of the World to them all Venite benedicti come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome Mat. 25. 34. prepared for you and therefore as the Hart desireth the water-brookes so long their Soules after God their Soules after God yea after the living God and they cry day and night Come Lord Jesus come quickely Thou which art our Lord by right of creation by right of redemption by right of gubernation Apoc. 22. by right of preservation Come come away quickely and crown us with glory receive us into thy kingdome where is Gaudium sine fine sine metu finis Ioy without end without feare of end Thus much of the Persons saluted their vocation sanctification and reservation to Iesus Christ THE FOVRTH SERMON VERS II. Mercie unto you and Peace and Love c. Mercy Peace and Love from Father Sonne holy Ghost I Am now come to the Salutation wherein the Apostle wisheth and prayeth for three things 1 Mercy 2 Peace 3 Love Three things more excellent than Mat. 2. the three gifts which the Wisemen bestowed on Christ Gold Frankincense 2 Sam. 23. and Myrrh three things more puissant to overthrow the Divell than the three mighty men that were in the hoast of Israel to overthrow the Philistines and to fetch water out of the well of Bethelem that David longed for three things more comely than the three things that Salomon commended that is a Lion Prov. 30. among beasts a Gray-hound and a Goat Mercy which is the first thing here wished for is ascribed to God the Creator Peace which is the second to Christ the 2 Cor. 1. 3. Ephes 2. 14. Rom. 5. 5. Reconciler Love which is the third to the holy Ghost the Comforter For God hee is called The Father of Mercies Christ is called Our Peace and the holy Ghost Love The Apostle therefore in saying Mercy Peace and Love be multiplied is as if he should have said The God of Mercy forgive you your sinnes the God of Peace give you Peace that passeth all understanding and the God of Love grant that your Love may abound more and more that yee may bee rooted and grounded in Love And yet all this proceedeth from one and the same person Generall and speciall Mercies of God for albeit Mercy be ascribed to the Father Peace to the Sonne and Love to the holy Ghost Creation to the Father Redemption to the Sonne and Sanctification to the holy Ghost yet all these create redeeme and sanctifie For wee worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity wee confound neither the persons nor yet their worke Mercie be unto you Mercy in God is not passive but active Non quoad affectum sed quoad effectum No suffering with us in our wants but succouring us in them Mercy is here taken for grace and the meere favour of God The Apostle therefore in wishing Mercy Peace and Love to the Saints teacheth us Quales esse debent Christianorum salutationes nos literis nostris epistolis honorem opulentiam salutem longam vitam amicis optamus Iudas verò misericordiam pacem charitatem dona coelestia his tribus Ecclesia opus est aliter actum esset And first hee beginneth with Mercie For instead of Grace used by the Apostle Paul in sundry of his Epistles Iude heere nameth Mercy which is all one Mercy and Grace is that whereby all good is conveyed to us therefore an excellent blessing to bee prayed for and this Grace and Mercy of God is fourefold 1 Generall 2 Speciall 3 Temporall 4 Eternall The generall Grace and Mercy of God are those graces and mercies that hee bestoweth upon all men Hence is it that hee causeth the Sun to shine upon good and bad and his Raine to fall upon the just and unjust For there bee some good things which God giveth indifferently both to the good bad as Riches Honour Strength Beautie Health c. And there be some good things which God giveth onely to the good and not to the wicked as saving Faith saving Grace a new Heart a right Spirit peace of Conscience joy in the holy Ghost eternall Life And there are some evill things whereof the good taste as well as the bad as Sickenesse Sorrow Weakenesse of body Imprisonment Famine Sword losse of Friends c. And there are some evill things which God layeth upon the wicked and not upon the good as intolerable horror of conscience desperation Psal 104. 17 18. damnation c. This generall Grace and Mercy of God is over all his cratures the Fowles of the Aire the Fishes in the Psal 145. 9. Sea the beasts of the Fields His Mercie is over all his Workes His speciall Mercy is that whereby hee succoureth his elect This was the Mercy of God that preserved Lot from the burning of Sodome Daniel from the devouring jawes of the hungrie Gen. 19. Lions David from the cruelty of Saul and the Israelites Dan. 6. from the firy Furnace This is that Grace and Mercy which the child of God above all things desireth Lord lift thou up Psal 4. the light of thy countenance upon us His temporall Mercie is that whereby hee spareth sinners and standeth at their doores expecting and waiting their conversion Temporall and eternall Mercies Hereupon one descanteth very finely saying When vaine pleasure biddeth us to sell God and be gone his Mercy and Grace will not so part with us when we are lost in our selves his Mercy and Grace findeth us out when wee lye long in our sinnes his Mercy and Grace raiseth us up when wee come unto him his Mercy and Grace receiveth us when wee come not his Mercy and Grace draweth us when we repent his Mercy and Grace pardoneth us when wee repent not his Mercy and Grace waiteth our repentance The eternall Mercy and Grace of God is that which concerneth our everlasting Salvation this is that Mercy and Grace principally wished for By Grace wee are saved through Faith not of Ephes 2. our selves for it is the gift of God This word Mercy or Grace teacheth us to looke up unto God not unto our selves if wee looke to bee saved wee choose not the Lord but he us Vt salus esset penes figulum non penes lutum Aug. Paul ascriberh all to Grace and Mercy By the Grace of God saith hee I am that I am and his Grace which is in me was not in vaine and thus he taught the Romanes At this present there is a remnant through the election of Grace and if it bee of Grace it is no more of Workes or Rom. 11. 5 6. else Grace were no more Grace but if it bee of Workes it is no more Grace or else were worke no more worke an invincible Argument Peter letteth the Iewes see Terminum a quo terminum ad quem pervenerunt their state under the Law and under Grace Hee hath called you saith
Soule wee shall be glorified and when as wee shall sing the songs of triumph such as none can understand save the hundred and forty foure thousand which are Apoc. 14. 3. brought from the Earth Let us therefore pray for grace to increase in us and say with Augustine Si quando steti per Dominum steti si quando cecidi per me cecidi c. If at any time I stood I stood by the Lord if at any time I fell I fell of my selfe his Grace did prevent me saving me from evils past preserving me from evils present and defending me from evils to come But I will follow this point no further but as Iude prayed that Mercy Grace and Love might be multiplied So shall I pray Mercy Peace and Love bee unto you Mercie from God the Father the Father of Mercies Peace from God the Sonne the Prince of Peace Love from God the holy Ghost the Love of the Father and the Sonne Mercy unto you releasing your sinnes Peace unto you quieting your consciences Love unto you joyning you to God and one unto another Now the very God of Mercy Peace and Love give you Mercy Peace and Love Amen THE SIXTH SERMON VERS III. Beloved when I gave c. Faith and Gods worship must be maintained HAving spoken of the Title or Inscription of this Epistle I am now come unto the second part thereof namely the Proposition which is a stirring of them up to maintaine the Faith worship and religion of God which was now at an ebbe like the Sea and eclipsed like the Sunne with false Apostles had shaken her leaves like a tree in winter Where note two things 1 That they must labour for Faith 2 The reasons why they must so labour The Reasons be three The first taken from the person of the Apostle The second from the person of God The third from the person of the Adversaries From the person of the Apostle three wayes From 1 His love 2 His paines 3 His mildnesse The second reason is taken from the person of God in that he gave this Faith where note three things The necessitie and excellencie of Faith That it is 1 His gift 2 Once given 3 Given to the Saints The last reason is taken from the Adversarie where note two things 1 The qualities 2 The end of the Adversarie But first for Faith all men must labour for it that they may say on their death-beds with Paul I have fought a good fight I 2 Tim. 7 8. have finished my course I have kept the faith from hence-forth there is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge will give me at that day and not to me onely but unto them also that love his appearing None can speake of a Crowne of glorie but he that can say that he hath kept the Faith For without Faith it is impossible to please God Wilt thou please God as Enoch did and Hebr. 11. 6. not grieve God like Israel then get faith Quod enim non est a fide peccatum est whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Paul describing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christiani the armour of a Christian compareth faith unto a shield all armour is necessarie but specially a shield Therefore saith the Apostle Above all things take the shield of faith Ephes 6. 