sight only of the Arke but they would also prie into it and finger it The d Mat. 2.9 starre when it came to the place whâ—â—â— Christ was stood still and went no further We likewise when we are come to the knowledge of Christ should stand still goe no further Are we better then St Paule he was content to e 1. Cor. 2.2 knowâ— nothing saue Christ Iesus and him crucified For he knew well how impossible it was for mans wit to found the deapth of Gods secrets And farther what shall it availe a maÌ„ subtilly to dispute about the TRINITIE if through his want of Humilitie hee displease the TRINITIE How can it profit thee to haue the whole booke of God at thy fingers end if through thy want of Charitie God withdraw his favour from thee it cannot benefit me schollerlike to define what sinne is if beastlike wallowing in my sinnes I provoke Gods wrath against my selfe It is an item for vs al To him that knoweth how to doe well doth it not to him it is sinne Howsoever in our age lesse knowing is not yet more doing beyond all question is required It hath pleased God to blesse many among vs with great and each of vs with some measure of knowledge this place is pleÌ„tifull in witnessing as much But how smale fruit ariseth from this knowledge our carelesse kind of living maketh to plaine a declaration So that I may fitly seeme of these our daies to make that coÌ„plaint which Ieremie made of his cha 12.11 The whole land lyeth wast because no man setteth his mind on it Because no man regardeth Gods word no man considereth the plagues which he hath sent vpon the land therefore are the destroyers come vpon all the high places therefore the Lords sword devoureth all the land from one end thereof vnto the other therfore no flesh may look for peace And why may I not vse that which he hath added in the 13. verse For see wee not Gods Ministers painefull and labour some in sowing of wheat Yet behold the badnesse of the ground is such that they can reap nothing but thornes Are they not even stoke with lamenting sinfull soules Yet where is their profit They are and that worthily because worthily they may be ashamed of such a peoples fruits which insteed of amendment groweth worse and worse Doe I speake this for a fashion only or doe not Gods heavy iudgements testifie the truth hereof doth not his fierce wrath speake as much O then let vs humble our selues vnder the Almightie hands of this revenging God that so once againe his face may shine vnto vs. Away for a time with your subtile questions attend you the amendment of your liues for if not so Gods anger may not bee appeased And that you may in part know what belongeth to the amendment of your liues let not your hearts be shut against St Iames his counsell as it is in the first words of my text Cast downe your selues before the LORD And how can you disobey this counsel if you doe but think of the reason vsed by him for perswasions sake in the words following And he will lift you vp In his counsell we obserue 3. notes 1 Not lift vp but cast downe 2 Cast downe not others but your selues 3 Cast down your selues not before meÌ„ but before the Lord. And in delivering this third note I may bee fitly occasioned to speake somewhat of the reason brought to perswade vs to the obedience of this counsell for we must cast downe our selues before the LORD who as he is most liberall to vs most present with vs most able to helpe vs when we stand in need is also most willing at all times to worke our ease and therefore hath our Apostle added and he will lift you vp Cast downe your selues before the LORD and he will lift you vp Lift not vp but cast downe It hath beene observed that the Peacocke as proud as hee is of his gallant feathers as soone as he beholdeth his foule feete abateth himselfe and is humbled Here might we learne so much wit as by the feeling sight apprehensioÌ„ of many our foule feet of our corrupt perverse passions which rule and raigne in vs to humble our selues to abate our pride ingendred but of a few feathers and those indeed very blacke howsoever they cary an appearance of beautie But the prince of darknes that subtile serpent which f Luk. 10.18 fell from Heaven like the lightning not content with that rule which he hath over the children of vnbeleefe hath soe busied himselfe to obscure even those which should shine as lights in this world that although the g Esai 24.23 Moone shall bee abashed and the Son ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall raigne in Mount Syon and in Ierusalem yet wee dust and ashes cloathed in iniquitie and replenished with the loathsome infection of sinne are bold to lift vp our heads in the presence of Gods Maiestie nothing ashamed of our selues and that at this time when in our Syon and Ierusalem he raigneth gloriously For examine we our selues and we shall scarse finde