aduersitie therefore as wee must praise God for the one so must wee pray against the other at the same time wee must doe both But who are they that must doe it the text hath no more but Wee but if you looke vnto the beginning of the Psalme you shall find a Commentarie vpon that word you shall find that this must be done vniuersally Israel must doe it The House of Aaron must doe it all must doe it that feare the Lord if all be the better for the Day the dutie of solemnizing the Day belongeth vnto all to the Ecclesiasticall to the Ciuill State both must acknowledge what they receiue both must acknowledge the Day whereon they did receiue it The Day wherein the blessed Sunne did arise vnto vs all the fruits of whose Raigne are this great calme from stormes of warre and plentifull publication of Gods sauing truth wee must all acknowledge both these blessings As we must all acknowledge them so must we all take full comfort in them we must not defraud the Day of our ioy seeing the day brings comfort vnto vs it brings comfort to our bodie and comfort to our soules therefore our bodies and soules must reioyce in it In it but not forgetting him that made it that is God As for the Day wee are most beholding to him so in him must we ioy most But our comfort must not make vs forget our danger danger from without danger from within danger from our owne vntowardlinesse danger from the maliciousnesse of our enemies this double danger must make vs seeke to him that made our Day that he would make it a perpetuall Day that hee would hinder whatsoeuer impediment we may iustly feare from our enemies and not suffer vs to be an impediment of our owne blisse I shut vp all with the very words of my text Our times are such as that we haue good cause to vse the first words This is the Day which the Lord hath made and if we must say this this must draw from vs that which followeth the religious solemnizing of the day we must exhort each the other and be perswaded by our mutuall exhortation to vow the expressing of our comfort Wee will reioyce and bee glad in it and deprecate whatsoeuer imminent danger with Saue Now wee beseech thee O Lord O Lord we beseech thee send vs now Prosperitie AMEN A SERMON PREACHED AT SAINT MARIES IN OXFORD ON THE fift of Nouember 1614. LVKE 9. VERS 53 54 55 56. 53. But they would not receiue him because his face was as though he would goe to Ierusalem 54. And when his Disciples Iames and Iohn saw it they said Lord wilt thou that wee command that fire come downe from Heauen and consume them euen as Elias did 55. But Iesus turned about and rebuked them and said yee know not of what spirit you are 56. For the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens liues but to saue them Then they went to another Towne FAthers and Brethren Reuerend and Beloued in the Lord We solemnize this Day in a religious acknowledgement of the King and his Kingdomes our Church and Common-weales vnspeakable deliuerance from an vnmatchable Treason In furtherance of this common Pietie to refresh our memorie and quicken our deuotion I haue chosen this storie which containes an vnpartiall censure of an inordinate Zeale inordinate Zeale in two Apostles who are therefore vnpartially censured by our Sauiour Christ And this storie haue I the rather chosen at this time to speake of in this place because here is the hope of Church and Common Weale the Seed aswell of the Gentrie as of the Clergie And it is for such that the Factors of Rome doe trade to make Aduocates of the one and of the other Actours of their holy Fathers most barbarous Designes Wherefore it is very behoofull that they aboue others bee not only inured to detest but informed also vpon what ground they should detest such sauage such hellish counsels and attempts Now better informed they cannot bee then if they be furnished with sound rules of a good conscience which they may oppose to all deceitfull Romish ones wherewith the vnlearned are insnared and they peruerted that are vnstable The Romanists boast of their manifold studies of Diuinitie and indeed they haue manifold I would they were as good as they are many But their Cases of Conscience are that vpon which they principally relie and wherewith their Kingdome is most supported And no maruell for they are euen for the Lay-mans studie and their Power of the Keyes is chiefly managed by these Cases It is most true that all parts of their Diuinitie are full fraught with sophistrie but when we come to this part ouer and aboue what impietie what iniquitie what impuritie doe we find Others occasionally may vnder take other points I wish they would prouided alwayes that they doe it soundly discreetly considering what a precious what a tender thing a good Conscience is It is not euery mans skill aright to handle it But I haue now to doe with a point of Iniquitie with an vnlawfull reuenge of persons afflicted for Religion We haue here a Reuenge proposed by such afflicted persons and we haue Christs doome passed therevpon that such reuenge is vnlawfull See it in the Text. First the Affliction The Samaritans would not receiue Christ And this Affliction was for Religion Christ was not receiued because his face was as if he would goe to Ierusalem It was great inhumanitie not to entertaine a stranger but the reason improues it as high as Impietie if we therefore fare the worse at the hands of men because wee are well disposed to serue God Being so farre vrged Zeale cannot hold surely Iames and Iohn could not as was their name so were they Sonnes of Thunder were they called and the Exhalations they breath are very hot And yet marke though they are bold to propose yet are they not so bold as to resolue They propose their Desire their Reason Their desire is Fire a cruell weapon and they would not haue it spare a iot it must consume their enemies make a finall and a fearefull spectacle of these vngodly Samaritans A sharpe desire And yet they sticke not at it and why it is not singular they haue though not a Rule yet an Example for it Elias did so that is the reason He dealt so with the old Samaritans when they wronged him and shall these new Samaritans escape better that thus wrong Christ This they propose But they doe not resolue as if they were conscious to themselues that they may erre they submit their desire to God and to Christ They desire Fire consuming Fire but it is from Heauen they would haue no other then God would send Nay they would not haue that except Christ be pleased Master wilt thou if thou say Nay we haue done Behold Nature and Grace and how Grace doth stop the furie of Nature Grace doth somewhat but the Fountaine
true Oliue is the Iew and if the Gentile partake of the fatnesse thereof he must be grafted thereinto and become a Branch of that Oliue To the Ephesians more plainly more fully he maketh the receiuing of the Gentiles into the Church to bee an admission into the Couenant into the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes 3. a becomming one body with them But as the Gentile becommeth a Iew so is it not a Iew according to the flesh but according to the spirit A Sonne of Abraham he is but a spirituall Sonne the partition wall is taken downe yea the Arke it selfe is remoued Ieremy 3. and the Ceremonies which cloath the Religion of the Iewes cease they are not imposed vpon the Gentiles Yea the Iew himselfe becommeth a Gentile the Iew I say becommeth a Gentile carnally as the Gentile becommeth a Iew spiritually Of the ten Tribes it is most cleare that after their Captiuity they neuer returned and there is no such Nation to be heard of in the world they are mingled with other Nations and become Gentiles according to the flesh And as for the other two Tribes that made vp the Kingdome of Iuda many thousands of them were conuerted to the Christian Faith in the daies of the Apostles and yet there is not extant any Nationall Church of them neither was there long extant any they also are become Gentiles according to the flesh And God that buried the bodie of Moses so that it could not be found lest the Iewes should commit Idolatry with that body whereby God had wrought so great Miracles seemes also to haue as it were buried so many Iewes as became Christians by mingling them with the Gentiles lest that superstition which hath besotted the Gentiles to goe a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land should haue wrought more strongly in making them dote vpon that holy people But God hath turned all the world into a Canaan hath of all Nations compounded the Israel of God Of a truth saith St. Peter I see there is no respect of Persons with God but in euery Nation whosoeuer beleeueth and feareth God is accepted of him There is neyther Iew nor Gentile Graecian nor Barbarian bond nor free but all are one in Christ all are contained vnder this name Vs. In the Prophet vpon this ground Israel seemes to note the Gentiles Ezek. 37. when both Iuda and Israel are remembred to bee conuerted to God and the whole house of Iacob You see of what Nation the People is now see of what Condition Borne to Vs giuen to Vs. And who are we for whom God hath done this Gifts are bestowed vpon Persons eyther for their worth or for their need For their worth and so they are Munera honoraria they are presented in dutifull acknowledgement of their worth whether it be worth of vertue or worth of degree For their need and so they are Munera eleemosynaria conferred out of a pitifull compassion of others wants This gift is not of the first kinde it cannot be Honorarium There was no worth in vs which God should honour with this gift bestowed vpon vs. Our degree was of no regard our vertue of much Iesse the former was none in comparison and the later was none at all It must then be Munus eleemosynarium and indeed so it was the Scripture so speaketh of it Through the tender mercy of our God the day-spring from on high hath visited vs so saith Zacharie And St. Paul Tit. 3. After the kindnesse and loue of our Sauiour towards man appeared not by workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but of his mercy he saued vs. And indeed it was a worke of great mercy For whereas there is but duplex malum malum Poenae and malum Culpae a double euill of Sinne and Woe we were plunged deepe in both deep in Sin deepe in Woe To pity him that is deep in woe is not strange it seemeth to be the proper act of Mercy but pity towards Malefactors the Philosophers acknowledge none No man say they pitieth a Thiefe when he goeth to the Gallowes or a Murderer feeling the stroke of Iustice how much lesse would they pity them if the sinne were against themselues and that committed by a Vassall against his Lord a Vassall that had receiued much fauour against his Lord from whom he receiued it In such a case they acknowledge no pity Yet this is our case and we haue found pity so great pity that Christ was borne for Vs and Christ was giuen vnto Vs. So that of this pity as well Causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely the Cause but the Occasion must be found in God It is cleare that the proper Cause is the goodnesse of God and it is as cleare that the occasion also must bee fetched from him Were there onely malum Poenae in vs there might bee found in vs an Occasion of Mercie but seeing there is also malum Culpae there cannot but bee an Occasion of Iustice Our double Euill worketh a double Occasion and so maketh Mercie and Iustice as it were to striue in God And indeed both take their occasions Natus satisfied Iustice for a Person came forth that was able to giue full satisfaction vnto Iustice but Datus satisfied Mercy because this Person was freely bestowed vpon Vs. So that if we put Borne for Vs and Giuen to Vs together we see the sweet Harmony that is in the Quire of Gods Attributes None singeth alone they concent together yet so that some one doth most loudly speak the praise of God and in our case Mercy reioyceth ouer Iudgement For though our sinnes haue occasioned Iustice and therefore Christ was borne for Vs that he might satisfie that iustice that was too heauie for vs yet our Woe occasioned Mercy which gaue Christ vnto Vs that in our own Person we might enioy the Blessings of God We are borne for our selues that we may liue and haue all the comfort of our life present to come blessings which we wanted and by which when we receiue them our state is the better It is not so with Christ he was borne for others not for himselfe and giuen to others not to himselfe for what wanted he whereof he needed a supply Hee was in the forme of God and what good is there that is not in the Nature of God which is the ouerflowing Fountaine of all good Looke vpon the State of Christ this Point will appeare clearly No man will doubt but his Birth was for the good of others that considereth that his glory is not his owne but ours He sitteth indeed at the right hand of God and is lifted vp aboue all Angels and Arch-angels and euery Name that is named in Heauen and Earth in this World and that which is to come but what gaineth he by it who was from eternity most high in the glory of his Father Christ himselfe affirmeth it Iohn 17. Glorifie mee O Father with that glory
a passing of our bounds Our lusts are apt to range and exceed God sets bounds vnto them by his Law hee would hold them in but it will not be we are Sonnes of Belial we will beare no yoake we breake Gods bands and cast his cordes from vs. Psal 2. The first euill of sinne is it maketh a lawles man and who doth not know that liueth in a society what an vnhappie libertie the lawles haue But why will man be lawles forsooth he thinkes that the more hee hath his will the more hee shall compasse his owne ends he thinks so but it proues not so that appeares in the next name of sinne that is Chata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and noteth a shooting cleane besides the Marke When wee become Masterles the vpshot of our endeauour is to mistake euill for good and reape woe where wee looked for rest The wicked Wisd 5. confesse this truth and all Histories are but Chronicles of it they testifie that lawlesse men haue finally missed of that whereat they aymed yea that they haue therein bin deceiued most wherein they seemed vnto themselues to haue succeeded best And doth not this Name of Sinne then argue a sinner to be a Wretch But that which is the height of Euill in Sinne is noted in the third word Gnaon Peruersenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeed Sin is nothing but the peruerting of a Creature God made the Great and the little World to set forth his owne Glorie but sinne turneth both to his dishonour God made the little World to be Lord ouer the great and Sinne turneth the Lord into the Seruant and the Seruant into the Lord God made Man a Consort for Angels Sin doth range Man with the Feinds of Hell Finally God made Man after his owne Image Sin doth change him into the Image of the Diuell most wretched peruersnesse Now seeing this threefold Euill is found in sinne as the Names thereof giue vs to vnderstand we cannot doubt but Sinne doth make a Miserable Man hee that is infected with it will confesse it though he be a King Certainely King Dauid doth He was at this time a King a victorious a glorious King obeyed by many Nations abounding in al kind of worldly prosperity Add thereunto that same gracious Entaile of his Crowne sent vnto him from God 2. Sam. 7. the verie crowne of blessings But see being stung with the Conscience of Sinne hee is sensible of none of these neither doth hee finde Comfort in any of them notwithstanding all these he confesseth himselfe a Wretch Wherein wee may obserue by the way the difference betweene the iudgement of flesh and blood and of a Child of God concerning that which maketh Happie the one placeth it in the Things of this life the other in the Peace of God And indeede so long as it is not well betweene God and vs all the World can giue vs no Content the consciousnes of sinne if we haue as feeling hearts as King Dauid had feeling the mischieuous nature of sinne wee will account our selues but Wretches and wee will with him fall to our Miserere mei Haue Mercie vpon me c. which is the second part of my Text. The Correlatiue of Miserie is Mercy as there were no neede of Mercy were there no Misery so because there is Miserie there is a remedie prouided for it and that is Mercy The Verbe doth properly signifie Be gracious to mee Grace is free loue so teacheth Saint Austin Non est gratia vllo modo si non sit omni modo gratuita that fauour deserueth not the name of Grace that can be either merited or requited But yet there are two sorts of this Grace one Quae datur non merenti another Quae datur immerenti The first was the Grace of Creation it proceeded from the free Goodnes of God for there was no possibilitie of Mans Deseruing before hee had his Being therefore was his Being a guift of Grace The second is the Grace of Redemption this proceeds also from Gods free Goodnesse this was vouchsafed to Man when he deserued the contrary he deserued eternall Death but God vouchsafed him eternall Life This speciall kind of Grace is called Mercy Therefore considering the Argument the Translator did not amisse in restrayning the amplitude of the words and rendring it Haue Mercy for Euangelicall Grace is Mercy and it is such Grace that is meant in this place But this Mercy is considered either in Affectu or Effectu as it is in God or as it manifests it selfe vpon Man The Remedy of Misery is Mercie but that Mercy must containe not only a Gracious disposition towards man but a powerfull operation vpon him God must be well affected so as that Mans state also may be altered In Miseries plea for Mercie these two cannot be seuered without Impietie or Blasphemie 1. Blasphemie for Sin Compassion are incōpatible if the one be not conceiued as the remouer of the other but he doth not so conceiue them that looks only to the Affection looketh not also for the Action of Mercy therefore he blasphemes the Author thereof Secondly there is Impietie in it for it argueth that a Man would be free from Gods displeasure but he would not part with that which offends his pure eyes Hee loueth to be a sinner And this is plaine Impietie But what are the effects of Mercy euen as many as are the euills of Sin In sin then there are two Euills the Guilt and the Corruption thereof the Guilt is resembled to a Debt 〈◊〉 1◠indeed it is a plaine Debt a double Debt for in euery sinne that wee commit we grow in arrerages vnto God in regard of the duty which wee owe him and God growes in Arrerages vnto vs in regard of the punishment that is due vnto vs. Now of these debts God keepeth a Booke all our misdeeds are recorded before him 〈◊〉 5. and of these Bookes there is mention made in the Reuel where the Soone of Man is represented vpon his Tribunall iudging all the World according to those things that are found in the Bookes that are open before him As in regard of the Guilt Sinnes are compared to Debt so in regard of the Corruption they are compared vnto Staines Staines of all sorts to Froth to Foame to Scumme to Drosse to Mire to all sorts of diseases and impurities of the flesh And indeed how can they bee other seeing they are the insection that wee receiue from the vncleane Spirit This being briefly obserued Let vs now consider of Dauids Prayer his Prayer for the Affection and Operation of Mercy First for the Affection in these Words Miserere Haue Mercy The Affection is the Roote from whence springs the Operation wee learne it in another Psalme Psal 80. Cause thy face to shine and we shall be saued therefore he doth well to make sure of that first because no hope of the other if hee speede not
not haue Gods paines so wasted vpon him hee would haue it sort a good effect and make him to bee as without blame in regard of Innocency so without spot in regard of Sanctitie we must desire that wee may bee renewed aswell as discharged as thoroughly renewed as fully discharged that we may be acceptable in Gods eyes and comfortable in our owne Put now these two together the description of Miserie and the Petition for Mercy and you shall finde diuerse remâ—akable things therein First that Miserie presenting it selfe vnto Mercy doth take a right course Nathan did charge Dauid with sinne and threatned him many plagues you finde not heere that he doth mention Gods plagues but his owne sinnes he spends his desire not in deprecating the Plagues but in ridding himselfe of his Sinnes And this is good spirituall wisedome for seeing plagues come for sinnes wee are sure that we shall neuer eate of that Fruit if we plucke this Tree vp by the roots if sinne cleaue not to vs we need not feare Gods wrath either we shall not feele it or we shall bee the better for it Pharoah and Pharoah-like Men haue an eye to their plagues not to their sinnes and therefore as he so they are eased of one plague to fall vnder another if Gods Mercy heare our Prayers and ease vs of any Affliction and doe not rid vs of our sinne let vs assure our selues that we are but like a Prisoner reprieued that may bee hanged when he least feares death Secondly Miserie must learne of King Dauid to lay it selfe fully open that it may be fully cured Ambros Quis nostrum qui peccatum confitetur non perstringendum potius quam repetendum putet When we repent happily we can be contented to glance at our sinnes but we will bee loath to looke farre into them and search our wounds to the quicke But King Dauid doth not so hee doth aswell amplifie Sinne the Cause of his Misery as he doth distinctly sue for the branches of Gods Mercy Gods Mercy And indeed God is the Person to whom he sueth for Mercy he directeth his Prayer vnto him from him he doth expect this Mercy But here is a Paradox for he that is ougly in his owne eyes how can he but be odious in Gods and how dares a guilty Prisoner offer himselfe at the Bar of his Iudge Gods face is against those that do euill Psal 34.15 to root out their remembrance from the earth This is true and yet Dauid goeth to him and no maruaile there is no flying from him but to him hee only can restore a sinner restore him to his owne fauour and rid him of that that intercepteth the influence of the coÌ„fortable beames of grace the Church confesseth it in the Collect it is Gods property to haue mercy and it sayth it according to the Scripture Daniel confesseth it 2. Cor. 1.3 To thee O Lord God belongeth Mercy and forgiuenesse Saint Paul maketh God the Father of Mercies Moses or God rather speaking to Moses sheweeh vs that it is an especiall branch of Gods glory in that Proclamation which hee maketh Exod. 34. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering c. But as Mercy is Naturall vnto God so it is not comfortable vnto vs but as it is deriued through Christ therefore we must marke the Words Chesed and Racham words wherein King Dauid doth expresse Gods Mercy for they note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Affection the bowells of a Father towards his Children Now God is not a Father vnto vs but by Adoption and we are not adopted but in Christ which is the onely Sonne God doth except vs in his Beloued in him it is that he hath Mercie vpon vs Therefore these very Words louing kindnesse are in the New Testament applyed to Christ comming in the flesh Christ also in the Old Testament is noted by the Propitiatory or Mercy-seate and in the New Testament he is called our Propitiation 1. Iohn 2.2 Heb. 2.17 and Mercifull high Priest The nature of sinfull men without Christ and God that is iudge of all the World are Infestissimi inimici they will neuer agree together our infirmitie will be ouerwhelmed by the diuine Maiestie but it is Christ that turneth the dreadfull Tribunall into a Throne of Grace Neither must we seeke onely for Gods kind affection in Christ but his gracious Actions also no hope of Dele nor Laua but in him and by him It is true that God by the Prophet tells vs that it is he that blots out our sinnes for his owne sake Esay 43 44.59 27. and bloâ—teth them out like a cloud and casts our sinnes into the Sea But hee doth not this immediately hee doth it by Christ Daniel teacheth Chap. 9. Coloss 2.14 that Hee was to finish wickednesse seale vp sinnes and reconcile iniquitie Saint Paul teacheth it saying that Christ fastened and cancelled the Obligation that was against vs on his Crosse Finally the Father sent him and he sent his Apostles with power to remit and to retayne sins which must needs implie that Dele blot out belongeth to Him And as Dele so Laua Zacharie foretold it In that day meaning the dayes of the Gospell there shall be a fountaine opened to the House of Dauid Zâ—ch 13. and to the Inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleanesse Saint Paul sheweth the accomplishment of it Ephe. 5 Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the Word that hee might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame Neither must we be beholding to Christ only for these gracious Actions רב but for their measure also The Text tells vs that there is not onely Mercy in God but that Mercy is of a large size it is called here Rob we translate it Multitude it signifieth also Magnitude The Conscience of a Sinner is afflicted some times with the Number sometimes with the excesse of sinne least we should sinke vnder either burden this word must specially be heeded which doth assure a distressed Conscience that there commeth not only Mercy from God but Great Mercy also so Great as that his Mercy reioyceth ouer his Iudgement there lieth an Appeale from God vnto God from God the Righteous to God the Gracious and God in regard of his Mercy is in a manner Greater then himselfe with this Moses presseth God significantly Num. 14. Now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be Great according as thou hast spoken saying The Lord is slow to anger and of Great Mercy c. in the whole period hee importuneth him to shew that his Mercy exceeds his Iustice. The Scripture doth amplifie this point by setting downe the dimensions of his Mercy telling vs sometimes 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 11 33.
Psal 145. Psal 25. of the hight of it it reacheth vnto Heauen sometimes of the depth of it it fetcheth men from Hell sometimes of the width of it it is ouer all his workes sometimes of the length of it it hath bin euer of old His tender Compassions faile not they are renewed euery Morning Lamen 3. But all this is to bee vnderstood in Christ his Incarnation his passion the whole Redemption that hee wrought is indeed Magna Misericordia a wonderfull Mercy Saint Paul mentioning the breadth the length the depth and the hight of it teacheth vs that it passeth all knowledge Ephe. 3. Neither is it Great onely but in this Greatnesse we must obserue Magnitudinem Multitudinem Saint Chrisostome doth excellently amplifie this poynt in regard of both branches Ores nouas inauditas Behold and wonder the first fruits of those that come to Christ are those which were most desperately enthrauled to Satan Magi Publicani Meretrices latro blasphemus the Conuersion of such persons is an vndoubted Argument of the Magnitude of his Mercy And touching the Multitude beleiue his answer to Saint Peter Mat. 18. â—â— who asking Christ Whether hee should forgiue his Brother seauen times replied Not only seauen times but seauentie times seauen Eze. 18.21 At what time soeuer a Sinner doth repent from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance sayth the Lord. And verely were it not for this double Greatnesse that is in Gods Mercy few should bee saued for Psal 130. If thou Lord shouldest bee extreame to marke what is done amisse who were able to stand but with thee there is Mercy we would despaire of our cure if there were not such physicke of our great sores if there were not such a soueraigne medicine but this is our comfort Where sinne aboundeth Grace aboundeth much more Rom. 3.20 There is no sinne either so great or manifold which cannot be remedied by the Mercifull bowells of Christ It was Cains voice Gen. 4. my sinne is greater then can be forgiuen but a Father Saint Austin I thinke replieth to him Mentiris Cain this thy complaint is a blasphemous derogation from the vnmeasurable bowells of Christ and the Nouatians were long since condemned by the Church which straightned the power of the Remission of sinnes which Christ hath left vnto the Pastors Marke now the Correspondencie of the branches of this Text. Wee found Magnitude and Multitude in the Miserie of Dauid and they did need a Magnitude and Multitude in the gracious operations of Mercie and here we doe finde in the third place that Mercy is so well stored that it can doe as much as is required by Miserie Whereupon two thinges follow It is vnbeseeming diuine Mercy to bee scant in giuing and humane Miserie is foolishly modest that is spare in asking But this Diuinitie must not be abused it was neuer intended to encourage Presumption but God would haue it published to keepe men from Desperation It is wholesome Doctrine for them that are Miserabiles which labour and are heauie laden with the burden of their sin but it is dangerous to them that are onely Miseri such as are grieuous sinners but haue no sense of their wretched state The last point in the Text is Secundum Misericordiam Haue mercy vpon me according to that which is in Thee not that which is in Mee Nothing to moue God but onely the free goodnesse of God certainely to moue Mercy nothing else can be pleaded by Miserie Dauid had done many good things Omnes voluntates Dei as Saint Paul saith Acts 13. hee had restored Church and Common Weale and made many sweet Songs to the honor and prayse of God But he remembreth none of all these in his Prayer he doth not desire to speede for any of those And why Bona Opera Deo placere possunt Deum placare non possunt while wee doe them though imperfect yet are they well pleasing vnto God thorough Christ but if we doe contrary vnto them we may not pleade them for Satisfactions for our sinne No Gods Rule is Eze. 18. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not bee mentioned therefore Dauid prayeth discreetly when he referreth God to his owne Goodnes and pleades nothing of his owne Worth and we must in the like Case lay before God only our beggery and commend that vnto Gods Mercy the lesse we haue the more wee shall find in him if wee are not ashamed to confesse our owne basenes and his Goodnesse But it is time to draw to an end Audi peccator orantem peccatorem whosoeuer thou art that art a sinner learne from King Dauid the argument of penitent Prayer It must represent a feeling Miserie and a tender Mercy and the feeling of Misery must make vs seeke vnto tender Mercy It was a strange errour in Saint Peter that when he had seene a glimpse of Christs Glorie Luke 5. â— brake out into these words Goe from me Lord for I am a sinfull Man hee should rather haue desired that Christ would approach him for with whom should a Patient desire rather to be then with his Physitian or a Sinner then with his Sauiour Surely Saint Peter at another time Iohn 13.2 though at first he made dainty that Christ should wash his feete yet when Christ told him except I wash thee thou canst haue no part in me replied Wash Lord and not my feete onely but my hands and my head also There is none of vs that doth not daily runne in arrerages to God that doth not staine that garment of Innocencie which he receiued in his Baptisme and what should we do then being in such a case but that our selues may be written in the booke of life desire that our sinnes may be blotted out of the Booke of death that we be not cast out of heauenly Hierusalem â—euel 7.14 as an vncleaÌ„e thing wash our garments white in the blood of the Lambe No doubt but as King Dauid so wee shall haue Paroxismes sharpe sits of despaire when our Conscience curiously suruaieth our Miserie But the eyes of our soule must not dwell there we must lift them vp vnto the Mercy-seate et abyssus abyssum inuocet let the depth of our Misery seeke a reliefe in the depth of Gods Mercy be our sins neuer so many bee they neuer so great we shall find more bowells of tender Mercy greater loue kindnesse there then our Sinnes can need Yea not onely finde them there in God but seele them also streaming from thence to the full reliefe of our distressed soules We shall feele them so acquitting so cleansing vs that we shall be assured that we are vessells of Mercy though we deserue for our sinnes to be Vessells of Wrath. I Shut vp all with this Prayer O Lord Righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee but
vnto vs confusion of faces to our God also belonge Mercies and forgiuenesse though we bee plunged deepe in Miserte and Sinnes Cause thy face O Lord to shine vpon vs thy seruants and let not our sinnes seperate betweene thee and vs remit the Guilt purge the Corruption of vs miserable sinners which doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne Righteousnesse but for thy great Mercies though our sinnes witnesse against vs yet deale with vs according to thy Name for great are thy Mercies AMEN PSAL. 51. ver 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sinne is euer before mee THis Psalme as heretofore you haue heard consists of two Vowes both were made by King Dauid one for himselfe another for his Kingdome the first doth expresse his Desire and his Promise his Desire to bee restored vnto and preserued in the state of Grace his Promise if hee speede hereof to performe religious seruice vnto God In the former Petition of his Desire there are two remarkeable things the Matter contained in it and the Manner of King Dauids redoubling it of the Matter I haue already spoken wherefore I now come on vnto the Manner And herein we must obserue first the Inference then the Amplification that is how that which followeth is brought in vpon that which goeth before and how King Dauid enlargeth himselfe in vnfolding the Confession of his owne Miserie and Petition for Gods Mercy In the Inference we shall learne that as God hath Mercy so it is for such as are sensible of their Miserie in the Amplification we shall learne that hee which is sensible must shew himselfe not onely ingenious in displaying his owne wretchednesse but bee assured also of the Remedie which is prouided by Gods Goodnesse But to looke more particularly into the former branch of the Amplification behold therein how King Dauid doth rip vp his sinnes the Branches the Root thereof the sinne which himselfe hath committed and the sinne which hee hath deriued from his Parents hee layeth open both both the Debt and the Vsury so Saint Chrysostom calls them Homil. ad Neophytos Hee beginneth at the sinne which himselfe hath committed he vseth not the querulous Prouerbe of the Iewes the fathers haue eaten sowre Grapes Ier. 34.29 and the Childrens teeth are set onedge the remembrance of his wofull Inheritance doth not make him forget his owne graceles Purchase no hee mindes this first hee first amplifieth the Debt which himselfe hath contracted In laying open this he obserueth two things the naturall Properties thereof and the supernaturall Euent which followeth thereupon the naturall Properties are two a Malignity and an Impiety he handles the Impietie in the next verse the Malignitie in this that I haue now read vnto you Malignity is a vexing euill first there is euill in his sinne hee toucheth a double euill euill of the Heart and euill of the Head of the Heart noted by the word Peshang which signifieth a rebellious inordinatnes of the will of the Head noted by Chata which noteth an erring Iudgement or misleading aduise these two euills are in sinne enormous sinne and where they are there they vexe for they are Coram or Contra before vs or Against vs the word beareth both significations and therefore it is translated both wayes and if we couple them as well we may then you shall finde that enormous sinne committed doth haunt our thoughts and afflict our wills Neither onely doe they so but they doe so incessantly so saith the Text they are Semper Coram Semper Contra Alwaies before vs and Against vs alwaies vexing both our Head and our Heart Of this King Dauid is ingeniously feeling and testifieth the truth of it in his owne Case in his owne Case I say for the sinne which he remembreth is his owne My transgressions My sinnes the disease of mine owne Head and mine owne Heart therefore saith King Dauid I am feeling feeling in my Head and feeling in my Heart for Agnosco I Acknowledge it Acknowledging importeth a worke of the Head which is Noscere to know and a worke of the Heart which is Agnoscere to Acknowledge the vse of knowledge the applying of it to our Liues Neither is King Dauid only feeling hereof but ingenious also in publishing the same for he did Acknowledge it in this Psalme These bee the particulars which offer themselues in this Text and whereunto God willing I shall now speake more fully and answerably vnto this * The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 of Welles Occasion But I must first touch at the Inference and shew you how these and the following words are brought in vpon those that goe before Haue mercy vpon me O Lord c. saith King Dauid for I acknowledge my transgressions c. Obserue then Mans deuotion must follow Gods direction neither may we hope otherwise to speede then we are waranted by his Promise Now God doth not promise Mercy but to those that are feeling of their Miserie in the beginning of the Leiturgie we heare daily out of Ezek. Eâ—c 18.21.22 At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his Heart I will put al His wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord Ioel. 2.13 and therefore out of Ioel we are called vpon to Rent our Hearts and not our Garments and turne vnto the Lord our God because hee is gentle and mercifull patient and of much mercy and such an one as is sorric for our Afflictions Mâ—t. 5.6 to this purpose doth our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell pronounce them Blessed that hunger and thirst after righteousnes saying Mâ—â— 11. â— they shall be satisfied and inuiteth those that Labour and are heauie laden saying he will refresh them Although then wee doe yeeld that the Mercy of God is infinite and that it is readie to releiue all wretches yet wee may not forget that in obtayning it there are Partes nostrae as Chrysostom speaketh there is some thing that God requires on our part hee requires that we approue vnto him our Repentance Saint Austin sets it forth in a prettie Dialogue betweene God and King Dauid Quidergo quaeris miserecordiam pecatum impunitum remanebit what saith God vnto King Dauid doest thou seeke for mercy so that thy sinne may remaine vnpunished Respondet Dauid respondeant Lapsi King Dauid replied and all sinners must ioyne in this answer with King Dauid Non Domine Nay Lord my sinne shall not bee vnpunished I know his Iustice whose mercy I implore my sinne shall not passe vnpunished but therefore would not I haue thee punish it because I doe punish it my selfe and so Chrysostome I see my sinne O Lord therefore doe not thou see it I register it in this Psalme therefore doe thou blot it out of thy Booke Agnosco ignoscas therefore pardon because I am penitent 1. Cor. 11. And indeed it is the Apostles Rule That if we would
other Fathers tell vs that the particle vt noteth not Causam but Consecutionem not the end but the euent of sin I called it a supernaturall Euent An Euent is that which followeth vpon a former thing Accidentally though naturally it cannot flow from it Sinne is destructiue of good and therefore cannot aduance the Prayse of God wee see it in euery particular for what are they but breaches of that Law in the performance where of standeth Gods honour But what neede I vse any proofe I the last Sabaoth day shewed you that Impiety is one of the Natural properties of sinne It cannot be expected then that so great a good should naturally spring therfrom as is the the Praise of God Therefore though old impure Hereticks and the latter Familists that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse that vse Christian Liberty as a cloake of their Maliciousnesse that hold let vs doe ill that good may come thereof blaspheme Gods holy Truth Row 3.8 and their Condemnation is iust no man may pretend a good intent for his doing ill nor compasse a good end by ill meanes except he meane to goe for a Libertine But though Gods Prayse doe not naturally flow from sinne and so be the proper end thereof yet an Euent it may bee and follow thereupon But this Euent cannot be Naturall for the Creature that is mutable may ruine it selfe of it selfe and of it selfe dishonor God but hauing ruined it selfe and dishonored him it cannot of it selfe repaire either its owne state or His honour it is onely God can doe this this is a worke of diuine prouidence it doth exercise al the Branches therof Gods Wisdome to contriue it Gods Goodnes to affect it and finally it cannot be effected without his power The mixture of the Law and the Gospell is such a secret of Gods wisdome as could neuer haue entred into the heart of a creature that the fall of man should be foelix culpa produce a more glorious raising of him who could euer haue dreamd or to keepe my selfe to my text may not we all stand amazed when we read that such a son as Solomon should be born of Bathsheba with whom K. Dauid had committed so foule an offence But as we must admire Gods wisdome in such works so must we much more his goodnes that testifieth his loue to sinfull man in being willing that his wisdome shall yeeld such remedy to mans distresse But God is pleased to let the world see in the freedom of his loue quod dare non dignis res mage digna Deo such goodnes can be found no where out of God Finally the power of God shined herein which was to encounter with so many difficulties we hold God omnipotēt because he made heauen earth of nothing but the Fathers hold that the restitution is a greater worke then the creation if the former need an omnipotent power much more the later The reason is because as there was nothing to help so there was nothing to hinder in the creation but in the restitution God was encountred ab intra ab extra frō within and from without From within by his own Iustice he was faine to ouermaster it with his Mercy from without by the powers of darknes who stroue to keep possession of man yea by mans own peruersenes who is too willingly a slaue to sin Satan Gene. 50. but of Satans Temptation we may vse the words of Ioseph to his Brethren Vos cogitastis malè Deus autem bene Ye thought euill against vs but God meant it vnto good and concerning our owne peruersenes wee may vse the words of the Psalme As a Father pitieth his Children Psal 103. so the Lord pitieth vs marke the reason for he knoweth our frailty he remembreth that we are but dust It is God only God that can cause such Euents And miserable were the state of the world if he did not cause them for else the Church had long since come to nothing How quickly had Adam dissolued the Couenant and when God had restored it by such a supernaturall Euent the Sonnes of God dissolued it againe God was faine to redouble the Euentin Noah in his posterity it fayled the third time and a third time was God faine to renew the Euent in Abraham And thus hath it gon on in all ages of the world God hath bin faine to shew that the Infidelity of Man cannot euacuate the fidelity of God that hee will be true though all the world be liars Rom. 3.4 2. Cor. 4.6 that hee can draw light out of darkenesse when darkenesse hath extinguished Light Such is his Omniscient Wisedome and Omnipotent Goodnesse The ground of all which proceeding is the freedome of Gods loue that had no Cause without him when it first began it is continued by no Cause besides himselfe for those duties the performance whereof doe seeme to entertaine Gods Loue what are they but the influences of his free Grace Wherefore I conclude with Saint Bernard Maior est Dei pietas quam quaeuis iniquitas or rather with Gods own words Ego Deus et non mutor I am the Lord which change not Malac. 3.6 therefore you Sonnes of Iacob are not consumed it is of the Lords morcy that we are not consumed Iament 3 2◠because his Compassions faile not they are renewed euery morning great is thy faithfulnesse the same God that told Noah Gen. 8. I will not againe curse the ground for Mans sake and giueth this for a reason for the Imagination of Mans Heart is euill from his youth doth implie that we must seeke for the cause of this strange Euent not on Earth but in Heauen wee must hold it to bee not an Earthly but an Heauenly Euent and so to be not Naturall but Supernaturall as at first I told you And this refutes all Manichees who dreame of two Gods a Good and a Bad and will haue the Good only to intermeddle with things that are good and the Bad with the things that are bad but here we may learne that there is but one God and that one God is good though good yet intermedling with that which is bad intermedling with it out of bad to draw that which is good and so to make it matter of his Glory for Malum non quâ malum sed quâ ordinatum as Saint Austin teacheth cedit in Gloriam Dei In Enchyr. And so haue I opened vnto you the meaning of this Text so farre as I finde it in this Psalme that is in Hypothesi applied to King Dauids Case And there is no doubt but King Dauid in speaking of them had an Eye to himselfe and in reference to himselfe did penitentially vtter them But Saint Paul hath taught vs in the Epistle to the Romans to turne this Hypothesis into a Thesis Chap. 3. and apply this Text to the whole Church And indeed if you remember that I told you