17. wherewith we shall bee able to 〈◊〉 all â—he 〈…〉 of the wicked Where note that the Apostle contenteth not himselfe with a bare exhortation to stirre us up to labour for faith but with weighty reasons presseth his exhortation before and behind before comparatively preferring it before all other graces Above all behind simply declaring the vertue and efficacie of it Wherby yee shall bee able to quench c. By the first hee maketh way to his exhortation by the last he knocketh it downe fast even to the head as wee use for to say And the Apostle writing to Timothie willeth him to get faith 1 Tim. 1. 19. and a good conscience naming two fearefull examples One of Hymenaeus another of Alexander who had made shipwracke of faith and a good conscience And therefore Paul delivereth them up to Satan That they might learne not to blaspheme that is he did excommunicate them Faith is the vertue of all vertues As all rivers runne into the Sea so all vertues come of faith It giveth light to all vertues as the Sunne doth to all planets therefore the Apostle is so prolix in it Faith maketh us the sonnes of God else are we bastards illegitimate So many as received him to them gave he power to be the Hebr. 11. 4 5. Iohn 1. 12. Epist ad Adimanth Gen. 26. 2 Tim. 1 Cor. 4. 15. Gal. 4. Sonnes of God even to them that beleeve in his name Augustine distinguisheth of Sonnes that they are threefold sonnes by Nature so Esau was the sonne of Isaak sonnes by doctrine or imitation so Timothie was Pauls sonne so he begat the Corinths so hee travelled of Galatia Lastly sonnes by inspiration or faith so are we the sonnes of God Christ is the naturall wee the adopted sonnes of the Almightie The third is best for well is hee that hath God to his Father for the Sonne abideth in the house for Faith must be striven and laboured for ever Faith is the life of the soule as the soule is the life of the body Quod carni esca hoc animae fides what food is to the flesh the same is Faith to the soule quod cibus corpori hoc verbum spiritui what meat is to the body the same is the word to the Spirit Iohn 8. 35. To stirre us up to strive for this Faith the Holy Ghost adorneth it with many Epithetes he calleth it Rich faith 1 Pet. 1. Holy faith Iude vers 20. strong faith 1 pet 5. 8. a saving faith Ephes 2. 8. a pure faith Act. 15. 9. a precious faith 1 Pet. 1. 7. If their we regard riches strength holinesse salvation puritie let us maintaine Faith which hath all graces in it as Paradise had all fruites in it as Lapis Indicus hath all cures in it And note that they must contend strive for faith for all they are accursed that doe the worke of the Lord negligently and all Ier. 48. they shall be spued out of Gods mouth who are key-cold luke-warme and not fervent in the faith Most men therefore shall Apoc. 3. 15. goe unto the Divell and be vomited out of Gods mouth for they are Tepidi in Fide they care not what become of faith and religion so they may prosper in the world they say unto God Ioh 21. 14 15. Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Who is the Almightie that we should serve him and what profit shall we have if we should pray unto him they say with Alexander Borgia Da mihi divitias caetera tolle tibi fidem spem charitatem
So Christ doth regenerate and sanctifie us by the vertue of his Spirit quo homo Deus est as he is man and God not as he is man alone or as he is God alone and yet he doth not transferre his essence into us and therefore Osiander is much deceived The place of Paul quoted by him helpeth him nothing for we are the righteousnesse 2 Cor. 5. 21. of Christ ut ille fuit peccatum pro nobis as he was sinne for us but sinne was not really in Christ no more is Christs righteousnesse really in us but onely imputatively faith as the hand applyeth it unto us and flyeth into heaven and there maketh us partakers of his Sanctity Our faith wrastleth with God in heaven our charity wrastleth with men here below on earth both of them are exercised neither idle nor unfruitfull and therefore the Apostle joyneth Faith in Christ and love toward Col. 1. 4. all Saints together O Brethren how many bee there that can tell a smooth tale of Christ and yet cannot speak one wise word of Iustification and Sanctification and yet Peter requireth it of all Hence am I to derive an exhortation to all men to holinesse and sanctification seeing that Rahabs house was knowne by a Ios ◠Iudg. 11. Mat. 26. 2 Reg. 9. red thread and the Ephramites by lisping and Peter by speaking and Iehu by driving his Chariot So Christians are knowne by sanctification Every child of God is sanctified Secundum plus aut minus either more or lesse But first let me speake of the diverse acceptions of the word ne inpingamus ubi non est lapis lest we stumble where there is no stone 1. It is taken for that which is pure and perfect and cleane Levit. 19. 2. So God alone is said to be holy 2. It is taken for that which is lawfull as 1 Cor. 7. 14. The unbeleeving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified by the Husband else were your children uncleane but now they are holy 3. For that which is separated and set apart from common uses and reserved to sacred and holy uses Thus in the Law those things were called holy and sanctified which were taken from the common use of the people and set apart for the use and service of God as the Oyle Shew bread first fruits vessels of the Tabernacle In this sense the Priests were called holy because they were separate from the common life of men to serve in the Tabernacle Thus the people of Israel separated from the rest of the Nations were called by Moses a sanctified people to the Lord and by Ieremy a thing hallowed to the Lord. 4. For that which is consecrated to a godly and holy use Wee must bee holy because God is holy In which respect it is opposite to prophanenesse So the Temple was holy Ieremy was sanctified that is consecrated to be a Prophet So Christ sanctified himselfe that is dedicated himselfe to be a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world 5. It is taken for purity of body and minde as 2 Cor. 7. 5. So it is taken here And that wee should bee holy that is pure both in body and in minde it is the will and commandement of God Would you know his will and doe it that thou maist enter into heaven For not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into heaven but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven then be holy For Mat. 7. 21. this is the will of God even your holinesse 1 Thes 4. 3. There be many reasons to move us to Sanctification to Holinesse whereof one is often used drawne from the person of God our Father that children must resemble their Father else are they Bastards rather than sonnes So reasoneth God Ye shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy repeated by Peter As hee Levit. 19. 2. which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy All that is in God our Father is holy all that pertaineth to Gods name is holy Holy is his name His person is holy Hereupon the Seraphins cryed Luke 1. 49. one unto another and said Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole world is full of his glory his workes are holy So saith David Esay 6. 3. The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his Workes His Iudgements are holy O my God saith the Prophet in his distresse Psal 45. 17. I cryed by day but thou hearest not and by night but have no audience but thou art holy c. His Temple or House is holy so Psal 22. 1 2. saith Paul The Temple of God is holy which ye are His Mountaine is holy and therfore called A holy Mountaine His Kingdome is 1 Cor. 3. 17. holy for no uncleane thing shall enter his Kingdome neither whatsoever Psal 15. worketh abomination or lyes Therefore we must be holy if wee Apoc. 21. 27. looke to live with God Extra sunt Canes without bee dogges prophane and polluted persons Apoc. 22. 15. The same reason holdeth for holinesse that doth for mercy clemency love meeknesse and all other attributes of the Lord. Let mee reason as the Scripture reasoneth God is mercifull therefore wee must bee mercifull God forgiveth his enemies therefore we must forgive So reasoneth Christ himselfe Love your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you that you may bee the Children of your Father which is in Heaven God is love therefore we must love So reasoneth Saint Iohn Beloved let us love one another 1 Iohn 4. 7 8. for love commeth of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love God is meek therfore we must be meek Learn of me saith Christ for I am meek c. So God is holy therefore we must be holy Mat. 11. 29. Another reason is taken from the end of our Redemption urged Holinesse the end of our Redemption without it wee shall not see God by the Apostle saying The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared and teacheth us that we should deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and that wee should live soberly righteously and holily in this present world Hath Christ sweat water and blood hath his heart beene molten like waxe his strength dryed up Tit. 2. 11 12. Psal 22. 14 15. like a potsheard hath his tongue cloven to his iawes and brought to the dust of the earth that wee should be wantons O caecas hominum mentes O pectora caeca nati sumus è silice nutriti lacte ferino O blinde mindes of men O blind hearts wee are borne of a flint-stone and nourished
