do those things which are of all others most agreeable to our natures and so most valuable and pleasurable to us v. 10. and then upon our obedience to this most gracious yoak heaps all the richest rewards upon us Godliness having besides its own sweetness the promises of this life and of that which is to come 12. Who can understand his errours cleanse thou me from secret faults Paraphrase 12. But alas how imperfect hath my obedience been How many times have I transgrest these holy commands of thine Many many times which I am not now able to enumerate many which I did not observe at the time sins of ignorance and frailty no man is able to number and particularly to confess to thee O be thou pleased to seal to my soul thy free pardon and forgiveness for all these 13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression Paraphrase 13. As
and sentences are subject either not to be understood or amiss and may either be doubted of by the ignorant or perverted by the malicious You have learnt so many words without Book and say them minutely by heart and yet not either understand or observe what you are about but this unwritten Law which no Pen but that of nature hath engraven is in our understandings not in words but sence and therefore I cannot avoid the intimations 't is impossible either to deny or doubt of it it being written as legible in the tables of our hearts as the print of humanity in our Foreheads The commands of either Scripture or Emperour may be either unknown or out of our heads when any casual opportunity shall bid us make use of them but this law of the mind is at home for ever and either by intimation or loud Voice either whispers or proclaims its commands to us be it never so gag'd 't will mutter and will be sure to be taken notice of when it speaks softliest To define in brief what this law of nature is and what offices it performs in us you are to know that at that grand forfeiture of all our inheritance goods truly real and personal all those primitive endowments of Soul and Body upon Adams Rebellion God afterwards though he shined not on us in his full Image and Beauty yet câ—st some rayes and beams of that eternal light upon us and by an immutable Law of his own counsel hath imprinted on every Soul that comes down to a body a secret unwritten yet indeleble Law by which the Creature may be warn'd what is good or bad what agreeable what hurtful to the obtaining of the end of its creation Now these commands or prescriptions of nature are either in order to speculation or practice to encrease our knowledge or direct our lives The former sort I omit as being sitter for the Schools than Pulpit to discourse on I shall meddle only with those that refer to practice and those are either common which they call first principles and such are in every man in the World equally secundum rectitudinem notitiam saith Aquinas every one doth both conceive them in his understanding what they mean and assent to them in his will that they are right and just and necessary to be performed and of this nature are the Worship of God and justice amongst men for that lumen super nos signatum in Bonaventures phrase that light which nature hath seal'd and imprinted on our Souls is able to direct us in the knowledge of those moral principles without any other help required to perswade us or else they are particular and proper to this or that business which they call conclusions drawn out of these common principles as when the common principle commands just dealing the conclusion from thence commands to restore what I have borrowed and the like And these also if they be naturally and directly deduced would every man in the World both understand and assent to did not some hindrance come in and forbid or suspend either his understanding or assent Hindrances which keep him from the knowledge or conceiving of them are that confusion and Chaos and black darkness I had almost said that Tophet and Hell of sensual affections which suffers not the light to shew it self and indeed so stifles and oppresses it that it becomes only as Hell fire not to shine but burn not to enlighten us what we should do but yet by gripes and twinges of the conscience to torment us for not doing of it And this hindrance the Apostle calls ver 21. the vanity of imaginations by which a foolish heart is darkned Hindrances which keep us from assenting to a conclusion in particular which we do understand are sometimes good as first a sight of some greater breach certain to follow the performance of this So though I understand that I must restore every man his own yet I will never return a Knife to one that I see resolved to do some mischief with it And 2. Divine laws as the command of robbing the Aegyptians and the like for although that in our hearts forbid robbing yet God is greater than our hearts and must be obeyed when he prescribes it Hindrances in this kind are also sometimes bad such are either habitude of nature custom of Country which made the Lacedemonians esteem theft a virtue or a-again the Tyranny of passions for every one of these hath its several project upon the reasonable Soul its several design of malice either by treachery or force to keep it hood-winkt or cast it into a Lethargy when any particular vertuous action requires to be assented to by our practice If I should go so far as some do to define this law of nature to be the full will of God written by his hand immediately in every mans heart after the fall by which we feel our selves bound to do every thing that is good and avoid every thing that is evil some might through ignorance or prejudice guess it to be an elevation of corrupt nature above its pitch too near to Adams integrity and yet Zanchy