ashes Wormes and not Men by Nature mere aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers from the couenants of promise seeing in lewdnesse of life and Conuersation we are nothing inferiour to the Collapsed Angels or reiected Israelites My beloued I must ingeniously acknowledge with the Prophet Ieremie Ieremy 1.6 Puer sum et nescio loqui I am but a child and know not how to speake fitter like an Auditour to sit at Gamaliels feete Acts 22.3 Matt. 23.2 then like a Doctor in Moses chaire Yet seeing the Lord hath called mee to this place and put his word into my mouth I beseech you suffer with all patience and reuerent attention a word or two of premonition and exhortation It may please God so to magnifie his strength in my weaknesse as to make the wordes which hee hath taught mee effectually powerfull for the reformation of your liues and consequently for the euerlasting saluation of your Soules and Bodies Shall euery tree not bringing forth good fruit bee hewen downe and cast into the fire 1 Clergy O lay this vnto heart with mee yee Chariots and horsemen of Israel yee that are of the house of Aaron and the Tribe of Leui my beloued fellow-labourers in the worke of the Ministerie Let vs consider that the Lord hath committed vnto vs the dispensation of his Word 1 Cor. 4.1 1. Pet. 1.23 that most precious and immortall seede whereby Christ may be conceiued in vs and we become spirituall Fathers of many Children in Christ 1. Cor. 4.15 O then let euery one of vs in the feare of God according to the Talent wherwith we are entrusted so labour in the Word to be found faithfull dispensers of the Word feeding the flocke of Christ concredited to our charge with sauory food in season 2. Tim. 4.2 out of season that we may become fruitfull in begetting children vnto Christ for the enlarging of his Kingdome Let vs remember that the Church is Gods vineyard the People his plants and we the Ministers his hired seruants to labour in his vineyard that it may yeeld forth fruit vnto the Lord. And though Iohn Baptist may haue a back-friend in Herods court yet let vs not be put to silence or discouragâ—d but boldly with a h art strike with the Sword of the Spirit at the head of that Serpent Sinne in whomsâ—euer we see it remembring that wee are Ambassadours for Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 One who is able to maintaine his cause euen against the Deuill himselfe But aboue all let vs labour to put life into our labours by bringing forth the fruit of good liuing that so wee may the better winne our peopâ—e to entertaine the siâ—cere Profession of the Truth and saue our owne Soules at the day of the Lord Jesus Serm. de Sancto Benedicto Abbate For as Saint Bernard most sweetly Sermo vivus efficax Operis est plurimum faciens suadibile quod dicitur dum monstrat factibile quod suadetur Wee shall easily perswade the people to practise what we preach when what wee preach we practise In a word let vs remember that as there it a Vae mihi si non euangelizavero a woe vnto the Minister if hee doe not labour in the Gospell so there is a vae mihi si non bene vixero a woe vnto the Minister if he doe not liue according to the Gospell for euery Tree that bringeth not forth good fruite the fruite of good liuing shall bee hewne downe and cast into the fire In the next place thinke vpon this yee People of this place 2. Laytie of this City of this Land Sure I am there is no Nation vnder the Celestiall Poles profâ—ssing the faith of Christ ouer which the Lord hath placed so Learned so Laborious so Religious a Clergy as ouer This. Consider how in it yee are blest of God that so yee may blesse God when yee consider of it Blesse God but how why blesse him in Sacrificing vnto him the Calues of your lippes Hosea 14.2 Blesse him in consecrating vnto him the short remnant and remainder of your liues Blesse him in a reuerend estimation of his holy Ordinances In a word 1 Thess 5.12 13. Blesse him in your singular loue vnto those that are ouer you in the Lord that are dispensers of his sacred mysteries least yee bee hewen downe and cast into the fire And doe yee not so I would to God I could passe by you concerning these particulars especially the latter without apprehending any iust cause for your generall reprehension It is a Sore I no more but touched but named before intending in this place to handle it more at large and to apply vnto it a corroding Plaister if it were possible to draw away the malignant qualitie wherewith it is so much infested that it is euen swoâ—ne vp as high as Heauen to the pulling downe as is iustly to bee feared vpon this Land a sudden Babel of confusion without some speedy reformation Gal. 4.15 I doubt not but there are some Galathians amongst vs that would plucke out euen their owne eyes to doe Paul good 1 Kings 17. That there is some Zareptan that would euen hazard the hastening her owne hunger-staruing to communicate vnto Elishaes necessities for whose sakes I am perswaded the Lord hath been many wayes gracious vnto this Land and suspended the infliction of his fearefull iudgements which for our sinnes wee haue long since iustly deserued But alas all these Some these Galathians these Zareptans are but a small Summe scarce to be called a number in respect of those that are contrarily affected For as it was the sin of Ieroboam 1 Kings 12.3 with which he is branded vnto posteritie by the Spirit of God that he made Priests of the lowest and basest of the People so it is a sinne may bee seene and read in great characters vpon the foreheads of most in this Land that they make Priests the lowest and basest of People the lowest by depriuing them of their allotted Maintenance the basest by prosecuting them with all vnreuerence Not to speak of the former and therin of those violent maleuolent vnchristian-like courses wherein they are very frequent and fruitfull for the dispoyling and robbing vs of those reuenues God out of his holy wisdome hath set apart and consecrated for the maintenance of those that minister and serue at his Altar that so they might make the Leuites to stoope vnto them and hang vpon their sleeues like beggers for their Almes and voluntary contributions How vnreasonably do they load the Prophets of the Lord with all the iniuries indignities their deuilish malice can inuent The sacred title of our thrice honourable Function is but a terme of disgrace in the mouths of these scoffing Ismaels whose malignant spleene is such that they will not stick to strike at vs with the sword of their virulent tongues euen in the face of the world as we walke in