this solemne time All Saints day and of the blessed Sacrament which wee shall now receiue and my Text is well fitting to them both to the time for turne the deprecation into a supplication and what will it sound then but King Dauids desire to continue a Saint What is a Saint Is it not a person that is vouchsafed to attend the presence of God And is furnished with the holy Spirit of God And he that prayeth Take not from mee thy holy Spirit cast mee not out of thy presence what doth hee desire but this Lord continue mee what thou hast once made me let me euer bee a Saint And now you see how true that is which at the entrance I obserued my Text is a Prayer for perseuerance in grace it was King Dauids Prayer it must bee the Prayer of All Saints I hope wee are all such and that wee may neuer be other let vs timely pray against those fearefull iudgements of spirituall reiection and depriuation pray so we must and that wee pray not in vaine loe yonder is a gracious answere to our Prayer wee shall find it at the Table of the Lord that I may touch at the Sacrament as I haue done at the time Would any man be sure that hee is of Gods Family What better euidence can he haue then that he is fed at Gods Table Certainly hee is not cast out that is allowed his Ordinarie there Doth any man desire to continue in him the possession of Gods Spirit Loe yonder is the fuell that feeds that heauenly fire the bread the drinke are both Spirituall they are pledges they are Conduits of the Spirit of God the Spirit will neuer faile them that worthily doe partake of these And why it is Christs Spirit and where Christ is his Spirit must needes goe also But yonder is the fariest picture that euer was made of Christ goe to it receiue it that thou maist become one with it and it with thee so shalt thou be euer sure euer to be of the familie of God thou shalt stand before his presence thou shalt euer weare his liuery and keepe possession of his spirit Feare not thou hast Christ promise Iohn 6. Him that commeth to me I will not câ—â—â— forth and God hath said Heb. 13. I will neuer leaue thee nor for sake thee Onely le◠〈◊〉 not be senselesse of our danger nor carelesse of these good meanes LOrd our sinnes are many they are great but thou hast giuen Dauid a prerogatiue beyond Saul to the Family of Dauid beyond the Family of Saul to true Penitents beyond gracelesse Sinners Vouchsafe vs all to be such Penitents that we may enioy there prerogatiue when we sinne let vs not forget to returne in time and that we be not swallowed vp of these fearefull iudgements of reiection and depriuation heare vs graciously when we cry humbly Cast vs not away from thy presence and take not thine holy Spirit from vs. PSAL. 51. VERSE 12. Restore vnto me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with a free Spirit KIng Dauids desire to bee continued in the state of grace is conceiued in two Prayers one against that which himselfe deserued another for that without which hee could not perseuere I haue alreadie opened the former Prayer I come now to the later This later Prayer then that you may the better vnderstand I will obserue therein what King Dauid beggeth and of whom That which he beggeth is a restitution and a confirmation restore stablish Wee must moreouer obserue in the restitution whereof it is and in the confirmation wherewith it is wrought The restitution is of a comfortable sense of Gods grace Gods grace is noted by saluation whereof the comfortable sense is ioy The Confirmation is wrought by a generous disposition the disposition is meant in the word Spirit which that it may be generous must be free Such a comfortable sense and such a generous disposition are the two supporters of perseuerance by them are the children of God continued in the state of grace But whence doe they get them Surely only from God it is he that withdraweth in displeasure and therefore it is hee that in mercie must restore the comfortable sense as our being so our well being subsists only in him and therefore only by him can we be confirmed therein therefore King Dauid desirous to speed of these meanes of perseuerance seeketh them where they may be had hee beggeth them at the hands of God These are the contents of this text which I will inlarge and apply in their order But in the passage I may not forget to obserue vnto you that for obtayning perseuerance the deprecation will not suffice without a supplication it is not enough to be freed from the impediments except wee bee vouchsafed the meanes of perseuerance put the case our Master should neuer in this World turne vs out of his Family which is the Church nor strip vs of his Liuerie which is his holy Spirit yet if wee bee not prouided of meanes heartning and exercising vs in this seruice better neuer to continue then to continue so in that blessed societie The vnprofitable seruant that hid his Talent in a Napkin abode in the house with his fellowes that were more thrifty 〈◊〉 25. and emplyed their talents to their Masters aduantage but at the reckoning day that idle one was cast into vtter darknesse there to weepe and gnash with his teeth when his fellowes vpon their better account did enter into their Masters ioy God hath done vs all this fauour as to continue our entertainment in the Church we must not neglect our employment in his seruice if wee doe well may Gods fauour increase our paine wee must neuer looke that it will yeeld vs comfort For perseuerance is not a bare continuance in Gods Church and participation of his gifts it requireth that wee make vse of it and aduance his glorie This by the way let vs come now to the particulars whereof the first is saluation The Fathers by this word vnderstand our Sauiour Christ and indeed old Simeon calleth him so in his Song taking Christ in his armes he speaketh thus to God Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation and saluation is included in the Name of Iesus therefore in the Kings Bibles the Latine hath the Name of Iesu insteed of saluation Acts. 18. â— Saint Peter in the Acts telleth vs that there is no other name vnder Heauen by which we may be saued but only the Name of Iesus he is that salutare Dei so often remembred in the Prophets and the sauing grace of God mentioned in Saint Paul Titus 2.11 But we must not vnderstand only the person by this name saluation but also the fruit that springeth from him spirituall and corporall The spirituall I haue handled vpon former Verses it is the discharge from the guilâ— from the corruption of sinne sinne which
if your respect vs which apprehend it by faith for it is nothing else but Gods indulgâ—nce vpon our repentance but if wee looke vnto God then it is plâ—â—â—â— Iustice for it is Instice for him to keepe his promise We must risâ— a step higher and in this word find Christ the Apostle 〈◊〉 vs that he is made righteousnes vnto vs 〈…〉 the Prophet that he is the Lord our righteousnesse And verily this sweete temper of Mercie and Iustice is wrought in him and through him deriued to vs and therefore it is called the righteousnesse of saith and the righteousnesse of God reuealed without the 〈◊〉 when â—â—â—th apprehends stedfaâ—â—ly what God promiseth faithfully then is manifested this mâ—rcifull righteousnesse And see how God putteth it out of all doubt that men are iustified by faith not by the workes of the Law for though it be a true rule that it is so yet when we doe see the â—â—mplâ— of 〈◊〉 worthy a person as King Dauid the rule becomes more eâ—ident Wherefored will neuer bee in the number of those that presuming of their me its and willing to establish their owne righteousnesse will not submit themselues to this righteousnesse of God Psâ— 1. but I will goe in the shâ—â—ngthoâ— the Lord God and will make mention of thy righteousnesse euen of thine onely this mercifull righteousnesse of God There is one pâ—ant more to be obserued in this argument of Dauids denotion which I may not omit it is made by Gregorie the great vpon the word Tuam Hâ—miniâ—sâ—â—â— videtur vt sâ—um vlsciscatur inimicum Dei 〈…〉 consitenti relax â—e offensam At the Barre of man it goeth for 〈◊〉 â—â—e if we repay all men as they desâ—rue but at the Barre of God 〈…〉 we find another kind of Iustice If we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull indâ—ust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse the rule is generall all may haue the benefit of it though ouer and aboue the generall rule 〈…〉 King Dauid had a speciall promise at the performance whereof he aymeth in this place But enough of the argument I come now in few words to open the maner how he performeth his Deuotion His performance is first publike for he will vtter it with his tongue The tongue is in the Scripture called Dauids glorie 〈◊〉 30.12 and the best member that he hath because by it hee did vent what he inwardly conceiued and out of the abundance of his heart his mouth did speake the Angell giueth a good obseruation to young Tobie 〈◊〉 12 It is good to keepe close the secret of a King but it is honorable to ueale the workes of God therefore we must not keepe silence when we haue found mercie The reason is cleare we must not be ashamed to acknowledge our Benefactor so to doe would argue too much selfe-loue and pride and in so doing wee should take vnto our selues the glorie of God Secondly what God doth for vs he doth it to encourage others and how should they be encouraged Psal 34. except we doe informe them What God hath done for our soule And the most naturall meanes of informing is by the tongue by that may we direct the eyes of men to behold Gods doing yea and worke their affections also to entertaine them with due regard particular persons yea whole Congregations may be rowsed may bee perswaded by the tongue therefore I told you that the mention of the tongue doth import that the Deuotion shall be publicke Neither publike onely but cheerefull also for so hee saith that his tongue shall sing a loude and well doth this beseeme King Dauid for hee was the sweete singer of Israel he would bestow his best abilitie in praysing of God The word importeth two things first the propertie of thankes it must not be sullen and dumpish as blessings come readily from God so must they gladly be entertained by men he is vnworthy of them that doth not so expresse the comfort that he taketh in them Secondly the words note the Character of a Triumph which is Exultation we heard before that Dauid was pained with the horror of his sinne and danger out of this if he may escape see what he promiseth hee will make melodie to the Lord he will conceiue his deliuerance in a Psalme so you must vnderstand him he meaneth not a tune without a Dittie but this as other of Gods blessings hee will leaue of record it shall be entred into the Booke of Psalmes But forget not to obserue that whereas the Titles of the Psalmes euen of this Psalme shew that Dauid deliuered his Psalmes to the publike Musicians of the Temple by them to be sung at the seruice of God hee disdained not to act the same part himselfe as he daunced before the Arke in a linnen Ephod so it should seeme by many of his Psalmes he did not thinke scorne to range himselfe also with singers with his hand with his voice to sound and set forth the righteousnesse of God Wee are naturally cheerefull after a danger escaped if it be but corporall how much more should we bee so when the danger escaped is spirituall How should our hearts daunce for ioy and our tongues breake forth into the praises of God But I must conclude in the whole Text we may obserue three notable things the wisedome of faith the confidence of hope and the earnestnesse of charitie The wisedome of faith stands in discerning the true helpe in trouble the confidence of hope stands in laying hold thereon according to our interest in the person the earnestnesse of charitie stands in our feruent importuning of him Secondly the wisdome of our faith stands in selecting the argument of our Deuotion the confidence of our hope stands in our publike profession thereof the earnestnesse of our charitie stands in the alacritie of our spirit in the cheerefull resounding of that publication Of this double wisedome confidence and cheerefulnesse Dauid is here an excellent example vnto vs God giue vs grace to make vse of his example for we may all fall into his case boh of trouble and comfort bodily and ghostly PSAL. 51. VERSE 15. O Lord open thou my Lippes and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise YOu haue heretofore heard from me opening former words of this Psalme that King Dauid out of a thankfull heart promised to glorifie God Now God may be glorified either in regard of some speciall fauour which he vouchsafeth any of vs or in regard of that generall worth which he hath in himselfe Dauid promised to glorifie God both wayes How he would doe it in regard of the speciall fauour which himselfe had receiued I shewed you when I opened the Verse that goeth immediately before and in opening the Verse which now I haue read I must shew you how he would glorifie God in regard of that generall worth which is in God This is the scope of my present Text. Gods generall
God it is a phrase of Equipollencie Exod. 23. it is all one with God which is fairely insinuated vnto Moses wheÌ„ he desireth to see Gods face you shal find in the pursuit of that story that Gods glory Gods goodnes are aequipollent tearmes and it must be our endeauour as far as humaine frailtie will permit herein to resemble God to be nothing to doe nothing but that which may deserue praise And let this suffice concerning the first point the praise of God Let vs now see what King Dauid intends to doe about this praise his intent is to shew it forth I told you the word doth signifie Narrare and Enarrare to deliuer Gods praises by way of Historie and then vpon that he studieth to make a feeling Commentarie In King Dauids Psalmes you may find all kind of Histories you may well call them an abridgement of the Historicall Bookes yea and of the Propheticall too which are a kind of Historie there are few Narrations that tend to the praise of God whereat he hath not touched But his speciall commendations stands in the Enarration in the Commentarie that hee maketh vpon Diuine History he maketh vs see herein that which otherwise we would not heede he maketh vs sensible of that which otherwise wee would not regard Take a touch of it in some particulars Hee hath made many Psalmes of the Creation reade the 8. reade the 19. reade the 104. see how powerfully hee doth worke the obseruation thereof into the hearts of men in the 8. Psalme marke those words O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the Earth and againe What is man that thou art mindfull of him Or the sonne of man that thou visitest him And how powerfull are those words Psalme the 19. The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Day vnto day vttereth speech c. but beyond all goeth 104. Psalme Blesse the Lord O my soule O Lord my God thou art verie great thou art clothed with honour and maiestie c. the 107. Psalme is about Gods Prouidence but marke the Burden that is added to euerie branch Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare his wondrous workes that he doth for the children of men The same method doth he vse in opening the Redemption Psalme 103. the Law Psalme 19. and 119. the Deliuerance out of Aegypt in many Psalmes it were endlesse to goe ouer all particulars take it for a generall rule you shall find in him neuer a Historie whereupon he doth not make such a Commentarie wherein hee doth not point out some thing that is obseruable and endeauour to make vs sensible thereof and to entertaine it as matter of Gods Praise and this is that which he meaneth by shewing forth Wherby with all hee teacheth vs that the occurrents of Gods Prouidence which befall our persons fall out in our times or any way offer themselues vnto vs must be looked into with such a reflecting such an adoring eye that we must take notice of and giue honour vnto God for his power his wisedome his goodnesse his iustice his mercie that shineth herein and sheweth it selfe vnto the world Thus wee must learne to shew forth the praise of God Dauid addes moreouer wherwith he will shew it forth with his mouth with the Mouth that others might heare the Praises And indeede ore fit Confessio as fraudis so Laudis Luke 12.9 men therewith as they must confesse their sinnes so must they set forth Gods praises shew them forth vnto the world for he that will not confesse God before men God will not confesse him before his blessed Angels The Church is a Body and what befals any member may befall euerie one be it matter of hope or feare sorrow or ioy therefore ought euerie man to communicate to the other his case and his knowledge to worke in them by the same meanes the like affection which hee feeleth in himselfe yea though we doe not feele it yet should we haue a fellow-feeling each of the others affections wherof wee cannot ordinarily take notice except each be informed by the others Mouth The Mouth being the ordinarie meanes of communication the trumpe whereby wee doe mutually stirre vp our selues vnto the Prayses of God But when mention is made of the Mouth wee must not exclude the Heart for though the instrument be the Mouth yet the Musitian is the Heart he causeth the tune of the voice to sound and addeth the Dittie to the Tune and certainely the Musicke will neuer be wel-come to God should any part of man be wanting thereunto Psal 103. therefore Dauid thus cals vpon himselfe Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his Holy name Gregorie the Great worketh this obseruation out of the word Meum my mouth there be many saith he that praise God but not with their owne mouth such as are the couetous the wantons c. They personate some other they seeme to take vnto themselues another mans tongue when they vtter that which they conceiue not in their own hearts But let such men know that their Praiers shall neuer haue accesse vnto Gods eares whose hearts are estrainged from Righteousnesse Wherefore let vs imitate Dauid in another place 〈…〉 who said that his Soule should be filled as it were with marrow and fatnesse when hee praiseth God with ioyfull Lippes Where withall we learne a good propertie of him that praiseth and that is hee performeth it with pleasure and indeede no man can sincerely praise 〈…〉 but he must delight in that which hee doth praise for praysing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nyssen speaketh a louing disposition And Saint Austin â—auâ—at Deum veraciter qui eum amat he praiseth God sincerely that loueth he loueth him vnfainedly and if our delight be not in him we must not thinke that we doe as we ought praise him In a word you heard before that Deus was totus Laudabilis wholy to be praised and we must be toti Laudantes haue no part of body or soule that must not be an instrument to sound forth Gods praise our whole life should be a Psalme thereof And let this suffice touching King Dauids Intent The Intent is good but men may intend more then they can doe good men haue beene ouer consident in their good meanings Saint Peter thought he would neuer forsake Christ and hee would die in his desence yet when he was put to it hee not onely cowardly shrunke from him but also fearefully denied him wherefore Dauid is well aduised hee presumeth not of his owne strength but hath recourse vnto Gods helpe O Lord open thou my lippes The Lippes are the doore of the mouth a doore that is shut vp therefore neede to be opened and it is worth the marking that the word which we translate open is not onely of the same originall with a doore in the Hebrew tongue
but it is also a word which the Prophets doe vse in foretelling the miracles of Christ for he was amongst other things to open the mouthes of the Dumbe and in the Gospell working such a cure hee vseth the word Ephata 〈…〉 be thou opened loosing the tongue by the eare But we must vnderstand that in the corporall cure there was an intimation of the spirituall and indeede Christ had neuer come into the world to cure the corporall had it not beene thereby to bring vs to an higher conceite of him that he was the Physitian of our soules and came to enable them to speake the language of Canaan And this is the opening of the lippes which King Dauid here desires This is a great worke great in regard of the difficultie that is in the thing 〈◊〉 6 or the inabilitie that is in vs. There is a difficultie in the thing for we cannot praise God farther then we know him but how little a portion is heard of him 〈…〉 We may speake much saith the sonne of Syracke yet come short when we glorifie the Lord exalt him as much as wee can for euen yet will he sarre exceede and when you exalt him put forth all your strength and be not wearie for you can neuer goe farre enough There are yet hid greater things then these be Psal 14â— 13 for we haue seene but a few of his workes Dauid in few words tels vs that his praise is aboue Heauen and earth that is the conclusion which he sets downe after he had summoned all creatures to praise the Lord. Seeing God then is aboue all praise it is certaine that he cannot bee worthily praised of vs by reason of the difficultie of the worke But were there lesse difficultie in that yet is there great inabilitie in vs inabilitie from our Affections inabilitie from our Conscience From our Affections there are two preualent ones that hinder vs in this worke first Spes Lucri secondly Metus periculi the wages of iniquitie will hire a Balaam a Iudas ro curse Gods people the subiect of Gods praise and though he be the top of Gods praise to betray the Sauiour of the world how many in all Ages haue beene so farre bewitch with worldly honour and profit Haue fallen downe and worshipped the Idoll of mens fancies and blasphemed God and his truth The hopc of gaine is a great tongue tie The feare of danger is a greater the verie Apostles themselues fot a time felt the strength thereof and after their time it made many Renegadoes and Apostata's Iob 2.4 Skin for skinne and all that a man hath will he giue for his life he will redeeme that though it be with cursing of God himselfe the world hath had had too many spectacles of such feare of danger But if we can master both these vnruly Affections yet will the conscience of sinne be a bridle to our tongues it will make vs silent In Leuit. c 13. or put vs to silence Cyril of Alexandria moralizing those words of Moses that he that is a Leaper shall haue his mouth couered saith that he which is in the leaprosie of sinne hath lost all authoritie of speaking for how should he teach another that hath not taught himselfe Comment in Nazian Psal 137.3 And Nicètas to this purpose wittily allegorizeth those words of the Psalme How shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land A sinner is truely a stranger and hee that is in the state of sinne is farther from God then Babylon from Hierusalem therefore doth his conscience tell him that he is in no case to make melodie to the Lord. Certainely Chap. 6. Esay when in a vision he heard the Seraphins sing the Lords song Holy Holy Lord God of Hoasts heauen and earth are full of thy glorie was thereby put in mind of the fault of his owne lippes and the lippes of the Iewes which made him crie out Woe is me that am a man of polluted lippes and dwell in the middest of a people of polluted lippes neither was he quiet vntill a Seraphin touched his lippes with a coale from the Altar But put the case some man may be so foole-hardie that though he be a sinner yet will he not be silent he shall bee put to silence the vncleane spirit gaue glorie vnro Christ when he said I know thee who thou art the Holy one of God But Iesus rebuked him saying hold thy peace Marke 2. and Saint Paul refused the testimonie of a spirit of diuination Acts 16. though hee spake honourably of him and of his followers these men are the seruants of the most high God which shew vnto vs the way of saluation yet did hee command him out of the Damsell and suffered him to speake no more Neither is this checke giuen onely to wicked spirits but euen vnto euerie wicked man saith God What hast thou to doe to declare my statutes Psal 50. or that thou shouldest take my Couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction Eccles 15.9 and hast cast my words behind thee Praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner for he that is vnholy doth defile that which is holy Hagga 2.82 therefore no man may presume to touch sacred things with prophane hands nor with a prophane tongue to speake sacred words By this time you perceiue that the shewing forth of the praises of God is a great worke and whether wee looke vpon the difficultie that is in the thing or the inabilitie that is in man Dauid had reason to pray Aperilabia open my lippe But to whom doth he pray To the Lord Lord open thou my Lippes And he hath a good ground to pray so Proueth 16 1. Solomon teacheth that the preparation of the heart is from man but the answere of the tongue is from the Lord he is the key-keeper of our mouth if he shut no body can open and if he open no body can shut â—â—â—d 4. God tels Moses that this is his power Who maketh mans mouth or who maketh the dumbe haue not I the Lord And verily were it no more but our naturall speech that we desire wee must seeke it of him Acts 17 2â— in whom onely we liue moue and haue our being and who in the person of Zacharie sheweth Luke 1 that hee giueth and taketh away euen that speech at his pleasure How much more must we accompt him to be the fountaine of our supernaturall speech Certainely Christ giueth the glorie thereof vnto him 〈◊〉 50. Actâ— 2 the Lord saith he hath giuen me the tongue of the learned and it was from God that the fierie tongues descended vpon the Apostles Psal 8.2 and inabled them to speake it is God that out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings hath perfected praise Men may be otherwise satis loquaces of eloquent of free speech who when they come to the seruice of God seeme to be
onely he would haue vs vse our tongues so well as that wee may be at the day of Iudgement praised by him Yea sâ—eing praysing is a delightfull employment God would thereby cheere vp our spirits with a sweete foretaste of that life which we shall leade in heauen for praysing is the Angels worke in the Church Militant we haue both praying and praysing but in the Church Triumphant there is onely praysing there is no praying at all that Eucharisticall sacrifice shall continue when all Propitiatories doe cease for praise is the euerlasting sacrifice of the New Testament and of that the saying is true Praise shall neuer depart from the mouth of a Christian Iewes and Christians haue both agreed to repeate daily this Text in their Liturgie out of that which you haue heard you may gather that it is not without cause that they haue so done Wee say it daily I pray God wee may haue learned this day to say it well hereafter so may we that now in Gods House on earth speake his praise sing for euer Halelu taâ— praise yee the Lord with the Saints in Heauen The words as I haue opened them are conceiued in a Prayer but as they are read in the I salter they represent a Prophecie the odds is not great because a good Prayer if it bee conceiued for spirituall grace is indeede a prophecie for he that disposeth to sue doth purpose to grant What shall we say then to these things But euen pray that seeing God hath the key of our Eares as well as of our Tongues and by the temper of our eares wee may guesse what will bee the temper of our tongues and he that hath a deligh to heare his dutie will haue a tongue readie to yeeld God his due and God will neuer open his tongue that suffers the Diuell to keepe the key of his eare Let vs I say pray that by being willingly deafe we doe not become vnwilling dumbe but that Christ by his Ephphata would rid vs of the spirit both deafe and dumbe that hauing heard these words as we ought we may vse our tongues as is meete That we may so doe let vs all ioyntly present our humble petitions vnto God in the words of my Text. O Lord open thou our Lippes and our mouthes shall shew forth thy praise Blessed are they O Lord that dwell in thy House Psal 8â— they shall alwayes bee praysing thee SELAH PSAL. 51. VERSE 16. For thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I giue it thou delightest not in burnt offering KIng Dauid in thankfulnesse for Gods mercie promiseth religiously to serue him but whereas Gods seruice is either Morall or Ceremoniall he voweth a Morall and not a Ceremoniall seruice Of this choice he yeeldeth a reason and that reason is Gods good pleasure he maketh Gods pleasure to set bounds vnto his Vow and is willing to enlarge or contract his Vow according to Gods pleasure To contract it as appeares in that which he speaketh of the Ceremoniall worship for he forbeares it and to enlarge it as appeares in that which he speaketh of the Morall for that is it which he obserueth as acceptable vnto God On this Verse which now I haue read wee shall heare of his conceipt concerning the Ceremoniall worship and what hee conceiueth of the Morall worship which is answerable thereunto when I open the next Verse I shall then shew vnto you The Ceremoniall worship is exprest in two words Sacrifice and Burnt offerings which words may betaken either in a large or in a restrained sense In a large so may you reduce vnto them all Ceremoniall worship in a restrained and so they comprehend the two offerings which the Law required for a Ceremoniall reconciliation of a sinner Take them which way you will my Text sets downe Gods disposition towards them and King Dauids conformitie to that disposition of God Gods disposition is twofold First he doth not desire them secondly he doth not delight in them before they are offered he doth not desire them neither doth hee delight in them when they are offered so must you in this place difference Gods Desire and his Delight To this disposition of God King Dauid doth conforme his seruice he professeth that hee would haue tendered these Ceremoniall offerings if God had affected them and onely because God did not affect them therefore he doth not tender them both these propositions are wrapt vp in these words Else would I giue it I would giue sacrifices and burnt offerings if thou didst desire them if thou didest delight in them but thou desirest not sacrifices thou delightest not in burnt offerings therefore doe not I presume to giue them to reconcile my selfe by them These be the Heads whereunto I purpose to referre whatsoeuer I shall deliuer in farther opening of this Text Now because you may mistake in your Deuotion as the Iewes did be perswaded in the feare of God to listen attentiuely to what shall be said that you may learne of King Dauid to passe a true iudgement vpon all Ceremoniall worship and vpon all corporall seruice Let vs come then to the particulars whereof the first is those words wherein the Ceremonies are exprest and they are two Sacrifice and Burnt offerings Which words may bee taken first in a large sense they may comprehend all kind of animat Offerings that were burnt vpon the Altar for of them some were Merocausta burnt but in a part the rest was the Priests portion alone or else he did share in it with him that presented the sacrifice Other Offerings were called Holocausta they were wholly burnt neither the Sacrificer nor the Offerer had any part therein God reserued it wholly to himselfe so that if wee thus farre enlarge these words they wrap in them all kinde of corporall Sacrifices Ruffinus and others giue them so wide a signification That signification is true but happily it is not so proper to this Text a more restrained sense may better fit this present Argument Obserue then that these wordes doe containe the two Offerings which God in Moses Law prescribed for the reconciliation of a sinner hee was required to bring one expiatory the Law calleth it a sinne-offering and that is it which is here as else-where meant by the generall name of Sacrifice another Dedicatory which was called an Holocaust and is here translated a burnt offering but you must vnderstand it burnt not in part but wholly therefore it is sometimes called a whole-burnt-offering These two Offerings went together in the ceremoniall reconciliation of a sinner we find it so in Leuit at the purifying of a woman after Child-birth Chap. 12. at the cleansing of a Leper Chap. 14. finally at the expiation of the Tabernacle or Temple and therein of the whole Church of Israel Chap 16. In all these places you shall find that they goe together But to looke a little farther into these Offerings there are two remarkable things in them 1. the Mystery and
deum est ipse Deus Bernard Basilâ—n Psal 46. there is enough in God to make him louely and why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good and louely are reciprocall that which is louely is good and that which is good is louely whereupon is grounded that Maxime in Philosophie Bonum est quod omnia appetunt Reason hath no better marke to guesse at that which is good then the propension of all men for to attaine it Now looke vpon the Name the Lord God and see whether you doe not find that good in it which doth challenge Loue. Begin with Dominus ou heard that he was goodnesse it selfe if a man doe loue that which is good how can he but loue goodnesse Nay if wee loue the streames with what loue must we embrace the Fountaine If we Loue that good which is dependent how much more that which is independent Seeing there is a possibilitie for vs to bee defrauded of that which is dependent but of that which is independent we cannot be defrauded Yet see the common folly of men Iere. 2.13 they forsake the fountaine of liuing waters and digge vnto them Cisterns that can hold no water If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deserue Loue how much more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You heard before that what God is he is it to the full Creatures haue but drops or beames and who would leaue the Fountaine to rest contented with a drop And when he might enioy the whole body of the Sunne to solace himselfe in a single beame And yet such folly there is in the world and he that thinketh Gods gifts louely though they are but single in a Creature how little is hee affected with the louelinesse of his Creator Wee cannot denie that good is the obiect of our Loue therefore where there is the greatest good thither wee should bend the greatest of our Loue dost thou loue Wisedome Colos 2.3 All the treasures of wisdedome are hid in him dost thou loue Holinesse It is to him that the Angels sing Holy holy holy Esay 6.3 Psal 24.1 Psal 16.11 doest thou loue Wealth The earth is the Lords and all that therein is doest thou loue Pleasure In his presence is fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore Finally doest thou loue Power and Honour He is the Lord of hosts he is the King of glorie euen a King of Kings and Lord of Lords Adde hereunto that what he is whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is it Onely he is it Eternally both which are strong Motiues vnto Loue for we vse to loue that which is not common as that which is common by reason of the familiarnesse of it groweth vile in our eyes now such good as is in God is no where else to be found As we loue those good things which are not common so we loue them the more the more they are lasting because our desire would neuer bee defrauded of that wherein it taketh content this good is more lasting then our desire the good of euerie Creature is as mutable as the Creature is yea more because it differeth from the nature of the Creature but this good being all one with the nature of God it is as lasting as is his nature It is no maruell then that euerie Creature eluding our desire which is carried vnto good doth as it were with a reall voice put vs off when we dote vpon it and by experience say to vs Non ego sum bonum tuum it is not I that am thy good which is to be sought after and after all our painefull enquirie wee are driuen to Saint Austins resolution Fecisti nos Domine propter te irrequietum est cor nostrum dones requiescat in te so great is the capacitie of mans desire that nothing can fill it but onely the Lord and his soule must needs remaine empire that doth not make the Lord the obiect of his Loue. You see that there is much worth in the Lord and great cause why hee should be beloued there wanteth not worth also in God in euery of the three persons in Trinity Had we eyes to looke vpon them ad intra as they are in the blessed Trinitie we might easily perceiue it but there is no proportion betweene our eyes and that light therefore we will forbeare to behold the dazeling brightnes Only of this we may be sure that euery person is most louely because euery of them loueth the other the Scripture speaketh it plainly the Father loueth the Sonne the Sonne loueth the Father and the holy Ghost is the loue of them both Now what they loue is lonely indeed because their iudgement is most vpright and their desire most Holy But wee will not sound that bottomlesse depth let vs looke vpon these persons as they manifest themselues ad extra and see how louely they are Hee that is a Father in the Trinitie doth manifest himselfe as a Father to the Sonnes of men the Scripture doth often remember his tender bowels he shutteth them not vp no not against them that are Prodigals a Father and a Mother on earth may forsake may forget their Children but our Father in Heauen cannot forget hee will not forsake his And is not such a Father louely God the Sonne doth manifest himselfe to the world as a Sonne hee vseth all his credit with his Father to worke not onely the remission of mans sins which he expiated with his bloud but also the aduancement of their Persons whom hee vouchsafeth to bee his Spouse by taking man so neere vnto himselfe hee bringeth him neere to God also and maketh them Children that were Seruants intitles them to Heauen that deserue to burne as firebrands in hell And is not such a Sonne louely The holy Ghost doth manifest himselfe as the holy Ghost quickning man and sanctifying him testifying by these effects that hee is a Spirit of life to him euen of such a life as maketh him a sacred Person hee maketh him a liuing Temple a fit habitation for himselfe that he may bee an Oracle of God within him and kindle the fire vpon the Altar of his Heart wherewith onely hee can offer acceptable Sacrifices vnto God And is not this holy Spirit louely All three Persons are most louely if the consideration goe no farther then that which I haue exprest But how great an accesse will bee made vnto their louelines if you draw through euery one of them that ground of louelines which before wee found in the name Lord for the Father is Lord the Sonne Lord and the holy Ghost Lord as we are truely taught in Athanasius his Creed euery one of them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good of himselfe and all-good and by this accesse we must in our meditations improue their louelines But I haue dwelt long enough vpon meritum dignitatis the desert of loue that is included in their owne worth I told you that in
the Text wee sound another merit and that is meritum dignationis the interest therein vouchsafed vs. Were there none but meritum dignitatis there were ground enough of our loue but this meritum dignationis the interest that we haue doth quicken vs to take notice of the worth that is in the thing Euery man naturally loueth that which is his owne and if the thing bee good it doth him the more good to looke vpon it Let a man walke in a faire Meadow it pleaseth him but it will please him much more if it bee his owne his eye will be more curious in prying into euery part and euery thing will please him the better so it is in a Corne field in an Orchard in a House if they bee good the more they are ours the more contentedly doe they affect vs for this word meum is suauissima amor is illecebra it is as good as an amatorie potion Then marke put tuus to Dominus and if so bee the Lord be louely how much more louely should hee bee in our eyes if hee bee our Lord and doth appropriate that infinite good that hee hath vnto vs hee holdeth of none but of himselfe and who would not ioy to bee owner of that good which is independent Hee is whatsoeuer heart can desire and who can but reioyce in hauing him in hauing of whom wee can want nothing Put tuus to Deus and see how it doth improue the motiue of loue there also Had wee nothing to doe with so tender hearted a Father so sweet natured a Sonne so gracious a Comforter as is the holy Spirit we could not but loue them if we did know them But when wee doe heare that these bowels of the Father doe yearne vpon vs that wee are the Spouse whom the Sonne of God doth wooe and that the holy Ghost vouchsafeth to make his Temple of vs how can wee bee but loue-sicke how can our Hearts choose but melt and our Affections gaspe and bray like the Hart after those Persons which haue in them so strong so manifold persuasions to loue But alas wee that in regard of our carnall loue are easily transported by any seeming good are altogether senslesse when wee are sollicited by our spirituall good so senslesse that God is passionate in his Prophets when hee doth taxe our more then bruitishnesse herein Isay 1. Hearken O heauen heare O earth for the Lord hath spoken I haue nourished and brought vp children and they haue rebelled against mee the oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Ier. 3. Can a mayd forget her ornaments or a bride her attire yet hath my people forgotten me dayes without number Wee doe loue our corporall benefactors at least while they are doing vs good but our spirituall benefactor wee forget euen while hee is doing vs good for when is hee not doing it wee cannot looke vpon our soules our bodies our state but wee see the perpetuall influence of his goodnesse and yet Tuus worketh little here and though God vouchsafe vs a great interest yet are wee little moued therewith Wee can loue a man in whom there are so many defects to allay the regard of his goodnesse and from whom we may receiue as much wrong as fauour how much more should we loue God in whom there is no defect and from whom thou canst receiue nothing but good I haue shewed you the reason of loue which is included in the name it followeth that I now come on to the dutie that is required and that is Loue. Wherein we are first to obserue that God speaketh not vnto vs as vnto seruants but as vnto friends hee would not haue vs in his seruice expresse a spirit of seruitude in feare but of adoption in loue hee would not bee feared as a Lord but loued as a Father O derint dum metuant is a Tyrants voyce God will haue all his seruants ingenuous hee will haue our seruice as naturall as is our allegiance Wherein the King of Heauen giueth a good patterne to all Kings and Gouernours in earth Though God hath qualified vs many wayes to doe him seruice yet doth hee in this word diliges Loue shew what hee doth principally respect and his eyes are vpon nothing so much as our Loue not on our wit our wealth our honour c. yea all other things are valued according to our Loue and without Loue they are nothing worth And why Loue is that which setteth all a worke for he that loueth will keepe Gods commandements hee will doe no euill But wee may not forget that seeing this Loue hath for its obiect him that is so farre aboue vs wee must not seuer it from Reuerence which must qualisie the loue which we owe to our Superiors in expressing our affection wee must not forget our distance yea and our feare in regard of our flesh may bee seruile to awe it and keepe it downe though it must bee also filiall in regard of the spirit to keepe it in heart I should now if the time would giue leaue shew you how those things that are required in loue must be applyed vnto this obiect The first propertie of Loue is Vnion and we should endeauor to become one with the Lord to bee transformed into him and as neere as a Creature can partake of his Creator partake of the diuine nature Wee should desire Vnion also with God with God the Father by Adoption with God the Sonne by a spirituall Wedlocke with God the holy Ghost by entertaining him as his Temple wee should so grow one with all three persons From this Vnion our Loue should come on to a Communion Communion in that infinite good which you heard is in the Lord for though Vnion bee a great aduancement of our Nature yet doth our comfort stand in the Communion neither did God euer intend the Vnion but for the Communion As wee must haue Communion with the Lord so with God also as Children wee must communicate in the inheritance of our Father as a Spouse in the honour and state of a Bride-groome as the Temple in the ornaments and endowments thereof Yea in this Communion there must appeare Beneuolentia Benesicentia there must appeare an intercourse of good will and good deeds betweene the Lord God and vs otherwise wee doe not loue as wee should This is not all the seate of Loue must be exercised also the Heart for the loue of God must bee free God doth not respect forced Loue. The Minde God will bee knowne before hee is loued and hee will haue them that loue him to meditate vpon him hee will not regard an vndiscreete Loue. Thy Soule must bee exercised if thou dost not long after him earnestly and take sweet content in him thou dost not loue Finally thy Courage must bee employed thou must bee as resolute to compasse this spirituall Vnion and Communion as carnall wooers are