who was never guest near a Pelagian in his 4. Tome 1. l. 10. c. 8. Thesis would authorize every part of it and yet not seem to make an Idol of nature but only extol Gods mercy who hath bestowed a Soul on every one of us with this character and impression Holiness to the Lord which though it be written unequally in some more than others yet saith he in all in some measure so radicated that it can never be quite changed or utterly abolished However I think we may safely resolve with Bonaventure out of Austin against Pelagius Non est parum accepisse naturale indicatorium 't is no small mercy that we have received a natural glass in which we may see and judge of objects before we venture on them a power of distinguishing good from evil which even the malice of sin and passions in the highest degree cannot wholly extinguish in us as may appear by Cain the Voice of whose Conscience spake as loud within him as that of his Brothers blood as also in the very damn'd whose worm of sence not penitence for what they have done in their flesh shall for ever bite and gripe them hideously This Light indeed may either first be blindness or secondly delight in sinning or thirdly peremptory resolvedness not to see be for the present hindred secundum actum from doing any good upon us He that hath but a vail before his Eyes so long cannot judge of colours he that runs impetuously cannot hear any one that calls to stop him in his career and yet all the while the light shines and the voice shouts and therefore when we find in Scripture some men stupefied by sin others void of reason we must not reckon them absolutely so but only for the present besotted And again though they
salvation Paraphrase 5. This I know thou wilt 〈◊〉 and am assuredly conâ— that as I have constantly relyed on thee for ayde so I shall have the pleasure and comfort of being timely delivered by thee 6. I will sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt bountifully with me Paraphrase 6. I have had so frequent and constant experiences of his goodness and mercy toward me that I cannot doubt of the continuance of them and therefore I have nothing to do but thus to comfort and stay my self in him and praising him for what I have already received place my chearful assistance in him for the future Annotations on Psal XIII V. 3. Lighten mine eyes what is the meaning of this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lighten mine eyes may perhaps be best judged by Jonathans speech 1 Sam. 14.27 who being very hungry and ready to faint dipt his rod in an honey-comb and eat of it and the Text saith his eyes were enlightened i. e. he was refresht by it Dimness of sight is a frequent effect of long fasting and then eating is the proper means of repairing that decay and so this effect is by metonymie set to signifie that refection which causeth thiâ— See saith Jonathan v. 29. how mine eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey i. e. how I have received refreshment by eating this There indeed the LXXII render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mine eyes have seen either reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see or more probably thus to express the meaning more perspicuously for his eyes seeing was an evidence of their being inlightened and his being thus refresht from his hunger and so before v. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they his eyes received sight or saw clearly This was litterally applicable to David when he came to Nob 1 Sam. 1. for then being threatned by Saul autâ—rised by Jonathan to flie he was so distrest by 〈◊〉 that ne was fain to eat the Shew-bread And so again in the time of Absalom's rebellion David and his Forces were hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness 2 Sam. 17.29 had not Shobi and Machir and Barzillai refresht and so enlightened their eyes v. 27 28. But it may also by an easie Metaphor be applyed to the political state When in any time of affliction exprest frequently by darkness and gloominess the person is relieved or refreshed his eyes are said to be inlightened in proporcion to that refreshment that hungry fainting persons receive by meat So Ezra 9.8 the restitution after captivity giving them a little reviving in their bondage is styled Gods lightening their eyes And so it is in this place in the midst of that sadness that now lay on David parallel to a fainting fit of hunger in the body or to captivity in a state which if it were not speedily relieved would end in death quickly See more of this Psalm 19. note e. V. 6. Dealt bountifully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to retribute whether good or ill or simply to do either and which it is the context must direct Here all interpreters agree of the good sense The Chaldee add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good the XXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine bona tribuit given me good things and so the Arabick and Aethiopick the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath delivered me and so we find it Psal 116.7.119.17 and in many other places and 't is indifferently used either with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to after it and so 't is best rendred here hath dealt well with me The Fourteenth PSALM TO the chief Musitian a Psalm of David Paraphrase The fourteenth Psalm is a sad reflection on the wickedness and universal defection of his subjects the men of Israel in the conspiracy and rebellion of Absalom 1 Sam. 15. looking only to God for deliverance from them It was indited by David and committed to the Prefect of his Quire 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God They are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good Paraphrase 1. This wicked Nation is now made up of such as have cast off all fear and care and even acknowledgment of God whatsoever they do with their mouthes which perhaps are not let loose to that boldness their actions as far as they are interpreters of their thoughts evidence an Atheistical principle of belief within them that God hath not the governing and judging of the doings of men for such are their dealings so false so detestable and so universally such that a man cannot judge more favourably of them than that they never expect to be accountable to God for what they do 2. