punishment God himself assumeth it to himself Shall there be evil in a city Amos. 3.6 and the Lord hath not done it Malum poenae the evil of punishment So Moses Ps 90.7 For we are consumed by thine anger and by thy wrath are we troubled So David Ps 39.11 When thou with rebuke dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth 1. Because every sinne is a trespasse against God as David Tibi Reas 1 tibi soli peccavi Against thee only have I sinned for every sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of the Law and therein God is offended and he is a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children The trespasses against our brethren in the breach of the second Table be immediate sins against God For as when the plate is not cut for the mint to clippe it is no breach of the law but when it hath the stamp impressed and is coine then to clippe or wash it is treason not for the matter but because of the stampe So the matter of our brethren is but earth and the violation of it is but the defacing of earth but bearing the image of God in it it is a trespasse against him whose image is therein insculped to wrong it 2. Because every punishment as it is poena a punishment Reason 2 so it is vindicta a revenge and God layeth claim to that by Prerogative vindicta mea my revenge no man can take the sword out of his hand it is virga tua saith David thy rod. 3. Because none but God can search the heart where sinne breedeth Reas 3 and knoweth how to proportion punishment to the sinne Punishment is the Physick of the Church as Augustine Quod pateris medicina est non paena that thou sufferest is thy medicine not thy punishment He only knoweth how to temper the medicine for the health of the Patient for he knoweth wherof we be made he only can work good out of evil 4. Because there is none but God that doth whatsoever he will none but he can ordain or establish judgement Reas 4 the judgements are called Iudicia dei the Judgements of God in that cruel execution done upon Christ in our flesh Acts 2.23 as there were the wicked hands of the Jews and the Romanes so there was the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God 1. Let us not therefore sinne against God Vse 1 and make an idol of him by making him all mercy for though we call him father doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth the world who upon the wicked will rain snares stormes and tempest this shall be their portion to drink rather meet a temptation with Ioseph and say How then shall I do this great wickednesse and so sin against God For our God is a consuming fire And It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God 2. Let us not fret at the means ordained by God for our correction Vse 2 remembring that God hath established them for our chastisement Psal 39 9. but let us rather say with David obmutui non aperii os meum quia tu domine fecisti I was dumb c. because thou Lord hast done it let us know and confesse who it is that smiteth us and say Thou hast smitten me and thou wilt heale me 3. Let us remember when God taketh off his hand and restoreth us again to the chearful light of his countenance Vse 3 to acknowledge his mercy to us and as Christ saith to sinne no more least some more heavy judgement fall upon us Let us with David remember the vows which we made to God in our affliction and spend the time of our so journing here in feare 4. Lastly Vse 4 Seeing God hath comforted us let us also comfort our brethren 2 Cor. 1.9 as the Apostle saith for God comforteth us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them which be in any trouble by the comfort wherewith our selves are comforted of God so as Christ said to Peter when we our selves are converted we shall strengthen the brethren and the God of Peace and all Consolation shall give unto us the blessing of his Peace 2. The Prophets dispute with God The Prophet seemeth amazed at the course of Gods proceeding against the Jews by the Chaldaeans And the remain of this chapter doth contain his expostulation with God wherein 1. He layeth a ground of this Argument The eyes of God are pure 2. He questioneth God how these inconveniences following are born withal by him which are these Grievances 1. How God should look on whilst men deal treacherously v. 13. 2. How God should hold his tongue whilst the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he vers 13. 3. How God can expose the Jews his People as a prey to the Chaldaeans ver 14. And thou makest men as the fishes of the sea and as the creeping things that have no Ruler From which liberty given to them They break forth into all extremes of cruelty ver 15. They take up all with their Angle they catch them in their net and gather them in their dragge 4. They insult over the conquered ver 15. They rejoyce and are glad They commit self-idolatry ver 16. Therefore they sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their dragge because by them their portion is made fat and their meat plenteous 5. How God can so long dispense with the enemies of his Church and whether he will so forsake them ver 17. Shall they therefore empty their net and not spare continually to slay the nations 1. Of the ground of his contestation Thou art of pure eyes This phrase is according to the capacity of humane understanding and it is doubly figurative 1. In that eyes are attributed to God 2. In that they are said to be pure 1. It is a thing frequent in Scripture to give the parts of a mans