speaketh properly to them that are vnder the Law and so Thou an Israelite and teacheth vs which are the Israel of God In this word Christ taxeth the Pharisees glosse who straightened the extent of neighbourhood Matth. 5. as appeared by the Addition they made to the Law Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour and hate thine Enemies they confined neighbourhood to their owne sect at least to their owne Nation And wee see at this day the Iewes mention not Christians without reproch no more then Papists doe Protestants But a Christian must know that in Iesus Christ there is neither Iew nor Gentile Coloss 3.11 Grecian nor Barbarian male nor female bond nor free Saint Austin hath a conuicting reason De Doctrina Christiana c. 30. which is that otherwise there would bee some persons with whom we might commit adulterie whose goods wee might steale whose bodies we might murder without any sinne against them which is absurde The case of the Canaanite was extraordinarie Austin tract in Iohannis cap. 15. we may not match our affections with Gods precepts as if they were alike lawfull Wherefore let vs beare fruit answerable to the seed which God hath sowen in our hearts and though our nature bee prone to satanisme and hatred for this charitie is a straine aboue nature and knowne only to those of the Church yet let vs mortifie it and subdue it to the Law of God Let vs not define whom we must loue other wise then we are taught of God let vs not thinke we loue as many as we should if we exclude any from our loue for our loue must be the fulfilling of the Law therefore it is impossible for vs in regard of any man whatsoeuer to performe the Law which bindeth vs to him without Loue. NOw therefore the God of Loue season all our hearts so with Loue that Hatred being cleane rooted out we may all be of one minde of one heart and out of the sweet sense and comfort hereof we may all say and sing Ecce quam bonum Behold how good and ioyfull a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie The sixth Sermon MATT. 22. VERSE 37 38 39. Thou shalt Loue the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soule and with all thy Mind This is the first and great Commandement And the second is like vnto it Thou shalt Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe THe last point which I opened vpon this Text taught vs vpon whom we must bestow our Charitie we learned that we must bestow it vpon The Lord our God and our neighbour vpon these persons and vpon those things that haue reference vnto them must it bee bestowed Therefore though the Commandement seeme in nature to bee but one for it is onely Loue yet Christ breaketh it into two and these two vnequall As it must be bestowed on them so in bestowing it we must obserue an Order and a Measure both are plainely prescribed in the Text. The Order for here is a Frist and a Second commandement mencioned The Measure for here is mentioned the great commandement and a commandement that is onely like it We are willed to loue first The Lord our God secondly Our neighbour this is the Order And we are willed to loue the Lord our God with all our heart soule and mind c. and our neighbour as our selues this is the Measure Order then and Measue are to be obserued in the bestowing of our Charitie And indeed without Order and Measure no worke hath either Beautie or Perpetuitie looke vpon the frame of heauen and earth were not the parts thereof so well ordered had not each of them his limits it could neither be so goodly nor so lasting a Creature want of Order would blemish the goodlinesse and want of Measure would shorten the lastingnesse thereof Euen so is it in Charitie inuert the Order alter the Measure required therein by the Law wee doe foulely deforme it and all societie grounded thereon bee it heauenly or earthly will quickly bee disolued This time will not suffice for the opening of both wherefore I will now onely handle the Order and reserue the Measure for some other time Touching then the Order that is to be obserued in Charitie wee must know that it is twofold there is Ordo ad intra and ordo ad extra an order in the generation of it or the working of it into our soules and an order in the employment of it as we expresse it in our liues Of the first Order you heard when I opened vnto you the seate of Charitie and shewed you that it is either Primitiue or Deriuatiue it must begin at the Heart and from thence spread it selfe into the Soule the mind the strength With that Order we haue nothing to doe now my Text leadeth me to speake of the second Order the Order of employment the bestowing of it vpon others after we are seasoned with it our selues To come then to this Order to vnderstand it we must take this Rule Scire quid facere debeamus nescire ordinem faciendt perfecta scientia non est moralitie requireth that we not onely know what we ought to doe but also in what order otherwise the knowledge of our dutie is imperfect therefore imperfect because it will be indiscreete discretion being that which doth distinguish and digest the parts of De Cinit Dei lib 5 cap. 22. and points in our dutie So that take away Order vertue will presently degeâ—erate into vice especially if we admit that definition of Saint Austine short but true Vâ—rtus est ordo amoris vertue is nothing else but the well ordering of our Charitie Wherefore the Order of Gods precepts must not bee passed ouer vnregarded because therefore doth God keepe an order in commanding to intimate vnto vs what order we must keepe in our liuing Whatsoeuer is good may be beloued well or ill well if you obserue the order and if you neglect it then you loue it ill But let vs come closer to the Text. Here we find a first and a second Commandement It is doubted by some whether they are rightly so called seeing that which concerneth our Neighbour was first deliuered Leuit. 19. vers 18. and therefore deliuered on mount Sinai Leuit. 27.34 Comp. numb 10 ver 11 12 with Deâ—â—r 1 6 vide Deut. 2 1â— and that which concerneth the Lord our God was deliuered afterward Deutro 6. vers 50. and therefore deliuered in the land of Moab Deutr. 1.5 The distance of times wherein they were deliuered was thirtie eight yeeres But we must not insist vpon these words as referring to the times wherein Moses deliuered the Commandements but as expounding their sense as they are a Summe of the Decalogue and point out the principall duties prescribed therein Now because the Decalogue was engrauen in two Tables and the briefe of the first was our dutie toward God therefore is that called the first Commandement
benè amatur quod amandum est vt sit in nobis virtus qua bene viuitur so that hee liueth iustly and holily which passeth a true iudgement vpon the obiects of Loue and such a one is hee onely that hath his Charitie well ordered for hee nec vtitur fruendis nec fruitur vtendis hee doth not mis-applie his Loue. But where is he In Cant. cap 2. vers 4. Nunc confusam in plerisque inordinatam licet videre Charitatem it is Gregorie Nyssens complaint and this inordinatenesse began very early Saint Iude telleth vs of the Angels that they kept not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Originall which is in effect they did not obserue the subordination of these Commandements they would haue no dependencie vpon God and so shut him out of their Loue Adam did no better who being made after the Image of God affected another likenesse and so cast off the first of these two Commandements The children of God that coupled themselues with the daughters of men were most infamous for this disorder of their Charitie And who is not guiltie of it where bee the Parents that begin not their loue at their Children and care for no more of the loue of God then may stand with their thriuing for them Saint Paul insinuates as much concerning man and wife when hee telleth vs that the vnmarried care for those things which belong vnto the Lord but the marryed take care for those things wherein they may please each the other as if that were ordinarily their principall care And how seruants forget their loue of God while they seeke to please their masters you may perceiue in euery shop where apprentises are inured to lying false-swearing deceiuing and all to aduance their masters commodity It were infinite to runne ouer all degrees of persons but if you list to doe it you shall finde that all their Charitie is out of order for want of this Order and that they place the precedencie of their loue amisse And it were well if men went no farther then to preferre Man before God there is as much disorder in our loue of Things yea the disorder in the loue of Persons groweth from the disorderly loue of Things O ciues ciues quaerenda pecuniaprimum est Virtus post nummos Prophane men thinke that gaine is the best godlinesse and couetous men will sell euen their soules for a morsell of bread Esau sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage yea Iudas sold our Sauiour Christ for thirtie pieces of siluer De doâ—â— Christ 〈◊〉 1 cap 23. Saint Austin distinguishing things telleth vs that some are supra aboue vs as God some intra within vs as our owne soules and selues some iuxta euen with vs as our neighbours some infra below vs as the world and worldly things wee may adde some contra our deadly enemies as are the Diuell and the powers of darknesse Of these Loue is due to God aboue vs to our Selues to our Neighbours wee finde them all three in the Commandement of Loue but we finde not there those things which are below vs much lesse those things which are opposite to vs. And yet when we come to consider what Order the world keepeth in Loue we shall finde that these two which God neuer thought worthy of our Loue haue the greatest share therein and wee haue no leasure to loue the other so great is our loue to these at least our forwardnesse in the loue of these maketh vs backward in the loue of the other our meate our money our pleasure our profit that were by the Creation subiected vnto vs are become masters of our affections yea the cursed serpent can so charme them that wee will denie him nothing and men like a generation of vipers doe his will as if the Diuell were their Father so farreis Charitie disordered The more reason haue we to listen to this Method of Lone which is here taught by our Sauiour Christ and thinke that there is more in these two words First and Second then wee did happly apprehend Certainly the knowledge of them is of great consequence for it is the true rule of vertue and the obseruance of them is of great difficultie for our corrupt nature can hardly be brought vnto it wherfore we must imprint deeply in our mindes that which wee haue heard and pray God that wee may haue grace to doe what we are taught LOrd wee confesse that our Loue hither to hath beene peruerse and that nothing can rectifie it but thy Spirit Wee beseech thee that hee may so informe our iudgement and reforme our affections that we consecrate the first fruits of our Charitie vnto thee and that thou mayest haue the precedencie therein But let not our Charitie rest there but descending from thee let it light on those to whom thou directest it yet so that but for thee and in thee we may loue nothing beside thee So shall wee bee thy beloued if wee bee such Louers and bee admitted into the blessed societie of those whom thou hast honoured with the name of thy friends in the Kingdome of Heauen The seuenth Sermon MATT. 22. VERSE 37. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength This is the first and great Commandement IN bestowing our Charitie wee must obserue an Order and a Measure an Order because concerning it we find in this Text a First and Second commandement a Measure because of the two Commandements the one is great the other is but like vnto it Hauing the last Lords day opened the Order it followeth that this day the Measure be opened vnto you For entrance hereunto wee must take these two Rules First though Charitie bee a common due to God and our Neighbour yet must they not both bee serued by the same Measure and why the Persons are vnequall God is infinite our Neighbour is finite and wee may not dispense equall portions to vnequall persons The second Rule is That the Order layeth the foundation of the Measure and therefore is the Order correspondent vnto the Measure hee that hath the praecedencie in must haue the praeheminence of our Charity and whom wee must loue last wee must loue least God is first in Order therefore must hee haue the greatest measure thou must loue him with all thy heart all thy minde c. thy Neighbour is but second therefore hee must haue a lesser measure thou must loue him as thy selfe The time will not suffice me so farre as is meete to handle both these Measures wherefore I will confine my paines to the former and that is exprest in these words all thy heart minde soule If wee must loue the Lord our God with all these then wee must loue him perfectly but that perfection is no other then the perfection of a man for thou must loue him with heart mind and soule so that we haue two points to handle first the
perfection of that Loue wherewith wee must loue the Lord our God secondly the degree of that perfection wherhence will arise a third point and that is the iust reason why this first Commandement is called great I begin with the perfection In the question of vertue Diuines require a double perfection one partium the other graduum there is a perfection of the parts in man which must bee seasoned with the virtue and the vertue in those parts must arise vnto it's full pitch This Text requireth both these perfections in Charitie the perfection of the parts of man are intimated in the enumeration of the heart minde soule strength vnto these all our inward and outward abilities may bee reduced so that there is no power nor part of man that must not bee qualified with the loue of God But of this perfection I haue spoken when I shewed you the Seat of Loue I made it plaine vnto you that there was to be in our Charitie a perfection of parts That with which wee haue now to doe is the perfection of degrees the Text will tell vs that it is not enough for euery of those parts to haue the loue of God in them they must also be wholy taken vp therewith and this perfection is noted by the word All which is added to Heart Minde Soule Strength Let vs come then to it A Commandement is the sooner admitted if the reasonablenesse of the ground thereof be first discouered I will therefore first discouer the ground vpon the reasonablesse whereof this great Measure is required The ground is twofold there is one in God and another in Vs. The ground that is found in God is taken from the preface of this Text as Moses hath deliuered it and Saint Marke hath repeated it the preface is Hearken O Israel the Lord thy God is but One but One therefore the intire Obiect of our Loue he will not giue this his glorie vnto any other neither will he indure any Corriuall herein the beginning the middle and the end of this Obiect is only He that is Alpha and Omega first and last Had we many Lord-Gods then might wee haue many obiects of our Loue the Obiect can no more bee multipliced then he can Take all the parts of his Title asunder and you shall sind Onenes and Intirenes therein He is first called Lord which importeth the fountaine of Being and Goodnesse which doth accompanie the same Now there is no other fountaine but He for as he is that which he is so are are all things of him yea and in him also no one shareth with him herein As he is the only fountaine of Being of all being so is he of Goodnesse Math. 1◠17. of whatsoeuer thing is good Our Sauiour telleth vs there is none good but he and Moses that all which he made and he made all was exceeding good Gen. 1. Euery good and perfect gift commeth from him and if from him then it is in him be it honestum iucundum or vtile so that we can seeke nothing without him Iames 1.17 which wee may not find in him and find it much more eminently Neither can we forsake any thing for him but in hauing him wee shall haue more then an abundant amends for as he is One so he is All Aug. Manual cap. 33. all good is contained in this One Lord bonorum totum totaliter diligendum wee can doe no lesse then bee wholy his that doth vouchsafe to be wholy ours As for the name God which I told you importeth the three Persons what euery one is called that he is Only and Graciously Call no man Father on earth saith Christ for you haue but one Father euen your Father which is in Heauen Math. 23 9. and he is a most louing Father no such tender bowels to bee found no not in most naturall and indulgent Parents As for the second person which is God the Sonne he is Vnicus Vnicè dilectus an only Sonne only begotten most dearely Beloued we can find no meanes of our being adopted being accepted but in him and by him Iesus is not diuided how often doth hee proclaime it in Isay Beside mee there is no Sauiour Isey 43. neither is Christ diuided he is the only Prophet that can acquaint vs with the counsels of God the only Priest whose sacrifice can pacifie God finally the only King that can subdue all the enemies of the Church and make it partaker of his Kingdome Neither is the third person lesse Vnus Omnia the Apostle telleth vs that there is but one Spirit and he deriueth all graces from him 1. Cor 11. be they graces of Adoption or graces of edification hee worketh all and hee workes in all he is our Leader our Comforter our Sanctifier our Supporter Ours I say for which is the last note in the name whether it bee Lord or God that is One they are that which they are vnto vs vnto vs haue they appropriated their Onenesse for they are to no other what they are to the Church and the Church as heretofore I haue told you is meant by Thou and to the Church they communicate their All all the treasures of their common and seuerall Good so farre as the Church is capable thereof I suppose that if you haue well heeded what I haue said you will acknowledge that there is a faire ground in the Lord our God why hee should challenge all our loue Let vs come now and looke vpon our selues and see what ground thereof we can find there When the question was moued vnto Christ whether the Iewes ought to pay tribute vnto Caesar or not hee called for the Coine and asked whose image and superscription it bare and when they answered him Caesars he replyed Giue vnto Caesar those things which are Caesars but he addeth to our purpose that vpon the same ground they must giue vnto God those things which are Gods If the image and superscription were a iust ground why Coine should be paid vnto Caesar where Gods Image is found there is as good a reason that that should be rendred vnto him Now Gods Image is found in vs by Nature for we were made according to his Image so that all which we receiue from him we owe vnto him by the Law of Creation A second way is Gods Image in vs by Grace for our Regeneration is but a second Creation wherein we are reformed vnto that Image according to which God at first created vs. All then is due vnto God a second time by the Law of our Redemption so that whether we looke vpon our heart our minde our soule or strength it may well be demanded of vs Quid habes quod non accepisti What hast thou which thou hast not receiued and if we haue receiued it all the exaction is but reasonable Si totum exigit à te qui totum fecit refecit te surely Saint Paul thought so when he willeth
vnto the comparison if then the question be whether of the two wee loue more to whether of them wee will sticke in a case where both cannot bee held or vpon which of them wee will fall foule when it is not possible for vs to keepe in with both if then wee can with Moses esteeme the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt wee conforme our selues to Christs first rule 〈◊〉 11 26. If when God calleth Heb. 11.8 wee can with Abraham forsake our countrey and our Fathers house though it bee to goe to a Countrey which wee know not wee conforme our selues vnto his second rule And if we can bee as resolute as Leui was Deut. 33. who said vnto his father and his mother I haue not seene them neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor know his owne children that he might keepe the word and obserue the Commandement of God euen that Commandement which is deliuered else-where Deut. 13 If thy Brother the sonne of thy mother or thy sonne or thy Daughter or the wife of thy bosome or thy friend which is as thine owne soule entice thee to Idolatry thy eye must not pitty him thou must not conceale him thou shalt surely kill him and let thine owne hands be first vpon him if thou canst I say bee so resolute then doest thou conforme thy selfe vnto Christs third Rule The examples which hitherto I haue alleaged shew onely what must be a Christian mans obseruance of Christs rules quoad sua suos so farre as concernes a mans goods or his friends but Christs rules goe a step farther Luke 14.26 for they mention a mans owne life also and tell vs how little wee must set by that in comparison of our loue of God Christ knew well that Satan hath a shrewd temptation to stumble thee when thou hast profited so farre as tua and tuos and that is to trie thee how well thou dost loue God quoad te Iob. 2.4 in comparison of thine owne person skin for skin and all that euer a man hath will he giue for his life affinitie consanguinitie amitie farewell all so our life may bee preserued but our loue of God must ouercome this temptation also and wee must take in this case Saint Paul for an example who being disswaded from going to Hierusalem because bonds and imprisonment did expect him there made this answere What doe you weeping and breaking my heart Acts 21.13 I am contented not onely to be bound but also to die for the name of the Lord Iesus A great resolution and yet not so great as our loue of God requireth of vs. For though dying seeme to be a bitter work yet to die for the name of Christ addeth much sweetnes vnto it and why it maketh a plain martyrdome and of that S. Paul hath giuen this definition that it is nothing else but dissolut esse cum Christo To be dissolued doth litle content nature but what would a man rather desire then to be with Christ for to be with him is to be as he is that is most happy so that hitherto loue is not come to its height for a man may so far loue God and loue God for himselfe because his own good goeth pari passu with the loue of God Moses went farther Blot me out of the book of life rather then thou shouldst not make good thy word to Israel a strange wish and that of a thing impossible for it is impossible that any child of God should be excluded from eternal life so that he may seeme to haue wished rashly and vainly but this CoÌ„mandement wil excuse him as it will S. Pauls like wish when I come to speak of the loue of our neighbour this Commandement containeth the best Commentary on his words for they import no more but his absolute loue of God so absolute that were there no Heauen where with his loue should be rewarded yea though Hell were the place wherein notwithstanding his loue of God he should be eternally tormented yet would he not withhold Gods due he would loue God with all his heart And indeed so high must wee ascend in loue if wee will ascend to that pitch which is contained in this Commandement though our loue shall haue a reward a most plentifull reward and wee may after the example of Christ and the Saints looke vpon it and encourage our selues with the hope of it yet that must not be the first motiue of our dutie God may challenge it without a reward and wee must acknowledge it to be a iust debt Thus if we loue God we loue him as we ought that is we loue him aboue all things and wee loue him for himselfe for that must needs follow when wee loue him for no other thing no not for our owne sakes but are willing to hazard all euen our selues and all for the loue of him From this measure when wee depart wee doe offend against our loue of God how much more if wee loue those things which are contrarie to him and can bee contented that others offend him or are so gracelesse as to offend him our selues But I must draw toward an end The last point which I obserued in my text was the reason why this is called the Great Commandement I need giue you no other reason then the doctrine which you haue heard concerning our loue of God for you haue heard enough to perswade you that the Commandement is very great yet I will point at some few reasons The Commandement then is Great first in regard of the Obiect for what can be greater then the Lord our God secondly in regard of the Act for it maketh our neerest approach vnto God both in Vnion and Communion with him Thirdly in regard of the Qualitie it is the sweetest commander of all our abilities Fourthly in regard of the Soueraigntie it giueth law to the whole man Fiftly in regard of the Efficacie it worketh the greatest effects Sixtly in regard of the Commoditie it hath the most precious promises Finally in regard of the Continuance it out-liueth all other graces for Charitie neuer faileth 1. Cor. 13.8 other graces doe not out-liue this mortall life No wonder then if S. 〈◊〉 call it a Supereminent way and in a comparison preferreth it before all gifts not only of Edification but of Adoption also 1. Cor. 13. And what is the vse of all this but to make vs see how little wee performe of this Commandement and how little cause wee haue to boast of the best that we doe therein Who is he that can denie that his abâ—lities are diuided and that he loueth more things then God yea most things more then God and those not only idle but euill things also And if wee cannot excuse our Diuision much lesse our Remissenesse the dayes are come which Christ foretold and the Charitie euen of the Church is growne key-cold yea euery one is come to
can that haue then to entertaine God Iohn 14. If any Man loue me saith Christ my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and make our abode with him and where Gods and Christs abode is there is the Kingdome of Heauen euen righteousnesse peace and ioy of the Holy Ghost The third is the Soule and whether doth the desire thereof runne but vnto God Psal 84. and where will it rest but only in him My soule longeth euen fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh crieth out for the liuing God Blessed are they that dwell in thy house The sensitiue Soule that is on attendant vpon the Will what greater happinesse can it haue then to feed vpon the crummes that fall from that Table where God suppeth in the reasonable soule of man whereat nothing is serued but the bread the water the fruit the foode of life The last abilitie is our Strength Psal 84. and Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee O Lord they goe from strength to strength but whither Ibid. That euery one may appeare before God in Sion Dauid therefore had rather be a doore keeper in Gods House then to dwell in the tents of vngodlinesse and he giueth the reason for God giueth good wages to his seruants Ibid. The Lord is a Sunne and a shield hee will giue grace and glorie and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke vprightly Yea whereas in the seruice of others we cannot vse our strength but we weare it out It is not so in the seruice of God hee satisfieth thy mouth with good things Psal 103. so that thy youth is renewed like the Eagles Euen the youthes shall faint and be wearie and the young men shall vtterly fall But they that wait vpon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount vp their wings as Eagles they shall runne and not be wearie and they shall walke and not faint Isay 40. The longer a man serueth God the more able he will be to serue him So then that a man may loue himselfe he must loue God and hee that doth not loue God cannot Loue himselfe because by Loue he hath communion with God wherein standeth his happinesse and of this happinesse he doth defraud himselfe so farre as he commeth short in his Loue of God And indeed this is no small difference betweene God and the diuell The diuell in shew biddeth vs Loue our selues doe all for our selues and wee are so simple as to beleeue him and thinke that we doe so whereas the euent proues we doe all for him and to our owne ruine for he is the plaine Image of Vsurers who liue by the sweate of other mens browes and cunningly grow rich by vndoing others with a seeming reliefe But as for God his precepts bid vs renounce our selues giue our selues wholly vnto him but in the conclusion hee hath nothing we haue all According to the answere which the Father of the prodigall made to his murmuring eldest sonne who expostulated thus with him Loc these many yeeres doe I serue thee neither transgressed I at any time thy Commandements and yet thou neuer gauest me a Kid that I might make merrie with my friends Sonne said the Father thou art euer with me and all that I haue is thine Much more is this true of our heauenly Father who doth not desire to keepe vs busily and well employed for his owne thrift but for ours it is for our comfort and not for his owne Be not sad therefore O Christian Soule if he that made thee wholy will so wholy be beloued of thee as if he had left thee nothing wherewith to sollace by selfe for thou dost neuer loue thy selfe better neither euer shalt thou take greater content in thy selfe then when thou louest God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy mind and with all thy strength Thus at length we haue found out the second measure the measure of that Loue of our neighbour which is prescribed by Grace a man is here bid by louing God to loue himselfe that so louing himselfe he may know how to Loue his neighbour Because he that doth not Loue God cannot loue himselfe and so by consequent cannot Loue his neighbour Loue being so sanctified it is true which the Schooles haue Regula est prius regulato se prius quis diligere debet quam proximum Seeing then such is the Measure wherewith wee must Loue our selues we must keepe the Loue of our neighbour within the bounds of the Loue of God We must loue in him the loue of God if he haue it Psal 16. Mine eyes saith Dauid are vpon such as are faithfull in the land my delight is in thy Saints and such as excell in vertue and else-where describing a man that shall dwell in Gods Tabernacle and ascend into his holy Hill he saith Psal 15. that it is he in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but hee honoureth them that feare the Lord. When one told Christ that his mother and brethren stood without desiring to speake with him he answered and said to him that told it who is my mother And who are my brethren And stretch out his hand towards his Disciples saying Behold my mother and my brethren for whosoeuer shall doe the will of my father which is in Heauen he is my brother my sister and my mother If wee cannot loue our neighbour for that he is not yet seasoned with the Loue of God wee must loue him that hee may be so seasoned for so did Christ loue man not for that hee was but for that hee might bee the son of God Acts 28. and heyre of Heauen as himselfe was And Saint Paul when vpon a Sermon Agrippa told him thou hast almost perswaded me to bee a Christian I would saith hee that not onely thou but also all that heare me this day 1. Epistle 1. were both almost and altogether such as I am excepting these bonds And Saint Iohn That which wee haue seene and heard declare wee vnto you that ye also may haue fellowship with vs and our fellowship may be with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ For this cause would not Saint Paul haue the beleiuing wife forsake the belieuing husband 1. Cor. 7. and Christ so loues his Spouse because all faire c. in the Canticles You see then that if we loue our neighbour wee must loue him propter Deum in regard of the loue of God And why because you must not loue your selues otherwise De Doct Christ lib. 1. cap. 22. Whereupon Saint Austin giueth this good note Siteipsum non propter teipsum diligere debes sed propter Deum non succenseat homo sieum diligas propter Deum If I make the loue of God the onely reason why I loue my neighbour my neighbour hath no cause to bee offended with me because I must make it
is the swiftnesse of the flight The Eagle flieth very high Prou. 23. Ier 49. whereupon many Prouerbs are grounded in Scripture And this high flight intimateth that the Israelites were carried aboue the reach of their enemies so that they could neither hinder nor hurt them Not that they were lifted vp in the aire but they were as safe as if they had beene because saith the Psalmist thou hast made the Lord the most high thy habitation Psal 91 â— there shall no euill befall thee Certainly the Cloud interposed betweene the Israelites and Egyptians would not suffer them to take any harme And indeed the children of God are very secure except it bee for their good their enemies shall neuer haue their will of them no more then the Egyptians had of the Israelites As the Eagle flieth high so doth hee flie swift also the Scripture groundeth many similies hereupon Iob 9.1 Sam. 1. and giueth vs to vnderstand that from the time that the Egyptians let the Israelites goe which was â—o soone as Moses had performed all the miracles intended of God for plaguing the Egyptians the Israelites had a very quicke passage And indeed it is a wonder that sixe hundred thousand men besides women and children and a rabble of strangers should in one night be readie and get out of their enemies land and that with all their impediments of stuffe and cattle and flockes Neither was it a lesse wonder that in one night they should all passe through the Red Sea and standing on the shoare the next morning see that all their enemies were destroyed Certainly they that made such speed were carried vpon Eagles wings it was a diuine power that conueyed them And how quickly doth God change the face of the world when he is pleased to worke a great deliuerance The Church of Christians is not herein inseriour to the Church of the Israelites For as the Israelites had a Dragon so Pharaoh is called Ezek. 29. from whom they fled euen so haue the Christians Reuel 12. And Eagles wings are there giuen to the woman the type of the Christian Church to slie into the wildernesse as the Israelites vpon Eagles wings were carried into their wildernesse So like is God alwayes to himselfe and the Church alwayes prouided for a like I may not forget the order of these words that worke which was first done is first commemorated and that which was last done is commemorated in the last place And why though God for sinne doth otherwise punish the wicked yet in this world he doth it commonly that hee may free his Church But I toucht at this before therefore I will passe it ouer and come to the end of both workes God brought them to himselfe And this is a greater blessing then that he carried them on Eagles wings that shewed a deliuerance from euill this a bestowing of good The Eagle doth sometimes carrie her young ones only from a dangerous vnto a safer nest sometimes shee rouseth them out of their sloth and directs them where they may find their prey Euen so dealeth God with his children hee freeth them from danger Luke 1. and bringeth them to comfort Hee bringeth them to himselfe to his seruice saith the one Chaldie Paraphrase to the doctrine of his Law saith another and indeed we are deliuered from our enemies that wee may serue God and liue according to his Lawes If there were no more in it it is a great comfort so to be imployed But there is more in it I told you that the end was a Couenant of wedlocke so that to my selfe is as much as to be appropriated vnto me and to be my Spouse to bee the Mother of my children and beare inheritors of the Kingdome of Heauen Any way to come neere God is a great honour but to come so neere and become so deare is more grace then mans heart can conceiue or his tongue vtter But the two next Sermons will bee spent for the most part in amplifying this therefore I will speake no more of it at this time You haue heard of both the workes One point remayneth which I will touch in a word Both these workes are vndeniable the proofe is Vos vidistis I appeale to your eyes whether I speake not a truth and your fresh experience doth iustifie my words Rationall proofes satisfie much but not so much as sensitiue therefore the intuitiue knowledge that Angels haue is farre more excellent then our discursiue and what is our hope but that our faith shall be turned into sight Neither doth sight worke so vpon our head only but vpon our heart also Segnius irritant animos dimissa per aures Quam quae sunt oculis commissa fidelibus had God done these things and they had only heard of them they would haue beene moued with them much lesse the more vndoubted their knowledge the more strong should their affections be Finally obserue that Vos vidistis you haue seene is referred not only to the worke of Mercie but also to that of Iustice wherein God doth condescend to an affection that is predominant in vs. It doth adde not a little to the content we take in our better estate if we see withall our enemies brought into our worser Psal 58. When the righteous seeth the vengeance he will reioyce and wash his feet in the bloud of the wicked Mal. 1. Your eyes saith God to the Iewes shall see the desolation of Edom and you shall say the Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel Luke 16. Lazarus in Abrahams bosome to his greater comfort seeth Diues burning in Hell Esay 66. And after the last judgement the Saints shall goe forth and see the carcasses of them that haue transgrest against God This doth not commend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but allowes congratulating of Gods iudgements To conclude These two workes serue to worke two affections which sway much in the ordering of our life Feare and Loue. In the worke of Iustice you see that God is almightie there is no striuing with him hee that will not relent with repentance shall bee grinded with his vengeance In the worke of Mercie you see that God is bountifull Let vs not bee vnthankfull but let vs repay Loue with Loue. In a word seeing euery day God doth present such spectacles before our eyes God grant wee bee not like the Israelites of whom Moses complayneth that they were as if they had no eyes RAther he giue vs grace to make such vse of our eyes in beholding his workes that his Feare and his Loue may euer liue in our hearts So may hee euer manifest his Iustice for vs his Goodnesse to vs vntill hauing deliuered vs from all our enemies here on earth hee bring vs to himselfe to liue with him blessed for euer in Heauen AMEN The third Sermon EXODVS 19. VERS 5 6. Now therefore if yee will obey my voice indeed and keepe my Couenant then shall yee
Church according to that in the Prophet This people haue I formed for my selfe 〈◊〉 45. they shall bee to set forth my prayse And indeed of what regard the Church is with God we may gather out of that which God hath done for it he is become a father vnto it in Christ and tendreth euery member thereof as his deare childe hee hath giuen his only begotten sonne to death for the saluation of it and made him the Bridgeroome of the Church the Holy Ghost doth he send to guide to comfort it and the Angels are ministing spirits for their sakes that shall be heires of saluation Can any man beleeue this 〈◊〉 1. and not beleeue that wee are a pretious treasure vnto God Hee hath prouided for vs a Kingdome that cannot be shaken 〈◊〉 12.28 1. â—ct 5.4 an immarescible Crowne of glorie hee hath communicated vnto vs the Throne of his owne Sonne and giuen vs power ouer all our enemies and can wee doubt but we are Kings vnto him And as for our Priesthood Iames 5 16. that is as euident the prayer of the righteous auailes much their sufferings are to him sacrifices all their life is a sauour of a sweet smell and he is well pleased with the worke of their hands Feuci 7 14. Finally they haue washed their robes white in the bloud of the Lambe they are clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ God vouchsafeth to conuerse with them to dwell with them therefore they are to him an holy Nation We that account our selues happie if wee bee deare to great men great if we be but pettie Lords thinke not meanly of our selues if we be but Priests vnto Baal and looke bigge if we haue but the righteousnesse of a Pharisie how happie should wee thinke our selues that are vouchsafed to be the Fauorites of the King of Kings how should we esteeme our selues that are made Kings of Heauen how should we glorie in our diuine Priesthood and ioy in our true Holinesse when we consider our selues as we are in our selues dust and ashes weake and wicked ones wee may well crie out with Dauid who am I O Lord and what is my Fathers house that I O Lord should be such a one vnto thee and sing the Virgins Hymne My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath reioyced in God my Sauiour for he that is mightie hath magnified me c. And when vnder the Crosse wee find that in the eye of worldlings wee are reputed wormes and no men the reproch of men and the despised of the people when they oppresse vs with more then Egyptian bondage scoffe at the sighes and groanes which the Holy Ghost indites in vs and repute all our deuotion to bee but madnesse when they traduce vs as Samaritans as friends of Publicans and Sinners yea as instruments of Beelzebub and condemne vs to a shamefull death as pestilent fellowes traitours and blasphemers what greater comfort can we haue then this promise of God Eritis mihi You shall be to me a peculiar treasure a Kingdome of Priests an holy Nation But I goe on You haue heard of much good but what you haue heard doth not yet amount to a Prerogatiue that appeares in these words aboue all people When we haue good things that are not common to others especially if it be better then they haue any then haue we obtained a Prerogatiue and this was Israels case for the Church was not now Catholique as it had beene before Abrahams time and was to bee after the comming of Christ Gods promise was Catholique to Adam though Cain played the Apostata it was Catholique also to Noah but his children fell away therefore when Gods reuiues it vnto Abraham hee made it but particular and Israel only was his Inheritance In Iuda was God knowne his Name was great in Israel Athanas de Incarnat verb. not that others might not bee if they would become Israelites but ordinarily none but Israelites or Proselytes had part in the Promise Therefore the Law speaketh thus What Nation is there so great Deut. 4. who hath God so nigh vnto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call vpon him for And what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and iudgements so righteous as all this Law that I set before you this day And the Psalmist God sheweth his word vnto Iacob Psal 147. his Statutes and Iudgements vnto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation c. This is often repeated by Moses Deut. 10. but especially Chapter 32. Seeing then God doth compare one Nation vnto all people and preferre it he doth extoll his owne grace and teach vs that the blessing is singular and if singular then a Prerogatiue and because singular and a Prerogatiue the more to be esteemed Surely in worldly things we thinke so for what is he that hath any gist or good which others haue not who doth not esteeme it as much for the rarenesse as for the greatnesse thereof I would wee did passe as true a iudgement vpon our heauenly Treasures surely the Church was wont to doe so Pone me vt signaculum Cant 8. saith the Spouse Set mee as a Seale vpon thy arme and in her Plea Populus tuus omnes nos Wee are thine enen the sheepe of thy pasture Esay 63. As God doth honour vs aboue others so will hee that we be mindfull of his speciall fauour Put now together the Greatnesse of the Good which God offers with the Singularitie of the fauour which God vouchsafeth Israel and they will yeild vs a definition of the Church for what is Ecclesia but a people chosen out of the world and preferred before it in that it is Gods peculiar treasure and to him a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation But I leaue that point to your priuate meditations which will bee the fuller if you adde the next particular vnto it for that also is considerable in your contemplations of the Church That which God offers is a Prerogatiue and such a Prerogatiue as is Gracious I gather it first out of Vos Deut 7 yee yee shall bee vnto mee a peculiar treasure c. And who are yee neither the most nor the best of people Moses from God telleth them so bondslaues in Egypt and much more bound to Satan for they were a rebellious nation more base in minde then in condition and therefore God biddeth them looke vnto his free loue the cause of their deliuerance Et dare non dignis res mage digna Deo the lesse worth there appeares in the receiuer the more grace doth there shine from the giuer As Israels want of worth made the gift gracious so also was it gracious in that God was not driuen to make the choice out of any want for all the earth is mine saith God All Nations they are the same by nature and it was free for God to make choice of any other