For not everie one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of Heaven but he that doth the will of the Father which is in Heaven 4 The fourth signe is a strife against sin For as the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit so doth the Spirit against the Flesh And they that are Christs Have crucified the Flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 17. 24. And hee that is elected will cry out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. Meaning the corruption which yet remained The Law in our members which rebelleth they will tame and give no way to the motions of the flesh 5 The fifth and last signe is the reformation of our whole life a generall walking in the paths of righteousnesse holinesse as our election is knowne unto God from all eternity For the foundation of God remaineth sure and hath his seale The Lord knoweth 2 Tim. 2. 19. who are his so is it knowne to us by our workes and therfore wee are willed To give all diligence to make our election and calling sure by good workes if wee can so live that at the last when we 2 Pet. 1. 10. shall leave this World wee can say with Simeon Lord now lettest Luke 2. thou thy servant depart in peace It is an undoubted signe of our election Our election is perfected by many degrees Paul nameth three degrees of it Vocation Iustification and Glorification for so runne his words Those whom hee knew before hee predestinate and whom hee predestinate them also hee called and whom Rom. 8. 29 30. hee called them also hee Iustified and whom hee Iustified them also hee Glorified But others make other degrees The first to be Christs with his gifts 1 Cor. 3. Rom. 8. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Rom. 4. 25. Ephes 2. 10. 2 Tim. 4. 8. The second degree is our Adoption The third is our Vocation by the Gospell The fourth is Iustification The fifth is our Sanctification The sixth is our Glorification These are the signes of our election and this election is every God reprobateth in Iustice as well as elocteth in Mercy way free Never man layd hand on this worke never man brought stone to this building but all is from God and his Mercy Let us therefore throw downe our crownes with the Elders and let us say with David Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy name give the praise And if our reason cannot comprehend this our election Psal 115. 1. let our Faith comprehend it Vbi ratio definit sides incipit where Ambr. reason faileth faith beginneth Let our reason bee as Hagar our faith as Sara if reason will presume let Sara let faith take her downe a pegge The other part of Gods decree is Reprobation here named of Iude Of old ordained to condemnation Now whereas many grant election but not Reprobation Reprobation is proved by many places of Scripture Christ saith Every plant which my Heavenly Mat. 15. 13. Father hath not planted shall bee rooted up And Paul speaketh of Vessels of wrath ordained to destruction And Esay telleth us that Rom. 9. 22. Tophet is prepared of old it is prepared even for the King hee hath made Esa 30. 33. it deepe and large c. yet many are squeamish of Reprobation utterly denying it And Ierome was once of the minde hee said that God elected some but reprobated none Now if he deny all reprobation this must bee wrapped up amongst the rest of his errors Haec patrum pudenda tegi patior I love to hide these imperfections 1 Cor. 3. of the Fathers for they did not ever build gold upon the foundation but sometime hay and stubble c. Indeed God reprobates none but for sinne but for sinne he reprobates And thus God is righteous and his judgements just thus Christ divideth the whole world into two parts Corne and Tares Goats and Sheepe the Tares shall bee bound up in bundels and cast into the fire the Goats Mat. 13. 25. shall stand at Christs left hand and shall heare Goe yee cursed into everlasting Hell fire prepared for the Divell and his angels and marke that he saith prepared for the Divell and his angels If of five senses we want foure we cannot deny this Reprobation But what should I light a candle at noone-day or powre water into the Sea or bring the breath of a man to helpe the blast or gale of wind Magna est veritas praevalet great is truth and prevaileth for wee cannot doe any thing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13. 8. Reprobation standeth with the glory of God for as his Mercy appeareth in Election so his Iustice in Reprobation and his Iustice in punishing sinne is as lawfull as holy as glorious as his Mercy in Christ Iesus For in God they are equall and not qualities but of the essence of God For hee is Iustice and Mercy it selfe God is not made of mercy only as a loafe is of Corne or wood of Trees but of Iustice also And Gods glory shineth as much in his Iustice as in his Mercy God hath made all things for his glory and the wicked for the day of vengeance Shall wee then reason against God and say Why doth he thus Absit God forbid Againe all the works of God have their contraries wherein God not the author of evil but the disposer the infinite Wisedome of God appeareth In Physicke one thing bindeth and another looseth one thing comforteth nature and another thing destroyeth it In the state of the World there is light and darkenesse hony and gall sweet and sowre prickes and roses faire and foule hearbes and weeds In the creation of the creatures every thing hath his contrary the Woolfe to the Sheepe the Weesell to the Cony the Mouse to the Elephant the Dragon to the Vnicorne the Spider to the Flie the Lion to the Beasts the Eagle to the Birds Againe in the Church there are contraries the Elect to the Reject Cain against Abel Ismael against Isaac Hagar against Sara Esau against Iacob Pharaoh against Moses Saul against David the Pharises against Christ the false god against the true God Againe all vertues have their contrary vices Falshood against Truth Hatred against Love Faith against Infidelity Temperancie against Riot Prudence against Folly Liberality against Covetousnesse Chastity against Incontinency Fortitude against Pusillanimity So God hath them that are elected to life and fore-written to judgement for in the whole state of the world God hath shewed himselfe the Authour of Iustice and Mercy If there were no Darkenesse wee should not know the benefit of Light If no sicknesse wee should not know the benefit of health If no death wee should not know the goodnesse of life So Hell makes the blisse of Heaven seeme the greater and this destruction of the wicked the
39. Exod. 15. Cap. 16. Num. 20. Deut. 8. Num. 21. were drowned He spread a cloud to be a covering and fire to give light in the night for God went before them in a cloudy pillar by day and a fiery by night he made the bitter waters sweet for their sakes and fed them with Angels food Hee turned the rocke into a river and the flint stone into a springing well their foote swelled not and their cloathes waxed not old in forty yeares travell and when they were bitten with fiery serpents he cured them with a brasen serpent a figure of Psal 136. 19 20 21. Christ Hee slew great Kings for their sakes as Sehon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan and gave their land for an heritage even an heritage to Israel his servant hee dried up Iordan that they might passe thorough it Whereupon the Psalmist useth a most elegant Prosopopopeia Psal 114. 5 6. saying What ayleth thee ô thou Sea that thou fieddest and thou Iordan that thou wert driven backe Yee mountaines why leaped yee like rammes and yee hils as Lambes God gave them Canaan a land that flowed with milke and hony as Iacob prophecied of Gen. 49. 11 12 13. Iuda saying Hee shall bind his Asse foale to the vine and his Asses colt unto the best vine Hee shall wash his garment in wine and his cloake in the blood of grapes his eyes shal be red with wine and his teeth white with milke For the land of Iudah of all lands it was the fruitfullest Moses calleth it A good land and the goodnesse of it afterwards hee describeth at large and saith A land in which are rivers of Deut. 8. 7 8 9 10. waters and fountaines and depths that spring out of vallies and mountaines a land of wheat and barly of vineyards and figge-trees and pomegranats a land of oyle olive and honie a land wherein thou shlat eate bread without scarcenesse neither shalt thou lacke any thing therein A land whose stones are iron and out of whose mountaines thou shalt digge brasse But especially God gave them his Law to convert their soules and his testimonies which gave wisdome unto the simple Psal 19. 7 8 9. his statutes that rejoyce the heart and his Commandments that give light to the eyes his feare which indureth for ever his iudgments which be righteous altogether great in one word was their preferment Gods bounty to England For to them were committed the Oracles of God To them also appertained The adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the law and the service of God and the promises of whom are Rom. 3. 20. Cap. 9. 4 5 6. the fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came who is God over all blessed for ever What should I speake of Iosuahs trumpets Ios 6. Iudg. 7. Iudg. 3. Cap. 15. 2 Sam. 1. which blew downe Iericho of Gedeons pitchards that discomfited the Madianites Of Shamgars oxe-goad which slew heapes upon heapes Of Sampsons iaw-bone that killed a whole army of Philistines Of Ionathans bow and Sauls sword that never returned emptie Let us apply all this to our selves whom God hath laded with blessings so that we have cause to say with the Israelites Praysed be the Lord even the God of our salvation which ladeth us daily with benefits For God hath turned the captivity of our English Sion as Psal 68. 19. Psal 126. 1. the rivers of the South As after a Nero God gave a Vespasian after Commodus a Severus after a Sisera a Debora after a Saul a David after an Ahaz an Ezechias and after a Domitian a Trajane and a Nerva So after a Marie an Elizabeth a princely Iames under whose governments we have sate safely these many yeares under our figge-trees and vine-trees from Dan to Beersheba from the one end of the land unto the other his eyes have beene over us as over the land of Chanaan from the beginning of the yeare to the end of it Hee hath troden downe the Northerne rebells with Parrie Somervile Ardington Lopas Hacket Madder Burney hee hath put their life downe to the ground and laid their honour in the dust he hath made them a portion for the Foxes they are passed as water molten c. Psal 58. Of late Balak of Spaine had devised our destruction Balaam of Rome had cursed us at his commandement subtle Achitophel had conspired abroad unnaturall Absalom rose up at home and aspiring Adonia would have the Shunamite to wife but from all these God hath delivered us We have seene France massacred Flanders with civill warres distressed Germanie grieved Scotland divided onely we stand still as an oake of Bashan Pray that God stretch not over us the line of Samaria as 2 Reg. 21. 