more sober honest and tractable temper to be scourged lashed with tearmes of disgrace for let a man out of a holy reuerence vnto the sacred Maiesty of God make conscience of an Oath let him out of a sincere heart bee carefull to sanctifie the Sabbath of the Lord in all holy and religious exercises let him vow himselfe to all sobrietie and temperance and be zealous for the Lord of Hosts in reproouing vngodlinesse In a word let him heartily desire and accordingly truely endeuour to keepe a good conscience in all things both toward God and man Actes 24.16 not partaking in the sinful courses of these wicked times but laboring so far forth as in him lyeth according to that measure of grace hee hath receiued to liue within the limits and compasse of an holy profession it is reputed but precisenesse he is ordinarily derided vnder the name of a Catharist or Puritan and of the most hated and detested as much if not more then a treacherous bloody Papist or damnable Atheist Thus the seeming Saints of our age by their ouer-hasty running after Christ for sinister respects haue cast the true Nathaneels of our Israel behind hand in their iust credit and estimation Iohn 1.47 the world measuring the feet of all professors by the Last of these false professors And not onely doth counterfeit pietie Hypocrisie thus flourish to the great contempt reproach of sincere professors but in the third place we may obserue that all vngodlinesse hath aduanced it selfe and taken heart Iniquity hath put on a brow of brasse and Impiety like a shamelesse strumpet attended by Impudency hath taken vp her standing in euery street and corner of Court City and Countrey Ambition base flattery perfidie drunkennesse couetousnesse prodigalitie pride lechery luxury injustice theft murther adultery feareful swearing and periury contempt of the Manna and Ministers of Gods holy Word and what seldom heard-of crimes in former ages are not the familiar minions and darlings of these Times It is a tedious taske and would prooue but an irkesome discourse to trouble your eares with a particular enumeration of all the sinnes that roost yea raigne in this Land for it may be truly said of it as the Poet in his Epigramme vnto Caesar concerning his Theater Martial Quicquid fama canit donat arena tibi There is almost no sinne so peculiar to any forraigne Countrey which is not presented to the life vpon the stage of this Land and there is almost no person of what place or fashion soeuer that doth not act his part in them more or lesse Thus vngodlinesse is become an Epidemicall disease like a Contagious leprosie it hath infected and runne ouer the whole Body of this Land and no part more then this Citie in so much that it may truely be said of vs as the Prophet of the Iewes Esa 1.4.5.6 We are a sinnefull Nation a people laden with iniquitie The whole head is sicke the whole heart is heauy from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head there is nothing whole therein but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption And which doth consummate our iniquitie though wee are so desperately sicke of sinne that wee lye euen at the doore of death and there bee scarce so much as a thresh-hold betweene vs and eternall destruction yet who is there that with patience wil suffer the Preacher Gods Deputy-Physician for the good of his soule so much as to lay his finger vpon those his cankred sores of sin which suffered to run on their course will vncurably corrupt and irrecouerably cast away the whole man both body and soule Sinne especially that which ordinarily thrusteth it selfe into the seruice of any calling and like the siluer Shrines of Diana Acts 19.24 bringeth in any emolument or reuenew must haue a Protection must not bee touched The corrupt courses of those which appertaine to Courts of Iustice the sacrilegious practise of Church-robbers fraudulent and vnconscionable dealing in priuate commerce these and the rest of your bosome and best beloued sinnes proue but vnplausible but harsh Themes for a Preachers inuectiue Sure I am wee may speake it feelingly wee are sensible of no lesse for deale we ingeniously faithfully in reprouing the corruptions of the time do we lay open your beloued sins vnto the life our labours are entertained with laughter and our fidelity requited with a world of neglect and iniury Are not these the fruits that call this our land their mother soyle I would to God they did not I dare presume yee will all passe your words that I haue deliuered nothing but truth and I may safely add nothing to that which might haue beene deliuered for truth for like those whom Moses sent to spie out the land of Canaan Numb 13.23 I haue cut downe but a Branch with a Cluster of the Grapes that grow in this our Eschol and haue brought with mee but a Sample of that cursed fruit this land in great plenty affordeth O that we who haue so liberally participated of the superabundant