immediately vpon their Creation after Gods Image how foully were they ouer-reacht by the Serpent How shamefully did they plunge themselues in sinne in the full integritie of their nature And if they could stand so little in the fulnesse of grace how little shall we bee able to stand that come so short of their their measure Least therefore we make no vse of our abilitie God must be pleased to doe for vs that which he was not pleased to doe for them hee must in compassion of our frailtie either keepe off temptations or arme vs against them hee must giue vs grace to make vse of his grace In any other sense to conceiue that the first grace is indifferent and our will doth determine it is an Arminian dreame Not that we are excusable if hauing abilities we doe not vse them for temptations worke not physically but morally perswade they may they cannot compell and it is plaine that wee doe not vse that care and conscience in trying the fallacies wherewith wee are tempted to disbelieue God and those allurements which endeauour to withdraw vs from God as wee doe in reading the discourses of humane Arts and entertaining aduises concerning our worldly State Therefore wee are without all excuse and should iustly perish for our sinne when wee neglect the meanes that are giuen vs of God inward or outward And indeed all would so perish that haue them because all would so neglect them did not God as well follow as preuent some with his grace prouide by a second that they receiue not the first grace in vaine You haue not yet heard the vttermost that God doth for vs toward the performance of this condition for the condition must bee performed not for a day or a yeare but all our life long it is not enough for to heare Gods voyce to day and to morrow to despise it to day to bee true to him and to bee false to morrow our Faith and our Charitie must be as lasting as our life But alas our faith and our charity haue their wanings they fall often into a sowne wee breake euery day with God and if wee breake with him hee is no longer bound to vs yet he doth not so deale with vs nor take the aduantage which wee doe giue him hee is like a kind Landlord who when his Tenant neglecteth his Couenant and he by vertue of the Lease may make a re-entry forbeares and giues his Tenant leaue to salue the forfeiture hee is long-suffering toward vs and giueth vs space to repent and returne to our good God which is alwayes ready to receiue vs vnto grace and to pardon our offences Yet we may not presume of this vpon the Couenant for when God doth it hee doth it vpon another ground vpon the ground of Predestination Yea that which the kindest Land lord vseth not to doe God out of his goodnesse doth supply vs with those helpes whereby wee may recouer againe his fauour by the ministry of his word or some other meanes hee seasonably worketh in vs repentance and faith and indeed this is a great hight of grace Philip. 〈◊〉 that hee that beginnineth this good worke in vs will perfect it to the day of the Lord that wee are thus preserued by the power of God and that hee doth so put his feare into vs 1. Pet. 1. that wee depart not from him totally or finally What shall wee say then to these things Seeing that God by grace is Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the author and the finisher of the performance of the condition required therefore though wee performe what wee are commanded yet must wee giue him the glory and hee that doth glory must glory in the Lord. I will shut vp this first obseruation with two good Admonitions The first shall bee this when wee receiue these commands from God Heare my voyce keepe my Couenant let vs humbly pray with Saint Austin Da domine quod iubes iube quod vis Lord enable mee to obey thee and then lay vpon me what commandement thou wilt Or rather if you will let vs pray as the Church teacheth vs when wee heare the ten Commandements Lord haue mercie vpon vs and encline outr hearts to keepe thy Law And God giue vs all this Spirit of Grace and Prayer 1. Epist 1. The second admonition let vs take from Saint Peter Brethren giue all diligence by the practice of Christian vertues to make your calling and election sure for if yee doe these things you shall neuer fall If wee follow the first admonition God will not bee wanting vnto vs if the second wee shall not bee wanting vnto our selues Thus much of the first Obseruation The second followeth We must not sticke at that which God requires because that which God offers doth infinitely exceed it That which God requires is neither thanke worthy nor in comparison of any worth It is not thanke worthy for what thankes doth a man deserue for yeilding that which he doth otherwise owe to God nay which God as before you haue heard doth giue him to bestow I will not againe amplifie these two points I adde a third what thankes doth a man deserue for working his owne perfection for to heare Gods voice and to keepe his Couenant are the perfection both of our head and of our heart they were first qualified for this vse and this vse is their happinesse It is true that so long as Concupiscence doth distemper our soule these imployments at first are not so pleasing they rellish as medicines to a sicke bodie And if you marke it well this is no small difference betweene Vertue and Vice wickednesse is sweete in the mouth and a man hideth it vnder his tongue but when hee hath swallowed it it is like the gall of Aspes vnto his conscience but with vertue it is cleane otherwise the first time wee enter thereupon is the harshest time Eccles 6. Vers 24 25. the longer wee are acquainted the better friends shall we be Put thy feet saith the sonne of Syracke into wisdomes fetters and thy necke into her chaine bow downe thy shoulder and beare her and be not grieued with her bonds Vers 28 29. for at last thou shalt find rest and it shall be turned to thy ioy For then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee and her chaine a robe of glorie He that maketh his eare liable to Gods voice maketh his eare happie and he maketh his heart happie that maketh it stedfast in the Couenant of God for wherein can hee take more contentment And doth a man deserue thankes for thus bringing his owne person to perfection Put the case these things were thanke worthy yet certainly in comparison they are but of little worth for of what worth is the obedience of a seruant in regard of the fauour of a Soueraigne that vouchsafeth him to bee his Fauourite Of what worth is our loue of God which is our
they doe presume First see their modestie You must call to mind that in the message sent them there were two parts the one shewed what God required of them the other what he offered to them In their answere they shew much modestie in regard of both parts I will shew that modestie first that respects what God doth offer Obserue then that in their answere they passe that ouer insilence they doe not capitulate with God for it And indeed the stipulation of our dutie must bee absolute and not conditionall though Gods promise to vs bee conditionall and not absolute And why we owe our dutie to God absolutely and Gods mercie is not due to vs but out of his gracious promise So that to capitulate would imply a deniall of our natiue obligation and that we would not obey were it not for the adoptiue besides wee should seeme to doubt whether God will be as good as his word as God hath reason to doubt of vs that we will not be so good as our word So that to put a difference betweene Gods fidelitie and ours this branch of the Israelites modestie may beseeme vs all it may beseeme vs rather assuredly to expect then vnmannerly to capitulate for that which God doth promise so deale children with their Parents Subiects with their Soueraignes and we much more ought so to deale with God our Father and our Soueraigne in Heauen Our eies yea and our hearts too must be more vpon that which God requires then vpon that which God doth promise Not that we may not hearten our selues with that which God doth promise yea and remember God of it also in our Prayers after the example of the Patriarch Iacob Gen. â—8 But if wee bee silent wee doe in godly humilitie insinuate that we hold our selues vnworthy of it and we shall speed neuer a whit the worse For what wee forbeare to doe out of this consciousnesse of our vnworthinesse God will supply out of his abundant goodnesse hee will set an honourable estimate vpon our dutie and will take it as worthy of whatsoeuer hee doth promise We cannot vnderualue our selues so much as God will ouerualue vs. The second branch of their modestie is that replying to that which God requires they doe not limit him but yeild their obedience as farre as he requires it Yea if you compare the clauses you shall find that God spake but indefinitely If you will heare my voice If you will keepe my Couenant but they doe answere vniuersally All that the Lord hath said we will doe they submit themselues vnto Gods charge in the largest sense And indeed this is true Pietie not to carue out our owne obedience but to let God carue it out we must absolutely captiuate our wits vnto his wisdome and surrender our wils wholy vnto his pleasure his Law must be the bounderie of our life Hitherto you haue seene that in their answere there is much modestie much modestie you haue seene they doe not presume But I told you that if we looke vpon the words a second time we shall find that there is ouer much confidence in them we shall find that they doe presume They presume first of their Abilitie faciemus we doe not thinke Gods commandements impossible we will doe that which God commandeth wee thinke wee may aduenture to promise so much Cap. 4. Saint Iames checkes mans confidence in a smaller matter goe to saith he you that say to day and to morrow we will goe to such a place and there buy and sell c. whereas you should say if we liue if the Lord will If our Abilitie bee so small in regard of those things which are here below and concerne this animall life that we may not presume of our selues but vnder such a condition how much more must we adde a condition when wee speake of those greater matters those that concerne our spirituall life here wee should adde if Gods grace be sufficiently vouchsafed me if hee shall be pleased that his strength bee made perfect in my weaknesse For Auxilium speciale is more extraordinarie then generale and we must begge the speciall the generall will not suffice is this case If King Dauid confessed and did as it were wonder at Gods grace that himselfe and his people offered their goods so willingly vnto God how much more commeth it of grace and grace to be wondred at that a man doth wholly and cheerefully deuote himselfe vnto the seruice of God Therefore we must all remember that Item which Christ gaue to Saint Peter a great vndertaker in this kind Marke 1â— the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake and imitate Saint Paul a more modest vndertaker who affirmeth of himselfe I can doe all things Phil. 4. but it is through Christ which strengthneth me Wherefore what the Israelites omitted we must in all these vowes supplie If God shall conuert if God shall incline our hearts otherwise our vndertaking will sauour of too much confidence and we shall be guiltie of presuming It was too much that they presumed of their abilitie but see their confidence goeth farther they presume of the extent of their Abilitie also faciemus omnia we will doe all that the Lord commandeth vs. Certainely if they will doe so much they will doe more then euer any man did or can doe except him that was both God and man our Lord Iesus Christ To make this plaine vnderstand that in the Law there are two parts the Affirmatiue and the Negatiue and either hath something in it which is impossible to be done in this life The Affirmatiue requires that wee Loue God with all our hearts with all our minds with all our strength and our neighbour as our selfe The Negatiue Ne concupiscas Thou shalt not lust It is confest by all that are not Pelagians or Pelagius like that neither of these can be performed in this life Touching the Affirmatiue I will say no more then that which Saint Bernard obserued that whereas in our Charitie thereis Affectus and Actus the Affection and the Action we must exspect in heauen the integritie of our Affection as the reward of the best endeauours of our Action while we are in this world and if the integritie of our affection be aboue the reach of this life much more the integritie of our Action which flowes from the other and is correspondent to it I will insist a little longer vpon the other clause the negatiue part of the Law The rather because if I can make it plaine that wee cannot performe the negatiue it followeth vndeniably that wee cannot performe the affirmatiue For as one instance to the contrarie ouerthroweth an vniuersall affirmatiue so if we be tainted with the least spot of concupiscence our Charitie cannot be entire Obserue then that I may treade the steps of the Romanists and ouerthrow their conceite of Morall perfection in this life out of their owne principles that in regard of the negatiue
the Chaldie Paraphrase insteed of the Hebrew I come saith fitly to this purpose I will appeare and because God doth not alwayes appeare to men alike therefore when hee doth more notably appeare vnto them hee is said to come Touching the varietie of Gods appearing or manifesting himselfe to the world take a similitude from the Sunne The Sunne doth manifest it selfe first by daylight and that is common to all that dwell in the same Horizon vnto which the Sunne is risen some haue more then the daylight they haue also the Sunshining light which shining light of the Sunne is not in all places where the day light of it is finally the Sunne is manifest in the heauens in his full strength for the very body is present there which none can endure but the Starres which become glorious bodies by that speciall presence of the Sunne amongst them In like manner God in whom all things liue moue and haue their being doth manifest himselfe vnto some by the workes of his generall prouidence of which manifestation Saint Paul speaketh when he saith Acts 14. God left not himselfe without witnesse to all nations in that he did good and gaue vs raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse This manifestation of God is like the daylight Psal 145 v. 15. it is common to all it is an vniuersall grace The eies of all things looke vp vnto thee O Lord and thou giuest them their meate in due season There is a second manifestation and that is peculiar but to some it is like the Sunne-shine it is that manifestation which God vouchsafeth his Church of which Esay speaketh Arise shine Chap 60. for thy light is come and the glorie of the Lord is risen vpon thee but darknesse shall couer the earth and grosse darknesse the people for in comparison of the Church the rest of the world sitteth in darknesse and in the shadow of death The third and last manifestation is that which God maketh of himselfe in heauen to the Angels and Saints the cleerest and fullest whereof a creature is capable and those which partake this presence of God become thereby glorious Saints more glorious then the starres which receiue their resplendent lustre from the aspect which they haue to the Sunnes bodie The manifestation that we haue to doe withall is of the second sort it is not so cleare as that which the Saints enioy in heauen it is not so darke as that which is common to the world but it is of a middle temper proper to the Church militant to whom God is said to come when hee doth so manifest himselfe vnto her From hence we must take notice that as there are those who are in better case then we are so there are who are in worse case and therefore we must thanke God for our present aduancement and remember that wee make forward to that neerenesse vnto God which is reserued for vs in heauen This may suffice for our vnderstanding of this phrase I come The next point is the manner of his comming In the thick cloud Before I speake distinctly hereof I will giue you a note vpon the Cloud Some make a question whether it be the same Cloud which guided the children of Israel through the wildernesse or some other they thinke some other greater and thicker but they thinke so without great reason for after that the guiding Cloud once rested on the Tabernade we heare no more of any Cloud vpon Mount Sinai neither did Moses after that ascend vnto Mount Sinai but God deliuered his minde vnto him in the Tabernacle where the Cloud then rested and God promised to dwell amongst the people after the Tabernacle should be built by bringing the Cloud and his glorie thither which was accordingly performed Exod. 40.34 Exod. 19.43 â—â— before that the people remooued from Mount Sinai yet after that time wee reade of no other Cloud vpon Mount Sinai Insteed then of coyning a new Cloud obserue rather how by degrees God approched to his people at their first comming out of Egypt he kept aloft in the aire the people had not yet shaken off their Egyptian disposition neither were they sitted for any nearenesse to God When they rose higher in their thoughts and had contracted with him God descended lower and came neerer vnto them he descended to the top of Mount Sinai Afterward when they had yet better exprest their affection to entertaine God by building the Tabernacle God vouchsafed to come lower to them he chose to reside in the midst of their Campe. And let vs take this for an vndoubted lesson the better wee preuented by grace prepare our selues for God the nearer will God approach to vs. I now come to speake distinctly of the manner I told you that the manner of Gods appearance was first maiesticall because in the thicke Cloud in this Cloud that you may see the maiestie of God obserue first that God was in it for there was the Angell of God that Angell in whom is Gods Name so we reade Exod. 23. verse 21. and who is called Gods presence Exod. 33. verse 14 15. so that the Cloud was Gods chaire of State or his Chariot or Pauillion as the Scripture doth call the Clouds when God putteth them to this vse And as God was in the Cloud so was the Cloud enuironed with an host of heauenly Courtiers becomming the maiestie of such a King learne it out of the sixtie eight Psalme The Chariots of God are twentie thousand euen thousands of Angels the Lord is amongst them as in Sinai in his holy place And besides these attendants we find obserued two other Ceremonies of State As Kings giue notice of their comming by the sound of Trumpets so this Cloud was attended by the voice of a Trumpet exceeding lowd And as before Kings there is wont to bee carried the instrument of Iustice and Vengeance the Sword so was Gods appearance in this Cloud attended with those dreadfull Meteors Lightning and Thunder Lay together those particulars and you will confesse that God appeared in awefull maiestie when he came in the thicke Cloud The Israelites confessed as much Deut. 5.24 Behold the Lord hath shewed vnto vs his glorie and his greatnesse we haue heard his voice out of the midst of the fire Mortall Kings neuer put on greater state then when they goe to their Parliaments the reason that moueth them is the same that moued God that men should feare to offend them whom they see armed with so great power and the greater regard be had vnto their Lawes As the thicke Cloud doth set forth Gods maiestie so is it also full of mysterie The first mysterie to be gathered out of it is obserued by God himselfe he clothed himselfe with a thicke Cloud to put the people in mind that hauing seene no shape of him they should not presume to make any image Let our lesson be Voluntas Dei non essentia
aduise you shall sind in Meses 〈◊〉 â—â— The secret things belong vnto the Lord God but those things which are reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that we may doe all the words of this Law I haue hitherto told you onely in generall whom this Prohibition doth concerne but in the 24. verse wee find a distribution of these persons there we sind that the Law is laid not onely vpon the People but vpon the Priest also No body will make a a question of the people what modestie beseemeth them yet there was a time when the question was made of them also 〈◊〉 16. â— 3 for Korah Dathan and Abiram came vpon Moses and Aaron thus You take too much vpon you all the congregation is Holy and the Lord is amongst them God is as neere to euery man as he is to you and euerie man may come as neere God as you doe See you how they plead for confusion and animate the People to be bold with God But they were taught better manners I but if the people be what is that to the Priest Yea the Priest also is to learne modestie Not only the minor Cleargie as the Rhemists mince it but the maior too they that are likely most to presume were to haue a speciall Item For the pride of our heart will carrievs aboue our selues when wee see that others are placed below therefore they that are aduanced in any degree need to bee remembred that they keepe their station This did God excellently expresse in the fabricke of the Tabernacle and of the Temple wherein there was First Atrium prophanum thither might Infidels and vncleane persons come but no farther within that was Atrium populi thither might the Lay both women and men come that were circumcised and not vncleane but farther they might not come except it were to offer their speciall Sacrifices within that was Atrium Sacerdotum thereinto might the Leuites come to doe their seruice to the Priest but no farther within that was Sanctum thereinto might the Priest goe to offer Incense but no farther within that was Sanctum Sanctorum whereunto the High Priest only had accesse and that but once a yeare in reuerence of Gods maiestie sitting in the Cloud there vpon the Mercie Seate betweene the Cherubins You see that the neerest places to Gods presence were of rarest accesse and that by fewest persons Looke what state God kept in the Tabernacle and Temple the same he kept at this Hill appointing vnto the Israelites seuerall stations the multitude both of Priests and people haue their station allotted in this text Some might come nearer as Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the seuentie Elders but they are willed to worship afarre off and Moses alone was to come neare the Lord but they are expressely willed not to come nigh Verse 2â— In this Chapter Moses and Aaron are called vp alone and are excepted out of the prohibition they may passe beyond others whom God calleth and they only God was pleased to doe them this honour And wee must repute it a great honour done vnto them that they might come so neare vnto God Our Sauiour Christ in the dayes of his humiliation kept the like state so farre as might stand with his forme of a seruant For he did not conueâ—se so familiarly with the multitude as with the seuentie Disciples nor with the seuentie as with the twelue Apostles nor with the twelue Apostles as with the pillars of them Peter Iames and Iohn who only were admitted to bee priuie to the highest glorie that hee manifested on earth which was his Transfiguration and the deepest Passion which hee endured on earth which was his agonie Yea euen of these three he chose out one as the principall fauourite Iohn whose stile is the beloued Disciple who at supper leaned on his bosome whom Saint Peter himselfe vsed vnto Christ when he would be resolued Who it was that should betray him Finally him he made the high soring and sharpe sighted Eagle the beholder and penner of that Reuelation which hath as many mysteries as words God then who is an absolute Monarch will bee a free disposer of his fauours and we must not presume of more then hee vouchsafeth the People may not the Priest may not both must take heed vnto themselues that they doe not presume Take heed vnto themselues Then themselues haue a pronenesse to curiositie Iaâ—â—eâ— 1 And indeed so it is for euery man is baited and so ledaside by his owne lusts and there is no lust so ancient in man as pride is Yea the first sinne of Angels was the stepping ouer their bounds and though pride be not homebred in man as it was in Angels yet experience proued in Adam and Eue that mans nature is a soile very apt to conceiue the seed of pride if it be sowne in it by the Deuill neither will any seed of iniquitie proue sooner or faster Considering then the aptnesse of our nature to receiue and forwardnesse to bring forth this euill fruit God doth not without cause by Moses bid the Israelites take heed vnto themselues Neither to themselues only but to their cattell also they must bee watcht that they breake not the bounds And indeed if our peccare be quasi pecuare if wee shew our selues beasts when wee doe straggle then it is the propertie of beasts to straggle and seeing it is their propertie they must be looked vnto But you will say that they are vnreasonable creatures and so able to doe morally neither well nor ill True but yet the place which we must not prophane our selues we must much lesse suffer our beasts for to prophane Yea obserue it well and you shall find that whether wee keepe fasting dayes or feasting dayes God will haue euen beasts to communicate in some sort in the Ceremoniall part of our pietie In the solemne repentance of Niniue not only the men but the beasts also are commanded by the King to bee kept from meate to bee clothed with sackcloth In the Law of the Sabbath when man resteth the beast must rest also thinke you only in a cruill sense There is more in it then so as hereafter I shall shew you God would haue them also to obserue his Feasts And here we see that what prohibition God layeth vpon men he layeth vpon beasts neither may prophane holy ground And may ours doe that which theirs might not doe May dogges tread in Gods Sanctuarie during the New Testament which vnder the old Testament were not suffered to be so very dogges that is impudent creatures It should seeme wee thinke they may else would wee not bring them hither and indure them here not only to disturbe Gods seruice but also to disgrace Gods House I shame to speake what we blush not to see the markes of their vncleanlinesse in the most sacred places of this Church and I thinke other Churches are not vsed much better Well I would wee were more
carried in a Cart but vpon mens shoulders and for neglecting that was he stricken dead as you may gather by the correcting of that fault in the very same Chapter Neither would Dauid haue beene displeased with Vzaes death if he had sooner knowne this 1. Sam. 6. nor the Bethshemites would neuer haue asked this question Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God when that more then fiftie thousand were slaine for looking into the Arke For God had prouided Numb â— that the Leâ—ites that bare it should not come neere till the sonnes of Aaron had wrapt it in three or foure couerings if before that they touched it they were to die How much lesse might the promiscuous multitude behold it and not suffer for their presumption Two affections there are Loue and Feare which must order our respect towards God and the lesse we are apt to loue God the more doth God take order we should feare him And Seueritie is neuer more seasonable then when the first foundation of a State is laid as this of Israel now was for if Lawes be then slighted they will neuer be obeyed and awe well begun in the people is like to be the longer liued Therefore will God haue Iustice so quicke in this case But here is not only death denounced but such a death as belongeth to an execrable thing For first all men must abborre the person so I vnderstand the phrase No hand shall touch it Though some conceiue thereby that all rescuing of the malefactor is forbidden But that sense though it bee good yet is not so naturall to my text This rather is meant that no man must desile himselfe by touching him who by his presumption had made himselfe abominable For as hee that being himselfe impure touching holy things in the Law maketh them prophane and abominable so he that being otherwise pure intrudeth vpon holy ground or â—surpeth holy things makes his owne person abominable And none is reputed of God more abominable then he that is sacrilegiously presumptious Though no man must touch him yet euery mans hand must be against him they must stone him with stones or shoot him through If neare then must they stone him with stones if farther off from them then they must shoot him with darts euery hand must trie euery meanes rather then they must suffer the malefactors to scape And hee must needs be an execrable person against whom God doth arme the hands of all the people with iustice Finally note that this doome is vnpardonable the very phrase importeth as much Moriendo morietur non viuet these words note a peremptorinesse in the sentence You haue the like in Ezech. 18. as the contrarie thereunto in that place He shall liue hee shall not die noteth a certaintie of life We must take heed of corrupting the phrase as Eue did Gen. 3. who when God told Adam At what time thou shalt eate of the forbidden fruit moriendo morieris Thou shalt surely die she turned the phrase which was vndoubted into a peraduenture and told the Serpent lest yee die And see our weaknesse Commonly in doubtfull cases wee incline to the worst she did but doubt she might not doe it the Deuill putteth her out of all doubt and telleth her shee may doe it It is not good therefore for vs to play the wantons with Gods threatnings if we meane to hold in our vntoward nature from sinning we must vnderstand them in that rigour as God doth deliuer them Euery man must For here is Quicunque no respect of persons none of the people none of the Priests as many as are forbidden to sinne so many are threatned the doome Neither haue the great any priuiledge to doe ill and farewell all shall fare as they doe Neither only men but beasts also you haue heard before they were forbidden to transgresse so here you see if they doe transgresse they are doomed to die The master shall bee punished in the losse of his beast because hee looked not better to him and the beast shall bee punished because it had ventured to prophane holy ground for I told you before that euen beasts were tied to doe reuerence to the Sanctuarie Man and beast must die if they transgresse die by the hands of the Israelites But a malefactor may yet hope that the people will bee foolishly pitifull at least great ones may thinke they may find as much fauour as Agag did at the hands of Saul What then shall they escape shall Gods doome bee reuerst it shall not bee reuerst they shall not scape The Lord shall breake forth against the greatest of them Gods iustice is fenced with mercie and his mercie is as it were a bulwarke betweene vs and his iustice but if so bee our sinnes grow to this height it will not be held in And when it rusheth forth it is like an ouerbearing flash of lightning which flieth not abroad without a fearefull clap of thunder it terrifieth and destroyeth together But more of that hereafter There remaine two points more which I will touch in a word The first This prohibition is often repeated here we haue it in my text and we haue it once and againe towards the end of this Chapter you would thinke this superfluous Moses himselfe thought so he seemeth somewhat discontented with God for inculcating it so often But Moses was but a Nouice in gouernment therefore he thought once telling was enough Dan 7 9. God which is the ancient of dayes and throughly acquainted with mans infirmitie knowes that his forgetfulnesse his vntowardlinesse needeth be remembred he must be vrged more then once and often is not more then enough to worke our care and keepe vs in awe See then Gods clemencie that doth not hold his tongue in warning that hee may hold his hand in striking Wee are no better then the Israelites neither doe wee lesse neede reiterated warnings then the Israelites did the Minister therefore must not bee secure of his charge but suspect these defects in them and redouble his admonitions to them As Moses added a Deuteronomie to the former Bookes of the Law though he repeated but the same thing and the Euangelists added Gospel vpon Gospel of the same argument and the Apostles added Epistles to Epistles not much varying their doctrine So it must not grieue vs to write and speake the same things to the people and for them it is a sure thing as the Apostle teacheth Philip 3. v. 1. The last point sheweth how this prohibition is limited in time When the Trumpet soundeth long then shall they come vp to the Mount It is disputed whether these words point out the time wherein the Israelites must come out to meete God and then come vp the Hill is but to come to the foot of the hill whether Moses brought them Or whether it point the time when God would goe from the Mount and leaue it free to be resorted vnto by man and beast This
last agreeth better with the old Translations the Septuagint and Chaldie and the most iudicious Diuines pitch vpon it and wee will follow them Though I will not rashly define whether the symbolicall presence of God left the Hill before it rested vpon the Tabernacle which almost was a twelue moneth after But this I note That positiue Precepts are not perpetuall when their end ceaseth the Law is at an end Yea and the vigour of it sensibly decayeth when the people become vnsit to vse it so that God doth not tire out their care and feare of danger but setteth them free in due time whom for a time hee doth restraine After God was departed that Hill was no more a Sanctuarie well might the Israelites beare a ciuill respect vnto it a religious they might not without impietie Which I note the rather because of the common superstition especially of Papists who continue a religious opinion and respect vnto the places which Christ frequented in the dayes of his flesh and the Apostles after him Canaan for example which they tearme the holy Land Whereas God hath long since as hee long before threatned prophaned that place neither may we expect any heauenly vertue from it but out of grosse superstition Yet will we not denie vnto all those monuments a due respect so that it be no more then ciuill But to our purpose The ceremoniall prohibition is ceased but the morall contained vnder it must neuer cease we must neuer cease with reuerence to come to Gods house Psal 5.8 and not forget in his feare to worship towards his holy Temple Moses bad the Israelites Take heed to themselues he discharged his dutie in commanding this modestie and the Israelites obeyed they did not passe their bounds nor came before they were summoned Verse 17. and therefore scaped the punishment a blessed concurrence both of Pastor and people And what can I say but bid vs Take heed to our selues Let vs take heed of the sinne here forbidden Let vs take heed of the punishment here threatned Let vs bee as readie to obey that I admonish not in vaine and we shall neuer vndergoe the punishment if we auoid the sinne And a better way to auoid it I cannot commend vnto you then that which was practised by King Dauid you haue it in the Psalme Lord mine heart is not haughtie Psal 131. nor mine eyes loftie neither doe I exercise my selfe in great matters or in things too high for mee surely I haue behaued and guieted my selfe as a child that is weaned of his mother my soule is euen as a weaned child Here I should end but I may not forget to bid you ioyne this Sermon with the former That taught you Puritie this Modestie It is not enough for a man that com◠〈◊〉 vnto God to be pure he must bee modest also wee are apt to presume vpon our Holinesse but modestie will keepe vs humble Modestie will teach vs that bee we neuer so pure in our owne eyes 〈◊〉 15.15 we are not so in Gods The Heanens are not cleane in his sight and Hee layeth folly to the Angels How much more to men who dwell in houses of clay and who drinke iniquitie like water Wherefore Let vs neuer thinke our selues more worthy then God thinketh vs yea let vs acknowledge our selues vnworthy of the least grace that God doth doe vnto vs so may our humble holinesse make vs more capable of Gods goodnesse heere and blessednes hereafter To God the Father God the Sonne c. The tenth Sermon EXODVS 19. VERS 16. 16. And it came to passe on the third day in the morning that there were thunders and lightnings and a thicke cloud c. to the end of the twentieth verse WHen God and the Israelites were prepared in such manner as at seuerall times I haue shewed you God to deliuer the Israelites to receiue the Law then they met together This their meeting is the onely point in this Chapter that remaineth vnhandled my purpose is God willing to dispatch it at this time that so hereafter I may come on to the next Chapter which containeth the principall matter of my arrant We are then first in this meeting to consider when and What it was When it was vpon the third day and that in the morning To know what it was we must see Pirst In what manner Secondly by what Mediatour The manner hath two remarkable things the Signification which God gaue of his readinesse to come and the Impression which that made vpon the Israelites The signification was full of dreadfull state for the haâ—bingers came before to prouide Gods place Thunder lightning the cloud the trumpet c. And these harbingers were very dreadfull some to the eye the slashes of lightning that brake out of the cloud the duskie flame that ascended from the whole Hill on fire some to the eare the claps of thunder and the loud sound of the trumpet As the harbingers were dreadfull so they made an answerable Impression in the Israelites the Impression was hopefull feare Feare the Israelites quaked in their Tents yea and Moses himselfe quaked vpon the way Neither will you wonder that the reasonable Creatures did quake at such a presence when you read in my text that the mountaine the senslesse mountaine became as it were sensible at this foretast of Gods accesse vnto it it trembled exceedingly Such was the feare But this feare was not without Hope for notwithstanding it they set out from their Tents and came onto their standing to the foote of the Hill the place where they were to attend Gods comming downe vpon the Mountaine and this they could not doe without some hope But in this interuiew we must take notice of the decorum or decencie obserued by the Israelites and the gracious benignitie exprest by God The decorum or decencie was this the Israelites came first to their place before God came to his And you know it is good manners when vnequall persons meete that the inferiour should waite for the comming of his superiour The benignitie was this no sooner did man make towards God but God vouchsafeth to meete man halfe wayes Out of both these will arise another note That except man ascend aboue himselfe and God descend below himselfe there can be no meeting of God and man These things we shall consider in the manner But this manner sufficeth not vnto the meeting except there be moreouer a Mediatour for persons so farre distant in nature as God and man cannot come together except some body come betweene And here we find Moses acting that person hee puts heart into the quaking Israelites and led them out of their Tents to the place where they were to attend God and he kept them in heart standing betweene God and them while the Articles of the Couenant were proclaiming I haue pointed at the particulars which I purpose God willing to handle at this time briefly and in their order God
Malum culpae and Malum paenae Sinne and the wages thereof hee telleth them that they were free from neither deepe in sinne for they were a generation of Vipers in danger of the wages of sinne which is the wrath to come In danger they were of it and yet they were not aware for Who had forewarned them to â—ite from the wrath to come No master as yet had taught them that leison So he opened their case But here to haue ended his Sermon had beene to leaue them to an vn 〈…〉 end euen to desperation but hee doth not leaue them so as 〈◊〉 would haue them throughly to vnderstand their owne case So doth 〈…〉 prescribe them a good course his words are plaine but 〈…〉 of them is darke by a few propositions I will make it 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 was to haue a double being in the Couenant an here 〈…〉 the hereditarie was nothing but the birth-righ which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad rem be that lineally descended from Abraham might claâ—me to bee admitted into the Couenant which God made with him The posseâ—â—orte consisted in his personall grace which gaue him Ius inre when hee did not onely descend from Abraham according to the flesh but communicated also with him in the graces of the spirit These two beings in the Couenant were to concurre in euerie Iew and they could not bee scuered without danger danger not to the Couâ—nant but to the Iew. Now marke Saint Iohns words hee sheweth that the Iewes did separate the Personallgrace from their Birth right wherefore he calleth vpon them to remedie that bring forth fruites worthy of Repentance This is the Personall grace which Saint Iohn will haue the Iewes adde to their Buth right and which hee telleth them they cannot separate without danger danger to themselues not to the Couenant To themselues Begin not to say with your selues We haue Abraham to 〈◊〉 father We haue Abraham to our father is too single a plea it pleadâ—â—h onely the birth right God can deriue that vnto others without 〈◊〉 This Couenant he can raise children vnto Abraham of the verie steres And he can â—ustly according to his Couenant reward you as you deserue roote you out of that family Now â—â—the 〈◊〉 c. You see what is the substance of this Scripture and the 〈◊〉 that I shall handle thereon not all at this time but so many as the time will permâ—â— Consider what I say and the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things I begin at the persons and of them first consider the Number the naâ—â—â— great a Multitude in the originall it is Multitudes Saint Matthâ—â— conâ—â—â—imes it by particularising the seuerall companies But whereas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie either the qualitie or the quantitie of persons the qualitie and so is vsed for the vulgar people whom in English wee call the Multitude or else may signifie their quantitie here it is taken not for qualitie but quantitie For the persons are many in number Ierusalem came out all Iudaea came out and so did all the confines of Iordan Matth. 3. so saith S. Matthew and he saith also that amongst them that came out there were more then vulgar persons for there were Pharisees Saduces Antiq. lib. 3. cap. 14 de Bellâ— Iudaic. lib. 2. c. â— persons of principall note amongst the Iews as appeares not only in the Gospel but also in Iosephus And of those there came a great many so many as that some would haue the word Multitude in Saint Luke to be restrained vnto them according to the direction of Saint Matthew in whom this sharpe Sermon seemeth to be made onely vnto the Pharisees and Saduces But because hypocrisie might bee common vnto more we will take the words at large and concerning the Multitude obserue this that though they had lost the true knowledge of the Messias yet the hope of a Messias they had not lost they hearkned diligently after him Their calamitie sharpned their desire such was their miserie vnder the Romanes that no person either seditious or superstitious promised newes of the Messias but he was flockt vnto by men of all sorts we haue a touch at it in the Acts but in Iosephus it is deliuered more at large Acts 5. The same God that in punishment of their grosse mistake of the Messias suffered them to bee abused by Impostors honoured the comming of the true Messias with resort of no small numbers to his harbinger And this agreeth well with those titles that the Scripture giueth vnto Saint Iohn he is called the voice of a crier he was heard farre and rowsed many he was a burning Lampe he shined cleare and drew many his doctrine his life were both such and so powerfull as be seemed the harbinger of Christ that harbinger that was to take vp many lodgings for him by them Saint Iohn preuailed And Ministers must herein imitate him and the people must imitate these multitudes they must learne of them to come forth And so from the persons I come to their disposition They seeme well disposed first in their Paines they came from home vnto Saint Iohn and some of them came somewhat farre The principle is good and ancient that men that will serue God must goe from their owne home though a man may serue God at home yet the sollemne place of worship was commonly distinct from the priuate home so was it euen in the dayes of Adam as Bertram obserueth it is more cleare in the dayes of the Patriarches but most of all in the time of the Tabernacle and Temple to say nothing of the Synagogues and the most Christian Emperours did not disdaine to come into publique assemblies of the Church As Religion grew cold so priuate Oratories were â—rected at first onely for Kings afterward for Peeres and now scarce any man of more then ordinarie ranke that must not haue a Church in his owne house Men thinke themselues too good to sort with the common assembly But though their bee a subordination of States in the Common-weale yet this subordination ceaseth when we come into the Church where all should alike bow and pray heare and obey as hauing but one God one Sauiour one Faith one Hope and all these farre from respect of persons whereupon Saint Paul grounded his exhortation Heb. 10 15. which I also renue vnto you Forsake not the assembly as some doe In a word wee must goe out to Saint Iohn Baptist not from our home only wee must goe from our state also these Iewes did goe out from their houses indeed but not from themselues and so their paines was rather great then good not like Abraham that did not only come out from his fathers house but from his Idolatrie also especially if wee come to receiue sacred things wee must forsake our former euill wayes Let vs vs see their pretence That cannot be disliked they went to be baptized Baptisme was a Sacrament wherewith God began the New
