not fashion themselves according to this present evil world But as at their Baptism they renounced the world with all the Pomps Lusts and Vanities of it so they take themselves bound in the whole course of their lives to be as unlike the evil world as they can by walking in all holiness and purity of conversation So long as they continue in this Vale of misery and live here in the world they must have to do in the world and the world will have to do with them and daily occasion they shall have for the necessities of this life to use the things of this world But then they are careful so to use them as neither to abuse themselves nor them Going through the vale of misery they use it for a Well drawing out thence a little water as occasions require for their needful refreshing but they will take care withal to drain it well from the mud to keep themselves so far as is possible unspotted with the World and to escape the manifold pollutions and defilements that are in the World through lust But the children here spoken of immerse and ingulf themselves in the affairs of this world with all greediness walking as the Apostle expresseth it Eph. 2. after the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air in the lusts of the flesh doing the will of the flesh and of the mind There is a combination you see of our three great Spiritual Enemies The Devil the Flesh and the World against us and these three agree in one to undo us and to destroy us Now he that yieldeth to the temptations of the Devil or maketh provision for the Flesh to fulfil it in the lusts thereof or suffereth himself to be carried with the sway of the world to shape his course thereafter preferring his own will before the known will of God is a child of this world in respect of his Conversation 8. Thirdly The Children of this World are so called in regard their Portion is in this World The children of Light content themselves with any small pittance which it pleaseth their heavenly Father to allow them here being assured they shall be provided for with so much as shall be sufficient for them to maintain them during this their minority with a kind of subsistence But the main of their portion their full childs-part their rich and precious inheritance they expect not in this world They well know it is laid up for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is laid up for me the Crown of righteousness and that in a safe place reserved in the heavens and that in safe hands kept by the power of God till they be grown up to it As Ioseph gave his brethren Provision for their Journey but the full sacks were tied up not to be opened till they were gotten home Indeed rather God himself is their portion both here in part and hereafter in full But the Children we now speak of if there be any natural or moral goodness or usefulness in them by the superabundant bountifulness of a gracious God in any respect or degree rewardable habent mercedem They have all they are like to have in hand there is nothing for them neither for the most part do they expect any thing in reversion which have the portion in this life saith David Psal. 17. If they have done him any small piece of service though unwittingly they shall have their wages for it paid them to the uttermost as Nebuchadnezzar had Aegypt assigned him as his wages for the service he did against Tyrus If they be but bastard-sons they shall yet have their portion set out for them far beyond what they can either challenge as of right or pretend to as by desert But yet in this world only The heavenly inheritance in the world to come which is to descend unto the right heir when he cometh to age is preserved for the legitimate Children only such as are become the Sons of God by faith in Christ Iesus As Abraham gave gifts to the Sons of his Concubines and sent them away and so we hear no more of them nor of any thing their father did for them afterwards but Isaac in fine carried the inheritance though he had not so much as the other had in present 9. Those are the children of this World but the Children of Light who are they I should enter into a very spacious field if I should undertake to declare the sundry significations of the word Light as it is metaphorically used in the Scriptures or pursue the resemblances between the metaphorical and spiritual Light and the natural To our purpose briefly Light is either spoken of God or of the things of God First God himself is light a most pure clear and simple light without the least allay or mixture of darkness God is light and in him is no darkness saith St. Iohn The Father of lights without so much as the least shadow of turning saith St. Iames. And if God be rightly stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the father of lights it cannot be unproper that his children be stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of light 10. Next the Word of God that is a light too Thy Word is a light unto my feet Psal. 119. so called from the effect because when it goeth forth it giveth light and understanding to the simple The Law which is but a darker part of that word enlightneth yet the eyes Psal. 19. Lex lux The Prophecies the darkest part of all yet are not without some degree of lustre they shine saith St. Peter though but as a candle in a dark place But then the light of the Gospel that is a most glorious light shining forth as the Sun when he is in his greatest strength at noon day in Summer 11. Hence also ariseth as one light commonly begetteth another a third light the light of grace and saving knowledge wrought in the hearts of men by the holy word of God set on by his holy Spirit withal accompanying it God who bringeth light out of darkness hath shined in your hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 12. And where the light of grace is there is another light also fourthly that always attendeth thereupon the light of comfort For Grace and Comfort are Twins the blessed inseparable effects of one and the same blessed Spirit Lux orta est justo there is sprung up or as some translate it there is sown a light for the righteous and joyful gladness for such as be true hearted Psal. 97. The true heart that is the light heart indeed Light in both significations light without darkness and light without sadness or heaviness 13. There is yet remaining a fifth light the light of Glory Darkness is an Emblem of horror We have not
not titular and by a naked profession only whatsoever he is taken for is clearly the wiser man And he that is no more than worldly or carnally wise is in very deed and in Gods estimation no better than a very fool Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of this World Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the World saith the Apostle That Interrogative form of speech is more emphatical than the bare Categorical had been it signifieth as if it were so clear a truth that no man could reasonably deny it What Solomon saith in one place of the covetous rich man and in another place of the sluggard that he is wise in his own conceit is true also of every vicious person in every other kind Their wisdom is a wisdom but in conceit not in truth and that but in their own conceit neither and of some few others perhaps that have their judgments corrupted with the same lusts wherewith theirs also are Chrysippus non dicit idem Solomon sure had not that conceit of their wisdom and Solomon knew what belonged to wisdom as well as another man who putteth the fool upon the sinner I need not tell you indeed I cannot tell you how oft in his writings 34. His judgment then is clear in the point though it be a Paradox to the most and therefore would have a little farther proof for it is not enough barely to affirm Paradoxes but we must prove them too First then true saving wisdom is not to be learned but from the Word of God A lege tuâ intellexi By thy Commandments have I gotten understanding Psal. 119. it is that word and that alone that is able to make us wise unto salvation How then can they be truly wise who regard not that word but cast it behind their backs and despise it They have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdom is in them saith Ieremy Again The fear of the Lord is the begining of Wisdom and a good understanding have they that do thereafter Psal. 111. How then can we allow them to pass for wise men and good understanding men that have no fear of God before their eyes that have no mind nor heart to do thereafter that will not be learned nor understand but are resolvedly bent to walk on still in darkness and wilfully shut their eyes that they may not see the light 35. Since every man is desirous to have some reputation of wisdom and accounteth it the greatest scorn and reproach in the world to be called or made a fool it would be very well worth the labour but that it would require as it well deserveth a great deal more labour and time than we dare now take to illustrate and enlarge this point which though it seem a very Paradox as was now said to the most is yet a most certain and demonstrable truth That godliness is the best of wisdom and that there is no fool to the sinner I shall but barely give you some of the heads of proof and refer the enlargement to each mans private meditation He that first is all for the present and never considereth what mischiefs or inconveniencies will follow thereupon afterwards that secondly when both are permitted to his choice hath not the wit to prefer that which is eminently better but chuseth that which is extremely worse that thirdly proposeth to himself base and unworthy ends that fourthly for the attaining even of those poor ends maketh choice of such means as are neither proper nor probable thereunto that fifthly goeth on in bold enterprises with great confidence of success upon very slender grounds of assurance and that lastly where his own wit will not serve him refuseth to be advised by those that are wiser than himself what he wanteth in wit making it up in will no wise man I think can take a person of this character for any other than a fool And every worldly or ungodly man is all this and more and every godly man the contrary Let not the worldly-wise man therefore glory in his wisdom that it turn not to his greater shame when his folly shall be discovered to all the world Let no man deceive himself saith St. Paul but if any among you seem to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise That is let him lay aside all vain conceit of his own wisdom and learn to account that seeming wisdom of the world to be as indeed it is no better than folly that so he may find that true wisdom which is of God The God of light and of wisdom so enlighten our understandings with the saving knowledge of his truth and so inflame our hearts with a holy love and fear of his Name that we may be wise unto salvation and so assist us with the grace of his holy Spirit that the light of our good works and holy conversation may so shine forth both before God and men in the mean time that in the end by his mercy who is the Father of lights we may be made partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in the light of everlasting life and glory and that for the merits sake of Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord. To whom c. AD AULAM. Sermon XVI Newport in the Isle of Wight Novemb. 1648. Heb. 12. 3. Consider him that endured such contradictions of sinners against himself that ye be not wearied and faint in your minds 1. THere is scarce any other provocation to the performance of any duty so prevalent with men as are the examples of such as have performed the same before them with glory and success Because besides that the same stirreth up in them an emulation of their glory and cheereth them on with hopes of like success it also clean taketh off that which is the common excuse of sloth and neglect of duty the pretension of Impossibility The Apostle therefore being to confirm the minds of these Hebrews with constancy and patience in their Christian course against all discouragements whatsoever setteth before them in the whole former Chapter a multitude of examples of the famous worthies of former times who by the strength of their faith had both done and suffered great things with admirable patience and constancy to their immortal honour upon earth and eternal happiness in heaven To the end that compassed with such a cloud of Witnesses they might think it a shame for them to hang back and not to dare especially having wâ—ithal so rich a Crown laid ready at the Goal for them to invite them thereunto to run with all possible chearfulness that race when they had seen so many so happily to have run before them vers 1. of this Chapter 2. Yet this great cloud of examples they were but to look through as the Medium at another and higher Example that of the bright Son of