loue and bounty of God should thus aboue measure abound in iniquity The time was O that we had the grace seriously to consider it the time was when we were without Christ Ephe. 2.12 13 and were aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and were Strangers from the Couenants of Promise and had no hope and were without God in the world but now through the Mercy of the Almightie wee who were once a farre off are made neere by the Blood of Christ that so we might be no more strangers and Forraigners but Citizens with the Saints and of the Householde of God Againe Jam tua res agitur paries cum proximus ardet whereas other Nations doe ride euen vp vnto their horsebridles in blood haue their Corne-fieldes depopulated their Townes vnpeopled their neerest kindred and dearest acquaintance most cruelly butchered and their whole countrey exposed to the iniury of Armes Wee through the great Goodnesse of God sit euery man vnder his owne Vine in peace The Lord of his mercie continue it long amongst vs whereas other Nations suffer the famine of the Word or at least haue it serued out vnto them mingled with the Cockle and Darnell of Popish errors and traditions Wee God be thanked haue the Word most plentifully and purely preached among vs yea such plenty of the word we enioy that like the Israelites we are crop sicke and loth that heauenly Manna which our forefathers in the time of Popery persecution so much longed after I pray God this bring not a scarcitie of spirituall Bread amongst vs. Whereas others haue been straitned for the ordinary sustenance of nature and wasted with misery hanging vp their harps vpon the trees and translating the sorrowes of their soules into mournefull ditties and so ending their miserable liues Psal 144 13.14 Our Garners on the contrary haue beene full and plenteous with
penitent thy sins in comparison of Gods mercy are but scintilla ad Mare a sparke in comparison of the Sea And can a sparke of fire liue in the vast Ocean Againe consider these liuely presidents of Gods gracious pardon granted to penitent sinners Is thy sinne great so was Peters Are they many Mat. 26.70 74. Luke 7.47 so were Mary Magdalens Are they foule Iohn 8.3 so were the woman 's taken in adultery Are they cruell so were Pauls Act. 22.4 Psal 51.14 Are they bloudy so were Dauids Yet behold all these vpon their serious repentance obtained mercy And it is very obseruable that our Sauiour Iansen Concord cap. 146. after his resurrection In consolationem poenitentium for the cōfort of true penitents appeared first to Mary Magdalen to Peter who had beene grieuous sinners Your hands are ful of blood saith the Lord to the Iewes Isaiah 1.15 When you spread them out I will hide my face yet vpon condition of repentance Verse 17 18. hee cals them to a parle of peace Cease to doe euill learn to do well Then come let vs reason together saith the Lord Though your sins be as scarlet they shall bee as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shal be as wooll Nulla est macula saith Anselm Sin can neuer take so deep a die Anselme in 1. Cor. 12. but by true and vnfained repentance it may be washed away August hom 27. ex 50. When S. Augustine had deliuered a point of doctrine like this some obiected that he opened a gap to sin but he truly answered that it was Portus poenitentiae a hauen to which a penitent sinner should repaire and was therefore rather a doore motiue to repentance And reason because this ioy of the Angels in heauen comfort of men vpon earth depends vpō this repentance Non meis verbis sed amentiae suae culpa tribuenda est Rom. 6.1 And as Chrysost said in the like case If any hereupon will take boldnesse to sin it is his owne folly not my fault Shal we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid This indeed were a wicked a wretched resolution Fulgent de paenitent Fulgentius saith truly As to repent without hope is meere desperation so to hope without repentance is vaine presumption That is a worthy caueat that Chrysost giues to this purpose Peruert not the order Ordinem ' non peruertas ne vtilitatem perdas Chrysost de poen ho. 3. lest thou lose the benefit A man must keep a right method that will haue true comfort Thou must not sinne that thou maist repent but thou must repent if thou haue sinned Medicamentū propter vulnus c. Ambros de poenit 2.10 The wound is not ordained for the Plaister but the plaister for the wound And so sinne was not ordained for repentance but repentance for sin And what is the end of this our Sauiours speech and all that I haue said but that you I and euery one of vs be thereby stirred vp to repentance The ancient fathers haue giuen many Elogiums to this duty to stirre vs vp to the diligent practice of it Peccata absoluit Cassiodor in Psal 31. Diabolum superat coelum aperit Chrys de poenitent hom 3. c. It procures both remission reward saith Cassiodore It subdues the diuell and opens to vs the doore of heauen saith Chrysost Neither is this a slender motiue that it yeelds ioy to heauen Tu ergo laetare Angelos saith S. Ambrose so say I Let vs all endeuour that heauen may reioyce for vs which must bee effected by our repentance A man that is wounded may easily bee perswaded to seek for cure Peccatum vulnus paenitentia medicina Chrysost de paenit hom 3. Now sin wounds repentance cures Should we not seeke for it A man in a dangerous shipwracke will gladly lay hold vpon a planke to saue himselfe from drowning Est naufragis tabula saith Tertullian Tertul. de paenit cap. 4. repentance is a planke to saue our soules frō drowning in the gulfe of eternal perditiō should we not lay hold on it Paenitentia pacem operatur Bern. A subiect that hath offended his Soueraigne will bee glad of meanes of pacificatiō behold