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of Men to see if there were any that did understand and seek after God Paraphrase 2. Should God from his throne of Majesty and tribunal of just judgment survey and examine all the inhabitants of the whole Nation making inquisition for those that consider and make conscience of duty and indeavour to approve themselves to his pure eyes 3. They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Paraphrase 3. He would find a most lamentable appearance an universal detestable decay of all justice all Duty both toward God and Man base rotten conversation and no considerable degree of piety or humanity or any thing that is good in any This as it was observably true of Israel that people of God so eminently owned and favoured by him in Davids time and in their behaviour toward him so had it a farther prophetick truth in it in respect of the Universality of them at the time of Christ's appearing in the World and in their actions toward him and his Apostles after him to the Jews of which Age St. Paul applies it Rom. 3.10 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge who eat up my people as they eat bread and call not upon the Lord Paraphrase 4. 'T is strange the conspirators should thus go on in their Atheistical folly and never be wrought on by all the evidences of Gods power and justice among them never brought to any degree of sense or remorse but still go on in their presumptuous and withal assiduous constant course of injustice and cruelty And the effect is yet more sad others that see them go on thus follow them into their impieties do not adhere as they ought to God depend on his support but joyn and comply with the conspitators 5. There were they in great fear for God is in the generation of the righteous Paraphrase 5. When they appeared powerful and threatned all that would not go along with them the Men of Israel were universally terrified and joyned themselves to the rebel forces but this most
which the fisher boys toll and catch with the foam of the Sea and signifies proverbially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that is quickly and easily drawn or seduced or deceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Hesychius and this by way of paraphrase yet also with respect to the original notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simple or foolish But Aquila and Theodotion reade more literally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presently CHAP. VIII 1. DOth not wisedom cry and understanding put forth her voice 2. She standeth in the top of high places by the way in the places of the paths 3. She crieth at the gates at β the entry of the city at the coming in at the doors Paraphrase 1 2 3. In this is the infinite goodness and abundant care and solicitude of God expressed that when they provoke him in the highest measure to leave them to their own ungodly desires and purposes and to forsake them utterly without ever recalling them to repentance he contrariwise is most importunate in his calls to them by the law of reason and conscience in the heart by voices from heaven by judgments by mercies by Moses and the Prophets and at last when all other means were successless by his own Son God-man the great Prophet fore-promised and after him by the descent of his Holy Spirit on the Apostles commissionated by him by these so many distinct articulate ways of revelation making known his will to them in such a manner as if he were resolved to leave no one man in the world ignorant of his duty and of his own nearest concernments in the discharge thereof Should divine knowledge be imagined to be an Herald with a Trumpet in his hand or a Crier with his Oies sounded aloud in the presence of the whole world on a place of the greatest advantage to be heard in those meetings of ways entrances into cities and houses that no man living might possibly be left ignorant of that which is proclaimed it could not by that means be more audible and leave mankind more inexcusable in going on in their sinfull ways than now it is and doth by means of those loud calls that God hath vouchsafed to the world 4. Unto you O men I call and my voice is to the sons of men Paraphrase 4. And is it not a great enhansement of the mercy to mankind that when a multitude whole legions of Angels were fallen into an abyss of sin and misery as well as mankind yet this favour being not shewed to any one lapsed Angel of all that multitude all the whole race and kind of men were thus graciously considered by God as to have God's calls nay his Son Christ the most articulate calls communicated to them Gentiles the most idolatrous polluted Gentiles as well as Jews the most proud provoking rebellious crucifying Jews all of each sort redeemed by him and no one of all mankind left out of that purchase and his calls to repentance dispatched to all by the Apostles in his name preaching pardon for what was past and now commanding all men every where to repent Act. 17.30 5. O ye simple understand wisedom and ye fools be ye of an understanding heart Paraphrase 5. And the