could not be denied if the word Faith were here taken in that sence which they imagine and wherein it is very usually taken in the Scriptures viz. for the doctrine of supernatural and divine revelation or for the belief thereof which Doctrine we willingly acknowledge to be compleatly contained in the holy Scriptures alone and therefore dare not admit into our belief as a branch of divine supernatural truth any thing not therein contained But there is a third signification of the word Faith nothing so frequently found in the Scriptures as the two former which yet appeareth both by the course of this whole Chapter and by the consent of the best and most approved Interpreters as well ancient as modern to have been properly intended by our Apostle in this place namely that wherein it is put for a certain perswasion of mind that what we do may lawfully be done So that whatsoever action is done by us with reasonable assurance and perswasion of the lawfulness thereof in our own consciences is in our Apostle's purpose so far forth an action of Faith without any inquiring into the means whereby that perswasion was wrought in us whether it were the light of our own reason or the authority of some credible person or the declaration of God's revealed will in his written Word And on the other side whatsoever action is done either directly contrary to the judgment and verdict of our own consciences or at leastwise doubtingly and before we are in some competent measure assured that we may lawfully do it that is it which S. Paul here denieth to be of faith and of which he pronounceth so peremptorily that it is and that eo nomine a sin About which use and signification of the word Faith we need not to trouble our selves to fetch it from a trope either of a Metonymy or Synecdoche as some do For though as I say it do not so often occur in Scripture yet it is indeed the primary and native signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith derived from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perswade Because all kinds of Faith whatsoever consist in a kind of perswasion You shall therefore find the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth properly to believe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth properly not to be perswaded to be opposed as contrary either to other in Iohn 3. and Acts 14. and other places To omit the frequent use of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Fides in Greek and Latin Authors in this signification observe but the passages of this very Chapter and you will be satisfied in it At the second verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one believeth that he may eat all things that is he is verily perswaded in his Conscience that he may as lawfully eat flesh as herbs any one kind of meat as any other he maketh no doubt of it Again at the fourteenth verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know and am perswaded that there is nothing unclean of it self That is I stedfastly believe it as a most certain and undoubted truth Again at the two and twentieth verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hast thou faith have it to thy self before God thatis Art thou in thy Conscience perswaded that thou maist lawfully partake any of the good creatures of God Let that perswasion suffice thee for the approving of thine own heart in the sight of God but trouble not the Church nor offend the weaker brother by a needless and unseasonable ostentation of that thy knowledge Lastly in this three and twentieth verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith that is he that is not yet fully perswaded in his own mind that it is lawful for him to eat some kinds of meats as namely swines flesh or bloâ—dings and yet is drawn against his own judgment to eat thereof because he seeth others so to do or because he would be loth to undergo the taunts and jeers of scorners or out of any other poor-respect such a man is cast and condemned by the judgment of his own heart as a transgressor because he adventureth to do that which he doth not believe to be lawful And then the Apostle proceeding ab hypothesi ad thesin immediately reduceth that particular case into a general rule in these words For whatsoever is not of faith is sin By the process of which his discourse it may appear that by Faith no other thing is here meant than such a perswasion of the mind and conscience as we have now declared and that the true purport and intent of these words is but thus much in effect Whosoever shall enterprize the doing of any thing which he verily believeth to be unlawful or at leastwise is not reasonably well perswaded of the lawfulness of it let the thing be otherwise and in it self what it can be lawful or unlawful indifferent or necessary convenient or inconvenient it mattereth not to him it is a sin howsoever Which being the plain evident and undeniable purpose of these words I shall not need to spend any more breath either in the farther refutation of such conclusions as are mis-inferred hence which fall of themselves or in the farther Explication of the meaning of the Text which already appeareth but address my self rather to the application of it Wherein because upon this great Principle may depend the resolution of very many Cases of Conscience which may trouble us in our Christian and holy walking it will not be unprofitable to proceed by resolving some of the most material doubts and questions among those which have occured unto my Thoughts by occasion of this Text in my Meditations thereon First It may be demanded What power the Conscience hath to make a thing otherwise good and lawful to become unlawful and sinful and whence it hath that power I answer first that it is not in the power of any mans Judgment or Conscience to alter the natural condition of any thing whatsoever either in respect of quality or degree but that still every thing that was good remaineth good and every thing that was evil remaineth evil and that in the very same degree of good or evil as it was before neither better nor worse any man's particular judgment or opinion thereof notwithstanding For the differences between good and evil and the several degrees of both spring from such conditions as are intrinsecal to the things themselves which no Outward respects and much less then mens opinions can vary He that esteemeth any creature unclean may defile himself but he cannot bring impurity upon that creature by such his estimation Secondly that mens judgments may make that which is good in its own nature the natural goodness still remaining become evil to them in the use essentially good and quoad rem but quoad
on Here is all the choice that is left thee either Repent or Suffer There is a generation of men that as Moses complaineth When they hear the words of Gods curse bless themselves in their hearts and say they shall have peace though they walk in the imagination of their own hearts that as Saint Paul complaineth Despise the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not taking knowledge that the goodness of God would lead them to repentance that as Saint Peter complaineth Walk after their own lusts and scoffingly just at Gods judgments saying Where is the promise of his coming But let such secure and carnal scoffers be assured that howsoever others speed they shall never go unpunished Whatsoever becometh of God's Threatnings against others certainly they shall fall heavy upon them They that have taught us their conditions Moses and Paul and Peter have taught us also their punishments Moses telleth such a one however others are dealt with that yet the Lord will not spare him but the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the Curses that are written in God's Book shall light upon him and the Lord shall blot out his Name from under heaven St. Paul telleth such men That by despising the riches of his goodness and forbearance they do but treasure up unto themselves wrath against the great day of wrath and of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God Saint Peter telleth them howsoever they not only sleep but snort in deep security That yet p their judgment of long time sleepeth not and their damnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much as slumbreth Do thou then take heed whoever thou art and whatsoever thou dost that thou abuse not the Mercy of God and to divorce it from his Truth is to abuse it If when God threatneth thou layest aside his Truth and presumest on his bare Mercy when he punisheth take heed he do not cry quittance with thee by laying aside his Mercy and manifesting his bare Truth God is patient and merciful Patience will bear much Mercy forbear much but being scorned provoked and dared Patience it self turneth furious and Mercy it self cruel It is Mercy that threatneth it is Iustice that punisheth Mercy hath the first turn and if by Faith and Repentance we lay timely hold of it we may keep it for ever and revenging Iustice shall have nothing to do with us But if careless and secure we slip the opportunity and neglect the time of Mercy the next turn belongeth to Iustice which will render Iudgment without Mercy to them that forgat God and despised his Mercy That for the Secure Now thirdly and generally for All. What God hath joyned together let no man put asunder God hath purposely in his threats joyned and tempered Mercy and Truth together that we might take them together and profit by them together Dividat haec si quis faciunt discreta venenum Antidotum sumet qui sociata bibet as he spake of the two poisons Either of these single though not through any malignant quality in themselves God forbid we should think so yet through the corrupt temperature of our Souls becometh rank and deadly Poison to us Take Mercy without Truth as a cold Poison it benummeth us and maketh us stupid with careless security Take Truth without Mercy as a hot Poison it scaldeth us and scorcheth us in the flames of restless Despair Take both together and