13. God hath blessed us above many others his wise mercy is in our Parliaments Reg. 21. 13. and governments as in Israel Deut. 4. His learned mercie in our Schooles and Vniversities as in Naioth 2 Reg. 2. His strong mercies in our Castles and bulwarks as in Iuda Soph. 1. His peaceable mercies in our Townes and Cities as was said of Ierusalem Mich. 4. 3 4. Zaeb 8. 4. 5. They shall breake their swords into mattockes and their speares into scithes nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learne to fight any more But old men and old Women shall dwell in the streets of Ierusalem and every man his staffe in his hand for very age and the streetes of the Citie shal be full of boyes and girles playing in the middest thereof His rich mercies in our fields and granaries for he maketh our vallies so thicke with corne that men doe laugh and Contemners of Gods mercy grievously punished sing he crowneth the yeare with his goodnesse and the clouds drop fatnesse they drop upon the pastures of the wildernesse and the hills shall be compassed with gladnesse Would God wee were halfe thankefull for so great blessings that every one of us could say with David Psal 65. 11. Praise the Lord ô my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name Praise the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his benefits Psal 103. 1 2. Yee heard before of Gods mercy in delivering the people now are we come to Gods iustice in destroying them yee once know this that after the Lord had delivered the people out of Aegypt he destroyed them First God shooteth paper secondly bullet if men yeeld not primùm ubera deinde verbera ostendit first he openeth his brests after shewes us his rods first by his Ministers as by heraulds he proclaimeth pardon after he sendeth an army to destroy The Lord saith the Prophet is slow to anger but he is great in power and will not surely cleere the wicked the Lord hath his way in the whirlewind Nahum 1. 3 4 5 6. and in the storme and the clouds are the dust of
a murderer in hand a lyer in tongue if not in himselfe yet in his members As hee was against Moses by Corah Dathan and Abiram David by Doeg Ieremy by the men of Anathoth Paul by Tertullus Iohn Baptist by Apoc. 12. 10. Iohn 8. 44. Numb 16. Psal 52. the Scribes yea Christ by the Pharisees but Dathan and his company perished in an earth-quake Doeg was rooted out the men of Anathoth were captivated the Scribes were confuted the Pharisees put to silence Maledicere est adeo illicitum ut peccatuin est maledicere diabolo to speake evill or to rayle is so unlawfull that it is a sinne to curse or banne the Divell Michael would not rayle no more ought we to rayle or revile one another when as difference shall chance to arise amongst us He that calleth his brother foole contemptuously or opprobriously is in danger of Hell Mat. 5. 22. fire And Saint Paul saith Let all sowernesse or bitternesse or wrath or anger and out-cryes and blasphemies be quite taken from among you with all maliciousnesse be courteous one to another and pittifull forgiving Ephes 4. 31. one another even as Christ forgave you And in another place Let your patient minde be knowne to all men The Lord is even at hand As though he should say will ye be malitious spitefull reviling Phil. 4. 5. your brethren and the Lord is at hand will yee be falling out one with another and his comming so neere And yet as Ephraim was full of drunkards Crete full of lyers Ephesus full of Idolaters so the world is full of raylers of whom it may be said as Hierome said of Ioviman Tacere nesciunt quia nunquam didicerunt bene loqui they know not to be silent because they never learned Hierome to speake well Erasmus speaking of this rayling age saith that there be three things to keepe the tongue in First it hath many strings these strings should curbe it in Secondly there is a double ditch of teeth and thirdly two walls of lips yet all will not hold in the tongue Dimidiam partem vitiorum in mundo sibi vendicat lingua the tongue challengeth halfe the vices in the Gregor Naziau world for what vice almost floweth not from the tongue rayling reviling lying swearing blasphemie perjury slander c. all these be the vices of the tongue Hermophilus offending with his tongue perpetuum silentium sibi indixit in joyned his tongue perpetuall silence And Pambo in three months would not speake till he had learned the first verse of the 39. Psalme which runneth thus I said I will take heed unto my wayes that I offend not in my tongue Et melius est certè nil loqui Psal 39. 1. quà m malè loqui It is much better to be silent and to speake nothing than to speake evill therefore saith the Apostle As elect of God holy and beloved put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of Col. 3. 12 13. mind meeknesse long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another Of all victories it is the greatest to forbeare being provoked Michael would not revile the divell and wilt thou revile thy brother yet many passe not what they say what speeches Mildnesse a meanes to stay a rayling tongue they give it if they be offended The Schollers of Pithagoras kept silence for five yeeres it were to be wished that these might be enjoyned silence alway except they could speak better Epictetus reduced all vertues into two heads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abstaine sustaine and he reduceth all vices into two heads Impatiency and Incontinency when injuries are not borne nor pleasures eschewed Spirtus Dei neque mordax the spirit of God is neither a lyer nor a biter a rayler let us then give courteous speeches Not rendring evill for evill nor rebuke for rebuke 1 Pet. 3. 9. Againe hard words rayling cursed speaking hurt our selves and doe no good to the adversaries Mollis sermo frangit iram a soft answer putteth downe displeasure for as a Canon-shot is Prov 15. 1. repelled with wooll not with brasse as wild-fire is quenched with milke not with water as the Adamant is broken with the blood of a Goat and not with an hammer as the wrath of an Elephant is appeased not with swords but with Mulberries So malice is an adversary in a rayler is quenched with lenity not with reviling like a Lion that is mitigated with the humblenesse of a beast unto him Hereupon saith Paul If thine enemy Rom. 12. 20. hunger feed him if he thirst give him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire on his head that is thou shalt win him Therefore saith Ambrose to Calligonus Ego patior audiam quod est Episcopi I will suffer and heare which is the part of a Bishop Tu ages loqueris quae sunt carnificis thou doest and speakest which belongeth to a murtherer and cruell person Regium est audire mala à quibus laudare esset pudor it is a princely thing to heare evill of them of whom it is a shame to be commended Leave them to God Dominos illos increpabit the Lord shall rebuke them yea The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud Psal 12. 3 4. things Which have said with our tongues we will prevaile wee are they that that ought to speake Who is Lord over us Shemei shall not ever 2 Sam. 16. 5. Dan. 14. Dan. 6. raile on David the Iudges shall not ever accuse Susanna the idolaters shall not ever speake evill of Daniel Doeg shall not ever slander Abimelech the Arrians shall not alway defame Athanasius 2 Sam. 22. as they did for Arsenius God will make their innocency as Psal 37. 6. the light and their judgement as the noone-day Here a question may be moved whither a Christian may at any time curse and speak hardly to the wicked and rebuke them Some object Levit. 19. Non maledices surdo Thou shalt not curse the Levit. 19. 14. deafe nor put a stumbling blocke before the blind They say that wee may not say Racha or foole to our brother much lesse may wee Mat. 5. use hard words rayling sentences they quote Paul to the Romanes Blesse them that persecute you blesse I say and curse not Cum Rom. 12. 14. maledico edere non licet we may not eate with a rayler They alledge the example of Christ Who when he was reviled reviled not 1 Cor. 5. 11. againe And that of Paul Wee are reviled and yet wee blesse Wee Lawfull to curse sinne though not sinners are persecuted and suffer it Wee are evill spoken of and yet wee pray To all these I answere in two words that in all speeches wee must regard two things The goodnesse of the cause and cleerenesse 1 Cor. 4. 12. 13. of our minde that wee speake not of spleene of affection of revenge