interpretation of that is that they should rescue themselves from the reproach and wretched effects of the utmost folly judge what the rules of true wisedom or but craft and subtlety and care of their own interests will exact from them and set cordially and resolutely to the practice of it 6. Hear for I will speak of excellent things and the opening of my lips shall be right things Paraphrase 6. This certainly may deserve audience from us being a most venerable and excellent subject and all other knowledge unworthy to compare with it either for profit or certainty 7. For my mouth shall speak truth and wickedness is an abomination to my lips 8. All words of my mouth are in righteousness there is nothing froward or perverse in them 9. They are all plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find knowledge Paraphrase 7 8 9. The precepts which thus are given us by God in order to the regulating our lives are most just and righteous precepts most extremely far removed from all iniquity or impurity such as the law of reason in men's hearts if it do not exact of all men doth applaud and highly approve in those that practise them Onely those that go on in their wicked courses obstinately and imperswasibly that keep at a distance from them that never had the least experience of the pleasures which vertue yields they may doubt of the reasonableness of these precepts imagine them too severe design'd to betray them to a joyless life But for all that apply themselves to true wisedom moderation of affections acting according to rules of vertue as they are most plain and obvious to be understood as visible as what is directly before me so are they most agreeable to the better part of the man to reasonable and ingenuous nature 10. Receive my instruction and not silver and knowledge rather than choise gold 11. For wisedom is better than rubies and all the things that are to be desired are not to be compared to it Paraphrase 10 11. And indeed if the comparison should be made betwixt the practice of vertue in the one scale and all the silver and gold and most precious stones and whatsoever is most valued and eagerly pursued among men it is certain the amiableness and true excellency of the former would in any sober man's esteem infinitely outweigh all the rest amassed together All that outward plenty and splendour can never make any man contented much less happy but generally brings additions of fears and turmoils and so of miseries to the possessours Onely the practice of all vertue moral and christian are the foundation and matter of a pure immixt substantial lasting satisfaction and happiness to all that are uniformly exercised therein 12. I wisedom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty inventions Paraphrase 12. And let all the cunning and subtlety in the world combine in the most dextrous artificious projects which wicked men use in the bringing their unjust machinations to pass the practice of vertue constant and uniform will be able to outvie and outwit them all and though at first the subtlety of the world may seem to get the start yet vertue will carry it at long running and in fine approve it self the onely true policy 13. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil pride and arrogancy and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate Paraphrase 13. This vertue if it be such as will approve it self to God consists in the forsaking of every wicked way it being certain that not onely some but every sort of such in thought deed and word is most detestable in the sight of God The wisedom
Army once did and an Army of united prayers may do so again but the Eagle to a carkase the Night-raven to the funeral of a Consumptive Church and Monarchy an Hell from Heaven upon an abominable people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could the Tyrant Phalaris say He that is not made soâ—er by many sufferings is absolutely insensate And yet God knows out of this rock the greatest part of this Age seems to be hewed The thunder about our ears that could teach the most barbarous Nations to believe and tremble the breaking in of the Lions that disciplin'd the Assyrians in Samaria to seek out instruction in the manner of the God of the land 2 Kings 17. Gods using us as the Physician in the Epigram did the Lethargick Patient putting a Lunatick into the same room with him to dry-beat us is possible into sense and life again His proceeding to that great cure of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissolving the habit of the body politick and to that end letting blood to a deliquium which Hippocrates resolves so necessary to abate the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the high full athletick health that is so dangerous in his Aphorisms the driving out into the field with Nebuchadnezzar which infused reason into that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which untransform'd him again and raised up his eyes to an acknowledgment of him that liveth for ever Dan. 4. have God knows wrought the quite contrary on us wasted the seeds of natural piety within us erected Academies of Atheism endowed them with Schools and Professours where the art of it may be learned at a reasonable rate a young sinner of an ordinary capacity may within a few months observation set up Atheist for himself prophane scoff at the Clergy be very keen and witty upon Scripture have exceptions against the Service of the Church and all with as good grace as if he had serv'd and Apprentiship in Italy or at the feet of that great Master that Martyr of Atheism Vanninus He that at the breaking in of this torrent of misery upon the land had but walk'd in the counsel of the â—ngodly was but upon