repentance is the means to make our peace w th God shold we not be glad of it Oh the miserable condition of them who remaine impenitent whilst they cannot mourne for their sins they make heauen mourne for them they depriue themselues of vnspeakeable comfort lye vnder the wrath of God and are lyable to eternall condemnation according to that in the 2. Rom. 5. Thou after thy hardnes and heart that cannot repent treasurest vp to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Chrysost Hoc nobis Deus inseuit God hath planted this principle in euery mans heart that sin must be punished either in this life or in the life to come either in this life by vnfained repentance or in the life to come by eternall torments Now if any notwithstanding all this wil yet remaine impenitent and hope for mercy let him heare what Chrysost saith Chrysost in ◠Corinth hom 23. Quomodo Deum rogas vt tibi parcat cùm tu tibi minimè parcas How canst thou desire God to haue compassion vpon thee when thou hast no compassion vpon thy selfe Aulus Gellius writes that the Romanes sent the Carthaginians hastam Aul. Gel. lib. 10 cap. 27. caduceum a speare and a white wand the ensignes of war peace and offered them their choise So deales the Lord with vs vpon our repentance hee offers vs conditions of Peace but if we stand out hee proclaimes open war against vs by his holy Harold the Prophet Isaiah Isai 48.22 saying There is no peace to the wicked saith the Lord. Repentance I know is yrkesome to flesh bloud but the issue therof is comfortable 2. Cor. 7.10 for it is to saluation And how much better is it to mourn and sorrow heere where comfort is to be had then in hell where there is no hope no helpe Better it is to weepe here for our sinnes where our seed of teares may procure vs a ioyfull haruest Psal 126.5 then to reserue them for that place where is nothing but weeping gnashing of teeth What are a few sighes or teares to those eternall torments of hell What is the abandoning of a few vaine and transitory pleasures to the riuers of celestiall permanent ioyes I may say in Nazian words Haec negotiatio est omnium praestantissima Nazianz. Orat. de Cypr. No traffick in the world like this to change a little sorrow for a great deale of ioy yea for infinite and endlesse ioyes It was a moderate speech of that deuout father to Eugenius Non dico semper c. I do not exhort thee to restore thy selfe to thy self alwayes Bern. de
consider ad Eugen. I do not desire thee to do it often but onely sometime And that which hee speakes of Eugenius his retyring himselfe to consideration I may apply to the sequestring of our selues to the actions of humiliation as fasting prayer repentance I do not exhort you to do it alwaies nay I do not now presse you to doe it often Yet in all reason some times are to bee set apart to these duties for shall we haue times of feasting and not of fasting of mirth not of mourning of sinning and not of repenting And if there be any behold the present time doth especially inuite vs hereunto For the Church hath anciently sequestred this time of Lent for these holy duties in especiall manner In regard of our Sauiours Passion in respect of his Resurrection Which are at this time celebrated and for the celebration of the blessed Sacrament In regard of his Passion and that fitly for by our humiliation we do in some sort partake with Christ in his Passion according to that in the 8. Rom. 17. If we suffer with him wee shall also bee glorified with him For albeit we are not called to follow him to mount Caluary that our hands feet may bee pierced with the nayles our sides with the speare and our heads with the Crowne of thorns yet whosoeuer will haue comfort by Christ must haue his heart pierced with remorse for his sinnes that he may bee partaker of that benediction Blessed are those that mourne Mat. 5. for they shall bee comforted Againe in respect of his resurrection Easter as Leo saith is the greatest of all Christian solemnities The Natiuitie of Christ is indeed a high Festiuall but his Resurrection surpasseth it For when Christ came into the world hee went downe like Dauid into the valley to encounter Goliah in the opinion of men like Dauid 1. Sam. 17. a weake champion for such a combate but when hee arose from the graue he came vp like Dauid out of the valley a glorious Conqueror Now Lent is Leo de Quadrages serm 3. ad Paschale festum praeparatio a preparatiō to the great solemnity of Easter that wee may keepe that feast with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth 1. Cor. 5. and bee worthy partakers of the blessed Sacrament S. Chrysostome more then once cals it sanctam Quadragesimam the holy time of Lent not because the time is in it selfe more holy then others but because that this time should be dedicated and wee at this time deuoted to holinesse in especiall manner Yea Leo doubted not to say Parùm religiosus c. Leo de Quadrages serm 1. If a man be not religious at this time there is little hope that he will be at any time To conclude therefore Seeing wee haue the time inuiting vs and our Sauiours cōfortable speech exciting vs Let vs search try our wayes Lam. 3.40 and turne vnto the Lord Let vs meet him with broken and contrite hearts let vs seeke mercy from him with prayers teares of true repentance that heauen may reioyce for vs. In a word if there be any one which hath heard mee this day whose heart hath smittē him for his sins his soule is touched with remorse with a purpose of reformation as I hope there are many then may I say in our Sauiours words Luke 19. This day is saluation come to this house You haue made heauen glad The holy Angels and the blessed Trinity do this day reioyce for you you shall one day reioyce in heauen in the presence of those