exhausted and so died most miserably I will not ransacke our owne Chronicles nor report of the judgements that haue lighted vpon divers of our owne nation for this sinne only this I say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sufferings of others are instructions to vs to take heede how we meddle with holy and sacred things and that we give to the Church whatsoever appertaineth unto her for certainly if we possesse that which is Gods we shal be dispossessed of God himselfe Another sinne in Caine was hypocrisy he spake Abel faire till he got him in the field So many of us can flatter to serve one owne turne Mel in ore verba lactis Fel in corde fraus in factis Honey in the mouth faire words Gall in the heart deceitfull Esd 4. deeds The adversaries of Iuda and Benjamin would build the Temple with the Iewes Herod desired the Wise men that when Mat. 2. they had found Christ to certify him of it that he might come and worship him Ismael did weepe to Godoliah but the adversaries Ier. 42. of Iuda would haue pulled downe the Temple Herod would have killed Christ as he did the children of Bethlem Ismael slew Godoliah So trust not an Hypocrite whatsoever he saith he meaneth it not his heart is not with thee though he speake thee faire he is a Christian only in name a brother only in shew Of these Hypocrites S. Bernard speakes thus Multi suut oves habitu vulpes actu crudelitate lupi many are sheepe in shew foxes in deed and woolves in cruelty For an Hypocrite hath vulpem in cerebro milvum in manu lupum in corde a Fox in his braine Desperation limits the mercy of God and destroyes the soule and sometime the body a Kyte in his hand and a Woolfe in his heart And therefore our Saviour Christ saith Beware of false prophets which come to you in Sheepes cloathing but inwardly are ravening Woolves which in painted boxes hide deadly poyson in beautifull Sepulchres rotten bones and under Iezabels painted Mat. 7. 16 17. face a whores behaviour And therefore our Saviour calleth them Serpents and Viperous Serpents O yee viperous Serpents yee generation of Vipers how shall yee escape the damnation to come And to shew the certaintie of their damnation Mat. 23. 33. besides the manifold woes which Christ denounceth against them it is said that The wicked shall have their portion Mat. 24. 51. with hypocrites to shew that the condemnation of hypocrites is most certainely sealed Let me therefore use the counsell of Gregory Hypocrita aut esto quod appares aut appare quod es Either bee as thou seemest or appeare as thou art For Simulata sanctitas est duplex iniquitas counterfeit piety is double impiety first because it is impiety and then because it is counterfeit making truth falshood and God a Lier Thirdly there was in Cain Desperation Maius est peccatum quà m remitti potest quoth he my sinne is greater than it can bee Gen. 4. forgiven To whom Augustine answereth Mentiris Caine mentiris in gutture misericordia Dei major peccato tuo major orbe thou liest Cain thou liest in thy throat Gods mercy is greater than thy Psal 103. 11 12 13. sinne greater than the World yea as great as himselfe For as high as the Heaven is above the earth so great is his mercy toward them that feare him and as farre as the East is from the West so farre hath hee removed our sinnes from us and as a Father hath compassion on his Children so hath the LORD compassion on them that feare him Desperation it is Insanabilis plaga a wound that cannot bee cured and healed It is like the beast mentioned in Daniel that had no name There bee foure beasts mentioned there the first is said to bee a Lion the second a Beare the third a Leopard the fourth is not distinguished by any name at all but it was a fierce and a cruell beast having teeth of Iron and Clawes of Brasse other sinnes they are as Lions Beares and Leopards to spoile and to undoe the soule of Man but the finall destruction of the soule indeede so long as there doeth remaine a seate of Iustice in Heaven is Desperation Yet Desperation is now common and men kill themselves but never did any Patriarke Prophet or Apostle lay bloudy hands on himselfe None have done it but Reprobates 1 Sam. 31. 4. Act. 1. 2 Sam. 17. 23. such as Saul and Iudas who burst asunder in the middest and Achitophel who ended his life in an halter Nero provided swords of Silver to sticke himselfe ropes of Silke to hang himselfe ponds of Rosewater to drowne himselfe in Desperation a great sinne but if it bee damnable to murther another what is it to murther thy selfe as the Gaoler in the Acts would have done had not Paul and Sylas stayed him in that fury Augustine maketh desperation Deut. 5. the greatest sinne next to the sinne against the holy Act. 16. 30. Ghost For hee that despaireth of mercy saith he maketh God a Lier THE ONE AND TVVENTIETH SERMON VERS XI And are cast away by the deceit of Balaams wages Covetousnes the roote of evill the ruine of good THe next sinne is the Covetousnesse of Balaam whose story is Numb 23. This sinne is the roote of all evill the spawne of all sinnes a common factour for most villanies of the World the East-wind that blasteth all the trees of vertue it hindreth all goodnesse when thou shouldest give covetousnesse saith it is too much when thou shouldest receive covetousnesse saith it is too little when thou shouldest remit covetousnesse saith it is too great when thou shouldest heare covetousnesse saith it is too farre when thou shouldest repent covetousnes saith it is too soone Thus as Alecto Cui nomina mille mille nocendi artes it hurteth every way They that will be rich fall into 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. divers temptations and snares of the Divel into noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction For the desire of money is the roote of all evill which while some lusted after they erred from the faith and pierced themselves thorow with many sorrowes A covetous man is like a dog in the shambles which will neither gnaw the bone himselfe nor suffer any other curre to gnaw it He is worse than Many woes denounced against covetousnesse Iudas he sold his Master for thirty pence but the covetous carle will sell him for an halfepenny Iudas but once the never contented covetous man continually and every day He eateth the flesh and drinketh the blood of his brother for hee that hindreth a poore mans living hindreth his life therefore these men are said To have their handsfull of blood There is not a sinne Esa 1. 15. in the second Table against which so many woes are denounced as against covetousnesse as Esay 5. 8.
Love of God is shedde abroad Rom. 5. 5. in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us The spies of Canaan said that it was nothing to overcome it and the godly Numb 13. say it is nothing to walke in the wayes of God to doe the precepts of God to read to pray to meditate to fast is nothing For saith the Apostle I am able to doe all things through the help of Phil. 4. 13. Christ which strengtheneth me As for a naturall man all good things are grievous unto him it is death to him to fast to pray to heare read meditate c. as they of Israel said When will the Amos 8. 5. new moneth be gone that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheate So say a number of naturall men When shall these prayers cease and the Sermon bee at an end that wee may goe about our businesse For indeed they sit in the Church as Ioseph in the Iayle they thinke every minute a moneth till they be gone All sinnes are pleasant to a naturall man to hunt to hawke to eate to drinke to sweare to whore to lye to revenge to follow his pleasures whereof wee have two notable examples the one in Cyprian who confesseth what he was by nature the other in Augustine who telleth Alipius how hardly his naturall sinnes left him how they cried unto him Dimittésne nos nunc What wilt thou leave us now Et non erimus tecum vltra in aeternum None boast more of the Spirit then they that are led by the spirit of errour And shall wee not bee with thee any more for ever What uncleannesse and what dishonesty did they put into my minde Avertat Dominus has sordes ab animo meo the Lord turne these filthy thoughts out of my mind saith hee clamavit Vsquequo Domine usque quo â—rasceris How long Lord how long wilt thou bee angry in finem for ever Quamdiu cras cras cras How long to morrow to morrow Why not now doest thou not put an end unto my turpitude And being converted by Gods Spirit infinite thankes hee gave unto God saying Dirupisti vincula mea Domine Thou hast burst my bands in sunder ô Lord to thee will I sacrifice a sacrifice of praise my heart shall praise thee my tongue shall blesse thee and all my bones shall say Who is like unto thee Praise the Lord ô my soule and all that is within me praise Psal 103. 1 2 3. his holy name praise the Lord ô my soule forget not all his benefits which forgiveth all thy sinne and healeth all thy infirmities which saveth thy soule from death and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindnesse Sometime God leaveth us to meere nature sometime hee sustaineth us with his grace which is as the Sunne-beames quando adest Sol omnia illustrat cùm removetur omnia sunt tenebrae when the Sunne is present it lighteneth every thing but when it is removed there is nothing but darkenesse So God sometime removeth the beames of his grace which when hee doth there is nothing in us but darkenesse his grace is sufficient for us Nature is not sufficient for us but grace For that is the fountaine from 2 Cor. 12. 9. whence flow all blessings Lastly he saith of these men that they have not the Spirit yet none will boast more of the Spirit then they so did the Gnosticks so did the Montanists as Montanus who carried his two trulles with him Prisca and Maximilla so did the Manichaeans so did Mahomet who teaching a Dove to picke corne at his eare called it the Holy Ghost and being subject to the falling sicknesse called it a traunce wherein hee had conference with the Angell Gabriel and so did the late Libertines of whom Iude here seemeth to prophesy that is Coppinus in Flanders Quintinus and Claudius Persenallus and Pocquius in France and some few others who of late have troubled a great part of Christendome Quintinus being an hostler Anthonius Pocquius a Chamberlain the other two being utterly unlearned led foure thousand men at the first into this errour so strong are the delusions of Satan to them that love not the truth of God that they might bee saved So unconstant 2 Thes 2. 