probation and deliberation whether he should be wicked or no that after some months when the waters began to turn into blood was yet advanced to a moderate proficiency a standing in the way of sinners and found it but an uneasie wearisome posture a standing upon thorns or flints is now fairly sate down in the chair of the Scorner or prophane Atheist in cathedrâ as a place of ease or repose can blaspheme without any regrets of a petulant conscience in cathedrâ as a seat of state prophanes with a better grace than he can do any thing else is become a considerable person upon that one account is valued among Lookers on by that only excellency and in cathedrâ again as a Professors chair a Doctor of that black faculty ready to entertain Clients to gather Disciples to set up an Independent Church of rational Blasphemers and being himself a complete Convert sufficiently approved to Satan to confirm and strengthen those puny Brethren that are not arrived to the accursed measure of that fulness fit them with Machiavels capacity for vast undertakings by that excellent quality of being wicked enough the want of which saith he hath been the undoing of the world And shall not God visit for this shall he not be avenged on such a Nation as this A wonderful and horrible thing is wrought in the land the judgments that were sent to awake have numni'd and petrefied us the fire in the bowels of this earth of ours hath turn'd us into perfect quarry and mine and as Diodorus tells us in Arabia the Ice and Crystal is congeal'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the power of Divine fire and not by cold so are these icy Crystal hearts of ours frozen by that fire from Heaven that shall one day set the whole Universe a melting But besides these Atheists of the first magnitude other inferiour pretenders there are that cannot shake off all apprehensions of all judgment to come but yet upon distant tamer principles can do Satans business as well for such trifles as this Text takes notice of the contraries to justice and continence they have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Marcus in Iren. that charnied shield from the Mother of the Gods which shall render them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invisible to the Judge The judicature erected by Christ takes not cognizance of such moral breaches as these there nothing but infidelity proves capital or if the breaches of the First Table may be brought in collaterally under that head yet for these venial defailances against the Second this toy of circumventing our brethren of defiling the flesh as its consequent in S. Jude speaking evil of dignities Christ came to make expiation for such not to receive bills of indictment against them to be their Priest but not their Judge I remember a saying of Picus Mirandula That a speculative Atheist is the greatest monster but one and that is the practical Atheist And yet this is the darling of the carnal Fiduciaries that can help him to reconcile his grossest sins his any thing with Faith how well you will have leisure to see if you please to descend with me from the absolute to the relative view of the matter of S. Pauls Sermon and consider first the relation which it hath to the Text on which he preach'd it and that you shall see in the former verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the faith on Christ and that is my next stage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The faith on Christ the phrase that some nice Observers have laid such weight on to denote the special act of justifying faith as 't is and affiance on Christ of a far higher pitch than either the believing Christ or believing in Christ and yet it seems those so despicable moral vertues those that so few think necessary and some have affirm'd destructive and pernicious to salvation are here brought in by S. Paul I hope not impertinently under this head justice and continence and judgment to come parts of a Sermon of the faith on Christ So 1 Cor. where St. Paul had fasten'd his determination chap. 2. to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him crucified in the very next chap. he charges them with sins of carnality strife envyingâ— factions in the 5. with Fornication or incest In the 6. with going to law before Infidels all these it seems the prime contrarieties to the faith or knowledge of the crucified Saviour Thus in St. James you may mark that works of charity and mercy are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religion ch 1.27 And being authorized from such great Apostles I shall not fear to tell you that the prime part of the knowledge and faith and religion of CHRIST the life and power of Christianity is the setting up and reigning of these vertues in our hearts
present to bring but one instance of a prudent alms-giver that hath yearly or weekly consecrated some considerable part of his revenue or increase to that use and can say that ever he found any real miss of that any more than of the blood let out in a pleurisie nay if he have done it constantly and sincerely from the one true principle compliance with the command and example of God let him speak his conscience if he do not think that all the rest hath thrived the better for that as Phlebotomy hath saved many mens lives letting out some ounces of blood been the securing of the whole mass that it hath had a secret blessing influence a vital anspicious infection upon the remainder by this art of consecrating our estates intitling God to the fence and safeguard of them as of his temples and altars that thieves and oppressors and devils conceive a reverence due to them and a kind of sacriledge to approach or purloin from them as they that put