vpon his shouldeas And indeede our Faith in him must begin at that which was endured by him and therein must wee imitate him and write Cedendo vincimus The Church neuer triumphed so much ouer the world as when it did most resolutely sustaine the bloudy malice of the world The last thing that is to be noted on these words is the exchanging of the yoke mentioned before and rod of the oppressor which lay vpon the shoulders of the People into this Royalty and Gouernment which lyeth vpon the shoulders of the King Great odds there was betweene the People and the King the enemies had to do with the People they imposed their persecutions as a yoke vpon them but when they come to deale with the King this yoke is turned into a gouernment The same God that commanded light to shine out of darkenesse so altered the Crosse of Christ that it became to him the Chaire of Triumph And this is the cause why Princes weare it in their Crownes in token that they are subiect to it and why it was of old set vp where triumphall Arches were wont to stand that the world might haue so many witnesses as it were of the Triumph of it Which superstition at length abused and therefore haue they in many places iustly been abolished though the originall of the erection of those Crosses deserued rather praise than blame But we may not omit to obserue the seeming Contradiction that is in the Prophets words At first it is said The Gouernment shall be vpon his shoulders as if hee did beare it afterward it is said that Hee shall sit vpon the Throne and the Kingdome as if it did beare him The reconciliation is easie The body politicke is like the body naturall the foundation of it stands vppermost the head stands aboue the feete and a man would thinke that the feet did beare the head but indeede the head beareth the feete For were it not for the influence of sense and motion which the head deriues vnto the feete the feete could not sustaine themselues much lesse could they beare the body Wee see it in a dead palsie that intercepts the intercourse of the spirits betweene the head and feet We haue another Simile also of our Soules and our Bodies We would think that our Body did containe our Soule but indeed it is the Soule that containes the Body For no sooner doth the Soule part from the Body but the heterogeneous parts fall asunder and this goodly frame commeth to nothing Euen so fareth it betweene the Prince and the People he seemeth to rest vpon the people as the head vpon the body but indeed the people doe rest vpon him and therefore in Greek a King is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a phrase borrowed from a Building whereunto the Common-wealth is compared and whereof the King is said to be the Foundation For a wise King as it is Wisd 6. is the vpholding of the People and King Dauid Psal 75. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolued I beare vp the Pillars thereof And indeede the parts of euery State were they not vnited and supported by the Soueraignty of the Prince would sooner moulder and come to nought than doe the parts of our Naturall body when it wants a soule for there is not so much nor so eager naturall ambition and coueteousnesse in the elements whereof our bodies consist whereby they striue to gaine the one vpon the other and to tyrannize the one ouer the other vntill the one hath wrought the others bane as there is ciuill both ambition and coueteousnesse in the Members of euery State whereby the one striueth to get the vpperhand of the other and each man would denour his brother Ephraim against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim and both against Iuda as the Prophet speaketh in this Chapter vntill the Kindome of Israel be layd waste Whereas then in euery State there are rich and poore that the rich doe not deuoure the poore crafty and simple that the crafty doe not circumuent the simple strong and weak that the strong doe not offer violence to the weake the reason is There is a King Rege incolumimens omnibus vna The King maintaines the Concord By him it commeth to passe that euery man sitteth quietly vnder his own vine and dwelleth safely vnder his owne roofe Mutiners and Murmurers are therefore iustly to be abhorred who speake euill of Authority and would withdraw their necks from obedience vpon this ground That superiours liue by the sweat of the inferiours browes being themselues deuoyd of care Their quarrell is like that which in Menius Agrippaes Apologue the outward members of the body had against the stomacke They complained of his lazinesse and their owne painfulnesse and therfore conspired to starue him and ease themselues They euen discouered their folly for soone after the hands began to faint and the leggs to faulter and the whole body to pine Then they perceiued that the stomacke which they condemned as lazie laboured for them and that they were beholding to the labour of the stomacke that themselues had any strength to labour So is it in the body politicke though the State of the Prince is supported by the Commons yet the spring of the Commons wealth is the prouidence of the Prince and soone would these streames dye if that fountaine were dammed vp It is so in a ciuill state but in the spirituall state it is much more so If a mortall Prince bee so beneficiall vnto a temporall State much more is the immortall King of heauen and earth beneficiall to the state of his Church sustaining and supporting the same That which you haue heard of mortall Princes sheweth rather what they should doe than what vsually they doe But this immortall King doth what he should hee is not so much aduanced aboue his people as his people are eased by him He beareth them vp on his wings as an Eagle doth her yongue ones as it is Deut. 32. but more amply Esay 36. his care his prouidence and the efficacie thereof are most aptly most significantly set downe there But because of this we shall speake more hereafter when wee come to entreate of his excellent managing of his State wee will pursue that Point no further nor trouble you further at this time O Lord who art high in place and great in care in thy Person and by vertue of thy bitter Passion exercising thy prouidence which guides and supports the whole frame of and euery member in thy Church Lord wee beseech thee to guide vs that wee bee not mis-led and that wee faile not to sustaine vs. So shall we neuer repine at thy sitting vpon vs thy Kingdome seeing wee rest more vpon thee that art our King And euer good Lord so rule vs from Heauen that wee may rest on thee in Earth So shall wee beeing translated from Earth vnto Heauen fully rest and reigne with thee
coniugall Couenant that is betweene God and man God hath promised to be our God and we haue promised to be his People but eyther side promiseth to the other exclusiuely God promiseth to be our God and the God of none as he is ours and wee promise to be his People and to be the People of no other God as we are his This appropriation of our selnes vnto God is that which the Apostle speakes of 1 Cor. 8. Though there be that are called Gods whether in heauen or in earth as there be Gods many and Lords many yet vnto vs there is but one God God the Father and one Lord Iesus Christ This made Dauid to say Psal 73. Whom haue lin heauen but thee Psal 139. and there is none in earth that I desire in comparison of thee Yea doe I not hate them that hate thee I hate them with a perfect hatred as if they were mine enemies Psal 16. but all my delight is in thy Saints which are on the earth As man in his zeale doth so proceede exclusiuely towards God so doth God towards man for God taketh the Church for his peculiar Exod. 19. therupon promiseth Abraham I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them thâ—t curse thee This is true coniugall Loue of each side and vpon this knot commeth in zeale which is otherwise called iealousie and is nothing but the affection of eyther part whereby it so desires to enioy the other as that none other either haue it or wrong it for if eyther the wife communicate her selfe to any other or be by any other wronged the iealousie of the husband is stirred vp against his wiues enemies or against his wife Against his wife so speakes God Ezekiel 16. And I will iudge thee as women that breake wedlocke and shed blood are iudged and I will giue thee bloud in sury and iealousie And as hee proceedeth in iealousie against his adulterous wife so doth he against enemies that wrong her thereupon the Prophets expresse his anger against them by iealousie and the Church Esay 62. desiring reuenge saith Lord where is thy zeale In this place the zeale respects reuenge vpon the enemies not vpon the Spouse you may perceiue it by the coherence of this Text with that which goeth before where mention is made of a deliuerance and Christ is here brought in as the Deliuerer the ground of the worke is zeale Finally marke that whereas Gods glory doth as well appeare in our deliuerance as our owne good yet in working thereof God seemeth to be moued rather with his loue to vs than care for his owne glory and giueth a good patterne vnto vs that we likewise in seruing of God must respect not so much our owne saluation as his glory And so haue you heard the Warrant of this Doctrine what remaines but that I vse vnto you the words of the Psalmist Be yee lifted vp O yee gates be yee lifted vp O euerlasting doores and the King of glory shall come in Who is the King of glory euen the Lord of Hosts hee is the King of glory You haue heard him described and haue heard the substance and excellencie of his Person and State Behold God is our saluation let vs trust and not bee affraid the Lord Iohouah is our strength and song he also is become our saluation therefore with ioy let vs draw waters out of this Well of Saluation O Lord that art able and willing let me feele the efficacie both of thy power and will in making me partaker both of the Person and State of Christ and the excellencie of both So shall all my power be set on worke by all my will to make me wholly thine as thou art pleased to be mine Grant this mutuall knot may bee so knit that I neuer breake it so shall I be sure that thou wilt euer hold it IHS SIXE SERMONS VPON The Second of HAGGAI HAG. 2. Vers 6 7 8 9. For thus saith the Lord of Hosts Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the heauens and the earth and the sea and the dry land And I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of Hosts The siluer is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord of Hosts The glory of this latter house shall bee greater than of the former saith the Lord of Hosts and in this place will I giue peace saith the Lord of Hosts ALthough the fruits of seruing God be not his The first Sermon but our owne welfare yet if it were not more furthered by him than it is endeauoured by vs wee should neuer fare well because wee should neuer serue him Our impediments are two and they are two extreames Carelessenesse and Curiositie Carelessenesse keepes vs backe when we should beginne and when we should goe forward Curiosity slakes our zeale Sometimes we doe not serue God because we doe not care for him and sometimes we grow cold in pietie because we thinke our best endeauours are not worthy of Gods maiestie Thus the euill Angell whether hee appeare in his darkenesse or in his counterfeit light both waies gaines vpon vs. This Prophecie of Haggai doth little else but propose an example of eyther impediment and the remedie that is applied thereunto the Iewes yeelde the example but the remedy is from God The Iewes in acknowledgement of Gods great goodnesse should vpon their returne out of the Babylonian captiuity haue made their first work the re-edifying of Gods house but they were otherwise minded and busied themselues about their owne houses That memorable speech King Dauids religious meditation neuer came into their hearts which is recorded 2 Sam. 7. Lo saith hee I dwell in a house of Cedar but the Arke of God lodgeth vnder Curtaines therefore I will build him an house But these Iewes could finde in their hearts to dwell in sieled houses and let the Temple lye in its â—uines Wherefore God corrects and reformes this their carelessenesse corrects it with rebukes and stripes reformes it by his word and spirit By these meanes were they brought at length to begin the worke They beganne but were quickely wearied and it was curiosity that wearied them They were contented indeede to build a Temple vnto God but not except it might be so goodly a one as was that of Salomâ—n and because their ability would not reach so farre many of them gaue ouer working and fell to weeping Behold a wicked curiosity which vnder colour of Gods honour would not honour him at all Well God must remedie this impediment also and he doth it by teaching the Iewes two excellent rules in Religion The first is wee must not iudge of Gods workes as wee doe of mens In mens workes by the beginning wee make coniecture of the ending and a iudicious man when hee seeth a foundation will easily ghesse what pile of building will be raised
and in the eyes of God doth grace and commend vs as if it were ours But if you looke to sanctification that redounds from Christ vnto vs it maketh vs starres in the spirituall firmament though of vnequall magnitude and vnequall glory St. Paul is cleare for it 1 Cor. 3. Wee with open face behold the glorie of God and are transformed into the same image from glorie vnto glory euen by the powerfull spirit of Christ. When the Apostles did but see Christs transformation in the Mount though themselues were not transfigured yet they thought it so happy a sight that they cryed out Bonum est esse hìc Let vs pitch our Tabernacles here And what would they haue thought if themselues also might haue been partakers of the same glorie if themselues might haue appeared like vnto him if they might haue beene as he was yet such is our condition in Christ The last morall shall be that whereas other things that fill vs proportion themselues vnto and take vp whatsoeuer capacity they finde it is not so with Christ whatsoeuer he filleth that he enlargeth Aug. Confes and the more we haue of him the more capacity we haue the more capacity of glory for that is that wherewith he filleth all other things deale worse with vs they straighten our capacitie or fill vs with vanitie Wherefore were we as wise as we should be wee would suffer no bodie to take vp any roome in vs but only Christ wee would leaue no corner for the diuell or the world or our corrupt lusts And indeede who would with-hold any part from him to continue a straight a darke a filthy dungeon that by his presence may bee made a large a light a glorious habitation And yet so it is some of vs steale our heads from him and entertaine errour some steale their hearts from him and therein lodge sinnefull lusts there is no man that doth not with-hold some part and keep that part the worse for it But this should bee to euery one of vs his votiue prayer To thee O Christ I consecrate totum me and totum mei my whole selfe and all that is in me humbly desiring that nothing may inhabit me but thy selfe and that which commeth from thee This is that whereunto I aduise my selfe as I aduise you And that I aduise not in vaine let vs lay this text to the former there we heard of a desire here of a filling Salomon hath a good rule A desire accomplished delighteth the soule So that if we profited so much by the last sermon as to make Christ our desire we may be comforted by this which assures vs that our desire shall be filled Yea whereas desire is sinus cordis the bosome or lappe as it were of the heart if we doe enlarge it God will replenish it But let vs bee sure that this sermon doth little concerne vs if the former tooke no place in vs. Dauid no sooner heard that Obed Edoms house prospered by hauing the Arke but hee was stirred vp with a godly zeale to bring it vnto Sion to bring it to his owne Citie What shall I wish vnto you but that hauing heard the blessing that Christs presence brought to Zorobabels Temple euery one of you would striue to lodge him in your Temples the temples of your bodies the temples of your soules So may he fill these mysticall as he did that typicall Temple so fill them here with the glory of his grace that they may bee hereafter filled with the grace of his glorie Psal 24. Wherefore lift vp your heads O yee gates and bee yee lift vp yee euerlasting doores and the King of glorie shall come in 85. Saluation is near them that feare him that glory may dwell in their Land LEt thy worke O Lord be seene towards thy seruants and thy glorie vpon their children that in the sensible sweet comfort thereof wee may all now and euer sing Glory bee to thee O Lord most high Blessing honour glory and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euer and euer Amen THE FOVRTH SERMON The siluer is mine and the gold is mine The glorie of this later house shall bee greater than the glory of the former THe bountie which Christ vouchsafed that Temple which was built by Zorobabel is by this our Porphet set forth absolutely and comparatiuely Of the absolute consideration thereof I spake last I will passe now on to the comparatiue exprest in those words which now I haue read vnto you Of this comparison we must obserue 1 the preface and 2 the contents The preface will teach vs what Christ can the contents what hee will doe Christ can in point of bountie doe as much as he will so much the words of the preface import The siluer is mine the gold is mine And he will doe more than the Iewes doe desire for they would haue beene contented if they might haue had a Temple but as goodly as that of Salomon Christ will doe more for them The glory of the later house shall be greater than the glorie of the former But more distinctly These points of Christs power and his will must be opened first seuerally then ioyntly If wee looke into them seuerally then wee shall finde that the preface which sets forth Christs power doth in the outside of the words entitle him to these earthly mettals gold and siluer but the inside will informe vs that he is owner of much more precious mettals of gold and siluer that are heauenly As for the contents the comparison therein presented vnto vs may be conceiued eyther of fabricke to fabricke or furniture to furniture I will touch at both that so you may the better see of whether and how far my text may be iustified Hauing thus opened the points seuerally I will ioyne them together and shew you that first Christs power is set downe before his will that the Iewes should not thinke he doth promise more than hee can performe secondly that his will beareth correspondencie to his power and he giueth gifts not sutable to the narrownesse of our desire but to the widenesse of his owne store Of these particulars I shall now God willing speake briefly and in their order God grant we may so listen to and profit by that which shall be said concerning Christs power and will that it may bee his gracious will alwaies to sustaine and blesse vs according to his all sufficient power Come we then to the preface and first to the outside of the words The siluer is mine the gold is mine If so we reade the preface it doth entitle Christ to these earthly mettals gold siluer and his title is iust and clear he that made all is owner of all now all things were made by Christ and without him nothing was made that was made Iohn 1. therefore wee may conclude with the Psalmist Psal 24. The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the
and the gold is his The second remembrance is grounded vpon Christs will and in sense hereof wee may learne of King Dauid thankefull deuotion When Nathan brought him a message of more good than euer hee expected hee went vnto the Tabernacle and first villifieth himselfe Who am I 2 Sam. 7. O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto then he magnifieth Gods mercie This was yet a small thing in thy sight O Lord God but thou hast spoken also of thy seruants house for a great while to come then he doth as we must all doe turne Gods promise into a prayer And now O Lord God the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy seruant and concerning his house establish it for euer and do as thou hast said God did it for Dauid he will do it for vs whereas they that are temples of grace haue a farther hope to be temples of glorie if we beleeue his power and desire the accomplishment of his will wee shall in due time experience a comparison which is beyond all comparison we shall be cloathed with a later house in heauen the glory whereof shall infinitely exceede the glorie of the former house of God which we are vouchsafed to be while we liue here on earth WHich God grant vs for Iesus Christ his sake to whom with the holy Ghost be rendred all honour and glorie Amen THE FIFT SERMON And in this place will I giue peace THe exceeding grace that Christ would vouchsafe to Zorebabels Temple I reduced to his bountie in giuing and the securitie of his gift Of the bounty I haue spoken it followeth that I now come to the security that is exprest in those words that now I haue read vnto you Wherein we will see first seuerally by what name the securitie is called it is peace secondly where is the resting place thereof in this place then ioyntly how the place commeth to bee possest of that peace wherein wee shall consider that this worke is a free-gift whereof the only giuer is our Sauiour Christ I will giue saith he peace in this place These be the particulars whereof God willing I shall now speake briefly and in their order First then of the peace Peace is nothing else but a free enioying of whatsoeuer good we haue But the good which we haue may be eyther ordinate or inordinate full or scant and so the enioying thereof may bring vnto vs a peace true or false perfect or imperfect If the good be ordinate the peace is true and if full then it is perfect but the peace is false if the good be inordinate and the peace cannot be perfect if the good be scant I will speake somewhat of the false and imperfect peace that thereby you may the better conceiue the true and perfect Wee must know that vnto flesh and bloud many things doe rellish as good which indeed are nothing so for the true character of good is a conformitie to Gods will the warrant whereof is his word from which all sinfull lusts doe swarue and yet in them doe carnall mindes place their good and the enioying of them is the worlds peace For what is carnall securitie but a plunging of a mans selfe into all kinde of wickednesse without remorse of conscience or feare of iudgement Amos cap. 6. doth describe such persons as stretcht themselues vpon iuorie beds dranke wine in bowles eate calues from the stall cheared vp their spirits with musicke This was their good a sensuall good yea and a senslesse too for they tooke not to heart the affliction of Ioseph but approaching to the seate of iniquitie put farre from them the euill day This is a false peace grounded vpon an inordinate good Our Sauiour Christ maketh the like description of the old world Matth. 24. they were eating drinking marrying and giuing in marriage when the floud came and tooke away those vngodly ones Hee speaketh not of ordinary marriage Gen. 6. which is Gods institution but alludes to the storie of the sonnes of God marrying with the daughters of men And as their marriage was irregular so was their eating and drinking too for they were feasts congratulating their irregular wedlocke much like the feasting of the children of Israel when they worshipped the golden calfe Exodus 32. The Wise man speaking of Idolaters passeth this censure vpon them cap. 14. liuing in the great warre of ignorance those so great plagues they called peace But this is not Gods it is the diuels peace qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dum vult cudere cudit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he maketh men like bedlems who gashing themselues with kniues laugh in the beholders face risu sardonio they laugh and dye By this security doth the diuell lull men asleepe in their sinnes that they may the better bee ouertaken with an vnexpected ruine for when they â—ry peace peace then as the Apostle foretold 1 Thes 5. commeth sadden destruction In the middest of their pleasure they goe in a moment downe into hell Iob. I would wee had not too many spectacles of this peace that of the Poet may be truly verified of vs I am patimur longae pacis mala saeuior armis Luxuria incubuit the peace which God hath granted vs from forraigne enemies what hath it wrought but this sinfull peace peace in sinne neuer did this land by prophanenesse by iniustice by riot more offend God and neuer was it more senslesse thereof And the Church may well complaine in the words of the Prophet Esay 38. in pace meâ amaritudo amarissima this calme of ours is a very storme a storme of sinne that will bring a storme of woe The Prophet Ieremie cap. 48. hath an excellent resemblance of a vessell of wine which while it is settled vpon the lees hath a good taste and smell but stirre the lees you marre the wine it will then become muddy and vnsauourie The wicked thinke they haue no lees nothing that can interrupt or alter their state but when God commeth to poure them from vessell to vessell they will finde the contrary they will finde that Christs saying in the Gospell is true Matth. 13. Voluptuousnesse and couetousnesse are nothing but bryars and thornes and they will iustifie that saying of the Preacher Eccles 1. All is vanitie and vexation of spirit Gods heauie hand hath beene long off from vs but it vseth to come vpon irrepentant persons with redoubled strokes Esay 57.21 Seeing then non est pax improbo it is no peace which the wicked haue in their prosperitie and that which they haue they cannot long enioy I will conclude with the admonition of Moses Deut. 29. Take heede lest there bee amongst you a roote that beareth gall and wormewood and it come to passe that when any man heareth the words of the curse denounced against the breakers of the Law he blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the
Zorobabels Temple But that place must be considered not in its meanenesse as it was built by the Iewes but as it was furnished with that glorie whereof heretofore you haue heard that house so adorned was to bee the place of peace Salomons Temple was a place of peace but his peace was but a type it was a worldly peace Zorobabels Temple is also a place of peace but his peace is the truth that answered the former type the peace thereof is heauenly that Temple which had but the type of the glorie had no more but the type of the peace and the truth of the peace rested there where the truth of the glorie was So that there is an emphasis in the words this place the holy Ghost giueth thereby the Iewes to vnderstand that it was not the former but the later Temple whereunto God intended the peace which he promised to Dauid 2 Sam. 7. 2 Chro. 22. Isay 25. 26. and all the promises of peace in the Prophets were to be referred thither this Ierusalem was to answer vnto her name and to be indeed the vision of peace But I told you heretofore that Zorobabels Temple was to be vnderstood not only literally but mystically and so it signifieth not onely that materiall house but also the Christian Church peace is annext vnto this peace Extra Ecclesiam non est salus No saluation without the Church and therefore no peace he shall neuer haue God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother In our Creed wee place the holy Catholicke Church and Communion of Saints before the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting As the soule doth not quicken other parts than those that are vnited to the body no more doth the spirit of God giue his blessing of peace to any that are distracted from the body of the Church This must be obserued against all Schismaticks that doe excommunicate them selues and disorderly persons that are iustly excommunicated by the censure of the Church all these while they continue in that state though they doe not lose ius ad pacem yet they doe lose ius in pace though they doe not lose their interest in yet they suspend the benefit of that peace and their state is vncomfortable though it be not irrecouerable And they which follow negligently the assemblies of the Church doe not a little defraud themselues of this peace for they must seeke it chiefly by prayer in Gods house and there doth God dispence it by the mouth of his Ministers I will giue you only two proofes the one our of the Old Testament when the sacrifices were ended which were typicall prayers Num 6.25 Aaron is willed to dismisse the people with these words The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord make his face shine vpon thee and be gracious vnto thee the Lord lift vp the light of his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace A second proofe wee haue in the New Testament where the Church doth solemnely vse those words of the Apostle when after the Liturgie it dismisseth the people The peace of God which passeth all vnder standing keep your hearts and mindes c. And what better inuitation can wee haue to repaire often to the Church than this blessing of peaceâ— foure-fold peace which is there daily offered vnto vs and may bee receiued if we come and come prepared for it I say prepared Before you heard that the peace commeth to the house but as it is furnished with the glorie where there is none of the glorie there can be none of the peace therefore wee must prepare these Temples of our bodies and soules by entertainement of the glory that they may be made capable of the peace The Apostle speaketh plainely Rom. 5. Wee must bee iustified by faith before we can haue peace with God Esay 32. If iudgement dwell in the wildernesse and righteousnesse remaine in the fruitfull fielde the worke of righteousnesse shall bee peace 1 Cor. 2. and the effect of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for euer God doth annoint vs before he doth establish vs. St. Austin hath a witty conceit vpon the words of the 85. Psalme Righteousnesse and Peace haue kissed each other Duae sunt amicae Iustitia Pax c. Righteousnesse and Peace are two fast friends happely thou wouldest gladly enioy the one but thou wilt not bee perswaded to performe the other for there is no man that would not willingly haue peace but all are not willing to worke righteteousnesse yet be thou assured that if thou dost not loue peace's friend which is righteousnesse peace will neuer loue thee for righteousnesse and peace doe kisse each the other 2 King 9. You know what Iehu answered the King of Israel when he asked him Is it peace Iehu what peace can there bee so long as the whoredomes and witchcrafts of thy mother are so many So may we reply to euery soule vnquiet soule that enquireth after peace Looke for none where there is sinne Well may there bee the enemie assaulting and daily sounding alarums but this securing peace which is Gods garrison cannot bee there So long as the Iewes serued God their enemies could not inuade their borders Exod 34. but then the Temple was exposed to the enemie when the Prophets could not reclaime them from sin It is a good conscience that is a continuall feast You haue heard seuerally of the Peace and the Place you must now heare ioyntly of their knitting together who knits them and How He that knitteth them is God in Christ God is the God of peace so the Apostle calleth him Phil. 4.19 and the Prophet tels vs that he creates light as well as darkenesse and Elihu is so bold as to say Iob 34. that if God giue peace none can hinder it But as God giueth it so hee giueth it in Christ for it is his worke to make peace the Prophet Esay cap. 9. vers 6. calleth him the Prince of peace his true members are Sonnes of peace his Apostles Messengers of peace and his doctrine is the Gospell of peace all the foure specified degrees of peace were wrought by him First he tooke away the guilt of our sinne Esay 53. The chastisement of our peace was layd vpon him For he that knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. Secondly hee hath kild the worme for being iustified by faith in him our heart condemnes vs not and we haue confidence towards God so that we can come with boldnesse vnto the throne of grace Thirdly the Law of the spirit of life that is in Iesus Christ doth free vs from the Law of sinne and death Rom. 8. It mortifieth it subdueth the old man and maketh vs walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit Finally he putteth an end to that discord that is betweene man and man The Prophets foretold that when hee
the shadow of death yet will I feare no euill if thou O Lord art with me thy rod and thy staffe shall comfort me c. In all assaults of our peace wee shall at last bee conquerors And this is enough ad pacem viatoris to the peace of the Church militant that wee shall neuer so be deiected but we shall haue strength enough to rouse our selues with King Dauid and say as Psalme 42. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within mee hope in God for I shall yet prayse him who is the health of my countenance and my God and be as resolute as St. Paul Rom. 8. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that iustifieth c. who shall condemne it is Christ that is dead c. with the temptation God will make a way for vs to escape that wee may be able to beare it 1 Cor. 5. Wee may expect no more than this in the Church militant because as Christ came to preach peace so hee came also to send a sword and if the worke of the house prosper in the hand of Zorobabel and Iosua Tobia and Sanballet will impugne it no sooner doth Christ rest gloriously in his Church but there wil be many that will professe enmity against it But the time commeth when all enmitie shall cease all enemies shall be put downe wee shall be fitted for and admitted vnto the sight of God when our glorie shall be consummated and withall our peace bee made perfect so perfect as that it shall be euerlasting What shall we say then to these things Liuie When the Romanes by conquest might haue giuen law to the Grecians at Corinth in the solemne time of the Istmian games their Generall by an Herauld vnexpectedly proclaimed freedome to all the Cities of Greece the proclamation did at first so amaze the Grecians that they did not beleeue it to bee true but when it was proclaimed the second time they gaue such a shout that the very Birds flying in the ayre were astonished therewith and fell dead to the ground Ps 126. Or if you will haue a better storie take that of the Iewes who when at first they heard of Cyrus proclamation and that the Lord thereby had turned the captiuitie of Sion they confesse that at first hearing they were like men that dreamt but afterward their mouth was filled with laughter and their tongue with singing Now the peace that the Grecians and the Iewes had was but a temporall a corporall peace how much more reason is there that our affections should bee strained to the highest pitch of ioy and thankes when wee heare the proclamation of our peace which is so true so perfect peace the peace not of our bodies but of our soules a peace not of our earthly but of our heauenly state a peace that shall so be begun here that it shall endure for euer Wherefore let vs acquaint our selues with God Iob 22. that he may giue vs peace Christs peace Iob 5. which maketh God at peace with vs reconciles vs to our selues and maketh vs at concord with all the world So may we lay our selues downe in peace and take our rest and God which onely can will make vs dwell in safety Psalme 4. NOw the Lord of peace himselfe giue you peace alwaies 2 Thes 3.16 by all meanes Amen THE SIXT SERMON Thus saith the Lord of Hostes. THese words thus saith or saith the Lord of Hosts haue often come in my way since I first beganne the vnfolding of this Text and I still past by them you may thinke I did forget or neglect them but it is not so they are of greater moment than that I should doe the one or the other I reserued them to the last because then I thought I might handle them best For they are the warrant of Gods vndoubted truth and a warrant is then seasonably opened when that whereunto it is annext hath beene fully declared You haue heard of the blessed presence of Christ in Zorobabels Temple of the preparation thereunto of the description thereof the description of the person that should come of the good that he should doe his bountie in giuing set forth first absolutely then comparatiuely the security of his gift consisting in a foure-fold peace These be many they be great blessings lest we should feare that they are too good to bee true our eye must bee vpon the warrant that will ascertaine vs that nothing is promised which shall not be performed In opening of this warrant I shall informe you of two things What it is and Why it is reiterated so often It is the signature of a most powerfull Person There is a double power Internall Externall this Person is mighty in regard of both in regard of the Internall for he is the Lord in regard of the Externall for he is the Lord of Hostes. As for his signature it is such as beseemes so great a Person plaine and peremptorie thus he saith And these words taken ioyntly are the full warrant of the preachers message and the peoples faith He saith enough to assure and command if he say only Thus saith the Lord of Hosts and they must neither dis-beleeue nor disobey if hee say no more The reason why the words are reiterated so often is the weightinesse of the matter expressed in the reiteration The holy Ghost hereby would worke in vs a regard answerable to the matter which hee hath declared to vs and cause vs to ponder it as it deserues Let vs then in the feare of God listen to the vnfolding of those particulars which I haue pointed at whereof the first is the power of the person The first branch of his power is his internall power it is noted by the name Lord. In the originall it is Iehouah and Iehouah is that name which signifieth the first moment of Gods nature for it noteth his being and being goeth before liuing as likewise doe the attributes of being goe before the attributes of liuing the later doe necessarily suppose the former Mistake mee not I meane not that Gods nature is compounded but wee cannot conceiue the onenesse of all his perfections therefore wee helpe our selues in our contemplations by distinguishing them as they are in the creatures which are a shadow of the Creator a shadow like a body which receiues distinct beames from the Sunne all which in the Sunne are but one for so those perfections are but one in God which grow manifold as they come from him to vs. But to our purpose When Moses was desirous to know Gods name the first that he exprest vnto him was this I am or I am that I am the meaning is all one with the title of Iehouah which is here rendred Lord and giueth vs to vnderstand that all other things in comparison vnto God indeed are not though they seeme to be for they haue not the two characters
be otherwise minded will they nil they they shall one day finde that they haue no exemption from them Thus saith the Lord is our warrant regard not our persons regard that Lord whose Embassadors wee are receiue the words wee speake so long as we speake his Words not as the words of men but as the Word of God Finally couple Thus saith with the Lord of Hosts The Lord of Hosts noteth Gods Power Thus he saith noteth his Will Our soules shall finde little rest on Gods Power if it be not sure of his Will for God can doe many things which he will not doe though he cannot will any thing which he cannot doe Luke 3.8 God could raise vp Children vnto Abraham of stones but hee would not but the many miracles which he hath wrought shew that hee can doe what he will The coupling then of these words Thus saith the Lord of Hosts imports Gods willing power and powerfull will which amount vnto an authority fit to build our Faith vpon and to giue law vnto our Conuersation I haue sufficiently shewed you What the warrant is wee must now in few words see Why it is repeated so often For I dare say you shall not finde any passage in the Scripture where Thus saith the Lord is so often read in so few lines The reason is the weightinesse of the matter whereunto it is annext Mortall Princes vse not to signe Bils the contents whereof are triuiall matters many things are done by vertue of their Authority whereunto their signature is not vsed Euen so ordinary matters passe in the Word of God without nay speciall vrging of his Authority when that is prefixt the point is of great regard and if it be often ingeminated it giueth vs to vnderstand that we must take speciall notice of euery clause of it What must wee gather here then but the weightinesse of euery branch of this Text And indeede if you haue not forgotten what hath been obserued on euery part thereof you will easily confesse that there is not one of them which is not so weighty as to deserue Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Was not the shaking of Heauen and Earth the shaking of all Nations a weighty point and therefore deserued it not to be signed with Thus saith the Lord of Hosts If the shaking did deserue this signature much more did the Comming of the desire of all Nations especially seeing he came to fill the Temple with glory and as it deserued so it was signed with Thus saith the Lord of Hosts If the giuing of Glory were a matter of great moment what shall wee say of the degree of Glory Surely it required a great ability so great as we would hardly haue beleeued had we not bin heartened by Thus saith the Lord of Hosts and it must proceed from so great bounty as may be testified by the same Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Finally the peace wherein we possesse whatsoeuer good is contained in Christs presence doth so passe mans vnderstanding that to establish his heart in the beliefe thereof he needes this signature Thus saith the Lord of Hosts At length to conclude You haue heard in the former Sermons What in this Whom you must beleeue you must not separate Whom from What that which we must beleeue doth no doubt most pleasantly affect vs because it is our good but he whom we must beleeue doth most firmely secure vs because he is the Author of that good As then when wee gather fruit from a tree we doe not fixe our eyes onely vpon the boughes from whence we immediately gather it but also thinke vpon the roote which feeds those boughes and maketh them to bee fruitfull so in our religious meditations we must couple the Author with the Matter of blessings that God may be glorified as well as our soules are benefited If we say with Saint Paul I know whom I haue beleeued then we shall be secure that he will safe-keepe whatsoeuer any of vs committeth vnto him hee will keepe our soules keep our bodies and all that which himselfe hath bestowed vpon them Grace and Peace Christ will keepe them vntill his day his second day the day wherein the great and the little world shall receiue their last shaking Then shall the desire of all Nations which at first came in Humility returne againe in Glory hee shall returne to fill his House his Church with glory conformable to his owne Glory Then hee will open vnto vs all his treasures of siluer and gold and therewith adorne his Spouse which being Triumphant shall infinitely exceed her selfe as she was Militant Then shall our Peace come to the full and none shall be able to take our blessednesse from vs because none shall be able to separate betweene vs and Christ They shall not if we build our Faith vpon Gods reuealed Will vpon his Almighty Power vpon my Text Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Now let vs that are a handfull of his Host while we are militant so giue glory vnto the Lord of Hosts that we may hereafter bee triumphant and hauing palmes in our hands and crownes on our heads with harpes and tongues wee may sound and sing ioyntly and cheerfully Halleluiah Praise ye the Lord and with the whole Host of the Kingdome of Heauen saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heauen and Earth are full of thy Glory Amen יהוה A SERMON PREACHED Vpon the ANNVNTIATION day LVKE 2.28 Haile thou that art highly fauoured the Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among women THis is a part of the Gospell appointed for this day and this day goeth commonly for the Annuntiation day whether the day haue his right place in the Calender I leaue to be disputed by Chronologers what is meant by the Annuntiation is an argument fitter for Diuines certainly for the Pulpit the third part of this Chapter treats thereof and it is conceiued in forme of a Dialogue In the Dialogue there are two speakers the Angell Gabriel the Virgin Mary and each of them maketh two speeches the Angell to the Virgin and the Virgin to the Angell The Angell in his first congratulates the Virgin whom hee informeth from God that she shall bee the mother of Iesus Christ Good newes but strange strange that a Virgin should be a mother this Virgin the mother of that Childe The Virgin thought so nay she said so whereupon the Angell addeth his second speech importing that though the thing be wonderfull yet the meanes are powerfull these must be thought vpon as well as that and she must resolue that nothing shall hinder it because it is the Holy Spirit that will doe it So spake the Angell The Virgin replies vnto him to his first speech shewing her willingnesse to vnderstand the message which hee brought that is gathered out of her question Quomâ—do c. to his second shewing her readinesse to obey so soone as shee vnderstood it that appeares in her submission Ecce c.