mix them well as hot and cold Poisons fitly tempered by the skill of the Apothecary become medicinable so are God's Mercy and Truth restorative to the Soul The consideration of his Truth humbleth us without it we would be fearless the consideration of his Mercy supporteth us without it we would be hopeless Truth begetteth Fear and Repentance Mercy Faith and Hope and these two Faith and Repentance keep the soul even and upright and steddy as the ballast and sail do the ship that for all the rough waves and weather that encountereth her in the troublesom sea of this World she miscarrieth not but arriveth safe and joyful in the Haven where she would be Faith without Repentance is not Faith but Presumption like a Ship all Sail and no ballast that tippeth over with every blast and Repentance without Faith is not Repentance but Despair like a Ship all ballast and no Sail which sinketh with her own weight What is it then we are to do to turn away God's Wrath from us and to escape the Iudgments he threatneth against us even this As in his Comminations he joyneth Mercy and Truth together so are we in our Humiliations to joyn Faith and Repentance together His threatnings are true let us not presume of forbearance but fear since he hath threatned that unless we repent he will strike us Yet his threatnings are but conditional let us not despair of forbearance but hope although he hath threatened that yet if we repent he will spare us That is the course which the godly guided by the direction of his holy Spirit have ever truly and sincerely held and found it ever comfortable to assure them of sound peace and reconciliation with God That is the course which the very Hypocrites from the suggestion of natural Conscience have sometimes offered at as far as Nature enlightened but unrenewed could lead them and found it effectual to procure them at the least some forbearance of threatned Judgments or abatement of temporal evils from God Thus have you heard three Uses made of God's mercy in revoking joyned with his truth in performing what he threatneth One to chear up the distressed that he despair not when God threatneth another to shake up the secure that he dispise not when God threatneth a third to quicken up all that they believe and repent when God threatneth There is yet another general Use to be made hereof which though it be not directly proper to the present Argument yet I cannot willingly pass without a little touching at it and that is to instruct us for the understanding of God's Promises For contraries as Promises and Threatnings are being of the like kind and reason either with other do mutually give and take light either to and from other God's Threatnings are true and stedfast his Promises are so too promisit qui non mentitur Deus which God that cannot lye hath promised saith the Apostle in one place and in another All the Promises of God are Yea and Amen and where in a third place he speaketh of two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye his Promise is one of those two The Promises then of God are true as his Threatnings are Now look on those Threatnings again which we have already found to be true but withal conditional and such as must be ever understood with a clause of reservation or exception It is so also in the
my Brother in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this That is his Plea Now God replieth of which Reply letting pass the remainder in the next Verse which concerneth the time to come so much of it as is contained in this Verse hath reference to what was already done and past and it meeteth right with Abimelech's Answer Something he had done and something he had not done he had indeed taken Sarah into his House but he had not yet come near her For that which he had done in taking her he thought he had a just excuse and he pleadeth it he did not know her to be another mans Wife and therefore as to any intent of doing wrong to the Husband he was altogether innocent But for that which he had not done in not touching her because he took her into his house with an unchast purpose he passeth that over in silence and not so much as mentioneth it So that his Answer so far as it reached was just but because it reached not home it was not full And now Almighty God fitteth it with a Reply most convenient for such an Answer admitting his Plea so far as he alledged it for what he had done in taking Abraham's Wife having done it simply out of ignorance Yea I know thou didst this in the integrity of thine heart and withal supplying that which Abimelech had omitted for what he had not done in not touching her by assigning the true cause thereof viz. his powerful restraint For I also withheld thee from sinning against me therefore suffered I thee not to touch her In the whole Verse we may observe First the manner of the Revelation namely by what means it pleased God to convey to Abimelech the knowledge of so much of his Will as he thought good to acquaint him withal it was even the same whereby he had given him the first information at Verse 3. it was by a dream And God said unto him in a dream and then after the substance of the Reply whereof again the general parts are two The former an Admission of Abimelech's Plea or an Acknowledgment of the integrity of his heart so far as he alledged it in that which he had done Yea I know that thou didst it in the integrity of thine heart The latter an Instruction or Advertisement to Abimelech to take knowledge of Gods goodness unto and providence with him in that which he had not done it was God that over-held him from doing it For I also withheld thee from sinning against me therefore suffered I thee not to touch her By occasion of those first words of the Text And God said unto him in a dream if we should enter into some Enquiries concerning the nature and use of Divine Revelations in general and in particular of Dreams the Discourse as it would not be wholly impertinent so neither altogether unprofitable Concerning all which these several Conclusions might be easily made good First that God revealed himself and his Will frequently in old times especially before the sealing of the Scriptures-Canon in sundry manners as by Visions Prophecies Extasies Oracles and other supernatural means and namely and amongst the rest by Dreams Secondly that God imparted his Will by such kind of supernatural Revelations not only to the godly and faithful though to them most frequently and especially but sometimes also to Hypocrites within the Church as to Saul and others yea and sometimes even to Infidels too out of the Church as to Pharaoh Balaam Nebuchadnezzar c. and here to Abimelech Thirdly that since the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles were made up the Scripture-Canon sealed and the Christian Church by the preaching of the Gospel become Oecomenical Dreams and other supernatural Revelations as also other things of like nature as Miracles and whatsoever more immediate and extraordinary manifestations of the Will and Power of God have ceased to be of ordinary and familiar use so as now we ought rather to suspect delusion in them than to expect direction from them Fourthly that although God have now tied us to his holy written Word as unto a perpetual infallible Rule beyond which we may not expect and against which we may not admit any other direction as from God yet he hath no where abridged himself of the power and liberty even still to intimate unto the Sons of men the knowledge of his Will and the glory of his Might by Dreams Miracles or other like supernatural manifestations if at any time either in the want of the ordinary means of the Word Sacraments and Ministry or for the present necessities of his Church or of some part thereof on for some other just cause perhaps unknown to us he shall see it expedient so to do He hath prescribed us but he hath not limited himself Fifthly that because the Devil and wicked Spirits may suggest Dreams probably foretel future events foreseen in their causes and work many strange effects in Nature applicando activa passivis which because they are without the sphere of our comprehension may to our seeming have fair appearances of Divine Revelations or Miracles when they are nothing less for the avoiding of strong delusions in this kind it is not safe for us to give easie credit to Dreams Prophecies or Miracles as Divine until upon due trial there shall appear both in the End whereto they point us a direct tendance to the advancement of Gods Glory and in the Means also they propose us a conformity unto the revealed will of God in his written Word Sixthly that so to observe our ordinary Dreams as thereby to divine or foretâ—l of future contingents or to forecast therefrom good or ill-luck as we call it in the success of our affairs is a silly and groundless but withal an unwarranted and therefore an unlawful and therefore also a damnable Superstition Seventhly that there is yet to be made a lawful yea and a very profitable use even of our ordinary Dreams and of the observing thereof and that both in Physick and Divinity Not at all by foretelling particulars of things to come but by taking from them among other things some reasonable conjectures in the general of the present estate both of our Bodies and Souls Of our Bodies first For since the predominancy of Choler Blood Flegm and Melancholy as also the differences of strength and health and diseases and distempers either by diet or passion or otherwise do cause impressions of different forms in the fancy our ordinary dreams may be a good help to lead us into those discoveries both in time of health what our natural constitution complexion and temperature is and in times of sickness from the rankness and tyranny of which of the humours the malady springeth And as of our Bodies so of our Souls too For since our Dreams for the