the crown into their intail do thereby secure it to the right heir that it can never be out off The poor widow of Sarepta what a strange trial made she of this truth When the last of her store was fetch'd out to make the funeral feast for her self and family that they might eat and dy that very last cake that all that was left she gives to Elijah in his distress and this is so far from ruining her that it brought a blessing on her barrel and her cruse that she and all hers were not able to exhaust I might add the poor widow in the Gospel that if we shall disbelieve Christ himself cast in all that she had into the Corban even her whole substance the Christians that sold all and laid it at the Apostles feet and yet we never read of any of these that brought himself to distress by this means But these are ex abundanti more than is required for the vouching of my present proposition and of a higher strain than what I design for your imitation 'T is time that I begin to retire and wind up with some application which you cannot imagine should be any other after all this preparation but a Go and do thou likewise And if you can but believe this one thing that I have brought many witnesses from heaven to restifie that your goodness shall not impair your plenty that your store shall never be lessened by so giving I doubt not but you will be as forward to go as any man to have you The only holdback is the affection and passionate love that we bear to our wealth that lust or sensuality of the eye as the Apostle calls it 'T is ordinarily observed of young men and dissolute that they have many times a great aptness and ingeniousness and withal patience to any speculative knowledge the Mathematicks or any such the abstrusest studies but for moral precepts rules of good life they will not be digested And my brethren give me leave to tell you in the spirit of meekness that the like in another respect is observed of this auditory any thing wherein their wealth is not concerned is most readily entertained none more attentive ingenious auditors but when their profit is intrench'd on their beloved golden Idol of which I may say with Moses O this people have committed a great sin made them Gods of gold when this I say begins to be in danger as the silver shrines at S. Pauls preaching Acts 19. then as it follows in that place the whole city is filled with confusion like that young man in the Gospel that would do any thing that Christ would require Good Master what shall I do to inherit eternal life So far as that Jesus loved him when he beheld him yet when Christ proceeds to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing is wanting to thee go sell give to the poor then follows the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went away sad and sorrowful sighing and groaning as if he had been to part with blood and bowels And this is the ground of Christs most considerable observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how hard and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how impossible is it for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven for a worldly-minded man to be a Christian Could you but reduce into order this one mighty exorbitant humour purge out this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Peter calls it this over-flowing of the gall this choler and bitterness that lies cak'd upon the soul that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he goes on in the aggravating of covetousness we English it band of iniquity but it signifies a complication of wickedness bound up all in one volume mingled into one hypostasis this legion of earthly devils that come out of the tombes to enter into thee and there continue crying and cutting thee with stones I should then proceed with some heart and spirit and tell you that that every man knows but such demoniacks that alms-giving is in it self a thing that any man living if he have but the reliques of unregenerate nature and the notion of a Deity about him would take pleasure in it were he but satisfied of this one scruple that 't would not hinder his thriving in this world 'T is more blessed to give than to receive is the Apophthegme of S. Paul quoted from Christ though it be not rehearsed in the Gospel and Clemens hath turned it into a maxim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is giving not possessing that signifies a man to be happy and this happiness the highest most divine sort of happiness 't is a blessed thing to give And of the same inclination in the worst of you I will no more doubt than I do of your being men of your having humane souls about you could you be but fortified against this one terror were but this one trembling spirit exorcised and cast out this apprehension of impairing your estates by that means Now of this an ordinary Jew makes so little doubt meerly upon authority of the places of the Old Test which I cited that he may read thee a lecture of faith in this particular Paulus Fagius assures me of the modern Jews who have not been observed to be over-liberal that they still observe the payment of the poor mans tithe meerly out of design to inrich themselves by that means and tells us of a Proverb of Rabbi Akiba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tithes are the hedges to our riches and on the contrary that there be seven kinds of judgments that come upon the world for seven prevarications and the first is famine upon not tithing and the second again another kind of famine upon another not tithing and that second plainly belongs to the poor mans tithing when as it follows some are full and others are famish'd and the third is a plague upon not obeying the Law concerning the fruits of