one that can indure to cast downe that striueth not with all his might to lift vp himselfe Some are never contented with their present estate but would faine be higher these do ambitiously lift vp theÌ„selues Others pretend glory praise in those gifts graces which they haue received from the Lord and these do proudly lift vp themselues Ambitious men and proud men both are lifters vp fowle sinnes and infectious most of you know them to be such Notwithstanding that we may the better see into them and by seeing into them more willingly endeavour to avoide them let not a severall examination of each of them seeme tedious vnto you The first is Ambition an evill deeply rooted in mans hart Ambitio subtile malum secretum virus pestis occuâ—ta doli artifex mater hypocrisis Livoris parens vitiorum origo criminuÌ„ somes virtutum aeâ—ugo tinea sanctitatis excoecatrix cordium ex remedus morbos creans generant ex meditina languorem an evill that maketh man evermore discontented with his present estate a secret poison a hidden sin a forger of fraud a mother of hypocrisie a spring of envie the fewell of all vice a moath to holinesse a blinding of the heart it converts remedies into diseases and medicines into languishing so saith S. Bernard Serm. 6. in Psal 91. Here might we wonder how it can be possible that man so excellent a workmaÌ„ship favoured so highly and adorned so singularly with all celestiall gifts that by the highest God should suffer so fowle a moÌ„ster to nestle with in his breast Yet so it is man hath a long time fostered yet is not weary of making much of his sweet Ambition A long time it hath beene fostered the beginning of al ages witnesseth as much Eue would be as a Goddess Gen. 3.5
seaven eies which goe through the whole world Zach. 4.10 You may interpret them with me many millions of eies he is i Hieronym in Psal 94.9 See my 10. Lecture vpoÌ„ Amos. 1. p. 115. totus oculus altogether eie for he seeth all things We might haue long since learned that God hath hands to measure the waters and to span the heavens Esay 40.12 You may interpret it with me that hee hath many Millions of hands he is totus manus altogether hand for he worketh all things We may well remember that God hath feet to set vpon his footstoole Mat. 5.35 You may interpret it with me that he hath many millions of feet he is totus pos altogether foot fot he is every where O then farre be it from vs to plucke out the eie of knoweledge as when we sinne to say with those Psal 10.11 Tush who seeth vs God hath forgotten he hideth away his face will never see Let vs rather confesse with the blessed Patriarch that all places are filled with Gods Maiestie as he said the Lord was in this place and I was not aware how fearefull is this place This is the house of God and the gate of HeaveÌ„ Gen. 28.16.17 So let vs for that place and this place and all other places vpoÌ„ the face of the earth are alike let vs I say let each of vs in particular wheresoever and whensoever we shall be entised with sinnes too pleasing bait rouse vp our selues and bee awaked as Iacob was and say with him The Lord was in this place and I was not aware how feareful is this place this is the house of God and the gate of Heaven The due consideration of this all-eyed all-handed all-footed presence of God as it must needs strike a terrour into the hardest hearts of the children of darknesse while they k In circuitu impii ambulaÌ„t Psa 11.9 vul walke by compasse in their crooked and circular endlesse waies so also must it needs affoord a sweet comfort to the afflicted soules of the children of light walking with a right foote toward the l Phil. 3.14 marke in hope to attaine to the price set before them For wheÌ„ they shal perswade themselues that God is at hand with them in all their crosses and tribulations they cannot chuse but endure with patience the worst that may befall them especially knowing that all all things worke together for their best because they loue God Rom. 8.28 So doth Gods presence perswade his children that it is he the Lord none but Hee since all worldly helpes are vaine that it is He the Lord that will lift them vp A second motiue to the same perswasion is the Lordes liberalitie whereof many things worthy our meditation might be delivered but let it suffise for our present occasion to vnderstand that all the good things we haue are from the Lord. Meate to nourish vs wee haue it from the Lord apparell to cloath vs wee haue it from the Lord the Sunne to comfort vs the Moone to pleasure vs wee haue them from the Lord life for our being riches honour whatsoever else for our wel being all commeth from the Lord. What hast thou saith St Paul that thou hast not receaued 1. Cor. 4.7 Art thou rich it is not of thy selfe the LORD giueth saith Iob. ch 1.21 Art thou in estimation in this world It is not