holy Angels and that blessed Trinity and that ioy shall neuer be taken from you which the Lord for his mercies sake and for the merits of our blessed Sauiour grant vs To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honor and glory Maiesty and dominion now and for euer Amen FINIS A SVB-POENA FROM THE STAR-CHAMBER OF HEAVEN A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the 4. of August 1622. With some particular Enlargements which the limited time would not then allow By DAN DONNE Master of Arts and Minister of the Word August Confess lib. 8. cap. 12. Tolle Lege Tolle Lege LONDON Printed by Augustine Mathewes for John Grismand and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Alley at the Signe of the Gunne 1623. Honoratiss Dominis IOHANNI COM. DE HOLDERNESSE VICECOM HADDINGTON ET BARON DE KINGSTON AD THAMESIN c. ET DOMINO HENRICO HOBART MIL. ET BARONET CAPIT IVST DOMINI REGIS DE BANCO NEC NON VIRO VERE REVERENDO MVLTIS QVE NOMINIBVS COLENDO IOHANNI DONNE DOCTORI IN SACRA THEOLOG ET DECANO ECCLESIAE DIVI PAVLI LONDON DANIEL DONNE HAS SVAS QVALES CVNQVE MEDITATIONES HVMILLIME D. D. D. To the Reader COurteous Reader I haue in the Title-page of this Booke rendered a sufficient reason of the Excrescencie of this Sermon Yet for thy more particular satisfaction vnderstand that from the Beginning of it to the 52. Page I preached it word for word as it is Printed Now because many at the Crosse had runne into Desperate Debts Borrowed so much Time of the Auditory as they neuer meant to repay therefore I resolued to content my selfe with a briefe Paraphrasticall Explication of the Particulars that remained and so to keepe my selfe out of Debt rather then Borrow what I thought I should neuer repay Since being solicited to Publish what I then Preached that each Part might enioy its iust Proportion for the Exact Composition of the whole I haue enlarged my selfe in Those last Particulars and Commend my Paines therein to thy Candid Interpretation If thou meete with any Faults in the Print they are I dare promise but Literall and such as will scarce puzzle the most Illiterate Correct them if thou please with thy Pen. If there be any thing amisse either in the Method or Matter thy Friendly Information shall be Thrice acceptable In the meane time I aduise Thee to Read with vnderstanding to Remember what thou doest Read And the Lord giue thee grace to practise what thou doest remember Farewell Thine in Christ DAN DONNE A SVBPOENA from the Star-chamber of Heauen LVKE 3.9 Now is the Axe layd vnto the root of the the trees euery tree therefore not bringing foorth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire THis Text at the first blush appeareth like it selfe bearing a face of vtter ruine and destruction paralell vnto that of the Edomites Psa 137.7 Downe with it down with it euen to the ground It beginneth with the Axe and endeth with Fire two mercilesse instruments of ruine destruction The former makes worke for the latter the Axe for the Fire for the Axe is laid vnto the root of the tree that the tree being cut downe may be cast into the fire The entrance into this Text doth something resemble that into Paradise there was a flaming sword Genes 3.24 Gen. 3.24 heere a fearefull
all manner of store Our sheepe haue brought forth thousands and ten thousands in our streetes our oxen haue beene strong to labour we haue no leading into captiuitie no complaining in our streets In a word no Nation vnder the Sunne can prescribe and plead a greater portion of the immense Treasury of Gods mercy and fauours then ours the least of all which should for euer bind euery one by way of thankfulnesse to consecrate himselfe both soule and body vnto the seruice of his so benigne and bountifull a God in all holy obedience and newnesse of life to bring forth good fruits the fruits of holinesse and sanctification But alas we are so farre from bringing forth this good fruit that on the contrary we are barren in all goodnesse and onely fruitfull in the damnable workes of darknesse sucking in sinne as fishes doe water like swift Dromedaries running with full speed into all vngodlinesse Prou. 10.23 making it a pastime to do wickedly neue◠so much as once dreaming of that dreadful day of account that great and terrible Assises of the Lord wherein hee will execute his wrath and vengeance vpon the children of disobedience O my beloued let vs take heed we bee not deceiued This is the will of God saith the Apostle euen your sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 now the wil and pleasure of God is not barely propounded vnto man as a thing arbitrary or of no great consequence whether performed or not for as with bountifull promises so with feareful penalties it is in sacred Scripture frequently pressed the Lord as he hath a Gerizim Deut. 11.29 for blessing so he hath an Eball for cursing As he will most graciously and liberally recompense all such as worke righteousnes with an immarcessible crown of glory so he will most seuerely and terribly reward all workers of iniquity with an vnmercifull weight of misery They which like good trees bring foorth good fruit in due season their leafe shall not wither saith the Psalmist they shall flourish for euer Psalm 2. But they which doe not bring foorth good fruit shall be like the chaffe which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth they shall perish for euer so saith the Baptist here in my text Euery tree not bringing foorth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire which is the third generall Part obserueable in this sacred Writ The third generall part the penaltie attending delinquents such as performe not what God in this Writ requireth The Penaltie is heere expressed 1. as intended God