9. are the multitude that whereas they should not bee as children wavering and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the Ephes 4. 14. deceit of men yet are they wavering and are of as many religions as the Raine-bow is of colours The Apostles privative precept can take no place with them Bee not carried away with diverse and strange doctrines for it is a good thing that the heart be stablished Hebr. 13. 9. shed with grace and not with meates c. These late Libertines Loose Libertines count all sins lawfull tooke away all difference of good and evill they gave the bridle-reine loose to all licentiousnesse prophesied of by Saint Peter They speake high and swelling words of vanity 2 Pet. 2. 19. and their words are delivered in a strange manner as the Henry Nicolitans to astonish the simple put two beginnings God and the world if any bee of their Sect they say that hee was made God and all wickednesse they did ascribe to God under the name of vocation or calling they did cover all impiety they justified theeves murderers adulterers and all licentious livers for say they it is their calling and let every man abide in the same vocation wherein hee is called Thus doe they wrest and pervert Scripture to their destruction they alledge further 1 Cor. 7. 20. Omnia munda mundis esse That all things are cleane to the Tit. 1. 15. cleane when as Paul speaketh there de adiaphoris of things indifferent not of sinnes to these things they further faine and affirme that Regeneration is a restitution of that innocency which was in Adam and they interprete the state of innocency to bee this not to bee able to discerne betweene white and blacke good and evill and they say that they are continually guided and governed by the Spirit besides they reject all Scripture For the letter killeth c. But these men bee either fanatici mad and beside themselves which 2 Cor. 3. move such foolish questions and genealogies or else they are prophane which having cast off the yoke of Christ waxe wanton But to leave these men they have not the Spirit Note here the Antithesis betweene naturall and spirituall men these two are opposite where by the way note how fondly the Papists speake in calling their Cleargie spirituall and the people temporall whereas these two are not opposite but spirituall and carnall or naturall so the Apostle distinguisheth them Naturall and Spirituall The Naturall man perceiveth not the things of God but 1 Cor. 2. 14. the Spirituall discerneth all things and fondly doe they call their Priests spirituall as though the people
compassion as appeareth by his own words saying Oh that my head were full of water and myne eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of Ier. 9. 1. my people How greeved it Samuel after that God had cast away Saul The text doth say that Samuel mourned for Saul and God did chide him for it saying How long wilt thou mourne for Saul seeing 1 Sam. 15. 25. Cap. 16. 1. I have cast him away for reigning over Israel Samuel did not say as many doe Let him perish Let him die He is a reprobate Let him goe but mourned and sorrowed for him Yea the Lord Iesus wept over Ierusalem so saith the Evangelist When he came neere and beheld the City he wept over it saying Oh if thou haddest Luk. 19. knowne at the least in this thy day the things that do belong unto thy peace c. As if hee should have said Alas poore towne alas poore people yee are now merry and jocund but oh poore soules you know not your state how neere your fall is whereupon one noteth We read that Christ was hungry weary sorry angry how he wept often but wee read not that hee laughed for even this Mat. 21. Iohn 4. Iohn 11. Mat. 3. Mat. 12. 25. laughter proceedeth from vanity Ea sola ridentur quae notant turpitudinem aliquam non turpiter As Christ was God he said I give thee thanks O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hidde these things from the wise and prudent and hast opened them to children But as he was man he sorrowed for the wicked and here by the way note for the weake and penitent that when wee speake roughly and denounce menaces wee doe it not to them but to the impenitent For as a Father sometimes layeth Rats-bane to kill mice and the children ignorantly fall upon it so the weake apply the menaces done to the reprobate to themselves but yet they pertaine not to them but to the bastards to the impenitent The Lord will try the righteous but the wicked and him that loveth Psal 11. 5. 6. iniquity doth his soule abhorre upon the wicked hee shall raine snares fire and brimstone and stormy tempest this is the portion of their cup. Wherefore heare the Word of the Lord ye scornefull men You say that you made a Covenant with death and are with Hell at agreement but your Covenant with death shall bee dissolved and your agreement with Hell shall not stand but the scourge shall runne over you and passe thorow you c. Againe though we must have compassion of some and pitty them yet this compassion and pitty must chiefely extend to the We must imitate Christ in mercy compassion soule of a sinner as partly was touched before for Saint Iude speaketh here of the soule this is the highest and greatest point of compassion in the world to pitty the soule to helpe it Learne this of the Schoolemaster of the world of the wisdome of the Col 2. Hebr. 2. Apoc. 1. Father of the brightnesse of glory the Ancient of dayes for he had pitty on the ignorance of the people saith the Evangelist When he saw the multitude he had compassion upon them because he saw Mat. 9. 36. them destitute as sheep wanting a shepheard He weepeth now over many a congregation in England that is without a pastour hee pittieth all sinners He is a mercifull and faithfull high Priest and hee Hebr. 2. 17. cap. 4. 15. is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Wee are all to learne of Christ to have pitty on our ignorant brethren to instruct them to teach them to exhort thē to do them good blessed are such so saith Salomon He that winneth soules that is that bringeth thē to the knowledge of God is wise the tongue of such a one is as fined Prov. 11. 30. Prov. 10. 20. silver those pastours feed best that are pittifull and compassionate Papists pretend to follow Christ in those things that are impossible as in fasting forty dayes in giving the Holy Ghost to their shavelings in opening the eyes of the blind in doing miracles but in teaching and preaching shewing mercy to the peoples soules they never come neere him they seeke not the rest of their soules as Christ did I am commanded to have compassion on the body of my brother as To deale bread to the hungry to bring the poore that wandreth into my Mat. 11. 29. Esay 58. 7. house to cover the naked and never to hide my face from mine owne flesh but specially I must have compassion on the soule of my brother for the more precious that a thing is the more care is ever to be had of it herein standeth the love of a father to his children of the Prince to his subjects of the minister to his flocke of one friend to another for you know the Commandement Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but thou shalt Levit. 19. 17. plainely rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne It is strange to see how wee pitty an Oxe or an Asse fallen into a ditch but not a brother drowned in sinne it is vile to set an house on fire but it is vile also to passe by it and not to quench it when it is in our power it is vile to wound a man but it is vile also to passe by him as the Levite did and as the Priest did and not to helpe him as the Samaritane did it is vile to sinne it Luk. 10. is vile also not to reprove a sinner and in time of need not to comfort him to save a soule He that hath converted a sinner from going Iam. 5. 20. astray out of the way shall save a soule from death and he shall hide a multitude of sinnes We thinke it a great matter to give a penny or two to a poore man but what though I helpe his need fill his belly cloath his nakednesse and yet pitty not his ignorance blasphemy and to increase knowledge zeale and the feare of the Lord in him our liberality is maimed wee pitty but the worst and weakest part that is the body follow therefore the Obstinate sinners must bee terrified counsell of the Apostle Instruct with meeknesse them that are contrary minded meaning such as are not come to the knowledge of the trueth but fall through ignorance proving that God at any 2 Tim. 2. 25. time will give them repentance that they may know the trueth Againe as some men are to be pittied so other some are to be reproved and must have the judgements of God denounced against them and must be terrified with menaces for that they sinne of malice not of weakenesse in knowledge not in ignorance they be pertinaces stubborne obstinate opinionative so to be handled For as we must not be too sharpe against a weake brother