body to God the eye the eare the hand the heart the foot the bowels the arme the face the back-parts whereupon certain hereticks literally understanding those phrases have believed and taught that God is like to man in shape of bodie and that the image wherein God made man was corporeal These hereticks are called Anthropomorphites because they ascribed to God the image and corporeal likenesse of man Whom some ignorant Persons have used to point in the representation of a grave old man against the clear text of Scripture and warrant of truth Of this I will only tell you what Saint Augustine writing to Fortunatianus a bishop concerning the judgment of another Bishop Epl. 1.11 who maintained this heresie saith The text of Scripture attributing the parts of humane bodies to God must not be literally understood for then we must allow God also to have bodily wings for we read also often of the wings and feathers of God But saith he as
nor can sin 2. Veniall so every man sinneth but this kind of sinning saith he doth not break the law of God because they deserve not the wrath of God and condemnation Lyndanus Levicula vitiola lapsuum quotidianorum aspergines naevuli sunt qui per se non maculant contaminant sed quasi pulvisculo leviter aspergunt vitam humanam Yet as light as they make of this pollution it is no way to be purged but by the blood of Christ and Christ is answerable to the Father and to the justice of his Law even for the least of these Therefore the Prophet saith God laid upon him the iniquity of us all and all our sins met in him this cannot but include veniall sins for the elect have no mortal sins Yet our tenet is that all even the least obliquity of thought primi motus ad peccata sunt peccata the first motions to sinne are sins and directly against the tenth Commandment and he that breaketh the least of the ten is guilty of all for he breaketh the Law So then the veniality of sin is not in the nature and merit of sinne Ps 22.1.2 but in the favour of God by Christ he suffering and satisfying for it and we by faith applying this to our selves and it will follow for in its own nature every sin is mortal deserving death and the just are not said to be blessed because they have no sinne but because their iniquities are forgiven and their sin is covered and because God imputeth not their sinne to them as some are quit by Proclamation because no evidence is given in against them 2. We must then fly to Evangelical righteousnesse which hath two parts The one is called the righteousnesse of faith the other of a good conscience Rom. 10.6 Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Heb. 13.18 1. The righteousnesse of faith This is Christs righteousnesse by faith received of us by grace imputed to us as the Apostle saith Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10.4 The end of the law is to save those that fulfill it this by reason of the body of sinne that we do bear about us none of us can perform but Christ hath fulfilled the law for us and his obedience is by the favour of God imputed to us and by our faith applyed and we justified and saved thereby For what the law exacted of us is accapted for us as if we in our owne persons had done it because we believe it done by Christ for us 2. The righteousnesse of a good conscience This is a work of the Holy Ghost in us by which we do approve our selves to God and man by our indeavour to do that which the law commandeth And such a righteous person David describeth Surely he doth no iniquity Ps 119.3 but walketh in the way of God If any man object Object Then is he no transgressour of the law because he doth none iniquity then is his obedience full because he walketh in the way of the Lord. St. Paul doth answer for himselfe Sol. and therein for all the elect of God and sheweth wherin his innocency consisteth and saith For that which I do I allow not for what I would do that I do not Rom. 7.15 but what I hate that do I. If then I do that which I would not Vers 16. I consent unto the law that it is good Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me 17.22 I delight in the law of God in the inward man Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know if thou be an elect child of God thou consistest of a double man so long as thou livest here on earth 1. There is in thee an outward man that is the unregenerate part of thee 2. There is an inward man that is the regenerate part For we must know and confesse that we are not capable in this life of a total and full regeneration which is an utter abolition of the body of sin There is Corpus peccati the body of sin there is lex membrorum a law of the members there is Concupiscence which doth carry us into the evil which we know in our understandings to be against the law of God and our conscience trembleth at it this is an inward man which in Peter is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.4 So that the inward man which keepeth the law is the understanding and conscience and the outward man that breaketh the law is the will and the appetite and the instruments thereof in the act of sin So then I shall now describe to you whom the Prophet here meaneth by the just man even him who in his understanding apprehendeth the good and perfect Will of God and maketh conscience of obeying it according to the measure of grace given to him for this is an Evangelical righteousnesse The use of it is great for the Prophet saith of Christ Jesus that he put on righteousnesse