of thy selfe The LORD setteth vp saith Hannah 1. Sam. 2.7 Hast thou cuÌ„ning or skil in any thing whatsoever It is not of thy selfe God teacheth handy-crafts-men to worke Himselfe saith so to Moses Exod. 31.3 It is impossible for me to recount those manifold blessings wherewith our gratious God from time to time hath blessed vs such is their infinitie Let every one goe downe into the closet of his owne breast and then say hee whether the Lord hath beene liberal to him O yee righteous m Psal 33.1 reioyce in the Lord for it becommeth well the iust to be thankfull yea it becommeth each of vs very well to take vp Davids song and to say with him O Lord let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long Psalm 71.8 Vpon which place a blessed n Augustine Father hath this meditation What meaneth the Prophet by these words al the day long He meaneth saith he continually O let my mouth bee filled with thy praise CONTINVALLY because in prosperitie thou hast been to me a comfort in adversitie thou hast given mee chastisement when I was not thou madest me since I haue beene thou hast preserued me when I had offended thou forgavest mee at my conversion thou receavedst me and for my perseverance thou hast crowned me O let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long that I may sing continually And the rather doe I commend to you the due consideration of the liberalitie of our God because I would put you in minde of your principall meanes to avoid desperation It is a principall meanes to avoid desperatioÌ„ to cal to mind the goodnesse of the LORD forepassed either to our selues or others If we thâ—nke with our selues that it was the LORD that tooke vs from our mothers wombe that HEE hath beene our hope ever since we hung at the breasts that HEE hath opened his hands from time to time to fill vs with his goodnesse if thus we think vnfeignedly can we thinke that HE will not blesse vs still Here should we compare and lay the times together as Davids vse was Thus he argued I haue heretofore slaine a Lion and a Beare at the fold therefore God will also enable me to prevaile against the hand of this Philistine 1. Sam. 17.37 So may we reason The mercies of the Lord haue beene bountifull towardes vs in former times to create vs of the slime of the ground to breath into vs a living soule to nurse vs vp in a civill countrey to redeeme vs with the blood of his only begotten sonne to visit vs with the light of his glorious Gospell to blesse our garners with store and our baskets with increase to be nowhere wanting to vs in any thing that may doe vs good such and in such sort haue the blessings of God beene vnto vs his arme is not now shortned hee is the same to day that hee was yesterday therefore shall his loving kindnesse be vpon vs for evermore Why should any afflicted child of God take vp Sions complaint Esai 49.14 and say The LORD hath forsaken me my Lord hath forgotten me Never would any so complaine if hee would thinke vpon the Lords name as it was proclaimed in mount Sinai Exod. 34.6 7. The LORD the LORD strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse in truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie transgression and sinne Never would any so complaine if hee would remember why Ioel would
of iudgement And so is it here The truth of God the neverfading truth of his promises hath somewhat beene encombred with doubts This doubt hath especially beene made How it may stand with the constancie truth of the eternall God to pronounce a iudgement against any man or place and not effect it or to repent for any thing hee hath done or hath promised to doe hereafter For if it bee plaine that God faileth in bringing to passe his iudgements and threatnings how can I assure my selfe that he will be constant and faithfull in his mercies and promises if it bee plaine that hee repenteth for any thing that hee hath done or hath promised to doe hereafter how can I assure my selfe that he will not repent of those good promises which I account of as made vnto my selfe Now who knoweth not how the Lord repented for making man on the earth Gen. 6.6 how hee repented for making Saule King 1. Sam. 15.11 and how he promised to repent of good or evill accordingly as man should repent of or hold on his evil Ier. 18.7 8 9 10. The LORD said vnto Abimelech Thou art but a dead man because of the woman which thou hast taken Gen. 20.3 yet the event fell out otherwise and Abimelech was purged with God The LORD said to sicke Hezekias put thine house in order for thou shalt die and not liue Esai 38.1 yet did Hezechias liue fifteene yeares after The LORD would haue it proclaimed in the streets of Nineveh Yet fortie daies Nineveh shal be destroyed Ion. 3.4 yet did Nineveh escape that plunge and was reserved to vnderstand of her finall destruction by the