ever Amen So concluded the other Apostles The God of peace that brought againe from the dead the Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through the Heb. 13. 20 21. bloud of his everlasting covenant make you perfect in all good workes to doe his will working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom bee praise for ever and ever Amen And thus concluded Saint Peter Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ to him be glory both now and evermore 2 Pet. 3. 18. Amen Augustine said Tu Domine sic excitas ut laudare te delectet fecisti nos pro te inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te thou August lib. 1. confess cap. 1. Lord doest so excite mee that to praise thee it delighteth mee thou hast made us for thee and our heart cannot be quiet till it rest in thee Vae tacentibus de te taceat laâ—des tuas qui miserationes tuas non novit Woe bee to them which speake not of thee hee setteth not foorth thy praise who is ignorant of thy mercies Again saith the father Si omnia membra nostra verteventur in linguas si tot haberemus quot Argus oculos nequaquam sufficerent If all our August lib. Meditationum members were converted into tongues if wee had as many tongues as Argus had eyes they were not sufficient to set foorth thy praises thou art a Lord exceeding great and infinite without measure and end and oughtest to be praised and beloved of all Paul could not name Christ but abruptly but breaketh out into thankesgiving having often other matters inhand yet cannot he stay but soundeth out his gratitude as with a trumpet as writing to Timothy handling other matters on a sudden he leaveth the thing in hand and crieth out Now unto the King everlasting immortall invisible unto God onely wise be honour and glory for 1 Tim. 16. 17. ever and ever Amen So writing to the Romans and handling the priviledges of the Iewes on a sudden he leaveth off and breaketh out into thankesgiving saying Of whom concerning the flesh Christ came who is God over all blessed for ever Amen So writing Rom. 9. 5. to the Corinthians and handling the resurrection from the dead on a sudden hee breaketh out to gratitude saying Thankes bee to God which hath given us victorie through Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 57. our Lord. Iude here useth a figure called Pleâ—nasmus to expresse his zeale hee doubleth and redoubleth tripleth and multiplieth his words till they be many in number hee is full as the Moone he Iob 32. floweth as the Sea hee is as the new vessels which have no vent for if the fountaine be full the channels cannot bee empty if The Saints plentifull in thanksgiving there bee moysture in the roote the branches cannot wither if there bee heate in the chimney the house cannot bee cold if the heart abound the mouth will bee full of Gods praises Ex abundantia cordis os loquitur out of the abundance of the heart Luke 6. the mouth speaketh Note this in all the Saints of God how plentifully doth David describe his thankefulnesse My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits And againe Praise the Lord ô my Psal 103. 1 2. Psal 146. 1. soule I will praise the Lord during my life as long as I have any being I will sing unto my God With how many words commendeth hee the Law What variety hee useth What cornucopia hee hath Marke his words The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule the testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisedome Psal 19. 7 8 9. unto the simple The Statutes of the Lord are right and rejoce the heart the Commandement of the Lord is pure and giveth light unto the eyes The feare of the Lord is cleane and indureth for ever the judgements of the Lord are truth and righteous altogether Marke I pray you how hee calleth it the Law the Testimonies the Statutes the Commandements the Feare the Iudgements of the Lord then what Epithites hee giveth it the Law Perfect the Testimonies sure the Statutes Right the feare Cleane the iudgements Truth then what fruits he ascribeth to it that it converteth the soule giveth wisedome rejoyceth the heart endureth for ever Thus let us learne to measure our selves and to know the goodnesse of our hearts by the mouth if wee can speake scantly of God and good things plentifully of the world and the vanities of it our heart is naught it is withered like grasse all the dewes of Gods grace are dryed up in it but wee must rowze up both our hearts and tongues and say with David My heart is prepared O my Psal 57. 7 8 9. God my heart is prepared I will sing and give praise Awake my tongue awake viole and harpe I will awake right early I will praise thee O Lord among the people and I will sing unto thee among the nations But to come to a more particular description of Gods attributes and the attributes wherewith hee is described are Wisedome Salvation Glory Majestie Dominion and Power And yet this description is but in part not a full description for who can describe him perfectly hee is shadowed out unto us by the holy Ghost after this manner The Lord the Lord strong Exod. 34. 6 7. mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reserving mercie for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon their Children unto the third and fourth generation And againe Salomon King Salomon wise King Salomon shadoweth him out after this manner Who hath ascended up to Heaven and Prov. 30. 4. descended Who hath gathered the Winde in his fist Who hath bound All men ignorant till inlightened the Waters in a garment Who hath established all the ends of the World What is his name or what is his Sonnes name if thou canst tell Oh who can tell his name or his Sonnes name Est bonus sine qualitate magnus sine quantitate praesens sine situ sempiternus sine tempore sine initio sine fine Hee is good without quality great without quantitie present without situation everlasting without time without beginning and without end Seditut aequitas dominatur ut majestas novit ut veritas amat ut charitas hee sitteth as equity ruleth as majesty knoweth as verity and loveth as charitie For these be not qualities but of the essence of God Of Rom. 11. him and for him and through him are all things Hee calleth him onely wise wherein hee bestrippeth all men and bereaveth them of wisedome as the Cumane Asse of the Lions skinne as Aesops Crow of her feathers except they have it of God Hereupon saith the Apostle If any man want
and concludeth his Epistle with it Grace bee with you Amen for wee must not doubt of Gods promises but beleeve stedfastly That all the promises of God are in Amen diversly used in Scripture Christ yea and are in him AMEN Againe this word Amen teacheth us to desire earnestly 2 Tim. 4. 22. and fervently the thing wee pray for For the prayer of the righteous availeth much if it bee fervent David was fervent in his Iam. 9. 16. Psal 106. 48. prayer Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever and let all the people say Amen And verily this word Amen noteth our desire our earnest fervent desire to bee heard and to obtaine it is in effect thus much O Lord thus bee it unto mee what my tongue or soule have begged give it me grant it me Amen Amen So Lord even so Lord. FINIS THE TABLE OF THE Sermons upon Saint IVDE Points handled Serm. 1. THe holy Ghost the Author of all Scripture Fol. 1. Two Iudases 1 Iscariot 2 Brother of Iames 1 Some Scriptures doubted of 2 A threefold office of the Church concerning Scripture 3 Honourable titles given the wicked why 4 Stormes should not discourage the godly ibid. Three sorts of servants ibid. Gods service most happy 5 Gods service perfect freedome ibid. Brings all good to us 6 All other service vile or dangerous 7 Mans dignity in three things 8 Priviledges of Gods servants ibid. Pope abuseth the title of servant 9 Servants must imitate their Master obey him 10 Gods servants rewarded ibid. Servants may not Lord it over the rest of the Family 11 Godly profession brings more glory than honourable alliance 12 13. Sermon 2. VOcation the first step to Salvation 15 Before calling wee are children of wrath not capable of Christ 16 The happinesse of having the Gospell 17 Vocation Externall Internall Invitation Admission 17 18 Externall calling unprofitable without internall 18 The efficacie of Gods Word in the ministery thereof 19 Vocation diverse in respect of time and place 20 None called for desert ibid. Sanctification followes vocation 21 God as he beginne will finish till he glorifie ibid. Sanctification three-fold Imputed unto us Wrought in us Wrought by us 22 Difference of righteousnesse of Iustification and Sanctification 23 Papisticall doctrine tends to licentiousnes ours to holinesse ibid. Faith and Workes joyned in the person justified in the act of justification 24 Sermon 3. CHrists Priesthood two parts Redemption Intercession 26 Redemption hath two parts Reconciliation and Sanctification ibid. Reconciliation consists in two points Remission of sinnes and imputation of Christs righteousnesse 27 Iustification what it is ibid. Adoption what it is ibid. Benefits of Adoption and Iustification 27 Sanctification consists in mortification and vivification 28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath his beginning godly sorrow his companion the Spirituall combat ibid. Sanctification but in part as our knowledge ibid. Divers acceptions of holinesse 29 Wee must bee holy because God is holy 30 Wee must bee holy because it is the end of our Redemption 31 Without holinesse no salvation ibid. Wee must bee holy because called Saints ibid. All our holinesse is from God 32 The persons of the Trinity distinguished 33 Preservation in the state of Grace the chiefest blessing 34 Gods providence preserves in all accidents of life 35 God frees from all afflictions 36 God preserves his Scriptures and Saints 37 Gods preservation of soule and spirituall estate most gracious 38 39 Sermon 4. MErcie Peace and Love three most excellent gifts 40 How these three flow from the Trinity ibid. How mercy in God 41 A rule for Christian salutations ibid. Mercy fourefold ibid. Generall mercies bestowed on all ibid. Speciall mercies on the elect ibid. The long suffering of God 42 The greatest mercy concernes salvation ibid. Our election is of Mercy ibid. Gods abundant mercy in Christ 43 Mercy seven-fold ibid. All that wee have is of mercy ibid. Misericordia communis peccantium portus ibid. Peace three-fold 44 Peace the ornament of the Church and signe of Christs Kingdome ibid. God the Author of Peace 45 A commendation of peace ibid. Contention cause of destruction 46 Vnion makes powerfull ibid. True peace to bee sought