on blindfold into hell And through inner post along unto utter darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Frustrà sibi de ignorantia blandiuntur saith S. Bernard qui ut liberius peccent libenter ignorant S. Paul so speaketh of such men as if their case were desperate If any man be ignorant let him be ignorant as who say if he will needâ— be wilful at his peril be it But as many as desire to walk in the fear of God with upright and sincere hearts let them thirst after the knowledge of God and his will as the Hart after the rivers of waters let them cry after knowledge and lift up their voices for understanding let them seek it as silver and dig for it as for hid treasures let their feet tread often in Gods Courts and even wear the thresholds of his house let them delight in his holy Ordinances and rejoyce in the light of his Word depending upon the ministry thereof with unsatisfied ears and unwearied attention and feeding thereon with uncloyed appetites that so they may see and hear and learn and understand and believe and obey and increase in wisdom and in grace and in favour with God and all good men But then in the third place consider that if all ignorance will not excuse an offender though some do how canst thou hope to find any colour of excuse or extenuation that sinnest wilfully with knowledge and against the light of thine own Conscience The least sin thus committed is in some degree a Presumptuous sin and carrieth with it a contempt of God and in that regard is greater than any sin of Ignorance To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is a sin saith S. Iames Sin beyond all plea of excuse S. Paul though he were a Persecutor of the truth a Blasphemer of the Lord and injurious to the Brethren yet he obtained Mercy because he did all that ignorantly His bare ignorance was not enough to justifie him but he stood in need of Gods mercy or else he had perished in those sins for all his ignorance but yet who can tell whether ever he should have found that mercy if he had done the same things and not in ignorance Ignorance then though it do not deserve pardon yet it often findeth it because it is not joyned with open contempt of him that is able to pardon But he that sinneth against knowledge doth Ponere obicem if you will allow the Phrase and it may be allowed in this since he doth not only provoke the Iustice of God by his sin as every other sinner doth but he doth also damm up the Mercy of God by his contempt and doth his part to shut himself out for ever from all possibility of pardon unless the boundless overflowing mercy of God come in upon him with a strong tide and with an unresisted current break it self a passage through Do this then my beloved Brethren Labour to get knowledge labour to increase your knowledge labour to abound in knowledge but beware you rest not in your knowledge Rather give all diligence to add to your knowledge Temperance and Patience and Godliness and Brotherly kindness and Charity and other good graces Without these your knowledge is unprofitable nay damnable Qui apponit soientiam apponit dolorem is true in this sence also He that increaseth knowledge unless his care of obedience rise in some good proportion with it doth but lay more rods in steep for his own back and increase the number of his stripes and add to the weight and measure of his own most just condemnation Know this that although Integrity of heart may stand with some ignorances as Abimelech here pleadeth it and God alloweth it yet that mans heart is devoid of all singleness and sincerity who alloweth himself in any course he knoweth to be sinful or taketh this liberty to himself to continue and persist in any known ungodliness And thus much for our second Observation I add but a Third and that taken from the very thing which Abimelech here pleadeth viz. the integrity of his heart considered together with his present personal estate and condition I dare not say he was a Cast-away for what knoweth any man how God might after this time and even from these beginnings deal with him in the riches of his mercy But at the time when the things storied in this Chapter were done Abimelech doubtless was an unbeliever a stranger to the Covenant of God made with Abraham and so in the state of a carnal and meer natural man And yet both he pleadeth and God approveth the innocency and integrity of his heart in this business Yea I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thine heart Note hence That in an unbeliever and natural man and therefore also in a wicked person and a cast-away for as to the present state the unregenerate and the Reprobate are equally incapable of good things there may be truth and singleness and integrity of heart in some particular actions We use to teach and that truly according to the plain evidence of Scripture and the judgment of the ancient Fathers against the contrary tenet of the latter Church of Rome that all the works of unbelievers and natural men are not only stained with sin for so are the best works of the faithful too but also are really and truly sins both in their own nature because they spring from a corrupt fountain for That which is born of the flesh is flesh and it is impossible that a corrupt tree should bring forth good fruit and also in Gods estimation because he beholdeth them as out of Christ in and through whom alone he is well pleased St. Augustin's judgment concerning such mens works is well known who pronounceth of the best of them that they are but splendida peccata glorious sins and the best of them are indeed no better We may not say therefore that there was in Abimelech's heart as nor in the heart of any man a legal integrity as if his person or any of his actions were innocent and free from sin in that perfection which the Law requireth Neither yet can we say there was in his heart as nor in the heart of any unbeliever an Evangelical integrity as if his pâ—rson were accepted and for the persons sake all or any of his actions approved with God accepting them as perfect through the supply of the abundant perfections of Christ then to come That first and legal integrity supposeth the righteousness of works which no man hath this latter and Evangelical integrity the righteousness of Faith which no unbeliever hath no mans heart being either legally perfect that is in Adam or Evangelically perfect that is out of Christ. But there is a third kind of integrity of heart inferiour to both these which God here acknowledgeth in Abimelech and of
things wherein men are unjust Their hearts and tongues and hands are against us only out of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that superfluity of maliciousness wherewith their naughty hearts abound and for to serve their own cursed Ends which is most unjust in them But the Lord sundry times hardneth their hearts and whetteth their tongues and strengthneth their hands against us in such sort to chasten us for some sinful Error Neglect or Lust in part still remaining in us unsubdued which is most just in him 32. For as I touched in the beginning a mans heart may be right in the main and his Ways well-pleasing unto God in regard of the general bent and intention of them and yet by wrying aside in some one or a few particulars he may so offend the Lord as that he may in his just displeasure for it either raise him up new Enemies or else continue the old ones As a loving father that hath entertained a good opinion of his son and is well pleased with his behaviour in the generality of his carriage because he seeth him in most things dutiful and towardly may yet be so far displeased with him for some particular neglects as not only to frown upon him but to give him sharp correction also Sic parvis componere magna Not much otherwise is it in the dealing of our heavenly Father with his children We have an Experiment of it in David with whom doubtless God was well pleased for the main course of his life otherwise he had never received that singular testimony from his own mouth that he was secundum cor a man after his own heart yet because he stepped aside and that very fouly in the matter of Uriah the Text saith 2 Sam. 11. that the thing that David had done displeased the Lord and that which followed upon it in the ensuing Chapter was the Lord raised up Enemies against him for it out of his own house 33. The other fallacy is when we cherish in our selves some sinful Errors either in judgment or practice as if they were the good ways of God the rather for this that we have Enemies and meet with Opposition as if the Enmity of men were an infallible mark of a right way The Words of the Text ye see seem rather to incline quite the other way Indeed the very truth is neither the favoâ—â— or disfavour of men neither their approving nor opposing is any certain mark at all either of a good or of a bad way Our Solomon hath delivered it positively and we ought to believe him Eccl. 9. that no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them It is an error therefore of dangerous consequence to think that the enmity of the wicked is an undoubted mark either of truth or goodness Not only for that it wanteth the Warrant of truth to support it which is common to it with all other Errors but for two other especial reasons besides The one is because through blind self-love we are apt to dote upon our own opinions more than we ought How confidently do some men boast out their own private fancies and unwarranted singularities as if they were the holy ways of God The other reason is because through wretched uncharitableness we are apt to stretch the Title of the wicked further than we ought How freely do some men condemn all that think or do otherwise than themselves but especially that any way oppose their courses as if they were the wicked of the World and Persecutors of the godly 34. For the avoiding of both which mischiefs it is needful we should rightly both understand and apply all those places of Scripture which speak of that Opposition which is sometimes made against truth and goodness Which opposition the Holy Ghost in such like places intended not to deliver as a mark of godliness but rather to propose as an Antidote against Worldly fears and discouragements That if in a way which we know upon other and impregnable Evidences to be certainly right we meet with opposition we should not be dismayed at it as if some strange thing had befallen us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beloved think it not strange saith St. Peter concerning all such trials as these are as if some strange thing had hapned because it is a thing that at any time may and sometimes doth happen But now to make such opposition a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mark whereby infallibly to judg of our ways whether they be right or no as some out of the strength of their heat or ignorance have done is to abuse the holy Scriptures to peâ—vert the meaning of the Holy Ghost and to lead men into a maze of Uncertainty and Error We had all of us need therefore to beware that we do not like our own ways so much the better because we have Enemies it is much safer for us to suspect lest there may be something in us otherwise than should be for which the Lord suffereth us to have Enemies 36. And now the God of grace and peace give us all grace to order our ways so as may be pleasing in his sight and grant to every one of us First perfect peace with him and in our own consciences and then such a measure of outward peace both publick and private with all our Enemies round about us as shall seem good in his sight And let the peace of God which passeth all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of him and of his Son Iesus Christ our Lord And let the blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be upon us and upon all them that hear his word and keep it at this present time and for evermore Amen Amen AD AULAM. The Third Sermon NEWARK 1633. 1 Pet. 2. 17. Honour all men Love the Brotherhood WHen the Apostles preached the Doctrine of Christian Liberty a fit opportunity was ministred for Satans Instruments to work their feats upon the new-converted Christians false Teachers on the one side and false Accusers on the other For taking advantage from the very name of Liberty the Enemies of their Souls were ready 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to teach them under that pretence to despise their Governours and no less ready the enemies of their Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak evil of them under that colour as persons licentious and ill-affected to Government The Preventing of which whether abuses or misconstructions of so wholsom a doctrine caused the holy Apostles to touch so often and to beat so much as in their Writings they have done upon the argument of Christian subjection and obedience as a duty highly concerning all those upon whom the Name of Christ is called both for their Consciences and Credits sake chearfully to perform If there be in them at all any care either to discharge a good Conscience before God or to preserve