premonisheth before he punisheth Now is the Axe layd vnto the roote of the trees 2. As inflicted Euery tree not bringing foorth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fire A Mercifull Method and well beseeming the God of Method who is full of mercie though our sinnes be so numerous and haynous that like vnto that of Cains Genes 4.10 they doe euen call and crie vnto God for present vengeance though our iniquities be so enormous and growne to so great a height that they reach vp vnto Heauen and euen pull God out of his Mercy-Seate to enter into Iudgement with vs to emptie out the full Vialls of his wrath vpon vs to our present fearefull confusion yet Oh the goodnesse of God hee dealeth not with vs sinnefull miscreants according to our deserts and as many a mercilesse Creditor with his Debitor who couertly without the least noise procureth an Execution against him and serueth it vpon him happily to his irrecouerable vndoing not so much as once fore-acquainting him with his Resolution that so he might in time thinke vpon some honest course for preuention No my beloued though mans wayes are full of cruelty yet Gods wayes are full of mercy Hee would haue all the world to know that he is not delighted in the death of a sinner Ezek 13.23 but had rather hee should turne from his wickednesse bring forth fruit worthy of repentance and so liue for euer and therefore as Jonathan shot three arrowes to forewarne Dauid of Sauls displeasure 1. Sam. 20. that hee might the better prouide for his saftie so almightie God first in mercy proclaimeth his wrath indignation before in Iustice he proceed to Execution First he is pleased to foretell vs that for our transgressions for our not bringing forth good fruit he intendeth a seuere penaltie against vs before such time as he suffer it to be inflicted vpon vs Praemoniti Praemuniti that so we being forewarned of that feareful euill which from God is like to befall vs for our falling away from God we might in time make our peace with him so preuent the execution of his wrath For the more effectuall performance whereof that wee may the more carefully and speedily addresse our selues proceed we according to our propounded method to take some punctuall notice of the fearefulnesse of his fury displaied in the particulars of the penalty Now is the Axe laid vnto the root of the trees Euery tree therefore not bringing forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Each word as you haue heard beareth a part and euery part doth most euidently demonstrate the Greatnesse of Gods wrath and indignation against vs and is of power to imprint Characters of terror in our hearts were they as hard as rockes of Adamant To take vp the words as they lye in their order First behold the Lord of Hosts is already vp in armes and his wrath like Iehu the Sonne of Nimshi after Iehoram marcheth most furiously after vs 2 King 9.10 yea to our greater terror it hath already wrought it selfe within distance for Now euen Now is the axe laid vnto the root of the trees Secondly consider we the instrument apprehended for the execution of his wrath Musculus in locum it is not Culter Sarmentarius a pruning knife but Securis excisionis a ruining Axe Thirdly this ruining Axe is not vibrata Gorthan in locum brandished or shaken ouer the trees but posita it is put laid close to the trees Fourthly this ruining Axe is not laid ad truncum aut ramos Bullinger to the bodie or boughes of the trees but ad radicem to the fountaine of life the root which once hurt or cut de tota arbore actum est the whole tree doth perish and is past all hope of shooting forth againe Such is the penaltie here intended and is pronounced as inflicted Euery tree not bringing forth good fruit is hewen downe and to make it more fearefull is cast into the fire There was a custome among the ancient Romans that their Consuls had as Ensignes of their authoritie bundles of rods and an Axe carried before them Rod◠the 〈◊〉 of Iustice to cut them off in case they proued incorrigible and would not bee reformed with any fauourable correction In like manner Almighty God hath his Pruning knife and his Axe Hauing planted his
ordained you a Magistrate vnder his Maiestie and hath put the Sword of Iustice into your hand I would desire you to take notice that he hath also an Axe in his hand therefore like a good tree bring forth good fruit in that place wherein he hath set you be the Orphans father and the Widowes husband be of a good courage and bee zealous for your great Lord and Master your Maker the Lord of hosts protect and countenance the good correct and cut down the bad lest the Lord hewe you downe and cast you into Hell fire 4 Iudges and Lawyers Ye Reuerend Iudges of the Land and all ye that trauell in the Study and Practise of the Law remember there is a dreadfull Judge aboue you euen the Lord of Heauen and Earth who will one day call all of you to a strict account for all your courses Therefore like good trees bring forth good fruite in your seuerall places as you will answer it at the Barre of his Tribunal Let neither the feare of greatnes nor vnrighteous Mammon let neither priuate spleene nor particular affection so preuaile with you as to interturbe and ouerturne the course of Iustice but walk vprightly and conscionably as hauing the feare of God before your eyes lest he hew you downe and cast you into hell fire 5 Tradesmen All ye that exercise your selues in Ciuill commerce come hither and consider what I shall say vnto you What will it aduantage you to bee Lords ouer the whole world to loose your owne soules Luke 9.25 Therefore so Sell and Buy and Barter that ye make not shipwracke of a Good Conscience loose the kingdom of heauen into your Bargaines that is deale honestly