is wanting to both in him The conscience of sinne doth deiect vs and the want of grace slack that zeale that should bee in vs repaire of cheerefulnesse in both cases is to bee sought in Christ Thus much wee are taught by the resemblance A third reason why wee hold the Sacrament to bee the body and blood of Christ is because the heauenly thing is conueyed vnto vs by the earthly the bread which wee breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ and the cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the the blood of Christ In a word the sacramentall vnion made by consecration serueth to make the sacrament fit for our participation t was so it is so in euery Sacrament of th◠old of the new Testament The addition of My to the body and bloud must not be neglected for it doth insinitely improue them when it tels vs whose they are For there is not an eminencie in the person that doth not reflect vpon this body and blood be it eminencie of dignitie or of efficacie The person is Iesus then it is the body and blood of the Sauiour of the world He is Christ then it is the body and blood of the Anointed of the Lord of the Prophet of the Priest of the King of the Church he is the Sonne of God the only begotten the dearely beloued Son how heauenly how precious must that body and blood bee which are his For our better valuation and greater consolation wee may carry My through all the attributes of this sacred person But let vs goe on The Elements of bread and wine were consecrated that they might be the body and blood of Christ But how are this body and blood to bee considered Surely not as Christ is glorified but as he was crucified for it is that body that was giuen as St. Paul speaketh was broken and the blood is that blood which was shed And so doth it best answer the sacrifices of the old Law and the Sacrament of the Passeouer And no maruell for the glory of Christ can little comfort vs except the crosse of Christ doe first proue that he hath merited it for vs. Christs merit is the pillar of Christian faith whereunto his birth is but an antecedent that hee might be able to merit and his glory a consequent witnessing that hee did merit We must therefore in the Sacrament haue an especiall eye to this And this will not onely secure our soules but settle our iudgements against the Sophistry of the Church of Rome who not distinguishing betweene Christ crucified and glorified or rather not building their conclusions answerable to this vndeniable Principle The Sacraments represent Christ crucified not glorified are driuen to coine so many new Articles 1 of reall presence corporall 2 of a metaphysicall Transubstantiation 3 of an ill applyed concomitancie All which easily vanish if we consider Christs purpose to represent himselfe in the Sacrament not as hee now is at the right hand of God but as he was vpon the Crosse Not but it is the same body and blood which is in glory but it must not be so considered as it is in glory Which will necessarily inforce vs to acknowledge that theynion betweene the thing earthly and heauenly can be no more than sacramentall and that respectiue also to what was done on earth not what is in heauen Was I say done formaliter on the Crosse but is effectiuè working in Heauen For that body which Christ sacrificed for vs he presents in Heauen to propitiate God towards vs not continuing the Act of sacrificing for that was actiua Passio or passiua Actio many others concurred thereunto besides himselfe as it is cleare in the Euangelists but perpetuating the effect of the sacrifice the Act was but once done and that only vpon the Crosse but the efficacie thereof continueth for euer though Christ sit at the right hand of God in Heauen as St. Paul proueth at large in the Epistle to the Hebrewes And this cutteth vp the very rootes from whence springeth the Masse and all Attendants thereupon The last thing which I noted in the consecration is Whereunto the Elements consecrated and by consecration made the body and blood of Christ the body as it was broken the blood as it was shed doe serue and What is intended by them Here are two excellent ends we must behold therein first the establishment of a new Couenant betweene God and vs. We need a new one that haue broken the old by our mutabilitie before the fall and since the fall through our great imbecilitie so that finding our selues vnfit for Hoc fac viues we must rest vpon Iustus fide suâ viuet It is our comfort that wee which cannot stand of our selues may subsist in Christ and though the Law be too hard for vs without the Gospel yet by the Gospel we haue a double good first it giueth strength to performe the Law and secondly because that will not reach home it assureth vs that our iudge is our father and contracts with vs in no other person Of this Couenant God speaketh in Ieremy cap. 31. and St. Paul openeth it in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Marke that the Couenant is annext to the blood and so it was in the Type the Attonement was ascribed thereunto because the burning of the Sacrifice did rather signifie a dedication of the person to God but the shedding of the blood did note the death and it was Christs death in vertue whereof God was pleased to bee attoned and to enter into a new Couenant The second end is the remission of sinnes the Sacrament is not onely vnto vs a pledge of a new Couenant and warrants Beleeue and thou shalt be saued But lest looking backe wee should be afflicted with the conscience of our sinne the Sacrament assureth vs that all shall be pardoned that is not that hath not been performed according to the Law Wee come then to the Lords Table not onely for meate but also for medicine not onely for gold but also for eye-salue this water of the Sanctuarie runneth into vs as into mare mortuum it maketh vs no lesse whole than fruitfull this is the true poole of Bethesda no sooner hath the Angell descended into it but whosoeuer entereth it may bee cured by it And so haue I opened the first Act of Iesus he consecrated the elements The second Act followeth What hee consecrated that hee distributeth In this Act there are two things the first is the diuiding of the elements the second is the bestowing of them The breaking may represent eyther the vsage of Christs body when it was sacrificing as in the old typicall Sacrifices the like also must be conceiued of the pouring out of the wine or else it may fit the Sacrifice for distribution as is vsed in a Sacrament Christ hath the fulnesse of grace but wee haue euery one but his proportion according to our capacity Euen
these prerogatiues and therfore it preacheth vnto vs that which Canaan preached to Israel Amendment of life and constancy therein The second Motiue which the place doth yeeld is the tenure thereof God saith Salomon gaue it to our fathers they held in franck Almoigne and God telleth vs in the Psalme that hee gaue it them to this end that they might keep his statutes and obserue his Lawes And should not men bee dutifull vnto God when God is so liberall vnto men Wee may thinke haply that this doth not concerne vs because we came otherwise by our Lands If we thinke so wee plod too much vpon the second causes but we must know that whether we come by them by purchase or by gift we are beholding vnto Gods blessings for the mony wherewith wee purchase and for their good will which bestow it on vs and the same God that could haue hindred vs of both can strip vs of both at his pleasure But to shut vp the matter of my Text. You see the end of Gods plagues and of his mercy They doe sollicit vs to returne in time This doth call vpon vs not to bee weary of well-doing Wherefore let vs entertaine Gods chastisements prudently let vs not contemne them because they are fearefull and the contempt of this temporall will but procure vs eternall wrath at least in this life God may rise from smaller vnto greater plagues Nor let vs despaire because God is mercifull yea he hath shewed a great deale of mercy in that multi corriguntur in paucis in presenting before vs some few mens harmes hee bids vs all beware and what should our praier be but Domine ne in supplicijs nostrie alios erudiamus Let not vs by thy heauy hand bee made examples to others cum liceat nobis aliorum cruciatibus emendari whereas if wee haue grace other mens corrections may be our instructions To you of this assembly let me say boldly That the greater we are in place and power the greater share should we haue in this worke of Repentance by our example we should teach the people compunction for sin correction of life the two most preuailing folliciters of Gods mercy and preseruers of a State God forbid that it should be with vs as it was with Israel Ier. 5. Amos 6. that God should find the great men more sons of Belial than the meaner sort it would be a shrewd prognostication of very euill dayes to come This day promiseth better things I pray God the continuance be answerable and that we repent not that wee haue resolued to repent but that euery day sinne may more and more dye in vs and grace liue more and more if we do so we may be sure that though for a time we sow in teares yet in due time wee shall reape in ioy Nothing remaineth now that I haue for your greater edifications opened and applied the pious assertions that are contained in my text but that wee should returne it againe into that forme wherein King Salomon conceiued it and make it our common petition vnto God LOrd there is great feare of a famine the pestilence hath entred already far vpon vs by the enemies of thy truth and our peace we are forced to prepare for war we knowing euery man the plague of his owne heart cast our selues downe before thy Throne of Mercy deprecating thy wrath and supplicating for grace beseeching thee to take off thy heauie hand from vs and fight for vs against our enemies because without thee vaine is all the strength of man Heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place forgiue do and giue to euery man of vs according to his waies Thou which only knowest the hearts of all men that we may fear thee all the dayes which we liue in this good Land which thou hast giuen to our fathers And bee vouch safed after this life to attend thy Throne with thy blessed Saints in the Kingdome of Heauen Amen יהוה TWO SERMONS PREACHED in WELLS at the Ordination of MINISTERS THE FIRST SERMON MATTH 28. Vers 18 19 20. All power is giuen vnto mee in Heauen and in Earth Goe ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you And lo I am with you alway euen vnto the end of the world Amen THese words contain one of the last solemne acts which our Sauiour Christ performed immediately before he ascended into Heauen and that was his sending of his Apostles to conuert the world In this act our Sauiour Christ doth informe them first of his owne right to send All power is giuen me both in Heauen and in Earth then of the errant whereupon they were to be sent Goe yee therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them c. But more distinctly About Christs right our first enquiry must be of what sort the power here mentioned is and wee shall finde that it is heauenly and my Text will teach vs that this heauenly power of Christ is lawfull because giuen vnto him and full because in it selfe vnlimited it is All power and extendeth to euery place it worketh both in Heauen and Earth Vpon this power of Christ is grounded the Apostles Embassage that must you gather out of the Illatiue Therefore In the Apostles embassage or errant we will consider their common charge and comfort In the charge we shall see 1. What they must doe they must Goe Ite 2. To whom they are sent and whereabout They are sent farre and wide Goe yee to all Nations That which they must doe is to winne them vnto Christ teach them or as the Originall hath it make them Disciples If they preuaile with any if any entertaine the Gospell then they are to consecrate their persons vnto God Baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and to worke their obedience wholly conformable to euery one of those precepts which themselues had receiued from Christ Teach them to doe all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you This is their common charge Their common comfort standeth in the powerfull and perpetuall assistance of Christ Assistance He is with them and this presence is powerfull for he that is present is Ego I that haue all power both in Heauen and Earth and it is perpetuall Hee is with them alwayes vnto the worlds end Alwayes without intermission vnto the worlds end therefore not onely with their owne persons but also with their successors Vpon this common comfort they must all fixe their eyes Ecce Behold it and their faithfull prayer must hopefully expect it so much is meant by the close of all Amen These bee the particulars which offer themselues in this Text to our consideration I will God willing speake of so many of them as the time will permit Consider you what I say and the Lord giue you a right vnderstanding in
First Gods Worke Deus fecit God made the time a Day Secondly Mans Acknowledgement Haec est dies the Church doth Kalender it for a high day As we must learne thus discreetly to distinguish times so we must also learne to solemnize them Religiously In performance whereof the text will teach vs What we must doe and How That which wee must doe is reduced to two Heads wee must take full comfort in such a Day we must reioyce and be glad in it Reioyce with our bodies Bee glad in our soules both bodie and soule must expresse a comfortable sense Neither must wee only take comfort in it but pray also for the happie continuance of it for the continuance Saue Lord we may be depriued of it for the happie continuance of it Prosper Lord it may be in vaine bestowed on vs. These be the things that must bee done But How that is When and by whom When Now at the verie same time that Wee haue ioyed in the Day must Wee also bee praying for the continuance thereof And whom doth the Psalmist meane by We Looke vnto the beginning of the Psalme and you shall find the parties thus specified Israel the House of Aaron all that feare the Lord the Common-weale the Church the Cleargie the Laitie all whom the Day concernes must take notice thereof and expresse this dutie thereon You see the summe of this Scripture which I will now God willing enlarge farther and apply vnto our present occasion But before I enter vpon the particulars I may not forget to let you vnderstand that this Psalme hath a double sense an Historicall and a Mysticall the Historicall concernes King Dauid and the Kingdome of Israel the Mysticall toucheth Christ and his Church The Mysticall hath warrant from the Gospell wherein Christ doth apply some branches of this Psalme vnto himselfe the the Historicall is cleare in the Bookes of Samuel which intreat of the aduancement of King Dauid If we follow the Mysticall then the Day here remembred is Easter day or the Day of Christs Resurrection and that was a Day indeed the Sunne of Righteousnesse then shone forth in great strength and brought life and immortalitie to life But if we follow the Historicall sense then was the Day here remembred the Day of K. Dauids succession vnto Saul a verie Festiuall Day to Israel though not so high a Feast as is our Easter day The Fathers Commentaries runne most vpon the first sense our occasion is better fitted with the latter wherefore without preiudice to the former we will insist thereon leauing the Mysticall we will insist only vpon the Historicall sense of these words The first point therein is the discreet distinguishing of Times All times are not alike there are nights and there are dayes the time here specified is a Day Saint Basils Rule must guide vs in vnderstanding this word he tels vs that when the Holy Ghost speaketh of a Day in this and many other places wee must not plod vpon the course of the Sunne but looke vnto the occurrents of the time the occurents are of two sorts prosperous or aduerse the former is vsually called Day and the later Night We haue not then to doe with a Naturall but a Metaphoricall Day But Metaphors haue their reasonable grounds and because they are Implicitae Similitudines close couched resemblances we must vnwrap them that wee may see the resonablenesse that is in the vse of them If we doe this in our present Metaphor the reason will be apparent why a prosperous state is tearmed a Day For a Day is caused by the Sunne rising who by his beames sendeth to the earth Light and Heate Light by which all things are discerned and may bee distinguished and Heate by which they are quickened and cherished Euen so in a prosperous State there is something that answereth to the Sunne and that is a good King and well may the King bee tearmed a Sunne in the Common-Weâ—le as the Sunne is tearmed a King in the midst of the Planets A good King then like the Sunne ouer-spreads the Common-Weale with Light and Heate Light all things doe appeare in their right hue flatterâ—e or tyrannie doth not blanch or beare out falshood as truth and good as euill euery one beareth his proper name and is reputed no better then he is which is no small Blessing of a State if we take notice of that which is occurrent in euerie Historie That the best men haue beene branded as the vilest and the vilest haue beene commended for Worthies so farre hath darknesse ouercast the iudgement of the World seeke no farther then the storie of Christ and his Apostles the Scribes and the Pharisees As a good King doth remedie this perueâ—snesse of iudgement by a truer light so doth hee by a vegetable heate put heart into those that deserue well and further their well fare it is no small blessing you may gather it out of the 72. Psalme where the cheareful face as it were of the State doth speake the comfortable influence of a good King you may amplifie this point by that difference which in the 104. Psalme you finde betweene a day and a night The night is a time wherein the sauage beasts doe range abroad men retire and appeare not but in the day men goe freely abroad to their labour and the sauage beasts retire euen so in the time of an ill gouerned Common-Weale all sorts of beastly men as filthy as Swine as greedie as Wolues as cruell as Tigres as deceitfull as the Crocodile these and such like riot and controule and without shame satisfie their lust and then it is dangerous to be iust to be mercifull But the countenance of a good King chaseth such vermine away and none vnlike vnto him find Grace with him or appeare before him the 101. Psalme hath no other argument but this very point and Solomon hath exprest it in seuerall Prouerbs This blessing of Light and Heat of distinguishing and cherishing the good from and aboue the bad springs from a good King if hee bee only a Head of the Common-Weale many Heathen Kingdomes enioyed such Dayes vnder their Augustus Traians Adrians and the like But if the King be also a member of the Church a King of Israel as King Dauid was then doth he yeild vnto his State another Day vnto the Ciuill hee addes a Spirituall Day for as Constantine said well A good King is Episcopus ad extra Ecclesiam as the Pastors are ad intra though he may not administer sacred things yet must hee command them to be administred to bee administred sincerely that no Errours or Heresies dimme the heauenly Light and to be entertained reuerently that the people may feele the sweet inflaence of Grace Epistola ad Bonifacium hee maketh Lawes for the promulgation of the sauing truth of God as Saint Austine teacheth and by wholsome Discipline brings the people to be aswell religious as loyall no lesse dutifull children of God
Angels and Adam who fell They were contented to reioyce in their Day but not in him that made it and so when pride made them vnthankfull Iustice bereft them of that wherein they ioyed And wee may forfeit our Day if wee make them patternes of our ioy King Dauid is a better example who in all his Psalmes of thankesgiuing doth more remember by whom then how happie he was The last thing which I obserue on this point is that ioy must gee with the day The Philosopher can tell vs that pleasure is an adiunct of felicitie vpon this principle is Saint Iames his rule built If any man be merrie let him sing the neglect of this taking comfort hath a heanie doome in Moses Deut. 28. Because thou diddest not serue the Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse and a good heart for the abundance of all things therefore thou shalt serue thine enemies in hunger thirst and nakednesse c. It was not then without cause that Nehemias did reproue the Iewes for weeping when the time remembred them of feasting and indeed what a senslesse thing is it when God taketh pleasure in the prosperitie of his seruants when Angels doe congratulate our happinesse and the rest of the world doth either admire or enuie it for vs to be senslesse and giue no token of our thankfull remembrance of it And if such neglect deserue blame what blame deserueth the murmuring libelling slandering malecontent that maketh a Night of our Day and confoundeth the bright Sunshine with an ominous Ecclipse Such spirits as they are vnworthy of the Day so it were good they were made more sensible of it by experience of the opposite Night Out of all this that you haue heard touching our comfort we may learne that Saint Chrysostomes rule is true Non est parua Virtus gaudere de bonis there is more required vnto full comfort then euery one either heeds or performeth if we will take comfort as we ought wee must not omit any one of those branches which I haue exprest But enough of the comfort I come now to the Prayer As wee must take full comfort in the Day so must wee pray for the happie continuance thereof first of the continuance Saue Lord. The words are Hoshingnana which in the Gospel is rendred Hosanna solemne words vsed by the Iewes at the Feast of Tabernacles When they were in their passage to Canaan they had no other Houses but Boothes or Tabernacles God was pleased to figure the Church Militant in the forme of a Campe when they came into the Holy Land and possessed Cities God would not haue them thinke they cease to be Militant and therefore commanded them once a yeare to dwell in Tents and thereby remember that they must bee alwayes readie to betake themselues againe to such moueable Houses and that they wanted not enemies that would put them to it But marke in what place the Tabernacles were to be pitched euen at Hierusalem which signifieth The Vision of peace there were they to haue a spectacle of warre Neither were the Tents only pitcht at Hierusalem but also round about the Temple to let them vnderstand what that was which was maligned not only their Ciuill but also their spirituall Day for both they were to pray Hoshignana Saue Lord let not their wicked imaginations prosper that haue euill will either at Hierusalem or at Sion The point implied herein is that both our Dayes are changable the Ciuill Day though it be as glorious as the Day of Salomons raigne yet may it haue a rent as great as Salomons Kingdome had when he lost ten Tribes of twelue yea when all twelue were carried away in captiuitie Neither may the Ciuill Day only be changed but the spirituall also the Temple may be burnt aswell as the Citie the Priest destroyed aswell as the Citie the Priest destroyed aswell as the Prince the mists of Idolatrie yea and Infidelitie may ouercast the Church It is plaine in the storie of the Iewes who at first were Idolaters and now are become plaine Infidels Neither hath the New Testament any exemption from this change the Easterne and Westerne Churches shew that all are subiect to the same condition Therefore whilst we stand we must take heed of a fall and the best heed is to pray Saue Lord. As we must pray for the continuance so must we pray that that continuance may be happie We see that though the Sunne bee aboue the Horizon and so apt to make a Day yet many so gges and mists rising from the earth ouercast the Skie and intercept the comfortable influence of the light euen so though God vouchsafe neuer so good a Prince a Prince vnder whom we enioy abundance of peace and the free passage of the Gospel such may be our gracelesnesse that wee shall be the better for neither of them not for the peace that will not make our times a Day if we abuse it in riot and luxurie extortion and imurie diseases that the malignitie of our nature hath made almost inseparable companions of ciuill peace and prosperitie As our vntowardlinesse may hinder the Ciuill Day so may it the Spirituall also if wee loath the heauenly food as many prophane persons doe or as many ouer-curious take an occasion from it to rent the seamelesse Coate of Christ and fall to Sects and Schismes and how many Churches that might haue beene happie haue beene by these meanes most vnhappie Wee haue not wanted Gaules of this kinde which haue fretted our Spirituall Day as our Ciuill is much dimmed by the voluptuousnesse of our times You see then there is good reason of the second branch of the Prayer Prosper Lord let not thy blessings O Lord be receiued in vaine let either sort his blessed effect Religion in the Church and peace in the Common-Weale I haue shewed what you must doe in solemnizing of a Festiuall there remaine two things which I will touch in a word the first is When this must bee done then by whom both these containe the manner How we must doe this dutie these things must bee done ioyntly and they must be done vniuersally Iointly that is noted in the word Now Saue Now send Now Prosperitie we must fall to our prayers euen when we are singing prayses Chap. 11. It is very true which the sonne of Syracke obserueth In the day of prosperitie there is a forgetfulnesse of affliction and in the day of affliction there is no remembrance of prosperitte this is the vsuall course of men Psal 118. but he giueth a good admonition when thou hast enough remember the time of hunger and when thou art rich thinke vpon pouerne and need let vs not forget our prayers when wee are at our prayses When the Church is Triumphant there shall bee then only Ioy and prayse shall be our only worke but while the Church is Militant Dolor Voluptas inuicem cedunt there is a vicissitude of faire and foule weather prosperitie and
that which I rather obserue is These two Disciples aboue the rest had a strong conceite of Christs earthly Kingdome which made them carnally both ambitious and zealous Of their ambition wee read elsewhere where One of them desired to sit on Christs right hand and the other on his left here they shew themselues zealous But their indignation is carnall and so is the weapon where with they doe expresse it My Obseruation is One grosse conceite breedes another It did so in them It doth so in the Church of Rome who dreaming of a temporall power which Christ hath giuen vnto his Church is forward to execute temporall paines vpon whomsoeuer is not conformable vnto her will But I leaue the Persons and come to their Passion Wherein notwithstanding marke that though they are bold to propose yet to resolue they are not bold They are bold to propose their Desire their Reason Their desire is Fire a sharpe weapon especially seeing Saint Paul for dissention in Religion prescribeth other which they would not haue to spare they would haue it Consume their Enemies Rom 16. Fire is their Weapon Quid mirum filios tonitrus fulgurare sayth Saint Ambrose It may be the very place put them in minde of the Element because it was in the Region of Samaria that God executed a fearefull vengeance by Fire 2. Kings 1. Or haply because this Element is in the Scripture made the ordinary attendment vpon Gods Iudgement therefore they especially affect that weapon Iohannes Magnus reporteth that Carolus an ancient King of the Gothes amongst his great Lawes ordained this for one That if any man were thrice conuicted to haue denied entertainement to strangers his house should be set on fire Vi aedibus proprijs iuste priuaretur qui earum vsum inhumaniter negavisset Surely whereas there are foure Elements the Earth the Water the Ayre the Fire euery one of the three first are hospitall the Earth entertaines beasts and men the Water fishes the Ayre birds only the Fire is inhospitall and therefore though they might haue wished for an earth-quake to founder the Village or a floud to drowne it or a venemous Ayre to poyson the Inhabitants of it as that King thought so did these Apostles think that the other 3 Elements were too compassionate and only this vnmerciful Element â—iâ— to take vengeance on these merciles men Sure they would haue no mercy shewed them for they would not only haue fire out Consuming fire Li 2 〈◊〉 Seneca obserues well Non vt in beneficijs bonestum est meritameritis compeâ—sare ita in iniurijs illic vinci turpe hic vincere inhumanum and the rule of the Law is Fauores ampliandt restringendaodia and God is the Patterne hereof whose mercy doth indeede permit him to doe vs good Vltra condignum but his Iustice neuer strikes vs but Citra condignum 〈…〉 81. 〈…〉 40. 〈◊〉 131. God is more admirable in sparing then punishing because Cedit iure suo in the one Exigit in the other read Hosea 1.6 Wisd 12. It is our riches to exact our debts but Gods to forgiue his What bowels then had these Apostles that would so repay wrong with reuenge a Iesse wrong with so sharpe a reuenge for it was but a common discourtesie which for many yeares the Samaritans bad vsed towards all the Iewes and that out of no other malice then such as proceeded from a rooted ignorance they were then rather to be pâ—tied for their ignorance then thus to be hated for their malice But I see now the truth of King Dauids answere to the Prophet Gad when he was offered his choice of three plagues Famine 〈…〉 Pessilence or the Sword I am in a wonderfull straight Let vs fall now into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great and let not mee fall into the hands of men for men are bowelles euen Iames and Iohn which asking fire shew themselues to be worse then fire for as Chrysostome obserueth Fire can stay it selfe if God commaund though it be the nature of fire to burne as appeareth in the case of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego but men though it be contrary to their nature as appeares in that it is painefull to be furious and rage cannot hold though God lay his commandement vpon them The voluntary Agent whose property it should be Statuere actiont suae modum becomes a naturall Et agit ad extremum potentiae suae Vnto whom I say no more but this Wouldest thou O man that God should so deale with thee and send fire such a fire so soone as thou deniest entertainment vnto him Thou wouldest not see then how euery man desireth mercy for himselfe the tenderest mercy but for his enemy Iustice the extreamest Iustice and because it is so Seneca's rule is good Irascenti tibi nihil volo licere quia dum irasceris omnia putas licere In a word the Apostles offend twice first in that being Pastors they desire a corporall reuenge Secondly in that being Christians they desire so sharpe a reuenge Nazianzene thinks they wished for the fire of Sodome Sharpe it is but it is not singular though they haue no Rule yet they haue an Example for it Elias did so In this Chapter is report made of the Transsiguration of Christ wherein appeared Moses and Elias â— Moses the meekest of men Elias a seuere man they saw them both but see whom they remember they might haue remembred Moses and so haue intreated Christ not to take iust displeasure at so bad vsage if he had beene feeling of his owne wrongs but while he is calme they storme and they colour their passion by Elias his example So prone is our nature to imitation and in imitation to pitch vpon the worst The knowledge of Rules is too painefull few will study them and know good and euill by them men take a shorter course and thinke that well done wherein they are like vnto others So liueth the most part of the world and careth not much for any farther enquiry into their actions But when they fall vpon examples according to which they square themselues their liues commonly are exemplifications of the worst It is the obseruation of a very leud Writer but heerein hee hath deliuered a remarkable truth When men read the liues of good men they read them with content and cannot without detestation read the liues of those that are bad yet when they are but to expresse whom they wil be like they forget their owne vpright iudgment and yeeld themselues to their inordinate Passions Certainely these Apostles not so much out of iudgement as out of rage chose rather to bee liâ—e Elias then Moses and wherein are they better then the Samaritans For the Samaritans ranne vpon the same ground that they did they called for fire because Elias did and the Samaritans had the same argument They would not receiue Christ because their Fathers had not vsed to to do it Certainely in the
which Saint Iames condemnes yet Christ blameth their vnderstanding because it did not guide their heart aright wherein hee implyes that they are ill aduised and that they would not haue done it i◠they had better considered of it by which it appeares that Estis is taken for Esse debetis you are is put for you ought to be for they were not what they should be That will appeare better in Christs more distinct Reproofe The Sonne of man is not come to destroy but to saue mens liues which words may haue a threefold sense The first is to distinguish Iesus from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 each answereth his name The one destroyeth the other saueth The Apostles must not turne the Sauiour into a destroyer that is to parallel Christ and the the Deuill And this sense is implyed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are Coniugates with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A second sense there is wherein this phrase distinguisheth betweene Christs first and second Comming and sheweth that though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ shall come for to destroy when he commeth to iudgement yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee was not alreadie come but to saue Therefore they were not to confound these two Commings and to doe Acts of the later at his first Comming when he commeth not only to giue himselfe for men but expects their repentance also The last sense is an opposition of Christ to Elias each is to answere his Name Elias his name signifieth The power of God and indeed all the time of his Ministerie what was it but a manifestation of Gods wrathfull power in executing vengeance vpon sinners his words his deeds runne all that way But Christs Name was Iesus and Iesus is a Sauiour God hath not sent his Sonne to condemne but to saue the world and it is a true saying That he came into the world to saue sinners Therefore as King Dauid answered the sonnes of Zeruia when they would haue had him slay Shimei 2. Sam. 19. because he cursed the Lords Anointed What haue I to doe with you yee sonnes of Zeruia that yee should this day bee vnto me as Satan Shall there any man die this day in Israel So doth Christ coole his Apostles and shew that their desire must be correspondent to the end of his Incarnation Yea the very phrase Filius Hominis imports a tendernesse in Christ Chap. 2. Saint Paul obserues it in the Hebrewes He became man that he might be a mercifull High Priest And this sweetnesse of his nature and mildnesse of his spirit was signified both by the title of a Lambe which was giuen him at his death and the shape of a Doue which lighted on him at his Baptisme And indeed what likelihood that hee would burne a Towne of the Samaritans for not receiuing him that prayed for Hierusalem euen when the Iewes were readie to crucifie him yea Father forgiue them was his reuenge when they scoffed him hanging on the Crosse Christ that came to saue all sorts of people was pleased to suffer wrong of them all that so none should thinke they deserued better then other There were then but three sorts of people in the world two extremes Iewes and Gentiles and one composed of them both Samaritans The Iewes and Gentiles euill intreated him at Hierusalem the Samaritans vpon his way thither Christ was bitter to none of them but let them all haue proofe of the meeknesse of his spirit though his Disciples were not so Peter was busie with his sword at Hierusalem and Iames and Iohn are desirous to haue fire at Samaria But as at Hierusalem hee shewed Peter so here at Samaria hee sheweth Iames and Iohn the errour of their zeale and learneth them this lesson which Nazianzene hath in his Tetrasticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Most sweet is this assertion of Christ and it is the chiefest comfort of our soules for if thou Lord marke what is done amisse O Lord who shall abide it Surely if our Master were as apt to smite as his seruants Chrysost de Anathemate our Lord as his Ambassadours if Christs Anathemaes were as quicke as mens what would become of the world what combustions what destruction should we see But God bethanked it is not so And wee shall doe well to learne of him especially Pastors must learne to be like the great shepheard of our soules Christ doth not only disproue in Words but in Deeds also They went vnto another Village Hee taught his Disciples before so to doe If they persecute you in one Citie flie to another The Precept wrought not In Tetrast he giueth them a Patterne Facile est verbis philosophari doce me vitae tuae exemplo for as Nazianzene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeed whereas Christ was not ignorant before hee sent how the Samaritans would vse him yet was hee pleased to haue a repulse that he might teach his Disciples how to beare it for Christs life no lesse then his doctrine was a Gospel and hee instructed no lesse by his Deeds then he did by his Words and he taught no lesson more then he did Patience But I haue stood long enough in opening the meaning of this text Let me come now to the principall vse which I intend to make of it which is twofold The first is to ground thereon a good resolution of conscience The second to stirre vs vp vnto thankfulnesse for our wonderfull deliue rance For the Case of Conscience we must obserue That generous minds vndertake not detestable facts except their Conscience first be poysoned Secondly that the Diuell is not contented that we sinne in Passion for so in cold bloud wee might retract and take a better course hee desireth therefore that we may be wicked habitually so he shall be sure to haue vs his at all times and that wee will neuer sticke at the most hellish attempts For if the conscience be once so seasoned that it will take euill for good and good for euill the Angell of darknesse rule therein transformed into an Angell of light this false light will so possesse our vnderstanding that the most hellish darknesse of our affections shall neuer be discerned by vs yea the worse wee are the better wee shall please our selues for euery man resteth secure in the testimonie of his owne conscience and he questioneth no farther then to resolue that The Gunpowder Traitors before they were deliuerered of that Monster had scruples whether it were lawfull They consult their Ghostly Fathers for it is a common rule Histiaeus vestem consuit quam induit Aristagoras as the Persian in Herodotus speaketh of the Samianes reuolt no treacherie without a Priests head who worketh notwithstanding by other mens hands they are put out of all doubt that such attempts are so farre from being sinfull that they are meritorious If any man doubt that this is their doctrine let him