an universal concurrence of judgment as there is in the main fundamental points of the Christian Faith And if we were so wise as we might and should be to make the right use of it it would not stumble us a whit in the belief of our Religion that Christians differ so much as they do in many things but rather mightily confirm us in the assurances thereof that they agree so well as they do almost in any thing And it may be a great comfort to every well meaning soul that the simple belief of those certain truths whereon all parties are in a manner agreed may be and ordinarily is sufficient for the salvation of all them who are sincerely careful according to that measure of light and means that God hath vouchsafed them to actuate their Faith with Piety Charity and good Works so making this great Mystery to become unto them as it is in its self Mysterium Pietatis a Mystery of Godliness Which is the last point proposed the Quale to which I now pass 22. As the corrupt Doctrine of Antichrist is not only a Doctrine of Error but of Impiety too called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mystery of iniquity 2 Thes. 2. So the wholsom doctrine of Christ is not only a doctrine of Truth but of Piety too and is therefore termed here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Mystery of Godliness Which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Godliness since there appeareth not any great necessity in the Context to restrain it to that more peculiar sence wherein both the Greek and English word are sometimes used namely to signifie the right manner of Gods Worship according to his word in opposition to all idolatrous superstitious or false Worships practised among the Heathens I am the rather enclined to understand it here as many Interpreters have done in the fuller Latitude as it comprehenderh the whole duty of a Christian man which he standeth bound by the command of God in his Law or of Christ in his Gospel to perform 23. Verum and Bonum we know are near of kin the one to the other And the spirit of God who is both the Author and the Revealer of this Mystery as he is the spirit of truth Joh. 14. so is he also the spirit of holiness Rom. 1. And it is part of his work to sanctific the heart with grace as well as to enlighten the mind with knowledge Our Apostle therefore sometimes mentioneth Truth and Godliness together teaching us thereby that we should take them both into our care together If any man consent not to the words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is after Godliness 1 Tim. 6. And Tit. 1. according to the Faith of Gods Elect and acknowledging of the Truth which is after Godliness And here in express terms The Mystery of Godliness And that most rightly whether we consider it in the Scope Parts or Conservation of it 24. First the general Scope and aim of Christianity is by the mercy of God founded on the merits of Christ to bring men on through Faith and Godliness to Salvation It was not in the purpose of God in publishing the Gospel and thereby freeing us from the personal obligation rigour and curse of the Law so to turn us loose and lawless to do whatsoever should seem good in our own eyes follow our own crooked wills or gratifie any corrupt lust but to oblige us rather the faster by these new benefits and to incite us the more effectually by Evangelical promises to the earnest study and pursuit of Godliness The Gospel though upon quite different grounds bindeth us yet to our good behaviour in every respect as deep as ever the Law did if not in some respects deeper allowing no liberty to the flesh for the fulfilling of the lusts thereof in any thing but exacting entire sanctity and purity both of inward affection and outward conversation in all those that embrace it The grace of God appearing in the revelation of this mystery as it bringeth along with it an offer of salvation to all men so it teacheth all men that have any real purpose to lay hold on so gracious an offer to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously and soberly and godly in this present world 25. It is not to be wondered at if all false Religions give allowance to some ungodliness or other when the very Gods whom they worship give such encouragements thereunto by their lewd examples The Gods of the Pagans were renowned for nothing so much most of them as for their vices Mars a bloody God Bacchus a drunken God Mercury a cheating God and so proportionably in their several kinds all the rest Their great Capital God Iupiter guilty of almost all the Capital vices And where the Gods are naught who can imagine the Religion should be good Their very mysteria sacra as they called them were so full of all wickedness and filthy abominations as was already in part touched but is fully discovered by Clemens Alexandrinus Lactantius Arnobius Tertullian and other of the Ancients of our Religion that it was the wisest point in all their Religion to take such strict order as they did for the keeping of them secret 26. But it is the honour and prerogative of the Christian Religion that it alone alloweth of no wickedness But as God himself is holy so he requireth an holy Worship and holy Worshippers He exacteth the mortification of all evil lusts and the sanctification of the whole man body soul and spirit and that in each of these throughout Every one that nameth himself from the name of Christ doth ipso facto by the very taking of that blessed name upon him and daring to stile himself Christian virtually bind himself to depart from all iniquity nor so only but to endeavour also after the example of him whose name otherwise he unworthily usurpeth to be just merciful temperate humble meek patient charitable to get the habits and to exercise the acts of these and all other holy graces and vertues Nay more the Gospel imposeth upon us some moral strictnesses which the Stoicks themselves or whoever else were the most rigid Masters of Morality never so much as thought of Nay yet more it exalteth the Moral Law of God himself given by Moses to the People of Israel to a higher pitch than they at least as they commonly understood the Law took themselves thereby obliged unto That a man should forsake all his dearest friends yea and deny his own dearest self too for Christs sake and yet for Christs sake at the same time love his deadliest enemies That he should take up his Cross and if need were lay down his life not only for his great Master but even for the meanest of his fellow-servants too That he should exult with joy and abound in hope in the midst of tribulations of persecutions of death it self Surely the
but is often used by our Apostle in his Epistles with application ever to the Church of God and the spiritual Building thereof The Church is the House of the living God All Christians Members of this Church are so many Stones of the Building whereof the House is made up The bringing in of Unbelievers into the Church by converting them to the Christian Faith is as the fetching of more Stones from the Quarries to be laid in the Building The Building it self and that is Edification is the well and orderly joyning together of Christian men as living Stones in truth and love that they may grow together as it were into one entire frame of Building to make up the House strong and comely for the Master's Use and Honour 25. I know not how it is come to pass in these later times that in the popular and common Notion of this Word in the Mouths and Apprehensions of most men generally Edification is in a manner confined wholly to the Understanding Which is an Error perhaps not of much consequence yet an Error though and such as hath done some hurt too For thereon is grounded that Objection which some have stood much upon though there be little cause why against instrumental Musick in the Service of God and some other things used in the Church that they tend not to edification but rather hinder it because there cometh no instruction nor other fruit to the understanding thereby And therefore ought such things say they to be cast out of the Church as things unlawful A Conclusion by the way which will by no means follow though all the Premises should be granted for it is clear both from the Words and Drift of the Text that Edification is put as a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed of Expediency but not so of Lawfulness And therefore from the Unserviceableness of any thing to Edification we cannot reasonably infer the Unlawfulness thereof but the Inexpediency only But to let go the inconsequence that which is supposed in the Premises and laid as the ground of the Objection viz. that where the Understanding is not benefited there is no Edification is not true The Objectors should consider that whatsover thing any way advanceth the Service of God or furthereth the growth of his Church or conduceth to the increasing of any Spiritual Grace or enlivening of any holy Affection in us or serveth to the outward Exercise or but Expression of any such Grace or Affection as Ioy Fear Thankfulness Chearfulness Reverence or any other doubtless every such thing so far forth serveth more or less unto Edification 26. The building up of the People in the right knowledge of God and of his most holy Truth is I confess a necessary part of the Work and no man that wisheth well to the Work will either despise it in his heart or speak contemptibly of it with his mouth yet it is not the whole Work though no nor yet the chiefest part thereof Our Apostle expresly giveth Charity the preheminence before it Knowledge puffeth up but Charity edifieth And for once he speaketh of Edification in his Epistles with reference to Knowledge I dare say he speaketh of it thrice with reference to Peace and brotherly Charity or Condescension The Truth is that Edification he so much urgeth is the promoting and furthering of our selves and others in Truth Godliness and Peace or any Grace accompanying Salvation for the common good of the whole Body St. Iude speaketh of building up our selves and St. Paul of edifying one another And this should be our dayly and mutual study to build up our selves and others in the knowledge of the Truth and in the practice of Godliness but especially to the utmost of our powers within our several Spheres and in those Stations wherein God hath set us to advance the Common Good by preserving Peace and Love and Unity in the Church 27. The Instructions Corrections or Admonitions we bestow upon our private Brethren the good Examples we set before them our bearing with their Infirmities our yielding and condescending from our own power and liberty to the desires even of private and particular men is as the chipping and hewing and squaring of the several Stones to make them fitter for the Building But when we do withal promote the publick Good of the Church and do something towards the procuring and conserving the Peace and Unity thereof according to our measure that is as the laying of the Stones together by making them couch close one together and binding them with Fillings and Cement to make them hold Now whatsoever we shall find according to the present state of the Times Places and Persons with whom we have to do to conduce to the Good either of the whole Church or of any greater or lesser portion thereof or but of any single Member belonging thereunto so