and sincerely with al men as it becommeth the Seruants of Christ and doe not go about cunningly to intrap any with termes of Equiuocation and to cheat them with false Wares Measures and Weights for these things are an abomination vnto the Lord. But aboue all things take heed of that most frequent and most fearefull custome of swearing worth and credit into your Commodities lest while ye labour to make them marchantable and good penny-worths with man yee loose your credit and your penny that is your Crowne of Glory with God Thinke vpon it for beleeue it the time will come when the Lord shall weigh you in his Ballance as he did Belshazzar and shall Daâ— 9 25. if he find you too light seperate you from the Kingdome of Heauen as farre as the East is from the West and the North from the South for euery Tree that bringeth not forth good fruite shall bee hewen downe and cast into the Fre. In the next place take notice of this all ye 6 Maried folke whom the Lord hath linked together in Holy and Honourable Matrimony that so yee may bring forth fruit beseeming so holy and so honourable an estate Make conscience of performing those seuerall Offices and respects God in his Sacred Word requireth of you one towards another Bee Carefull Religiously and Constantly to obserue and pay those Solemne vowes yee made before God and Men at the Solemnization of your Nuptialls More particularly and principaâ—ly seeing God hath made you One of Two Gen. 2.24 suffer not the Diuel to make you Two of One but liue peaceably discreetly and loyally together nourish mutuall affection 1. Thess 4.4 and possesse your vessels that is your bodies in holinesse and honour and keepe your selues one to another as vndefiled members of Christs Body Hâ—b 13.4 free from lusting after strange flesh least yee bee hewen downe and cast into the Fire Againe shall euery Tree not bringing forth good fruit be hewen downe and cast into the fire Consider this all yee whom the Lord hath blessed with the fruite of the Wombe 7 Parents least this temporall blessing proue your eternall bane Thinke it not enough that yee bring forth children into the world and prouide for them an earthly inheritance vnlesse yee also bring them vp vnto the Lord and so fit them for the Kingdome of Heauen Alasse what is their first generation more then their Corruption Psal 51 5. for they are shaped in wickednesse and conceiued in sinne and so poore Infants Damnati antequam nati they are damned before their mothers are deliuered and being so what is your Temporall prouision vnto them though neuer so plentifull if after their ioy in this World if they know any they be so farre from knowing any in the next that on the contrary they lye howling in Hell flames for euer If therefore you truely loue your Children for their sakes vndertake a second labour and bring forth this good fruite of your Fatherly loue towards them once more trauell in paine of them but as Paul did of the Galathians till Christ be formed in them Gal. 4.19 labour that they may be begotten a new in Christ by the immortall seede of the Word 1. Pet. 1.23 and bee made heyres of the Kingdome of Heauen Let it be your care whatsoeuer it cost to haue them brought vp euen from their Child-hood in the feare of God That when they leaue this world they may attaine vnto the Land of euerlasting life there to raigne with Christ world without end And if you will not doe thus much for their sakes at least doe it for your owne sakes For know to bring forth this good fruit of true fatherly affection to bee carefull for the Spirituall well-fare of your Children and to promote and further it to the vtmost of your power is a dutie God strictly inioyneth And if through neglect hereof your Children rebell against God Ephes 6.4 he will require their blood at your hands For as God doth visite the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the Children So he doth visite the sinns of the Children vpon the Fathers For an instance remember Old Eli 1. Sam. 2. when his Sonnes trespassed against God He did not sharpely reprooue and correct them but suffered theÌ„ to run on in their Sins this was his ruine In a word remeÌ„ber the IudgmeÌ„t here threatned in my Text be moued thereby to bring forth the good fruite of true Fatherly affectioÌ„ instruct your Children in the feare of the Lord reproue correct theÌ„ wheÌ„ they offend the Lord least the Lord hew you downe and cast you into the fire 8 Children In like manner yee Children remember the Rocke out of which yee were hewen the Stocke whereof yee are stemmes your Parents from whom next vnder God yee haue receiued your naturall beeing Oh wound not their tender hearts with your vntoward carriage and rebellious courses the only course to accelerate and hasten their heads to the graue but like good Children bring forth the good fruit of filiall feare and affection that yee may exhilarate reioyce their Soules to the prolonging of their dayes Reuerence them inwardly in your hearts outwardly in your Behauiour yeeld vnto