as a Brest-plate He that came to loose the works of Satan and therefore to bid him battel Is 59.17 did not come into this life which is militia super terram a warfare upon earth unarmed he is the General of Gods forces against the Kingdome of darknesse against the Prince that ruleth in the ayr against the god of this world against Principalities and Powers and no sooner was he baptized and began to appear to his employment but the spirit led him into the field to a duel with Satan for fourty days together where this Brest-plate of proofe was a sufficient wall about his vital parts and did preserve him against Satans fury and force And we that are his souldiers who must ambulare sicut ille walk as he we are taught by the Apostle both to get and put on this righteousnesse as a Brest plate The benefits that this righteousnesse doth bring with it are many 1. It is a proofe against temptations for howsoever our affections do receive some titillations from the outward senses to affect them with evil 1. Benefit our understanding like Goshen will always see the Sunne although the rest of our Aegypt be benighted Howsoever our Will may be corrupted for a time our conscience will continue zealous of good works In our minds we shall serve the law of God and this will keep our heads always above water that though we be put to it to strive and labour hard for life in the deep waters both of temptations and afflictions yet through many dangers and painful struglings we shall at length recover the shore The distrest conscience troubled with the terrour of sin though it cannot escape Satans sifting and buffeting and wounding yet can it not fall into final despair because this righteousnesse cannot be lost 2. This maketh our calling and election sure 2. Benefit
hateful to God and therefore no friend to man He might have suspected the forbidden fruit to have had some poysonous quality when God said quâ die comederis morte morieris but he knew by that full knowledge that he had of the creatures that it was good and wholsome for meat But the more we honour God in the perfection of his creation the more we dishonour man in the precipitation of his fall surely he stumbled not he fell not for want of light he fell in the day as it will after follow But much of this knowledge survived his innocency and no doubt but the Angels that fell had and have much more knowledge then men now have 2. His holinesse was also compleat for that Maker is not author imperfecti operis of an imperfect work he did nothing but it was bonum valde very good surely I doubt not to affirme that there was as full and as great perfection of holinesse and righteousnesse in Adam in the state of his innocencie as was in Jesus Christ for God was well pleased in them both The difference was this Adam was a meer creature and his height of honour was the image of his Maker but Christ was man not united by way of similitude with the image of God but by way of personal union with the nature of the Godhead so that Adams holinesse was changable but Christs holinesse was not This holinesse and righteousnesse consisted in a sincere purity of the creature within himself and in a totall conformity to the will of God The exaltation of Gods favour to him went no higher so high it did go Adam might have kept him so to this day and for ever if he would The reason of this mutability in the state of man was because he was made of earth which was made of nothing and therefore could not participate of the immutability of God as it did of his goodnesse and holinesse Considering man thus in his state of innocency we shall finde that all Adams posterity was then in him and in his person was the whole nature of mankinde so that the whole nature either stood or fell in him and was either in his standing to hold the innocency of creation or in his fall to lose the same By this light we see the goodnesse and love and wisdome of God in the creation of man and here is the ground laid of his justice also for there is no necessity laid upon man that he must fall and being thus set up he cannot break but by his own ill husbandry of the talent of grace that is given to him for what would he have more God may say of this Vine what could I have done more to it then I did he may be eternally and unchangably happy if he will 2. The misery of our fall and therein 1. How we may know it 2. What it is 1. Whow we may know it It is properly the work of the Law to declare to man how miserable he is so saith the Apostle Rom. 7.7 I knew not sin but by the Law for I had not known lust except the Law had said non concupisces Thou shalt not covet Therefore to work faith in us the spirit of God doth preach the Law to the conscience and teacheth us to examine and try our wayes by the Law not literally as they of old did whom Christ reproveth but according to the full scope of the Law which aimeth not at the boughs and exuberant branches of sin but is an axe laid to the root thereof and telleth us how miscrable we are declaring 2. What this misery is 1. In the infection 2 In the wages 1. In the infection Thus the Law declareth us guilty 1. In original sinne 2. In sinnes of omission 3. In sinnes of evil motion 4. In sinnes of evil affection 5. In sinnes of evil action 1. In original sin The Law declareth Adam a transgressour and therein a corrupter not only of his own person but of the whole nature of mankind because having Free will to have kept the good estate in which he was created by