as no prejudice or wrong be thereby done to any other that we may be sure is expedient for that time 28. To enter into Particulars when and how far forth we are bound to forbear the exercise of our lawful Liberty in indifferent things for our Brother's sake would be endless When all is said and written in this Argument that can be thought of yet still as was said much must be left to mens Discretion and Charity Discretion first will tell us in the general that as the Circumstances alter so the Expediency and Inexpediency of things may alter accordingly Quaedam quae licent tempore loco mutato non licent saith Seneca There is a time for every thing saith Solomon and a season for every purpose under Heaven Hit that time right and whatever we do is beautiful but there is no Beauty in any thing we do if it be unseasonable As Hushai said of Ahitophel's Advice The Counsel of Ahitophel is not good at this time And as he said to his Friend that cited some Verses out of Homer not altogether to his liking and commended them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholesome counsel but not for all men nor at all times If any man should now in these times endeavour to bring back into the Church postliminio and after so many years cessation thereof either the severity of the ancient Canons for publick Penances or the enjoyning of private Confessions before Easter or some other things now long disused he should attempt a thing of great Inexpediency Not in regard of the things themselves which severed from those Abuses which in tract of time had through mens corruption grown thereunto are certainly lawful and might be as in some former times so now also profitable if the times would bear them But in regard of the condition of the times and the general aversness of mens minds therefrom who having been so long accustomed to so much indulgence and liberty in that kind could not now brook those severer impositions but would cry
day of their adversity protect the innocent from such as are too mighty or too crafty for him hew in pieces the snares and break the jaws of the cunning and cruel oppressor and deliver those that are drawn either to death or undoing 24. The course is preposterous and vain which some Men ambitious of honour and reputation take to get themselves put into the place of Magistracy and Authority having neither head nor heart for it I mean when they have neither knowledge and experience in any measure of competency to understand what belongeth to such places nor yet any care or purpose at all to do God their King and Country good service therein The wise Son of Sirac checketh such ambitious spirits for their unseasonable forwardness that way Sirac 7. Seek not of the Lord preeminence neither of the King the seat of honour Think not he hath any meaning to dissuade or dishearten Men of quality and parts for medling with such employments for then the service should be neglected No Men that are gifted for it although the service cannot be attended without some both trouble and charge yet should not for the avoiding either of charge or trouble indeed they cannot without sin seek either to keep themselves out of the Commission or to get themselves off again being on His meaning clearly is only to repress the ambition of those that look after the Title because they think it would be some glory to them but are not able for want either of skill or spirit or through sloth nor willing to perform the duties And so he declareth himself a little after there Seek not to be a Iudge being not able to take away iniquity lest at any time thou fear the person of the mighty and lay a stumbling-block in the way of thy uprightness 25. Did honour indeed consist which is the ambitious Man's error either only or chiefly in the empty Title we might well wish him good luck with his honour But since true Honour hath a dependence upon vertue being the wages as some or as others have rather chosen to call it the shadow of it it is a very vanity to expect the one without some care had of the other Would any Man not forsaken of his senses look for a shadow where there is no solid body to cast it Or not of his reason demand wages where he hath done no service Yet such is the perversness of our corrupt nature through sloth and self-love that what God would have go together the Honour and the Burden we would willingly put asunder Every Man almost would draw to himself as much of the honour as he can if it be a matter of credit or gain then Why should not I be respected in my place as well as another But yet withal would every Man almost put off from himself as much of the burden as he can If it be a matter of business and trouble then Why may not another Man do it as well as I Like lazy servants so are we that love to be before-hand with their wages and behind-hand with their work 26. The truth is there is an Outward and there is an Inward Honour The Outward honour belongeth immediately to the Place and the place casteth it up on the Person so that whatsoever person holdeth the place it is meet he should have the honour due to the place whether he deserve it or not But the Inward honour pitcheth immediately upon the Person and but reflecteth upon the Place and that Honour will never be had without desert What the Apostle said of the Ministry is in some sense also true of the Migistracy they that labour faithfully in either are worthy of double Honour Labour or labour not there is a single honour due to them and yet not so much to them as to their Places and Callings but yet to them too for the places sake and we are unjust if we with-hold it from them though they should be most unworthy of it But the double Honour that inward Honour of the heart to accompany the outward will not be had where there is not worth and industry in some tolerable measure to deserve it The knee-worship and the cap-worship and the lip-worship they may have that are in worshipful places and callings though they do little good in them but the Heart-worship they shall never have unless they be ready to do Iustice and to shew Mercy and be diligent and faithful in their Callings 27. Another fruit and effect of this duty where it is honestly performed are the hearty prayers and blessings of the poor as on the contrary their bitter curses and imprecations where it is slighted or neglected We need not look so far to find the truth hereof asserted in both the branches we have a Text for it in this very Chapter Prov. 24. He that saith unto the wicked Thou art righteous him shall the people curse nations shall abhor him But to them that rebuke him shall be delight and a good blessing shall come upon them Every Man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer As he that with-holdeth corn in the time of dearth having his Garners full pulleth upon himself deservedly the curses of the poor but they will pour out blessings abundantly upon the head of him that in compassion to them will let them have it for their mony Prov. 11. So he that by his place having power and means to succour those that are distressed and to free them from wrongs and oppressions will seasonably put forth himself and his power to do them right shall have many a blessing from their mouths and many a good wish from their hearts but many more bitter curses both from the mouth and heart by how much men are more sensible of discourtesies than of benefits and readier to curse than to bless if they find themselves neglected And the blessings and cursings of the poor are things not to be wholly disregarded Indeed the curse causless shall not come neither is the Magistrate to regard the curses of bad people so far as either to be deterred thereby from punishing them according to their desert or to think he shall fare ever the worse doing but his duty for such curses For such words are but wind and as Solomon saith elsewhere He that observeth the wind shall not sow so he that regardeth the speeches of vain persons shall never do his duty as he ought to do In such cases that of David must be their meditation and comfort Though they curse yet bless thou And as there is little terrour in the causless curses so there is as little comfort in the causless blessings of vain evil Men. But yet where there is cause given although he cannot be excused from sin that curseth for we ought to bless and to pray for not to curse even those that wrong us and persecute us yet vae homini withal woe to the
God of admirable Wisdom by whom are weighed not only the actions but also the spirits of Men and their very hearts pondered neither is there any thing that may escape his Enquiry Trust not therefore to vain excuses for certainly thy heart shall be throughly sifted and thy pretensions narrowly looked into when he taketh the matter into his consideration Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it The next step is for Deprehension or Conviction and that grounded upon his knowledg or Omniscience And he that keepeth thy soul doth not he know it As if he had said Thou mayest by colourable pretences delude Men who are strangers to thy soul and cannot discern the thoughts and intents of the heart But there is no dissembling before him unto whose eyes all things are naked and open nor is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight He that made thy soul at the first and hath ever since kept it and still keepeth it observing every motion and inclinatinon of it he perfectly knoweth all that is in it and if there be any hidden guile in any secret corner of it tho obscured from Man's search by never so many windings and labyrinths yet he will undoubtedly find it out He that keepeth thy soul doth not he know it 3. The last step is for Retribution and that grounded upon his justice And shall not he render to every Man according to his Works As if he had said If mortal Man was to decide the Matter thou mightest have some hope that time and other means that might be used might frame him to thine own bent either to connive at a gross fault or to admit of a slender excuse But God is a most righteous Iudg not to be wrought upon by any artifice to do iniquity or to accept the persons of Men. According therefore as thy works are so without all question shall thy doom be Shall not the Iudg of all the World do right And shall not he render to every Man according to his Works 6. Thus you see the Text opened and therewithal opened a large field of matter if we should beat out every particular But that we may keep within some reasonable bounds and within the time we will hold us to these three principal points or conclusions First That the several excuses before mentioned as supposed to be pointed at in the Text may be sometimes pleaded justly and reasonably and in such case are to be admitted and allowed Secondly That they may be also all of them and are God knoweth too often pretended where there is no just cause for it Thirdly That where they are causlesly pretended tho they may blear the eyes of Men yet will they be of little avail in the sight of God Of each of these in the order as I have now proposed them and first of the first If thou sayest Behold we know it not 7. Questionless if that Allegation could never be just Solomon would wholly and absolutely have rejected it Which since he hath not done but referred it to judgment we may conclude there are times and cases wherein it will be allowed as a good and sufficient plea if it shall be said