vntill the tenth Generation but against Incest he is more seuere Deut. 271 for he would not onely haue a generall curse pronounced against it whereunto he commanded all the people to say Amen but touching the Moabites and Ammonites the first spawne of Incest that we find in the Scripture though they were the posteritie of LOT whom GOD loued for AERAHAM's sake Deut 23. yet doth he command that they shall not enter into the Congregation of Israel for euer Israel is forbidden to seeke their peace at any time RVBEN is a second example marke what his owne Father IACOB said of him when he blest the Patriarkes Ruben thou art my first borne my might Gen. 49. the beginning of my strength the excellencie of digniâ—â—â— and the excellencie of power these were the preeminences of his birth-right but he forfeited them all for Incest as appeares in the verie next words of his Father Vnstable as water thou shalt not excell because thou wentest vp to thy Fathers bed then defiledst thou it He went vp into my couch A third example is ABSALON he abused his Fathers Concubines therefore he came to an infamous end he was hanged by the haire of his owne head he dyed childlesse and so his name did rot Leu. 8. The Land of Canaan spued out the old Inhabitants for Incest and GOD threatneth the destruction of Israel for that a man and his sonne would goe in to one maid Amos 2. By GODS Law no lesse then death was the punishment of Incest Leu. 10. The Lawes of the Land are more mercifull vnto you the Penitent that suffer you to breathe and leaue you to the censure of the CHVRCH But if you mind what you haue heard touching that censure and drinke in St AVSTINS conceipt therof you shall find cause enough to feare and freedome from death may seeme vnto you worse then death But yet your case is not desperate for there yet remaines one point in the Text which may yeeld a mitigation to your feares and a consolation to your Soule The censure is not mortall but medicinall as appeares in the end whereunto the censure serues Now a medicine you know doth first paine then it doth ease yea it doth therfore paine that it may ease so doth this ghostly censure it serues for the destruction of the flesh there is the paine but there followeth ease vpon it the spirit shaâ— be saued First of the paine As the flesh signifieth sometimes the substance sometimes the corruption of the outward man so may the destruction signifie either the mortalitie or the mortification thereof mortalitie if the censure proceed from the power which is proper to an Apostle but if it signifie the power which is common to Bishops with the Apostles it noteth mortification it signifieth the crucifying of the flesh with the lusts thereof the putting off the old man and the dying vnto sinne And indeed this we intend by our Ecclesiasticall censures We intend that you should root out the sinne for which you doe penance and so destroy your flesh This is painfull to flesh and blood but vt valeas multa dolenda feres you must brooke the paine that you may enioy the ease that followeth thereupon the spirit shall be saued The spirit noteth the soule or the grace thereof the sauing of the soule is the preseruing of grace therein if the soule loose grace it looseth it selfe in regard of all well-being and it were much better for it not to be at all then to be without grace so that the saluation of our spirit is no small part of our happinesse Which must the rather be esteemed because if our spirit fare well it will make euen the flesh that is destroyed in regard of the corruption to be farre better in regard of the substance for it shall be purged from dead works to serue the liuing GOD. But when shall we reape this easâ— out of paine In the day of our Lord Iesus Christ Though a peniten euen in this life shall find some case in his Conscience yet the full benefit of Ecclesiasticall censure is reserued to the day of the Lord because all this life we must be mortifying our flesh especially enormous sinners must be so imployed the greatest of their ease in this world must haue a mixture of paine but in the day of the Lord they shall haue ease without all delay But what day of the Lord is meant here Euerie mans particular day of death or the generall doomes day An account must be made at both and if we vse the Ecclesiasticall censure well we shall find that this Iudgment preuents that this temporall the eternall For as CHRIST at his first comming came not to destroy but to saue so his Ministers that dispense the Gospel vse their power not to destruction but to edification But I thinke the day of the Lord signifieth properly the last day CHRIST will publikely manifest before the CHVRCH tryumphant the effect of the Keyes which he hath committed to his Ministers to be exercised publikely in the CHVRCH militant he will then reueale how all stand bound in Heauen which were neuer loosed on Earth and all whom the CHVRCH hath loosed in Earth shall then appeare to be loosed in Heauen I end The successe which St PAVL had when he inflicted this sentence was that the Corinthians became verie sensible of their fault and the Incestuous person of his St PAVL himselfe doth witnesse this 2 Cor. 7. where he amplyfieth both their godly sorrowes and his congratulating indulgence towards them both Oh that like successe might blesse my paines that I may giue as good a testimonie to this Congregation for their hatred of sinne as St PAVL gaue to the Corinthians and to this Penitent the like mittigation of his Censure as St PAVL to that Incestuous person So may this penitentiall sheet of his be turned into a white robe of righteousnesse his teares into ioy and all we that are humbled for him in the Church militant be with him exalted in the Church tryumphant Amen A SERMON PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRAL CHVRCH OF WELS AT WHAT TIME TWO DID PENANCE FOR INCEST A MAN AND HIS WIVES DAVGHTER LEVIT 20. VERSE 14. Likewise if a man taketh a wife and her mother this is wickednesse they shall burne him and them with fire and there shall be no wickednesse amongst you NO sooner doe you heare this Text but I am ure you vnderstand this spectacle you vnderstand what sinners these persons are what doome this Law doth passe vpon them And indeed their sinne and Gods doome are the maine parts of my Text. But more distinctly In the sinne we must note first the fact then the haynousnesse thereof The fact is vnnaturall adulterie Adulterie because one man taketh more women then one that is plaine adulterie And this adulterie is vnnaturall because there is the neerest reference betweene the women the one a Mother the other her Daughter to take two
such women is verie vnnaturall it is no lesse then Incest Incest in the highest degree Such is the fact And verily such a fact is most haynous it is wickednesse Wickednesse is a common name to all sinne but it must here be vnderstood in a speciall sense for abominable for intollerable wickednesse Now such as the sinne is such is the doome the sinne is haynous and the doome is grieuous But in the doome take notice of two things First it is impartially seuere impartially doth GOD deale he spareth neither man nor woman neither him nor them And he dealeth seuerely with them both they shall burne him and them with fire and you know fire is a painfull tormenter and an vtter destroyer of that which it tormenteth Great seueritie and yet no greater then was necessarie to keepe the State from being guiltie that there be no wickednesse amongst you No wickednesse not absolutely none that is impossible in this world but no tantum nefas as the Vulgar expresseth the sense well no heynous wickednesse must be amongst you amongst you that is suffered by you which will make the State guiltie and prouoke GODS wrath against it You haue the briefe of my Text which I purpose GOD willing to enlarge GOD grant that what I shall say thereon may make these Penitents truly sorrowfull for their fault and vs that behold them carefull not to be ouertaken with the like fall Come we then to the particulars But before I distinctly vnfold them I must in few words cleare the phrases wherein the fact is exprest Obserue then first that to take a woman in this Law is to vncouer her nakednesse as MOSES expresseth himselfe vers 17. Cap. 18 or as we commonly speake to haue carnall knowledge of her Secondly Isha in the Hebrew tongue signifieth as well a woman as a wife and therefore some translate it if a man take a woman some if a man take a wise It is not materiall which way you render it because it is an vndoubted truth that whom a man may not marrie with he may not know carnally out of mariage if he doe it is incest no lesse Incest if he make her his strumpet then if he tooke her to be his wife Thirdly It is all one for the daughter to be the wife and the mother the strumpet or for the mother to be the wife and the daughter the strumpet the Incest will euer be of the same degree because the persons are both wayes of the same neernesse I note these two last points the rather because these Penitents may happily thinke they are not within the compasse of my Text whereas if it be vnderstood as the truth is and I haue shewed you my Text speaketh directly of them and the fact here mentioned is their fact The fact is but one but there are two sinnes in it whereof the first is Adultery it is adultery for one man to take more women then one As GOD made but one EVE of one ADAM so in mariage he coupled but one EVE to ADAM and he coupled them so neere that they two should be one flesh that is that the man should not haue power ouer his body but the woman nor the woman should haue power ouer her body but the man and the obseruance of this is the keeping of Pactum Iehouae the Couenant of the Lord which had accompanying it magnum benesicium and magnum mysterium a great blessing for their seed was semen sanctum a holy seed and GOD promised to be the GOD of those children which were borne of such parents The great mysterie was that liuing in such wedlocke they were a perpetuall monument vnto themselues of the heauenly mariage of CHRIST and his CHVRCH Marke now especially you that are Penitents what the sinne of Adulterie is First It maketh them two againe whom GOD made but one for a man cannot be one with two women because whose he is he must be hers entirely and he cannot be entirely more then one womans so that his first sinne is that he diuideth that which is indiuisible I meane coniugall affection Secondly He bestoweth that which is none of his owne for his body in this respect is his wiues she onely hath right vnto it and to this vse of it Thirdly In breaking GODS Couenant of wedlocke he defraudeth his children of the couenant of grace For obserue it in the storie of ABRAHAM he had children by two wiues SARA his first and his lawfull wife AGAR his second and vnlawfull wife but what saith the Scripture Cast out the bond-woman and her child Gala◠4.30 for the child of the bond-woman shall not be heire with the child of the free woman Besides the great mysterie you may there-hence gather this morall that although GOD may out of his mercie receiue that child whom the parents as much as lyeth in them cast away yet GODS couenant is made with the parent for no children but those that are begotten in lawfull wedlocke Finally Adulterers defraud themselues of that blessed memoriall of CHRIST's eternall coniunction with his CHVRCH the contemplation whereof should be our greatest solace seeing we haue a blessed interest therein There were euill enough in the fact if it were onely Adulterie seeing Adulterie hath so manifold euill in it but there is a greater sinne which is Incest for the women are of verie neere reference the one is a mother the other is her daughter neerer kin they cannot be and being so neere it is vnnaturall that they should be knowne of the same man he that knoweth them both committeth Incest in the highest degree But I will some-what more open vnto you the nature of Incest Know then that GOD purposed by wedlocke not onely to multiply mankind but also to preserue charitie Naturall charitie is founded in Consanguinitie but consanguinitie the farther it spreadeth the more doth charitie grow cold To repaire and as it were quicken it GOD instituted Affinitie which doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make domesticks of strangers and naturalizing those that are forreiners to our stocke And indeed it is much like graffing for as in that art the Sien is taken from a sweet Cherie or Apple tree and entred into another growne wild for example a Crab-tree or wild Cherie-tree and art doth worke as nature in making them one so is it in Affinitie it maketh persons as neere as nature it selfe doth and charitie out of this re-vnion should grow as strong as if the persons were of one blood euen as beames of the Sunne which growing weaker the farther they goe by reflection into themselues recouer their former strength so doth the charity of consanguinitie when it is waning waxe againe by the helpe of Affinitie Where by the way note That whereas we call persons fathers-in-Law mothers-in-Law and so brothers and sisters we must not vnderstand it of meere positiue Law but it is a secundarie Law of nature vnalterable sauing onely by GOD and this Law of
sinners euen such sinners of whom I am chiefe Now then J beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken The Lord is slow to anger and of great mercie and forgiueth iniquitie and sinne Be mercifull J beseech thee to the impietie of thy seruant according to thy great mercie let the vngodlinesse of my heart of my mouth be blotted out of thy remembrance let it not bring vpon me the vengeance J deserue but create in me a new heart and touch my tongue with a cole from thine Altar that J which am vnworthy by reason of my scandalous crying sinne to meditate on or make mention of thy glorious Maiestie thy diuine Wisedome may haue a heart alwayes enditing good things and my blasphemous tongue may be turned into an instrument of thy glorie So shall my soule be filled as it were with marrow and fatnesse when J shall prayse thee with ioyfull lips and J shall sing forth thy wonderous mercie all the dayes of my life Heare me ô Father of mercie for giue me amend me and establish in me this holy purpose of my repentant heart to thy glorie and the comfort of enormous sinners for Jesus Christs sake by the powerfull operation of thy Holy Spirit Amen A SERMON PREACHED AT St ANDREWS IN WELLES A SCHISMATIQVE DOING PENANCE WHO HAD FOR MANY YEERES ESTRANGED HIMSELFE FROM THE COMMVNION OF OVR CHVRCH 1 CORINT 3.18 18 Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a foole that he may be wise A Particular visible Church is built vpon two foundations Vnion and Communion a louing vnion of the faithfull and an holy communion in sacred things Both these must be preserued or else that Church will come to naught Now there were amongst the Corinthians that did vndermine these foundations some rent the vnion and the communion was corrupted by other-some St Paul wrot this Epistle to amend them both And marke what a distinct course he taketh He first setleth the vnion before he offereth to purge the communion And there is good reason why for though the louing vnion of the faithfull be vnprofitable if it be without a holy communion in sacred things yet is a holy communion in sacred things impossible if you take away the louing vnion of the faithfull Therefore lest St Paul should lose his labour in redressing of the communion he first taketh care of repayring the vnion The first thing then that in the Church of Corinth he reformes is Schisme and he spends well-nigh foure Chapters in reforming thereof in throughly searching into the disease and applying thereto a soueraigne remedy The words that now I haue read vnto you belong to the remedy and you shall find them to be a principall branch thereof Let vs come more closely to them Of medicinall remedies some are preseruatiue some are restoratiue The preseruatiue are for the sound the restoratiue are for the sicke You shall find them both in my Text and you shall find that they are Catholica remedia such remedies as doe or may concerne vs all The preseruatiue remedy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prouidence or the preuention of Schisme you haue it in these words Let no man deceiue himselfe The restoratiue is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance or the recouering of a Schismatique it followeth in these words If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise But more distinctly In the preseruatiue we are to behold our naturall weakenesse and therefore to learne spirituall carefulnesse St Paul supposeth that we are prone to deceiue our selues and therefore aduiseth that no man should doe himselfe that wrong Let no man deceiue himselfe In the restoratiue we must behold first the distemper of a Schismatique and then the cure fitting to such a distemper The distemper is a carnall selfe-conceit a selfe-conceit for the man thinkes himselfe wise but the selfe-conceipt is but carnall as appeares by the limitation or extenuation rather that is added to his wisedome he is onely wise in this world Such is his distemper Whereof the first cure is an exalting humilitie The first branch is humilitie He must become a foole but he need not be disheartened there followeth an exaltation thereupon He becomes a foole that he may be wise These are the remedies And they are as I told you Catholica remedia such remedies as doe or may concerne vs all The preseruatiue doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man deceiue himselfe The restoratiue may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any That which hath befalne this man may be the case of the best of vs all These are the particulars which GOD-willing I shall now enlarge and apply vnto this present occasion I pray GOD we may so doe it as that we all not this Penitent onely may be the better for it The first remedy is the preseruatiue and therein the first thing that I pointed out is our naturall weaknesse This St Paul supposeth we may gather it out of that which he aduiseth for in vaine were his aduise if there were not a truth in that which he supposeth but farre be it from vs to thinke that the Holy Ghost doth require any thing in vaine let it stand then for an vndoubted truth that we are prone by nature to deceiue our selues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence the Verbe is deriued which is vsed by the Apostle signifieth a leauing of the right way which putteth vs in mind that in this world we are but way-faring men When we are admitted into the Church we are set in the path which will lead vs to our euerlasting home but when we are in it we may goe out of it It appeares too plainly in Adam and Eue and it is not to be expected that the children should be better then the parents especially seeing our restitution commeth short of that measure of grace which they had in their Creation It being true that we may the question is How it comes to passe that we doe goe out of the way and leaue the straight path wherein we are set the Scripture obserues two meanes the one without vs the other within vs that is the world this is concupiscence the world allures concupiscence inclines Adde hereunto a third that is the diuel he blancheth the world that it may allure more strongly and worketh concupiscence by perswasion that it may yeeld more readily and these betweene them consummate the deceipt whereby we are led out of the way But betweene these we must obserue a great difference that which worketh the deceipt from without is but an occasion that which worketh it from within is the true cause thereof the world the diuel Suadere possunt cogere non possunt they may sollicit powerfully but they cannot inforce vs vnwillingly to goe out of the way Physicall actions may be constrayned morall cannot I may haue
be ready to entertaine that which GOD prescribes So shall we be sure either at all not to deceiue our selues or if we haue beene ouertaken by carnall selfe-conceit we shall not refuse to be fooles that we may be wise GOD vouchsafe vs this preuenting Prouidence and recouering Repentance as that we may not either stray at all or if we stray that we may returne againe till we come to that place where there is no feare of straying no need of returning whither GOD our mercifull Father bring vs through Jesus Christ our Sauiour that is made the wisedome of GOD vnto vs by the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit of Wisedome into vs. To this one GOD in three persons be rendred all honor and glorie c. Πάντοτε δόξα Θηῶ. SVNDRIE SERMONS PREACHED AT COVRT By the right reuerend Father in God ARTHVR LAKE late Lord Bishop of BATHE and WELLES PRVDENTIA LONDON Printed by T.C. and R.C. for N. Butter 1629. A SERMON PREACHED AT FARNEHAM ON St IAMES HIS DAY BEEING THE DAY OF KING IAMES HIS CORONATION IAMES 1. VERSE 12. 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him THIS day directs vs to this Epistle and these words thereof are not vnfit to refresh a solemne vse that to our great and common comfort hath beene made of this day The vse was a Coronation and a Coronation is a principall point in this Text but the Coronation that was then beheld is past that whereof we are now to heare is to come yet this mutuall helpe they will yeild the one to the other that which is to come may call to mind that which is past and by that which is past we may the better conceiue that which is to come Yea by comparing them we shall perceiue that that which is to come is much more desirable then that which is past For although flesh and blood may affect that which is past per se as if to be a Soueraigne on earth vpon any condition were a soueraigne good yet a Christian doth not he cannot as he ought digest those vexations which sowre euen a kingly state but propter aliud in hope to be a copartner of a greater a quieter crowne in Heauen This hope doth St Iames cherish in these words he animates great personages to be constant notwithstanding all troubles knowing that their patience is not in vaine in the Lord. That he speakes to great personages appeareth in the tenth verse Let the rich reioyce when he is brought low where he teacheth two lessons First That great men may be brought low Secondly That yet they must reioyce That great men may be brought low is not strange to reason therefore St Iames doth onely represent that truth in a knowne yet a liuely resemblance of fading and withering hearbes and flowres But that notwithstanding they are brought low they must reioyce is an harder truth reason whose principall it is that nothing delights in its owne destruction will not yeeld it Our Apostle therefore workes an assent thereunto out of supernaturall grounds he sets downe two faire ones in my Text whereof the first openeth the nature the second the end of patience The nature of patience is briefly but fully set downe here ratione obiecti subiecti The obiect is temptation but because thereof there are diuers sorts here is added a note of difference it is such temptation as maketh tryed men The subiect is Man but not euerie man it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of more then ordinarie place and worth and his worth is here distinctly set downe in two points wherein it principally doth consist and the points are answerable to the two parts of the obiect The first part of the obiect is Temptation that layeth on load vpon the outward man in regard thereof he must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he must hold out vnder his burden The second part of the obiect is the tryall and that inquires into the inward man in regard thereof he must hold out out of that loue which he beareth to GOD. When such an obiect meeteth with such a subiect there ariseth the vertue patience You haue heard the nature thereof now heare the end The end is suitable to the vertue a happy end of so worthy a vertue the end is blessednesse and what would not a man doe to compasse blessednesse But what is this blessednesse though all desire it yet few are agreed about the nature of it quot capita tot sensus euerie man striueth for his owne To compose this difference the Holy Ghost must interpose and define he doth it here behold a full definition in two words A crowne of life without life there is no blessednesse and no life is blessed without this crowne You see the end one thing remaines the assurance that this is the end of patience that we haue here also in two verbes The Lord hath promised it and the patient man shall receiue it The warrant is good that hath GODS word and here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is he that warranteth it but his warrant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a promise so that the crowne must be claymed not by the Law but by the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is the Lord may by vertue of his Law command patience but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putteth vs in mind how much we are beholding vnto the Gospel by which he vouchsafeth a recompence Yea though he doth vouchsafe it and besides his promise the patient man hath no right vnto it he needs not distrust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is as true as the Gospel he in all be sure of it You see the substance of this Scripture and see that it brancheth it selfe into pataence and a recompence whereof the patient man may not be proud and yet he is most sure Let vs now run ouer these points orderly I pray GOD we may doe it profitably also The first is the obiect of patience and that is called temptation here see how the phrase is changed of the rich man it was said before that he was brought low here it is said that he endureth temptation that was a vulgar phrase this is facred that might be vnderstood by reason this onely by faith you will confesse it if we doe a little rip vp the nature of it GOD made man though vpright yet mutable the root of mutabilitie was Freewill by which man may encline to either side Notwithstanding this mutabilitie man did owe vnto GOD a constant and absolute obedience whether he would performe it it was to appeare his Vnderstanding and his Will were to be exercised the one with arguments the other with occasions which might discouer the one the resolution the other the election of man what way he would take the right-hand or the left the way of life or death These arguments and occasions
In the Old Testament it is so and it is so in the New The place Eccles 10. is a knowne place Curse not the King no not in thy thought and curse not the rich no not in thy bed-chamber where Rich and King both signifie persons in authoritie for so is the place generally applyed In the New Testament St Mathew calleth Ioseph of Arimathea a rich-man St Marke an honourable-man as if rich and honorable were Synonyma's But the ant thesis that St Iames maketh betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 puts it out of all question for what is the opposite to a man of low degres but a man of high Enough of the word The point intimated by the word is that no member of the Church ariseth to so high a degree of worldly state but CHRIST calleth vpon them to take vp his Crosse and follow him Kings themselues in Baptisme are signed with the signe of the Crosse in token that they shall not be ashamed of CHRIST crucified but shall continue his faithfull Souldiers vnto their lines end they eat the body and drinke the blood of CHRIST in token that they must communicate in his sufferings yea Kings moreouer since the dayes of Constantine the Great haue borne the Crosse on the top of their Crownes to note what else but that they will take their parts thereof That which the Prophet Isay speakes of CHRIST Imperium habet super humeros Cap. 9. is a phrase borrowed from earthly Kings who are called in the Hebrew tongue Nâ—se as if you would say Portatores the erymologie of the word is set downe by GOD himselfe Numb 11. where he designes those that shall helpe Moses to beare his burthen and Iethro obserues it in the 18 of Exodus The prouerbiall speech which Elizaeus vsed of Elias My Father my Father Currus auriga Israel reacheth not onely Prophets but Princes too both sustaine a double part in the societie of men they direct and they beare and one part of their burden is the Crosse euen plaustra conuitiorum whole loads of reproaches and contumelies what the King of Aram said to the Captaines fight not against small nor great but onely against the King of Israel seemes to be the charge which the Bishop of Rome giues to euerie pettie Souldier in his host They were wont in their writing to vndertake a Luther or a Caluin a Beza or a Iewel or some man of their ranke but now there is not the basest Pamphleter that hath not some venomous dart to shoote at the Lords Anointed whom in better times of the CHVRCH the greatest Patriarches did not mention without that lowly respect which GOD hath made due vnto sacred Maiestie But what is to be done in the mid'st of these vnbridled tongues and pens Kings themselues must resolue that they are vncti non tantum ad Regnum sed etiam ad luctam men of their place must be men of such worth as here is described by St Iames in such cases it belongs vnto them and to them principally to endure the Crosse out of the loue of GOD. The first part of their worth is to endure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word implyes two things not to sinke in their courage for they must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor shrinke from their burden for they must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they must not sinke is the first 1 Cor. 4. Tribulationem patimur saith St Paul sed non angustiamur whereupon a Father Quomodo angustiari potest qui dilatatur virtutibus Vertue is like gold in the fire which looseth nothing of its weight but gaines in luster yea as gold when it is melted in the fire diffundit se in longum latum Beda in Ps 65 it spreads farther and extends longer so saith Bede doth the vertue of a child of GOD when he is exercised by the Crosse more are the better for it and himselfe is the better setled to continue in it his vnderstanding is more cleared for the acknowledgment of the truth and his heart more strengthened for to sticke to it and this is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to continue the same and not to be altered vnto worse by reason of the Crosse but though we be nipt as corne with the frost of winter to stocke better and to beare a goodlyer eare of corne As we may not sinke vnder the Crosse so we may not shrinke from it there be many that be like St Peter who said vnto CHRIST Master though all men forsake thee yet will not I forsake thee I will lay downe my life for thee yet when they are put to it they will as he did deny and forswear their Master The experiments that the Primitiue Church had in this kind were no lesse innumerable then lamentable the names of Libellatici and Traditores are infamous to this day wherof the one signed their renouncing of CHRIST with their owne hand and the other with their owne hands gaue vp GODS Word to be burnt in the fire Epist ad Tert. Those words of Nazianzene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerne verie many in all age But we haue better examples to follow in the Booke of Daniel of the Maccabees in the 11 to the Hebr. wherein most memorable is that of Moses who esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt and had rather suffer affliction with his brethren then to liue as the sonne of Pharaohs daughter But here are two cautions to be obserued the first is as we must not shrinke from the Crosse so must we not offer our selues to it before we be called Stand vpon thy guard saith St Chrysostome and be ready to resist the assaulting enemie but do not rashly make thy selfe enemies Hoc enim non est militis sed seditiosi it is enough for the Souldier of CHRIST to march forth when the alarum is sounded by the trumpe of the Gospel Lib. 10. Conf. c. and St Austin Tolerare tentationes iubes nos Domine non amare nemo quod tolerat amat etsi tolerare amat quamuis enim gaudeat se tolerare tamen mavult non esse quod toleret and we pray lead vs not into temptation Those Frierly speaches then one of him that being released of his temptation expressed his griefe in these words Bibliothech Patr. Domine nen sum ego dignus modica tribulatione the other of him that being sollicited to Adulterie by his owne lust refused the prayers of him that offered to intreat GOD on his behalfe out of a conceipt that his striuing with that lust would turne to his greater glorie sauour too much of Cloyster superstition it may be impuritie also The second caution is that as we must not vndergoe the Crosse before we are called so being vnder it we must not rest vpon our own strength we must put on that same compleat Armour mentioned â—phes 6. if we stand vpon this
by many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of Heauen we must be baptised with CHRISTS baptisme and drinke of his cup And if you marke the eight beatitudes in the first Sermon of CHRIST you see that they run almost all of them vpon a passiue obedience and place blessednesse in the Crosse A blessednesse then there is in suffering but few would affect it did they not hope for a better after it therefore St Iames addeth what hereafter they are to expect and that is the crowne of life This I told you is a full definition of blessednesse a definition that better resolueth then those many but different that are found in Philosophy Blessednesse presupposeth life and the life is not blessed without a Crowne But the life and the crowne may either be considered in diuers times or knit together in one time If they be considered at diuers times then life belongs to this world and the crowne to that which is to come so that the Apostle saith that the crowne to come is for the life that is past and a man that lookes for the crowne must haue a care of this life Cap. 8.10 Cap. 3.11 For he shall be crowned that striueth lawfully therefore CHRIST in the Reuelations saith Esto fidelis tibi dabo coronam and againe hold fast that none take thy crowne 2 Tim. 4. and St Paul I haue fought a good fight I haue kept the faith from hence forth there is layd vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse c. Haec vita est negotiatio they that here exercise their faith and hope by charitie shall find a reward in Heauen But if we ioyne life and the crowne and referre them both to the time that is to come then doth the crowne expresse the condition of the life in Heauen For though the word life of it selfe vsed absolutely doe signifie a blessed life as appeares in many passages of Scripture yet the crowne doth more distinctly represent vnto vs the manner of that life and it represents three things the perpetuitie the plentie the dignitie thereof The perpetuitie for as a Crowne hath neither beginning nor ending so is it the liuely Image of Eternitie and in this respect it is called an immarcescible and immortall crowne and a Kingdome that cannot be shaken En Ps 6. Talia sunt Dei dona saith Chrysostome valida decore plena at in hominibu◠non ita est sed qui est in gloria non est securus qui autem securus non est in gloria in Deo vtraque concurrunt Secondly the crowne notes the plentie because as the Crowne compasseth on euerie side so doth that which is plentifull satisfie on euery part and nothing is wanting in this life therefore the Scripture in seuerall places runneth ouer euerie part of our body and power of our soule and sheweth how euerie one shall haue his content the eye in beholding GOD the eare in hearing the musicke of Heauen the tongue in praysing c. The last is the dignitie and that is principally noted by a crowne as it appeares by the vse that is made thereof on Kings heads And indeed what is eternall life but a Coronation day the Scripture indescribing it remembreth all parts of a Coronation the robes long white robes of righteousnesse which we shall put on then the oyle of gladnesse wherewith we shall be annointed then the Scepter which CHRIST shall put into our hands to bruise therewith all Nations the Throne whereupon we shall sit with CHRIST the Feast whereat we shall eat and drinke with him finally in steed of a Bishop or Archbishop to performe these ceremonies we shall haue the great Bishop of our soules IESVS CHRIST and he shall doe it in the presence not of earthly Peeres but of the heauenly both Saints and Angels Ad hereunto that this Crowne is significantly called a crowne of life to distinguish it from the Crowne of mortall Princes which is but a dead crowne whereas this is a liuing In a mortall Kings Crowne there is gold and flowers and pretious stones but all are dead the gold and flowers and pretious stones whereof our Crowne consists are all liuing for the Lord himselfe is the Crowne In that day shall the Lord of Hosts be for a Crowne of glorie Esay 28. and a Diadem of beautie to the residue of his people and the people shall be a Crowne of glorie in the hand of the Lord and a royall Diademe in the hand of GOD. And no maruell for the life to come is the marriage day wherein the Spouse shall receiue her Crowne vpon her resurrection as CHRIST receiued his Crowne at his resurrection St Paul is plaine for it Hebr. 2. This phrase then of the Crowne of life is more then a militarie phrase the Souldiers in triumph wore Insigne sine regno but here Insigne ceniungitur cum regno and the name of Crowne is vsed rather then any other ornament because ornamenta caetera membrorum sunt singulorum capitis ornatus totius corporis est dignitas You haue heard what is Patience and what is the Recompence thereof one thing remaineth that the patient man may know vpon what ground he may expect this recompence That is set downe here by the Apostle in two Verbes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof each hath his Nowne annext vnto it to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is annexed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresly and betweene this nowne and that verbe there is a strong coniunction for the Lord is so great a person as by the Law may command our patience and yet so good a person is he that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath promised a recompence See then our title it is from GOD but grounded not vpon the Law but the Gospel And indeed if you looke into St Paul we shall find that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word proper to the Gospel especially in the Epistle to the Galathians so that we must not stand vpon desert but acknowledge GODS mercie for as it is Psal 103. Coronat te miserationthus 2 Tim 4.8 It is true that St Paul calleth it Coronam iustitiae but there is Iustitia fidelitatis as well as aqualitatis The ground of merit euen in the Creation was GODS Contract which he vouchsafed to make with his Vassall notwithstanding the Obligation of his naturall alleageance This Contract consisted of mutuall Couenants which Couenants were proportionable to the Contractors Mans Conenant was of workes but workes proportionable to the abilities of man that is meane and finite GODS Couenant was of life proportionable to the magnificencie of GOD so that there was apparantly a proportion betweene the workes and the Worker the Rewarder and the reward but betweene the worke and the reward none at all Hence it is that betweene Adams obedience and GODS recompence thereof there could be no merit of condignitie which properly vnderstood compares and equalleth the
filio Dei hominis the same title belongeth vnto him euen as hee was incarnate whereof the ground is the personall vnion the man-hood being assumed into one person with the God-head In regard of the first consideration is hee called vnigenitus the onely begotten of his Father in regard of the second he is called Primogenitus the first borne of many Brethren both wayes is CHRIST neere vnto GOD but our comfort standeth in the latter that Emanuel God with vs or in our Nature is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sonne of God for that is fons origo Adoptionis nostrae it is that which layeth the soundation of being the sonnes of GOD. As CHRIST was neere so was hee deere vnto GOD. And indeed the words that note the neerenesse containe the grounds of the deerenesâ—e also and they were vnigenitus the onely begotten and primogenitus the first borne vnigenitus ergo vnicè dilectus the onely begotten therefore onely beloued primegenitus ergo praecipuè dilectus the first begotten therefore the especially beloued of GOD for this is a principle Euery man loneth himselfe the more of himselfe hee findeth any where the more he affecteth if he bee not degenerate A father loueth his onely sonne intirely because he hath no more and his eldest chiefely because hee is Principium praecipuum roboris the first and chiefe of his strength But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or naturall affection of men is but a sparkle and that much allaied of that which is in GOD originally and but deriuatiuely in vs. Therefore we may easily conceiue that CHRIST that is so neere in nature and grace must needes bee most deere vnto GOD that indeed he is Vir desidertorum a man after Gods owne Heart and the true Dauid that is beloued as the Prophets call him Adde hereunto that setled loue where it is iudicious is more feruent Now Christus is dilectus not recenti impulsu sed inolito probato it is as ancient as GOD euen coeternall that CHRIST is the Sonne of GOD onely it is in time delated to the man-hood but the length of it is Aeternitie See then how GOD expresseth his loue to vs when he so describeth the person that hee bestoweth vpon vs. And haue we then any thing which we should thinke too good to render vnto GOD Abraham will teach vs better who spared not Vnicum and dilectum silium his onely beloued Sonne when GOD called for him and we see how his thank fulnesse prospered Certainely we would prosper much better if in this kindnesse we would striue to bee answerable vnto GOD. I. pray GOD we may sure I am wee haue good cause if there were no other motiue then is contained in filius and Dilectus if we doe consider onely what the second Person in Trinity is to the first How much more if wee consider what hee doeth for vs In him is the Father well pleased Wee will resolue this Note into two first wee will see in whom and then how the FATHER is pleased Hee is pleased in his beloued Sonne This opens a Mystery Thou shalt make a plate of pure gold Exod. 28. said GOD to Moses and graue vpon it like the ingrauing of a signet Holinesse to the Lord and thou shalt put it vpon a blew lace that it may bee vpon the Miter vpon the forefront of the Miter it shall be and it shall bee vpon Aarons fâ—rehead that Aaron may beare the iniquitie of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their hory guifts and it shall be alwayes vpon his forehead that they may bee accepted before the Lord Euen so CHRIST being to bee consecrated now High Priest hath the Holy Ghost descending vpon him that so the Church may bee made acceptable in GODS beloued SONNE Neither was hee the Trueth onely of the High Priest but of the Sacrifices also St. Paul Hebr. 10. applieth to this purpose that place in the Psalme Psal 40. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast then prepared me in burnt offerings and Sacrifices for sinne thou hast no pleasure then said I loe I come In the volume of thy Booke it is written of me to ave thy will O God In this sense doth the Law vse the word Ratza when it is applied to Sacrifices â—enit 1. and saith that they shall be accepted for the offerer and make an attonement for him Vntill CHRIST came there was no remedy against the curse of the Law but Typicall within the Church and without fruitlesse Colos 1. but CHRIST incarnate brought a soueraigne remedy Ephes 2. when hee became the true Propitiatory in him it pleased God that all fulnesse should dwell and by him to reconcile all things both in Heauen and earth De Censensu Ruangelact lib. 2. cap. 4. St. Austin speaketh briefely but fully In te complacui is as much as Per te constitui gerere quod mihi placuit In thee am I well pleased not onely taking delight in that which thou art but also by thee accomplishing all the good that I meane to the sonnes of men But what did CHRIST Surely he did propitiate GODS wrath and giue man grace in GODS eyes these two workes are contained in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are the blessings that flow from GODS good will towards men Reconciliation is composed of both of GODS Indulgence and Beneficence Indulgence is not enough without Beneficence â— Sam. 14. Absalon shewed this to Ioab when hee was restored from his banishment but not admitted into the King his fathers presence A good patterne to bee imitated by men is GOD who dealeth so in his reconciliation with men whereas men vse some times to forgiue but seldome to forget also they thinke it too much to deserue well and enough that they doe not deserue ill I would it were no more But let vs touch at these points a sunder first at the propitiating of GODS wrath The latter Chronologers will haue this Sacring of IESVS to haue beene performed vpon the day of Expiation in September which if it bee true then the Holy Ghost doeth fairely insinuate that CHRIST came as the Lambe of God to take away the sinnes of the world How soeuer this is true that hee bare our sinnes in his body and by his stripes we are made whole that he cancelled our obligation and slew hatred when hee suffered â—pon the Crosse Neither did CHRIST onely propitiate GODS wrath but also gaue man grace in GODS eyes CHRIST teacheth it in three Parables of the lost Sheepe the lost Groat and the Prodigall Childe The Fathers obserue the Allegory that St. Peter maketh in comparing Noahs Arke vnto the Church and obserue moreouer that as the Doue brought the Oliue branch into the Arke in token that the deluge was ceased and the world was become habitable againe Euen so the Doue that lighted vpon CHRIST brought the glad tidings of the Gospel it