them all dutifull obedience in the Lord least ye pluck their Curse vpon your heads and the Lord hearing it 9 Masters of families hew you downe cast you into the fire Yee that haue the care of Seruants committed to your charge bring forth the Good fruite of Good Masters in your seuerall Families doe vnto your Seruants that which is iust and equall Col. 4.1 knowing that yee also haue a Master in Heauen Command them not but in the Lord and that louingly Allow them a befitting competency be it in matter of indument for the Backe or aliment for the Belly and doe not with-hold their wages from them But aboue all instruct them in the knowledge and feare of God as well by your examples as precepts and allow not their profanation of the Lords Sabaths the least Conniuence Least the Lord hew you downe and cast you into the fire 10 Seruants And yee that are Seruants serue your Masters faithfully both in word and deede and obserue them with all respectiue reuerence and submit your selues vnto them to obey them in the Lord least the Lord hew downe you also and cast you into the fire In a word to drawe towards a conclusion giue me leaue to drawe out an Eare or two of the Corne we haue already inn'd for I feare growing too voluminous and large in particularizing farther Yee haue heard how gracious and bountifull a God the Lord hath vowed to shew himselfe vnto all those that submit themselues vnto his lawes and labour to serue him faithfully in bringing forth good fruite in leading a holy and religious course of life that he will reward and crowne their holy endeauours with an eternall weight of Glory in the kingdome of Heauen Yee haue likewise heard how seuere and terrible a Iudge hee will reueale himselfe vnto all such as runne disobedient and rebellious courses that hee will wound the hayrie Scalpe of euery one that goeth on in his wickednesse yea that hee will hew downe and cast into the fire euery Tree not bringing forth good fruite If therefore the sweete blessings of Gerizim the louing mercies of God cannot worke vpon our rebellious hearts to reclaime vs from our wicked wayes let the bitter cursings of Eball the dreadfull terrours of the Law make vs feare to offend least the Lord in his wrath deliuer vs vp vnto a reprobate minde and in that fearefull estate hew vs downe that is by a violent Death rent our Soules and Bodies a sunder cast vs both soule body into the fire to be intollerably eternally tormented in the flames of Hel. My beloued as God is Iealous of so he is Zealous for his glory if he be not glorified a nobis of vs by our conuersion he will be glorified de nobis vpon vs by our confusion if we do not turne vnto him he wil turne vs into Hell for it is a conclusion so ratified as neuer to bee repealed that Euery one whether Iew or Gentile bond or free high or low rich or poore Euery tree not bringing forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire O then let euery one of vs make a diligent search into his owne bosome iudge himselfe least he be iudged of the Lord. Let vs dissect rip vp that body of sinne which is within vs not only that Naturall corruption which we haue all alike succâ—ssiuely receiued from our first PareÌ„ts but also those personal transgressioÌ„s which euery man hath made himselfe guilty of more or lesse Then hauing faithfully laid open our sinfulnes let vs look on it with a loathing eye a lamenting heart vnfeinedly deploring the time wherein to our iust damnation had we our deserts we haue not only brought forth no fruit but also naughty fruit fruite cursed abominable herein not only dishonored God our selues but also to our further damnation drawn others to doe the like by our lewd examples for which let vs go with faith in the blood of Iesus Christ to the throne of Grace imploring mercy at the hands of our heauenly Father who is ready willing to imbrace with the armes of his mercy al such petitioning him for grace in the Name of his Sonne let vs for the time following entertain this setled resolution into our hearts faithfully to labor in the reformation of all those faults we lament And which is the consummation perfectioÌ„ of our repentance let vs crowne our holy resolutions by putting them into action by bringing forth fruit worthy amendment of life as it is in the verse before my Text or as it is here in my Text by bringing forth good fruit by leading in our seueral places callings a right holy religious course of life For it is not a bare entertainement of better courses into our thoughts of dead of naked purposes nor an outside of Religion an outward conformity to the seruice of God will preserue vs from the wrath to come the former being but a bringing forth of good leaues the latter but of good flowers or if of fruit but of such as is false and counterfeit No wee must either bring forth good fruit that is as ye haue heard Fruit not onely outwardly beautifull and good in the eye of man but also inwardly good and sound in the sight of God or we must vndergoe the wrath of God be hewen down and cast into the fire Such fruit must euery Tree bring forth and that 1. Properanter presently 2. Abundanter plentifully 3. Perseueranter perseuerantly VVe must bring foorth good fruit First we must bring forth good fruit properanter presently it is a taske wee must take in hand out of hand 1. Presently as much is implied in the letter of my text Euery tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not bringing forth good fruit that is Now presently for it is a word of the present tense and doth vrge a present taske shal be hewen downe and cast into the fire This Speed is emphatically pressed in the first words of my text Now is the axe laid vnto the root of the trees as if the Baptist had more largely deliuered himselfe thus It is no delaying the time of your turning vnto God he hath taried your leasure so long that he is resolued to attend you no longer therefore looke to your selues God wil now be but a word and a blow for he hath already taken his Axe the instrument of death into his hand yea he hath already lifted vp his arme to strike nay more he hath so farre set forward his blow that he hath euen laid his Axe to the root of the trees resolutely determining to make his blow to hew you downe out of hand and cast you into the fire if ye do not presently repent bring foorth fruite worthy amendment of life O then my beloued I beseech you let vs consider that now onely is the time of making or marring our fortunes for euer Alas what