Behold we knew it not We esteem it the Fool 's Buckler and it is no better as it is many times used to say Non putâram Yet may a right honest and wise Man without the least blemish to his reputation be sometimes driven to take up the very same buckler and to use his own just defence When he is charged with it as his crime that his brother hath been oppressed and he hath not delivered him be he a private Man or be he a publick Minister of Justice it will sufficiently acquit him both in the Judgment of God and of his own heart and of all reasonable Men if he can say bonâ fide as it is in the Text Behold I knew it not The truth whereof I shall endeavour to make appear to you in each of the three forementioned respects First Men may want due information for matter of Fact or secondly Their judgments may be in suspence for point of right or Thirdly Where they perfectly comprehend both the whole business and the equity of it there may lie such rubs in the way as all the power and skill they have will not be able to avoid so that tho the cause be good they cannot tell for their lives which way to do good in it In any of which cases may they not well say Behold we knew it not 8. First They may want information for matter of Fact Not to speak of things farther off which therefore less concern us of those things that are done amongst them that live under us or near us how many passages are there that never come to our knowledg Much talk there is indeed in all our meetings and much bold censuring of the actions of those that are above us at every table Yet much of this we take up but upon trust and the credit of flying reports which are ever full of uncertainty and not seldom of malice and so we run descant upon a false ground But as for the affairs of them that are below us whereon especially the Duty of the Text is to be exercised other than what we chance to hear of obiter and by imperfect or partial relations very little thereof is brought to our ears by way of just complaint or according to pure truth And of all Men the greatest are sure evermore to know the least It is one of the unhappinesses of Princes and Magistrates and all that are in high place that whereas all their speeches and actions are upon the publick Stage exposed to the view and censure of the very meanest as a Beacon on the top of a hill open to every eye and bleak to every wind themselves on the contrary can have very little true information of those abuses and disorders in their Inferiors which it properly belongeth to them both to punish and reform If in private Families which being of a narrow compass are therefore easily looked into the Masters commonly be the last that shall hear of what is amiss therein Dedecus ille domus sciet ultimus how much more then is it improbable in a great Township in a spacious County in a vast Kingdom but that manifold â—usances and injuries should escape the knowledg of the most vigilant and conscionable Governors When both Court and City and the whole Empire rang of wanton Livia's impudent lasciviousness and Messalina's audacious courtings of Silius the Emperors themselves Augustus Father to the one and Claudius Husband to the other heard nothing of either till the news was stale every where else Principes omnia facilius quam sua cognoscunt saith the Historian concerning the one and the Satyrist concerning the other Dum res Nota urbi populo contigat Caesaris aures And no doubt but many pious and
of it as a hard imposition when he is required to restore to the right owner that which he hath unjustly taken from him that Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there needeth no other testimony nor evidence against him than his own Conscience to condemn him Nay I may say yet more There needeth not so much as that his own mouth will do it Ex ore tuo thou unjust Man I bid thee not answer me do but answer thy self this one question and it shall suffice If it go hard with thee to restore it back to him that hath a true right in it did it not go as hard thinkest thou with him to part with it before to thee who hadst not the same right thereunto that he had I say no more consider it well and then remember the grand Rule never to be forgotten Do as you would be done to 45. Concerning the manner of Restitution and the measure the time place persons and other circumstances thereunto belonging many things there are of considerable moment and very needful to be understood of all Men that love to deal justly which I may not now enter into Whole Volumes have bin written of this Subject and the Casuists are large in their discourses thereof But for the thing it self in general thus much is clear from the Iudicial Law of God given by Moses to the people of Israel from the Letter whereof tho Christians be free positive Laws binding none but those to whom they were given yet the Equity thereof still bindeth us as a branch of the unchangeable Law of Nature That whosoever shall have wronged his Neighbour in any thing committed to his custody or in fellowship or in any thing taken away by violence or by fraud or in detaining any found thing or the like is bound to restore it and that in integrum to the utmost farthing of what he hath taken if he be able Nor so only but beside the Principal to offer some little overplus also by way of compensation for the damage if at least the wronged party have sustained any damage thereby and unless he shall be willing freely to remit it Moses his Law speaketh of a fifth part more as if he had wronged his Neighbour to the value of twenty sheckels the restitution was to be after the rate of four and twenty See the 6th of Leviticus in the beginning of the Chapter The assignment of that proportion belonged to the Iewish people and the obligation thereof therefore expired together with that policy but yet still reason and equity require that something be done The Lord give us all hearts to do that which is equal and right and in all our dealings with others to have evermore the fear of God before our eyes knowing that of the Lord the righteous Iudg we shall in our souls receive at the last great Assize according to that we have done in our bodies here whether it be good or evil Now to God the Father c. AD POPULUM The Eighth Sermon Prov. 19. 21. There are many devices in a Man's heart nevertheless the counsel of the Lord that shall stand 1. IT being impossible for us to know God absolutely and as he is his essence being infinite and so altogether incomprehensible by any but himself the highest degree of knowledg◠we can hope to attain unto at least in this life is by way of comparison with our selves and other Creatures Whereby it is possible for us making the comparison right and remembring ever the infinite disproportion of the things compared to come to some little kind of glimmering guess what he is by finding and well considering what he is not 2. But even in this way of Learning we are oftentimes very much at a loss Because we fall for the most part either short or over in that from which we are to take our first rise towards the right knowledg of God to wit the right knowledg of our selves We do not only see very imperfectly at the best because we see but in a glass as saith the Apostle but we mistake also most an end very grosly because we are apt to make use of a false glass We think foolishly yea and wickedly too sometimes as it is Psal. 50. that God is even such an one as our selves and yet God knoweth little do we know what our selves are There is so much deceitfulness in our hearts so much vanity in our thoughts so much pride in our spirits that tho we hear daily with our ears that Man is like a thing of nought that he is altogether vanity yea lighter than vanity it self and see daily before our eyes experiments enow to convince us that all this is true yet we are willing to betray our selves into a belief that sure we are something when indeed we are nothing and to please our selves but too much in our own ways and imaginations 3. To rectify this so absurd and dangerous an Error in us absurd in the ground and dangerous in the consequents and withal to bring us by a righter understanding of our selves to a better knowledg of God useful amongst other things it is to consider the wide difference that is betwixt God's ways and ours betwixt our purposes and his For my thoughts are not your thoughts saith the Lord by the Prophet neither are your ways my ways For as the heavens are higher than the Earth so but much more than so too are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Weigh them the one against the other in the ballance of the Sanctuary or but even by the beam of your own reason and experience so it be done impartially and you will easily acknowledg both the vanity and uncertainty of ours and the certainty and stability of his thoughts and purposes 4. We have a Proverb common amongst us that yieldeth the conclusion Man purposeth but God disposeth And this Proverb of Solomon in the Text discovereth ground enough whereform to infer that conclusion There are many devices in a Man's heart nevertheless the counsel of the Lord that shall stand And that in three remarkable differences between the one and the other therein expressed First In the different names of the things Ours are but Devices his is Counsel Secondly In their different Number Ours are Devices in the plural Number and with the express addition of multiplicity also Many Devices His but one Counsel in the Singular Thirdly In their different manner of Existing Ours are but conceived in the heart we have not strength enough to bring them forth or to give them a being ad extra many devices in a Man's heart But he is able to give his a real subsistency and to make them stand fast and firm in despight of all opposition and endeavours to the contrary The counsel of the Lord that shall stand 5. The whole amounts to these two points First When we have tossed many and various thoughts