and imbraced 47 Righteousnesse cause of peace ibid. Peace of Conscience passeth all understanding 48 Prosperity profiteth not without peace of Conscience ibid. The wicked have no peace 49 Christ dyed rose ascended to perfect our peace ibid. Peace is used for outward prosperitie 50 All priviledges spirituall and temporall belong to the godly ibid. Yet sometime God withholds outward blessings 51 Sermon 5. God loves the fountaine of mercy peace and all good things 52 Gods love is most abundant immeasurable immutable unspeakeable 53 How God is said to be love ibid. Love of man to man the most excellent vertue 54 No Love to man without the love of God 55 True love rare among men 56 That love which is truely Christian must be embraced all other abandoned 57 Not sufficient to have grace but there must be a desire of increase till we come to glory 58 Sermon 6. FAith the most necessarie and excellent vertue 61 Sonnes three-fold by Nature by Doctrine by Adoption or Inspiration 62 Faith set out by it's attributes that wee might labour for it 63 Many carelesse to get Faith or maintaine it ibid. Faith must bee maintained to the death 64 A foure-fold fight and flight of Ministers ibid. The zeale of Idolaters and Heretickes for false religion should make us to be zealous for Gods truth 65 Divers degrees of zeale ibid. God lookes to the truth of our zeale not the heate 66 God accepts according to that a man hath if in truth ibid. Love ought to bee shewed in all our instructions and reprehensions 67 What love required in Ministers to their people ibid. Wee must be zealous in the matter of Religion and industrious for our soules 68 Salvation ought to be our onely ayme to have it assured to our selves and propagated to others 69 Many more regard humane writings yea vaine pamphlets than Scriptures 70 All men ought to labour to get assurance of salvation 71 Salvation common in three respects ibid. As salvation is common so the Church Catholicke 72 Writing the most safe meanes to performe God truth ibid. Traditions bring errors to the Church 73 Exhortation powerfull urged in meekenesse 74 The Minister must exhort and the people suffer the Word of exhortation 75 Sermon 7. GOds truth must bee maintained 76 Faith the gift of God a fruit of the Spirit ibid. Divers acceptions of Faith 77 Divers excellent attributes of saving Faith ibid. Faith a worke of the Trinity 78 The meanes to beget Faith outwardly the Ministery of the Word inwardly the operation of the Spirit 79 True Faith in few in all ages ibid. True Religion most ancient and Scriptures before all other writings 80 As God is immutable so his truth and Religion ibid. Though types and shadowes vanish truth and
243 The envious is fretted at good and glad at the evill betides any ibid. Cain was prophane and grudged at Gods sacrifice 244 Many like Cain grudge to give that is good to God ibid. Gods Ministers are to have honourable maintenance 245 Sacriledge odious among the Heathen they have observed the vengeance of their gods have followed such as have beene sacrilegious ibid. God himselfe hath punished sacriledge in all ages 246 Hypocrites and dissemblers pretend good intend evill ibid. God detesteth hypcrisie and falshood 247 Desperation the bane of the soule excluding Gods mercie ibid. Sermon 21. COvetousnesse the roote of evill and ruine of good 249 Many woes against covetousnesse 250 The covetous man trusteth more in his riches than in the blessed Trinity ibid. Covetousnes deprives the covetous of the 8. beatitudes and makes them subject to the contrary curses 251 Covetousnesse insatiable 253 Covetousnes excludes out of Heaven ibid. Riches unprofitable to soule and body credit and estate 254 A couetous minde never satisfied 255 Vsurers more cruell than wilde beasts ibid. Riches uncertaine not to bee relied on 256 Riches unprofitable if in superfluity 257 Riches preserve not neither from temporall nor spirituall evils 258 Riches not hurtfull by nature but by corruption ibid. Riches hurtfull to the outward and inward man 259 Sermon 22. GOds mercy contemned draweth on judgement 261 The utility and necessity of both Magistracie and Ministery in Church and Common-wealth 262 Government necessary for preservation of states ibid. Three formes of Government viz. Monarchy Aristocracy Democratie ibid. Reasons why Monarchy the best 263 All lawfull government of God ibid. Rebellion pernicious not onely to states but to the Rebels themselves 264 Resemblances being ordinary teach best 266 Preachers may use humane learning but the Word must be his ground to give light 268 The creatures afford a double consideration one naturall another morall or spirituall 269 Epicurisme hath many sinnes accompanying it ibid. Drunkennesse and glutonny odious and pernicious 270 Nature teacheth temperance and sobrietie 271 Wee are most prone to sinne in our drunkennesse ibid. Drunkennesse makes uncapable of Gods spirit and spirituall graces 272 Gluttonous Epicures neither glorifie God nor releeve the poore ibid. Dangerous to converse with Epicures lest stained by them 273 How one may converse with the wicked 274 Love-feasts how used abused abolished 275 Sermon 23. PRide many wayes occasioned every way odious to God 277 Pride vaine in three respects 278 Pride hath beene in all places and all sorts ibid. The godly sometime overtaken by it ibid. Pride is expressed in the things that pertaine to God sixe wayes 279 Pride shewes it selfe many wayes ibid. The proud man insulteth over all 280 Though all prone to pride yet usually the basest proudest ibid. Pride the cause of contention ibid. Pride makes us forget our mortalitie ibid. The proud odious to all God Angels Men onely please the Divell 281 God detesteth pride ibid. Pride is both in Church and Common-wealth and causes heresie in the one and disorder in the other 282 Pride so puffes up men as they become not onely foolish but phrentike ibid. Pride brings shame and destruction 283 Pride will shew it selfe after the death of the proud 284 Knowledge and riches the cause of pride ibid. True zeale like fire that kindleth and burneth by degrees till it come to a full flame 285 Hypocrisie most odious to God and severely punished by him ibid. Sincerity most pleasing to God 286 Christ pronounced against no sinne so many woes as against hypocrisie 289 Hypocrisie blasphemy ibid. Hypocrites make faire showes without truth inwardly pretend religion when they intend the subversion of it 290 Sincerity very rare hypocrisie hath banished 292 Men often compared to trees to shew that God lookes for fruits or wee must looke for the axe ibid. Many carnall gospellers few true professours 293 Most like trees twice dead both in words and deeds 294 Wee must take heed of the sinne of hypocrisie lest wee indure the punishment ibid. Sermon 24. HEll set out by divers names yet none sets it out sufficiently but are as shadowes or the beginning of sorrowes 213 Hell torments amplified being opposed to the joyes of Heaven 297 The damned every way tormented 298 The effects of Gods wrath in afflicting Christ bearing our sinnes and punishing others temporally may serve to set out the torments of the damned whom he punisheth eternally 299 The damned suffer all punishments both of losse and sense 300 The horror of hell should make us abhorre sinne 301 Nothing more hard then the impenitent heart 302 Hell torments as unspeakable so everlasting and irremissible 303 Hell fire compared with our elementary fire in five respects 304 Iudgement and damnation necessary to be preached in time of sinne and security 306 The wicked shall be tormented according to their sinnes the greater sinnes the greater punishment 307 Sermon 25. THere must bee a tyme of manifesting Gods Iustice as well as his power and mercy 301 Antiquity with verity most authentike 308 Traditions equalled with Scriptures by Bellarmine and the Papists ibid. The Scriptures all sufficient for faith and manners 311 Though some scriptures are lost yet so much as is necessary to salvation is preserved ibid. Iudgement fourefold 312 Iudgement generall must needs be as prooved by Scripture ibid. The second person of the Trinity shall judge 313 Christ shall judge as man and why 314 Though Christ shall come in his humanity to judge yet with power and great glory 315 Iudgement fearefull to all much more to the wicked ibid. Christs second comming to judgement compared with his first 316 Christs glory appeared in his humility at his first comming 317 The greatnes of Gods mercy at first aggravates the severity of his justice at the last 318 God hath two Courts Forum misericordiae Forum justitiae Ibid. Gods judgement impartiall 319 Iudgement shall be generall of all men and of every Worke Word Thought 320 Swearers blasphemers most abominable 322 Gods judgement most certaine 324 The conscience of the wicked tell him there will be a judgement 325 The consideration of Christs comming to judgement ought to terrify the wicked comfort the godly instruct all 326 Sermon 26. MVrmuring two-fold against God and against men 329 Murmuring and discontent in most ibid. Murmuring the sinne of the Israelites 330 Murmurers never content ibid. Murmurers severely punished 331 We must patiently subject our wils to Gods 332 The remedies against murmuring ibid. The Saints have bene discountenanced yet subjected their wils to Gods will and have been pacified and comforted 334 Man murmures against man for diuers causes 335 All estates are discontent and murmure against others 336 Murmuring the property of base and envious persons ibid. The lusts of the flesh must be tamed 337 God uses many meanes to teach us to tame our lusts ibid. Most men rather follow their lusts than obey Gods Word 338 Evill thoughts and inordinate affections must be vanquished ibid.