ministery of Nahum These places and the like intimating in some sort both repentance and also change of minde and purpose in the LORD of Heauen may be some cause of the former doubt For satisfying whereof diverse haue answered diversely Some answer thus As the spirit is said to make request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed Rom. 8.26 so may God bee said to repent himselfe Now the holy spirit cannot bee said to cry as if it selfe did crie or to pray as if it selfe did pray or to sigh as if it selfe did sigh but because it stirreth in the Saints of God such affections and maketh them to cry to pray and to sigh And so they vnderstand that other place of St Paul Eph. 4.30 Grieue not the holy spirit that is say they take heed that by your wicked living yee offend not the Saints of God in whom the holy spirit dwelleth In their application they say that God may then be said to repent when he maketh his children in whom he dwelleth to repent for their sinnes But this exposition albeit in some places it may haue good vse as in those before cited of the holy spirit yet may it not generally be applyed to all such places wherein God is said to repent It repented God that he made man Gen. 6.6 Here this sense may not bee admitted to say it repented man that God made him for it repented God himselfe that he made man It repented God also that hee had made Saul king 1. Sam. 15.11 neither here may this sense be admitted to say it repented Saul that God had made him King for it repented God himselfe that he had made Saul King I will speake suddenly against a nation or against a kingdome to plucke it vp to root it out and to destroy it but if this nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them saith the Lord Ierem. 18.7 nor here may this sense bee admitted to say the people should repent of the plague which the Lord had thought to bring vpon them for it is God himselfe that will repent of the plague which hee had thought to bring vpon the people I deny not but God may truely be said to doe that which hee maketh vs to doe but to say whatsoever God may be said to doe therefore hee may bee said to doe it because he maketh vs to doe it this is vtterly to be denyed Others answer thus God may then bee said to repent and to change his mind when things themselues be changed For example sake as long as men ly wallowing in their sinnes the wrath of God Gods scourges shal be vpon them such is the wil of God revealed in the Law But when men shall repent them of their sinnes committed God also shall repent him of his fore-threatned plagues when men shall be changed there shal be a change also not in the will of God for that is impossible but in the wrath of God his curses shall be turned to blessings And this sense is tolerable in the place before cited Ierem. 18.7 8. I will speake suddainely against a nation or against a kingdome to pluck it vp to root it out and to destroy it but if this nation against whō I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them because they are changed from worse to better my curse shall bee changed into a blessing I wil repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them And in the 2. verses following 9 10. he saith I will speake suddenly concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to build it and to plant it but if it doe evill in my sight and heare not my voice I will repent of the good that I haue thought to do for them because they are changed from better to worse my blessing shall also be changed into a curse I will repent of the good that I haue thought to doe for them This exposition howsoever it be naturall to this place may not generally be fitted to all other places I deny hot whē men repent themselues of their sinnes committed but that Gods sentence in regard of any eternall punishment to bee inflicted on them shall be changed but to say that his sentence in regard of temporary punishments shall bee changed is more then I dare as long as I thinke of the continuall afflictions wherewith godly hearts haue dayly beene tryed Others answere thus God may be said to repent as he is said to be angry ielouse Where we may note that these attributs and all other like these must be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they were vsed for mans easier vnderstanding It is a common thing for God in his holy word to apply himselfe to our capacities and to attribute to himselfe such things as are vsuall in the course of our liues For instance because men vse not to bee revenged on others except they be angry therefore when God revengeth our wickednesse he is said to bee angry Againe because men by their exceeding care they haue to keepe their wiues chast doe get to be called iealous therefore God caring in like sort to keepe his spouse chast to preserue his Church spotlesse is