POINT II. All Christians have title to this Liberty 32 The Unregenerate as well as the Godly 33 35 And the Clergy as the Laity 36 The Conclusion Sermon XII Ad Aulam II. Ser. on 1 COR. x. 23. Sect. 1 2. THe Scope and Division of the Text. 3 5 OBSEKV I. Expediency not considerable but in Lawful things only 6 Illustrated by the contrary Examples of David In the matter of Saul 7 and in the matter of Uriah 8 11 THE INFERENCE thence Not to do any unlawful thing seem it never so expedient 12 OBSERV II. Things otherwise lawful to be forborn when they are inexpedient 13 16 What Expedience is 17 and how it differeth from lawfulness 18 THE INFERENCE Expediency to be examined in all other actions as well as Lawfulness 19 21 Two important Reasons thereof 22 23 OBSERV III. Edification the measure of Expediency 24 27 what is Edification 28 29 In the exercise of Liberty much left to the Discretion and to the Charity of particular men 30 33 34 35 A necessary Caution touching the Authority of Superiours in different things 36 41 The Cases of Obedience and Scandal compared 24 c. Our whole Duty for Practice summed up in Three Rules Sermon XIII Ad Aulam on ROM xv 6. Sect. 1 2. THe Scope and Division of the Text. 3 9 The words That you may glorifie God opened in Six Particulars 10 11 POINT I. The Glory of God to be intended as our chiefest End 12 Reas. 1. as being the chiefest Good 13 2. and that whereunto we are both in Duty 14 3. and Wisdom obliged 15 Inferences of Admonition That we do not either 1. bestow upon any Creature any of that Glory which is due to God 16 2. or draw to our selves any of that Glory which is due to God 17 3. or accept if cast upon us by others any of that Glory which is due to God 18 19 4. nor entitle the glory of God to our own passion or interests 20 22 with some application hereof 23 24 POINT II. God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. With the Reasons both of the Style it self 25 26 And why it is here used 27 POINT III. God to be glorified of us first with the mind 28 and then with the mouth 29 POINT IV. God is much glorified by Christian unity and Like-mindedness 30 31 Illustrated from the resemblance of Musick 32 33 and from the resemblance of Building 34 35 and that in regard both of Dispatch 36 37 and Strength 38 The Conclusion Sermon XIV Ad Aulam on PSAL. xxvii 10. Sect. 1 2. THe Scope and Division of the Text. 3 The words in the former part of the Text opened 4 POINT I. A possibility of failing in all worldly helps 5 7 I. Either out of Choice Instanced 1. in Parents 8 9 2. and all other Friends 10 12 Or out of Necessity 13 15 The Inference Not to trust in any Creature 16 The words in the latter part of the Text opened 17 POINT II. Gods help ready when all others fail 18 Proved 1. by Instances 19 2. by Reasons taken partly from the Nature of God viz. 20 22 1. his Love 23 24 2. his Wisdom 25 3. his Power 26 4. his Eternity 27 28 Partly from his Promises 29 32 Inferences thence 33 The Conclusion Sermon XV. Ad Aulam on LUKE xvi 8. Sect. 1. THe Scope of the whole Parable 2 and of the Text in particular 3 The Division of the Text. 4 POINT I. The persons here compared and opposed 5 I. Who are meant by the children of the world 6 8 and why they are so called 9 13 II. What is meant by Light 14 15 and who by Children of Light 16 The Inference from their Opposition 11 18 POINT II. the children of the world wiser than the children of Light As being 19 1. More Sagacious than they 20 2. More Industrious than they 21 3. More Cunning than they 22 23 4. More United than they 24 28 with sundry Reasons thereof 29 Two Inferences thence 1. Not to be scandalized at their prosperous successes 30 31 2. But to emulate their wisdom 32 33 POINT III. The Worldlings wisdom but folly 34 Proved and 35 discovered in sundry particulars Sermon XVI Ad Aulam on HEB. xii 3. Sect. 1 3. THe Occasion Coherence Scope 4 and Division of the Text. 5 6 The former general part Wherein 4 Particulars viz. I. The Malady Weariness 7 12 II. The Inward Cause Faintness 13 18 III. The part affected The Soul or Mind 19 22 with the Inference thence 23 24 IV. The Persons and what fear there might be of their fainting under the Cross in regard 25 1. Of the greatness of the Trial. 26 29 2. Of the natural Frailty of man 30 3. Of the neglect of watchfulness and preparation 31 32 4. Of Gods disertion 33 35 The Inference thence 36 37 A Caution concerning the lawfulness of shunning afflictions 38 43 sundry Objections to the contrary answered 44 c. A short view of the chief heads contained in the Second General Part. Sermon I. Ad Magistratum I. Ser. on PROV xxiv 10. 12. Sect. 1. THe Scope and 2 3 Division of the Text. 4 5 The main duty The delivering of the Oppressed proposed and proved 6 The Necessity thereof inferred from divers considerations Some respecting 7 8 I. God viz. 1. his Command 2. his Example 12 13 II. Our selves viz. The power we have 14 2. the need we may have 15 16 III. Those that are oppressed viz. 1. The greatness of their distress 17 2. the paucity of their friends 18 22 3. the equity of their Cause 23 26 IV. The Effects of the Duty viz. 1. Honour to the Calling 27 2. the blessing of the poor upon the Person 28 3. a reward from God for the Work 29 32 4. Mercy to the Land 33 34 The Sum of all and the Conclusion Sermon II. Ad Magistratum II. Ser. on PROV xxiv 10. 12. Sect. 1. THe Scope and 2 5 Division of the Text. 6 Three Points proposed to be handled 7 I. POINT The Excuse We knew it not may be sometimes just Either through 8 I. Ignorance of the Fact When the oppressed 9 either have not 1. the Opportunity to complain 10 either have not 2. the Mind to complain 11 II. Doubtfulness in point of Right Through 1. uncertainty of the Evidence 12 2. defect of proofs 13 3. artifices to becloud the Truth 14 15 III. Inability to help Through 16 18 1. some defect in the Laws 19 20 2. the iniquity of the Times 21 24 Inferences thence 1. Governours not to be rashly censured if all be not remedied 25 2. nor discouraged if they have done their part towards it 26 27 II. POINT That Excuse sometimes but pretended 28 29 Referred therefore to the judgment of the heart 30 32 III. POINT That Excuse where it is causelesly pretended of no avail with God Because it can 33 1. neither escape his search 34 2. nor avoid his
knowledge 35 3. nor exempt from his punishment 36 The Inference thence Sermon III. Ad Magistratum on 1 SAM xii 3. Sect. 1 3. THe Occasion 4 Scope and 5 7 Division of the Text. 8 POINT I. Samuels voluntary offering himself to the trial 9 13 Five probable Reasons thereof 14 15 POINT II. Samuels confidence of his own Integrity 16 18 The Inference and Application 19 21 POINT III. Samuels Justice I. In disclaiming all unjust gain II. In general 22 24 With the general inference thence 25 26 and special application to Judicature 27 30 in the Particulars viz. 1. Fraud 31 34 2. Oppression 35 39 3. Bribery 49 41 a special property whereof is to blind the eyes 42 c. III. In offering Restitution Sermon VIII Ad Populum on PROV xix 21. Sect. 1 3. BEtween Gods ways and ours 4 5 Three remarkeable Differences in the Text. 7 14 DIFF I. in their Names 15 17 II. in their Number 18 21 III. in their manner of Existing 22 REASONS thereof taken from 23 24 1. The Soveraignty of God 25 26 2. The Eternity of God 27 28 3. The Wisdom of God 29 30 4. The Power of God 31 INFERENCES thence 32 3 The First 34 The Second 35 37 The Third 38 39 The Fourth 40 41 The Fifth 42 An Objection 43 44 Answered AD AULAM. The first Sermon WHITE-HALL November 1631. Eccles. 7. 1. A good Name is better than precious Oyntment and 1. WHere the Author professeth himself a Preacher it cannot be improper to stile the Treatise a Sermon This Book is such a Sermon and the Preacher being a King a Royal Sermon He took a very large but withal a very barren Text. His Text the whole World with all the pleasures and profits and honours and endeavours and businesses and events that are to be found under the Sun From which so large a Text after as exact a survey thereof taken as unwearied diligence in searching joyned with incomparable wisdom in judging could make he could not yet with all his skill raise any more than this one bare and short Conclusion proposed in the very entrance of his Sermon as the only Doctrinal Point to be insisted upon throughout Vanity of Vanities saith the Preacher Vanity of Vanities all is vanity This he proveth all along by sundry Instances many in number and various for the kind to make the induction perfect that so having fully established the main Doctrine which he therefore often inculcateth in his passage along that all things in the World are but Vanity he might the more effectually enforce the main Use which he intended to infer from it and reserveth as good Orators use to do for the close and Epilogue of the whole Sermon namely that quitting the World and the Vanities thereof men should betake themselves to that which alone is free from vanity to wit the fear and service of God Hear the conclusion of the whole matter fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man 2. To the men of the world whose affections are set upon the World and who propose and promise to themselves much contentment and happiness from the things of this World as the main Doctrine it self is so are most of the Proofs and passages of the whole Sermon very Paradoxes We may not unfitly therefore call this Book Solomons Paradoxes Look no further than a few of the next following verses of this very Chapter To prefer the house of mourning before the house of feasting sorrow before laughter rebukes before Praises the end of a thing when it shall be no more before the beginning of it when it is ing and coming on a soft patient suffering spirit before a stout and haughty mind and learning before riches as the Preacher here doth what are all these and other like many if we respect the common judgment of the World but so many Paradoxes The Writings of Zeno and Chrysippus if we had them extant with the whole School of Stoicks would not afford us Paradoxes more or greater than this little book of Solomon doth There are no less than two in this short verse Wherein quite oppositely to what value the World usually setteth upon them Solomon out of the depth of that Wisdom wherewith God had filled his heart preferreth a good Name before precious Oyntment and the day of death before the day of ones birth Paradoxes both Besides the common opinion but most agreeable to truth and reason both as to him that shall duly examine them both will clearly appear It will find us work enough at this time to examine but the former only in those words A good name is better than a precious Oyntment 3. Wherein before I come to the pith of the matter I cannot but take notice of an Elegancy observable in the very bark and rind of the Letters in the Hebrew Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Figure Paronomasia as Rhetoricians call it a near affinity both in the Letters and Sound between the words whereby the opposite Terms of the Comparison are expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Name and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Oyntment Such allusions and agnominations are no strangers in either of the holy Tongues but of frequent use both in the Old and New Testaments Examples might be alledged many As out of the Old Testament Jer. 1. 11. 12. Ose. 9. 15. Amos 5. 5. and 8. 2. Ezek. 7. 6. And out of the New many more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 15. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes. 3. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three together as it were with a breath Rom. 1. 29. 31. But omitting the rest I shall commend unto you but two but those very remarkable ones out of either Testament one The one in Isa. 24. where the Prophet expressing the variety of Gods inevitable judgments under three several appellations The Fear the Pit and the Snare useth three several words but agreeing much with one another in letters and sound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pachadh the Fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pachath the Pit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pach the Snare The other in Rom. 12. where the Apostle exhorting men not to think of themselves too highly but according to sobriety setteth it off with exquisite elegancy thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. The more inconsiderate that I say not uncharitable and unjust they that pass their censures very freely as I have sometimes heard some do fondly and rashly enough upon Preachers When now and then in their popular Sermons they let fall the like Elegancies scatter in here and there some flowers of Elooution among As if all use of Rhetorical ornaments did savour of an unsanctified spirit or were the rank superfluities of a carnal Wit or did adulterate corrupt and flatten the sincere milk