GODS not onely all-seeing Psal 13â— but also fore-seeing Eye GOD himselfe answereth the question in Ieremie concerning mans Heart Who can search that intricate and wicked labyrinth I the Lord. The LORD onely is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searcher of the Heart and we are much better knowne to him then we are to our selues This Inequalitie being obserued marke now the Apostles Inference Is our Heart condemne vs God is greater then our Heart and knoweth all things If we regard the Iudge in our bosome how much more must wee regard the Iudge of Heauen and earth if we stand in awe of the knowledge which wee haue of our selues how much more must wee reuerence the piercing eye of GOD Nay if Cain and Iudas and such other wretches were so distressed and perplexed when they were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely condemned by themselues and it is so fearefull a thing for wickednesse to bee condemned by its owne Testimonie Wisd â—â— How will they bee at their wits end when they shall bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arraigned before CHRIST comming in the glory of his FATHER and all his holy Angels with him when the Bookes shall be opened and the lury giue euidence vnto the Iudge according to those things that are written in those Bookes The miserie must needes be answerable and it is fit that our feare bee answerable to the miserie Certainely it is the drift of the Apostle to worke an Affection in vs sutable to the obiect that he setteth before vs. And we shall doe well to make that vse of it vse of the Inference which he maketh arguing from a condemning Conscience vnto a Condemning God whom no Iudge can equall in Omnipotencie no Iury in Omnisciencie My Text intreateth not onely of a Condemning but also of an Absoluing Conscience and it maketh a comfortable Inference thereupon And here we are first to obserue the absolute comfort of a good Conscience that from thence we may ascend vnto the Comparatiue The absolute is Boldnesse boldnesse in Iudgement for so you must vnderstand it sutably to the Argument The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freedome of speech A guiltie man is tongue tied as you may perceiue in the Parable of the Marriage Feast the man that wanted a wedding garment was no sooner asked Friend how camest thou in hither but he was euen speechlesse The eloquentest man will become mute out of the guilt of his Conscience It is no small comfort that a seruant can vtter his owne defence in the presence of his Lord. The Syriacke Paraphrase rendreth the word by Reuelationem faciei a guiltie man hangeth downe his head hee hideth his face so the Scripture describeth Cain And indeed confusion is inseparable from guilt The Philosopher can tell vs that Blushing in children is nothing but the vaile of Consciousnesse and men that doe not easily blush supply that defect by hiding their face But Innocencie needeth no such couert it shameth not to bee seene the cheerefulnesse of the countenance doeth speake vnto the world the guiltlesnesse of the Conscience St. â— Corinth 1. Paul calleth this boldnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gloriation because it is the onely thing wherein a man may glory yea and ioy too for A good Conscience is a continuall feast Preâ— 25. Whatsoeuer mans state is in this world he can neuer be defrauded of this glorious ioy Hee that hath a good Conscience hath more comfort vnder the Crosse then hee that hath an ill Conscience can finde in the middest of all his pleasures for Conscientiam malam non sanat preconium laudantis nec bonam vulnerat conuitiantis opprobrium This is the generall comfort and therefore it is found aswell in the Iudgement of the Heart as of God But from the absolute consideration hereof let vs come to the Comparatiue If we feele this boldnesse in the inward Iudgement we shall feele it much more in the outward if the imperfect verdict of our owne Heart so cheere vs what cheere shall wee conceiue out of the perfect verdict of GOD But the boldnesse that we haue to God-ward doeth appeare specially in three things First in Prayer in that a good Heart bringeth vs to GOD Hebr. 10. in full assurance of Faith and the answere of a good Conscience maketh intercession for vs to God 1 Pet. 3. Secondly at the day of Iudgement when a man of good Conscience will not feare the wicked nor bee troubled hee standeth confident like a Lyon while the other flie A good Conscience is that same Oyle which the wise Virgines had to trimme their Lampes when they met the Bridegroome which made them stand with boldnesse before the Sonne of man Thirdly in Heauen when they shall appeare before the Throne of GOD there to attend with Angels and Saints Blessed are the pure in heart saith CHRIST for they shall see God Argue then thus If it bee comfort to behold GOD by Faith what comfort will it be to behold him by sight If it bee comfort to finde a Quietus est when we call our selues to an account what comfort will it bee to receiue our discharge from GOD if it be comfort to mee to talke familiarly with my owne Soule what comfort will it be for me to talke familiarly with GOD We must argue from the one to the other as from a finite vnto an infinite thing and so conclude the greatnesse of the one from the little taste that we haue of the other To draw towards an end The scope of this Scripture is to teach vs what vse we must make of our Conscience We should consult it before we set our selues about any morall worke and assure our selues that it is a more faithfull Counseller then are our lusts they draw vs whither themselues incline and what themselues abhorre from that they withdraw vs but the Conscience will deale most faithfully with vs it will diswade vs from nothing but that which is euill and perswade vs to nothing but that which is good And happy were wee if we would make it our guide Naturall men were lesse vnhappy if they did so for they would lesse offend GOD and should bee lesse punished Christian men were much more happy for their guide would teach them more to please GOD that they might bee more blest But if this doe not mooue vs let vs feare the aggrauating of sinne the more meanes the more guilt the more guilt the more stripes And what vse will a man make of other meanes that neglecteth this domesticke that sitteth so close to him as his owne Heart And yet see I report mee to euery mans owne Conscience whether he bee ruled lesse by aime then hee is by his owne Heart Our Conscience is furnished both with the Law and with the Gospel and how could we so enormously violate either if we would hearken vnto her if we would suffer her to direct our actions But this is rather to bee wished then
those few cornes of good seed which I deriued from them At least if their leprosie ouer-spred my whole man yet was it not so deepe rooted or so strongly setled as by my ill diet it hath since beene What then may this house of my body this garment that couereth my Soule expect but to be vsed as the leprous house the leprous garment which in a fretting leaprosie were the garment to bee burnt the house to be plucked downe And indeed as impossible is it for the Iuie that springs and ouer-spreads a wall to be killed without taking in sunder of all the stones and separating them from the morter which knitteth them together as for the natiue sinne wherein I was borne branching it selfe ouer euery part of my body and power of my soule to be purged except I be dissolued my Soule part from my bodie and the parts of my bodie loose that knot wherewith each is linked to the other I doe not then complaine of the Decree it is iust it is necessarie my sinne maketh it iust and that this sinne be dispossest it becomes necessarie necessarie for All and then for me I would yeeld vnto it I would be contented with it blessed Apostle the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken were good I would obey it I would yeeld to death though death be bitter were there not a heauier thing that followeth death more terrible then death it selfe Let me feele Gods hand so I come not into Gods presence into the presence of the Iudge to giue an accompt for my life Blessed Apostle is it not enough that my Soule can no longer enioy her bodie no longer by her bodie enioy those things wherein shee hath placed her soueraigne good that shee can no longer solace her selfe with her mate take comfort in her of-spring eate the fruit of her labours receiue honour from others bestow fauours at pleasure bee an Oracle vnto many and to as many be a terror Blessed Apostle is it not enough that these things faile and I must part with them No thou sayest no when thou hast lodged my bodie in the the Graue thou sufferest not my soule to rest thou callest her to a straight accompt thou tellest her of a Iudgement How vainely haue I beene abused by heathenish prouerbs that told me death ends all and yet all is not at an end When I come to death I must come before my Iudge I must answere the Law the Law must trie my life how well I haue obserued it how answerable my carriage hath beene to it And Lord what a fearefull thing is this When thou blessed Apostle didst reason of these things thou madest Foelix a great man a heathen man to tremble and a greater then Foelix the King of Niniuie did tremble also when hee heard Ionas And yet how little did they know thy Law How much did their ignorance excuse their transgression thereof And what then will become of me that know so much and haue so little to plead Can I chuse but tremble O Lord while I liue I often heare of thy Law and the accompt that must be giuen thereof but I neuer had so much grace as Foelix or the King of Niniuie no not when I read the storie of Foelix and the King of Niniuie Neither of them onely but of good King Iosias also whose heart did melt at the reading of thy Law when he saw how vnanswerable the liues of his people were thereto And what wonder that Iosias heart did melt when Moses himselfe did quake at the receiuing of the Law Surely these all felt the terror of the Iudgement they knew what it was to come before their Iudge And I the more in my life I was senslesse the more sensible shall I bee hereof in my death vnexpected euils afflict the more especially if they bee great their impression must needs be deepe But bee I affected neuer so wofully I must appeare I must be tried hee that gaue the Law will inquire into the obseruance of his Law While we liue many couer our faults which when wee are dead they will not sticke to amplifie and he that liuing goeth for a Saint after his death is traduced as a diuell A heauie Iudgement yet how many vndergoe it But this is their comfort that of this Iudgmēt they haue no sense how their name fareth in this world in death they know not But against the other Iudgement there is no shelter all the stormes of it must light vpon vs in our owne persons we must answere for our selues and we are not so well knowne to our selues as to him that sifteth vs. Yet so much we know that we shall trauerse no Indictment we shal plead guiltie to euery Bill our owne conscience is a true counterpart vnto Gods Booke we shall bee charged with nothing out of the one which we shall not read distinctly in the other To read it were enough for the vttermost confusion for what man knoweth and doth not abhorre himselfe Had we a true looking glasse wherein wee might behold the manifold enormous sinnes of our life neuer could any thing be more vgly neuer would any thing be more abominable neuer were we so much in loue with our selues when we acted sinne as wee shall detest our selues when we see the staines of sinne But detestation and confusion are but the first part of this Iudgement the worme the sting bitter tortures euen before we are sentenced for Hell make vs to be wofull wretches Adde hereunto that which is the hight of shame the depth of paine Were no body priuie to our sinnes but our selues the knowledge of them wil confound vs but when they become knowne to others if they be but men sinners like our selues and therefore more likely to be temperate in their censure the shame groweth double but how manifold then will it be when the Angels shall bee witnesses to it the holy Angels whose puritie will the more illustrate it Nay God himselfe whose Image wee should beare and to whom how vnlike we are his presence wil make most manifest So that our shame will bee out of measure shamefull Our paine will bee no lesse painefull For here in this world the remorse of sinne euen in those that haue not a seared conscience is many wayes delayed in sleepe by feasts with companie many other outward helps but especially the putting farre off the euill day and the weake information that our distracted vnderstanding giueth our Heart and the hardnesse that doth benumme the senses thereof all these more or lesse doe mitigate our paine But after death these lenitiues are withdrawen from vs our eyes will be kept waking our stomacke fasting our friends farre from vs our wits that were wise to doe euill and to doe good had no vnderstanding at all shall then be wise onely to know our euill but good of ours it shall haue none at all to know and our heart was neuer so waxie to be wrought
pleasurably with sinne as it shall bee feeling when it is affected with all kind of woe This is our condition after death and such is the Iudgement where at we must appeare euen the first Iudgement Demie-Atheists though they would not hold an absolute imortalitie of their Soule yet for a time till the day of Resurrection they dreamt their Soules should bee as senslesse as their bodies but it was but the diuels Sophistrie to comfort the wicked with a Soules sleepe from the houre of death vntill the generall Assises of the world as hee did with hope of a generall pardon after some yeares of torment which made Origen to thinke that at length the diuels themselues should be released from paine But blessed Apostle I belieue thee I wil not flatter my self I do not more certainly expect death then I doe looke instantly thereupon to come before my Iudge I know that there is a Iudgement before a Iudgement a priuate before the publike I belieue as truly that euen now Diues burneth in Hell as that Lazarus is in Abrahams bosome and I doe no more doubt that Iudas went to his owne place then that the good thiefe was that day with Christ in Paradise no sooner doth the soule leaue the body but God doth dispose it to rest and paine O euer liuing God vnpartiall Iudge both of quicke and dead thy decree is past vpon my life for my arraignment I am here but a soiournour and yet accomptable for what so euer I doe here Let not this decree be vnknowne passe vnregarded of me if health if prosperitie promise a longer terme a carelesse life let me trie their perswasion by thy infallible word For there shall I learne that heauen and earth shall passe the greater how much more this litle heauen and earth of mine and that thy word onely endureth for euer Yea I see that all things come to an end but thy Commandement is exceeding broad and it is this Commandement that thou hast laid vpon my bodie and laid vpon my Soule a heauie Commandement that sounds nothing but that which is vnsauorie to flesh and bloud Death vnsauorie but Iudgement much more skin for skin and all that euer a man hath hee will giue for his life but life it selfe who would not part with that he might bee free from Iudgement My soule and body are loth to part but much more loth to appeare before thee it is grieuous to forgoe that which I loue but to feele that which I feare is much more grieuous if I die I want what I would haue but if I come to Iudgement then I must indure that which I abhorre death ends the pleasure which I take in life but Iudgement reckoneth for the inordinatnesse thereof And it is a double griefe to be so stripped to bee so tried but what shall I doe Thy word must stand and seeing it must stand let me not doubt let me not neglect let those two be euer before mine eyes let me vse this world as if I vsed it not seeing the fashion therof doth passe away and I change faster then it The little world hast thou proposed as a glasse wherin we may behold what will become of the great world both appeare subiect vnto Vanitie thou hast subiected both the frame of both must be dissolued so deepely is sinne rooted in either that nothing can extirpate it but the dissolution of the whole But the case of the greater world is better then that of the little that is dissolued but this must be arraigned also arraigned for it selfe arraigned for the great world also If that haue any euill it hath it from man man infected it and it is dissolued because of man but man for himselfe his owne sinne maketh himselfe and others mortall also good reason that he which hath baned the world so ruined the frame of all Gods creatures should account for it vnto the owner therof If a subiect trespasse against the King or his Image the Law doth challenge him it calleth for an amends and can the King of heauen and earth be wronged in his creatures be wronged in his owne Image and not challenge the offender No Lord there is great reason as for man to die that hath made all things mortall so for man to bee iudged that hath done it by sinne no reason that other things should suffer and he scape nay great reason why the blame of all should bee laid vpon him He deseruedly must be exposed to shame and blush for whatsoeuer himselfe hath deformed and what hee hath made to groane hee must sigh for it The maske must be plucked off where vnder in this life wee hide our selues and our sense must be rectified wherewith in this world wee excuse our selues we that would not iudge our selues must be iudged of the Lord. And his iudgement shall bee without respect of persons This Iudge standeth at the doore his Assizes are proclaimed no sooner are we quickned but wee are informed of death and Iudgement no sooner come we out four mothers wombe but we witnes our knowledge thereof euerie day of ourlife is a Citation day But as it wanteth not a date so it prefixeth not a day euerie one must dye once but the time of his death no man knoweth euerie man must be iudged no man knoweth how soone This vncertainety maketh death and Iudgement more terrible And it should make vs more watchfull watchfull for that which we are sure will come but when it will come wee are vnsure when it commeth it is fearefull but it commeth suddainely Did it concerne my temporall state I would take great care if the good-man of the house knew when the theife would come he would surely watch and not suffer his house to bee surprised And care wee more for our goods then for our selues For that which may be repaired then for that which being past hath no recouerie So senslesse are we so vsually are we ouer-taken Let it not be so with me O Lord let me euer meditate vpon Death and let me euer be prouided for Iudgement Before Sicknesse prouide Physicke and Righteousnesse before Iudgement A Meditation vpon Philippians 1. VERSE 21. Christ is to me life and death is to mee aduantage I Haue beene at Mount Sinai I haue heard the thunder I haue seene the lightning I haue felt the shaking thereof it hath put mee in mind of my mortalitie at it I haue learned what it is to bee arraigned before my Iudge Were there no other Hill I were in wofull case woe is mee if I haue no succour against death which I cannot auoid against iudgement which is so strict But blessed be God I haue a succour though God bring mee to Sinai in my passage out of Egypt yet is it not his pleasure that I should stay there the Cloud is risen and goeth before me I will vp I will follow it And see it bringeth me to another Hill it resteth me vpon Mount Sion I no sooner
hath bestowed vpon thee length of dayes thy time is not reckoned by nights but by dayes And some men that liue long all their life long neuer see the Sunne their time is night it is an vncomfortable time No sense hath his contenting obiect they are all couered with darknesse yea and if it be a waking night insteed of contenting euerie sense is haunted with discontenting obiects Such nights doe many liue in this world which haue presented vnto them many eye-soares and at whose eares doe enter many heart-breake sounds whose perfumes are the damps of loath-some prisons whose bed is little case whose sustenance is the bread and water of affliction whose robes are fetters and manicles finally whose consorts are wretches no lesse forlorne then themselues Such a night how many liue yea of what length are such nights of theirs But Lord thou hast vouchsafed my life to bee a Day the Sun is vp to me and I haue the pleasure of beholding the light my eye wanteth not content my eare hath her pleasures and euerie sense is cherished according to his kind I haue not beene pinched with famine I haue not been consumed with sicknesse theeues haue not spoyled me I haue not beene exposed to the tyrannie of malice my life hath beene a day yea many dayes for my prosperitie hath not beene like the good day of an Aguish man which hath been succeeded with painfull fits but euerie day hath beene a day the Sunne hath not set the clouds haue not ouer-cast the Sunne so that all my whole life seemeth to haue beene but one day But there are Winter dayes and Summer dayes short and long It had beene well if my life had onely beene a day though that had beene but a Winters day at least manie Winter dayes But to haue my day yea my dayes and haue them at length how much better doth it make my state In a Winter day as the Sunne stayeth not long so it warmeth not much but in a Summer day the longer it staieth the more it warmeth then my length of daies are attended with the warmth of daies and to haue both length and warmth what more can a man desire for this life Yes a man would haue the stinting of them hee would not haue them end vntill himselfe say enough And so farre hath Gods mercie gone with me he hath satisfied me I neuer had my appetite satisfied more to the full with the most delicate meates then my heart is sariat with my daies It is enough Lord now let me die But I forget thou hast done much for me in my naturall life how much more hast thou done for me in my spirituall My spirituall life also hath beene a Day it hath beene I say a day and no night The Soule hath a night no lesse then the bodie and much heauier is the night of the soule then that of the bodie the darknesse is more vncomfortable the terrors thereof are more intollerable How vncomfortable is it for a man who naturally desireth to be happie to be ignorant both where hee must seeke it and how he must come at it and so to wander all the daies of his life in vanitie And did he walke onely in Vanitie the discomfort were not small for it is no small discomfort still to hope and yet still to haue his hope faile But for a man to haue vexation of spirit added vnto vanitie whereas we abhorre nothing more then miserie out of the guilt of conscience to be harrowed with the fore-runners of eternall miserie how intollerable is this How vncomfortable how tedious is this spirituall night Or rather how desireable how comfortable is that day which hath freed me from that night I was in it I was borne borne in it for Lord no man commeth out of his mothers wombe but he is borne in the night and the day doth not dawne to him vntill he is new-borne out of the Churches wombe Therefore doe the ancients fidy call Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illumination because then he that commaunded light to shine out of darknesse doth shine vnto vs in the face of Iesus Christ and we are translated out of darknesse into his marueilous light It is my blessing that I am light in the Lord made light not light of my selfe but illightned by him Lord if thou hadst not illightned me I could neuer haue seene thou that restoredst his sight that was borne blind corporally hast wrought a greater miracle in restoring my sight that was borne blind spiritually Let others boast in whole or in part of the strength of nature I doe I wil confesse that the eyes of my mind are a gift of grace these eyes that see that which I see and cannot but be blest in seeing it in seeing Gods saluation a blessed sight that discouers that obiect How glad was Abraham when he saw the Ramme which was an exchange for Isaac his sonne How glad was Hagar when shee saw the fountaine wherewith shee refreshed both her selfe and her babe And were they glad at the sight of these things How glad then should I be that see a Lambe the Lambe of God that offereth himselfe to be a ransome for me How glad should I bee that see the Well the well of liuing waters which onely can quench my thirst Isaacs danger was nothing to mine well might his soule for a time bee parted from his bodie both were to goe to a blessed rest but my danger was that soule and bodie both must haue burned euerlastingly in hell Hagars thirst was nothing to my thirst shee trauelled in the hot sands and I in the middest of many tyring sinnes no corporall paine can so spend our spirits as the conflicts doe of a troubled soule How willingly then doe I behold the Lambe Behold the water Euen the Lambe and water that are my Iesus Many saluations there are but no saluations of God but in him there is no name vnder heauen giuen by which we may be saued but onely the name of Iesus he is indeed a Diuine Sauiour the highest degree of saluation is placed in him Let others make their peace by other meanes I will be ransommed onely by this Lambe let others quench their thirst in puddle streames I will drinke at this well this saluation of God which God hath made me see For Lord thou hast not dealt with me as thou diddest with Moses to whom thou shewedst from mount Nebo the land of Canaan but sufferedst him not to enter in what thou hast shewed me thou bestowest vpon me and hee that hath eyes to behold thy saluation by seeing doth enioy the same It is not so true in Nature as in Grace Intellectus fit omnia certainely this is euerlasting life euen to know thee to be the onely God and whom thou hast sent our Sauiour Iesus Christ for by beholding with open face this thy saluation we are changed into the same Image from saluation to saluation by the spirit of Christ O
Therein what dost thou shew Lord but how powerfull thy grace is and what an alteration it can worke in me I acknowledge this and Lord let me feele that truth which I acknowledge make hast to moisten him that early seeketh to thee I should haue sought vnto thee in the morning of my age and happie had I beene if I had so timely sought vnto thee I had not so long continued in the wildernesse Yea the trees which now scarce blossome would then haue beene loaden with ripe fruit the seed which is now scarce in the blade would haue shot an eare and beene white for haruest But Lord I that neglected that morning to testifie my griefe therefore take holdfast of another morning as much as I can I redeeme the time the day hath dawned I suffer not the Sunne to shine in vaine so soone as I can see my way I take my way to thee I come earely I would speed betimes See Lord my desire in my haste and Lord let thy grace hasten like my desire yea preuent my desire who cannot desire so timely as I would Onely O Lord I take notice of my Day and would not haue it spent in vaine Turne my morning into high-noone let the Sunne of righteousnesse ascend vnto his greatest highth but proportion my desire to thy light and let mee so beginne betimes as that I perseuere vnto the ende let my later workes bee better then my first let my motions bee not violent which slacken as they goe on and are weakest in in the end but let them be naturall yea supernaturall motions let them increase as they goe on and the neerer my race draweth to an end the hotter let my zeale bee towards God Let me thirst the more let me the more desire those waters that moysten my drougth and refresh my wearinesse so let me appeare before thee But where art thou In thy Sanctuarie thy holy place How reuerent is that place And how vnfit am I to bee seene there Is that a place for a wildernesse Paradise is a better obiect of the eyes of God where God may see all that he hath made and see it good and blesse it being so but sinne hath no place in Paradise Gods eyes cannot endure it yea therefore were the Cherubins set with the flaming sword that sinners might not approach the place of God How senslesse then am I that being such as I am dare approach the place of God being such as it is True Lord I am senslesse indeed if I come onely as a drie as a thirstie land such an obiect is not for the holy eyes of God it is not to approach his presence But if the drie land bee also thirstie then thou callest Ho all yee that thirst come yee to the waters and he that hath no money buy and eat yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price If the barren land be wearie thou callest O Lord Come vnto mee all that labour and are heauie loaden I will ease you I will giue you rest Seeing this thirst this desire is acceptable vnto God euen where there wanteth the fatnesse and fruitfulnesse of good workes and God whose Throne is heauen and whose footestoole is the earth will looke to that man euen to him that is poore and of a contrite heart though I want righteousnesse yet because I hunger and thirst after it I am not afraid to be seene in the Sanctuarie of God yea in the Sanctuarie to looke vpon God For I know what he will shew vnto me euen his Power and Glorie hee will shew them both to me nay he will shew them both on me His power that shall worke on me and his glorie that shall crowne me He will make me as a water garden and plant me with most generous plants by his power that so I may flourish and bee comly in the eyes both of Angels and men Yea God will shew his power and God will giue me glorie that my eyes beholding them my mouth may speake of them speake of the workes of God and tell what he hath done for my bodie and for my soule O Lord other creatures partake thy Power partake thy Glorie but all doe not see it wee that are indued with reason not onely haue them but perceiue them and it is our happinesse that we know what blessings wee haue Lord let me neuer be so stupid as not to behold thy Mercies and when I doe behold them let mee also feele how blessed I am whom thou vouchsafest to possesse them so shall I more and more confesse that thou O Lord art my God and being my God I shall make haste to thee my Soule shall make haste and so shall my bodie also my drie and wearie bodie and soule shall goe out of this world wherein there are no springs of life and thirstie and longing as they are they shall approach thy Sanctuarie and there Lord let them see not onely feele thy Power thy Glorie quenching my thirst and satisfying my Desire Amen A Meditation vpon Psalme 90. VERSES 11 12. 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger euen according to thy feare so is thy wrath 12. So teach vs to number our dayes that wee may applie our hearts vnto wisedome THE FIRST PART SInne and wrath by nature should go hand in hand and as deepe as we plunge our selues in to sin so deepe should we sinke in wrath Wee should if Iustice measured vnto vs as we deserue but mercie hath prouided better for vs and God is pleased to proportion the smart of stripes to the feare which we haue of them the lesse feare the more smart and the lesse smart the more we feare Thou hast left it O Lord in the power of a sinner how farre thou shalt take vengeance of his sinne Let the Law speake neuer so terribly let sinne offend neuer so grieuously let the curses be neuer so many let the plagues be neuer so manifold yea let thy countenance be ouer-cast with neuer so thicke a cloud let the burning coales that are kindled by thy wrath be neuer so scorching rore the waues of thy ouer-flowing indignation neuer so hideously and bee the whirle-wind of thy wrath neuer so tempestuous feare onely feare the feare of a penitent Soule that trembles at the voice of thy Law that melteth at the sight of thy Iudgements that accuseth it selfe that condemeth it selfe that is readie to ioyne with God to doe Iustice vpon its sinfull selfe this feare I say that least armeth it selfe against God is best armed and preuailes best by stooping most And this is powerfull weakenesse a conquering captiuitie a match ouer-matching that for which we can otherwise find no match This power O Lord hast thou giuen to repentant feare a blessed power and yet there are few that vse it though all doe stand in neede of it And why Who armes himselfe against that whereof he hath no regard Men sinne but little doe they thinke that
their sinnes offend God and if they offend they shall be punished because God is not onely sensible of his wrongs but also Iudge of our liues as he hath prescribed the precepts of his Law so hath hee added sanctions thereunto and as the precept sheweth what we must doe so what he will doe we learne out of the Sanction if we faile to obey thou O Lord wilt not faile to strike for there is Wrath with thee and from thee will that wrath breake out on vs. And woe be to vs if it breake out for thy wrath O God is a powerfull wrath And indeed how can it be otherwise if it be thine who art a God of power Can wee looke into thee and not apprehend Almightinesse in thee But our eyes are too weake to pierce so farre happily in that that comes from thee a naturall man may behold what power there is in thee Heauen and earth are the worke of thy hands nay they are the Host that attends thy Person if they are mightie thou much more for what they haue thou gauest them and in proofe thereof thou takest from them at thy pleasure As the Sunne did shine first at thy command so at thy command it hath lost his light it was from thee the fire receiued his burning qualitie and when thou forbaddest it it could not burne thou madest the waters flow thou spakest but the word and they were sollid like a wall Thou fixedst the Globe of the earth and it stood still and when thou didst vtter thy voice it quaked it trembled for very feare when thou sendest foorth thy spirit thou renewest the face of the earth and all things wither and returne to nothing if thou with-draw thy spirit How powerful then art thou O Lord at whose command is the power of euerie creature and fighteth for thee against thine enemies The Sunne can scorch them the fire consume them the aire poyson them the earth swallow them and how many spectacles haue we of such Iudgements But what speake I of these greater souldiers of thine and weapons of thy wrath How many beasts in the fields How many birds of the ayre How many fishes in the Sea haue vndertaken Gods cause against man and executed remarkable Iudgements vpon sinners But I doe not yet come home enough hee that readeth the plagues of Aegypt and considers what a destruction God wrought by frogs and flies and lice the least whereof wrested a submission from Pharaoh and his Kingdome and forced them to confesse their vnablenesse to resist can he choose but be amazed at the sight of Gods power when these creatures so farre in their owne nature vnder the power of man when he commands them to be his Executioners so farre ouermatch the stoutest of men But what looke I without vs for the sinnewes of Gods wrath What sinnewes may wee find euerie man within himselfe If God bee pleased to reward vs according to our deseruings he shall need no other we wil doe him this seruice our selues Our wits will not only faile vs but insnare vs our hearts will be so farre from eschewing that they will carrie vs headlong into all mischiefe our eyes will see fearefull visions our eares bee filled with dreadfull sounds our tongues will betray vs our feete miscarrie vs our hands offer uiolence vnto vs no power of our soule no part of our bodie wherewith we haue conceiued or acted sinne that will not lay on some deadly stroke vpon vs for sinne But of all the souldiers of God wherin we are most feelingly to behold the Power of his wrath there is none comparable to our owne Conscience which laieth on so heauie a burden and peirceth with so deadly a sting that there is no man whom it cannot crush with its waight and which will not runne mad if he throughly feele the smart thereof I will not draw a man down into hell where into notwithstanding wrath will tumble sinfull man I might there shew him vtter darknesse the priuation of that light which shineth in heauen vnquenchable fire in opposition to the Waters of life that streame in heauen the weeping and wailing insteed of the endlesse musicke that is aboue the murmuring gnashing of teeth insteed of the triumphant songs of blessed Soules finally the tormented and tormenting fiends insteed of the blessed Sainâ—s and Angels that are aboue And what are all these but euidences of the power of Gods wrath And is the power so large so palpable and yet vnknowne Can it be such and yet not discerned of man If he climbe into heauen God manifesteth it there and he finds it in earth if his thoughts fal thither neither can he descend into hell but there he shal meete it nay he must goe from himselfe or else God will force him to behold it Why then doth thy seruant Moses moue this question who knoweth it Is it not because men doe not heed it and so though they should yet take no notice of it And indeed Lord if any be ignorant his ignorance is inexcusable and yet some such beasts rather then men are there that are willing not to know what they are not willing to regard Or if men be not so grosse as thus to winke with their eyes that they may stupifie their hearts yet do their lusts dim their sight and they see so imperfectly that they they are but weakly affected with it Hence coÌ„meth it to passe that thy minatorie words and works stay so few from falling into sin and reclaime so few that are fallen there into they do not belieue that thou wilt strike vntill they feele thy stroakes are on them The Israelites would not as Moses had good proofe for fortie yeere and wee are no better then they though our triall hath beene much onger then theirs we haue no vsefull knowledge of the wrathfull power of God This question may well bee moued of vs euen of vs to whom God hath vouchsafed the same power ouer his wrath our little feare argueth our little knowledge and we may not thinke that we haue any true knowledge which doth not end in feare such a feare as can hold Gods hand or at least moderate his stroake is the onely argument that wee haue profited in that schoole of the great and lesser world wherein we haue so full so plaine a Lecture read vnto vs of the powerfull wrath of God A Meditation vpon Psalme 90. VERSE 12. So teach vs to number our dayes that we may applie our hearts vnto wisedome THE SECOND PART THou dost manifest thy power O Lord and we are the monuments of it our mortalitie is therein are grauen the capitall Letters that describe thy powerfull wrath For what is mortalitie but a reall voice in our eares or presenting rather vnto our eyes the doome of sinne Thou madest vs immortall and immortalitie was a part of thy Image which art eternall our time then had no terme it could not be defined by any kind of period But