prevarication of the Law he fell from the chief good and thereby infected and polluted his posterity so that ever since no clean thing could derive it self from that which is unclean This sin hath produced these effects in man 1. The image of God is much blemished in him for insteed of that full knowledge which he had he reteineth only some principles which be called the law of God written in the heart which do serve to make a man without excuse in the day of his judgment because he cannot deny but that he knew a Godhead and knew good and evill in some measure Video meliora proboque For the invisible things of God his eternal power and Godhead are seen by the creation of the world Rom. 1.19 being considered in his works And that law Do as thou wouldest be done to serveth us to distinguish between good and evill in many things So though there be a totall privation of our light yet is there a dark cloud overshadowing us For now the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 2. And from hence it cometh that we mistake our way often and that is not always the nearest and best way that is the fairest and broadest and most trodden Pro. 14.12 There is away that seemeth good in the eyes of men but the end thereof is death For the wisdom of the flesh is enmity to God Rom. 8.7 for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be 2. The image of God in the Will 1. There followeth a natural inclination rather to evil then to good and men naturally do bestow their wits rather to project evil then good for the minde and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 Eph. 4.17 For there is naturally a vanity in the understanding So it may be said They are wise to do evill but to do well they have no knowledge Jer. 4.22 2. In the Will the image of God is blemished For we shall find in our selves a reluctation against God all the service of God naturally doth bring a wearinesse upon us and nothing doth terrify so much with fear of difficulty as good works This is called Originall sin because it runneth in the same stream with our bloud and we derive it from our faulty progenitours which the Apostle calleth The sin that hangeth so fast on Heb. 12.1 Rom. 7.7 Saint Paul calleth it peccatum habitans in me sinne dwelling in me Corpus peccati Lex membrorum Concupiscentia And the whole corruption of man deriveth it self from this head so that we are born by nature children of wrath for who can draw that which is clean from that
which is unclean Therefore the Spirit of God working faith in us doth set our eyes upon the quarry out of which we were digged and pointeth us to this first corruption 1. There is great use of this looking back that we who think our selves brave creatures to whom God hath put so many of our fellow witnesses into service may know that we are but men so it serveth to humble us under the mighty hand of God It is Augustines saying Magna pars humilitatis tuae est notitia tui 2. I find it also urged by the Prophet Isay Hearken to me ye that follow righteousnesse Isa 51.1 ye that seek the Lord look to the rock whence you were hewen and to the pit whence ye are digged This to consider the small beginnings of the Church for God called Abraham being one and from him is the house of Israel 3. I find it urged to remember our unworthinesse and to establish the Faith of Gods free grace Ezch 16.3 Thus saith the Lord unto Jerusalem thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan thy father was an Amorite and thy mother was an Hittite c. To chide the rebellion of Israel to whom God had shewed mercy being so unworthy Three good uses of this point if these vertues do follow 1. Humility 2. Thankfulnesse 3. Repentance This Doctrine of Originall sin hath found some haeretical opposition though the voice of Scripture and Reason doth speak out loud and clear for it The Pelagians long agoe denied propagation of sin and ascribed all to imitation The Romanists deny it to be peccatum mortale a mortal sinne But the Anabaptists of our times have revived both the Pelagian and the Popish haeresie For in their last book printed 1620. they do deny that Infants traduce sin from their parents and therefore are not borne in sinne I only admonish you if any such corrupt suggestions shall obtrude themselves to your judgments that you wave them as contrary to the expresse word of holy Scripture that you never forget the pit out of which you were digged 2. Sinnes of omission This is another corruption of nature for our originall imperfection doth so incline us to evil that we are ready to leave the duties undone which the law of God requireth to be done The Spirit of God working faith in us doth shew us that whatsoever holy duty we omit we transgresse the Law which in every precept doth bind the conscience to obedience and leaveth them guilty before God who do not those things which the Law commandeth Note it that in the processe of the last judgment it is said non pavistis me non amicivistis me non visitastis ye fed me not c. And in the parabolical example of the rich man and Lazarus it is declared that the rich man went to hell for not feeding Lazarus Consider this ye that forget God How often have you neglected publike prayers when you have had no just occasion to detaine you how often have you neglected to heare to come to the Sacrament when the Table of the Lord hath been prepared for you you have turned your back and gone away To such the Master of the feast saith Non sunt digni non gustabunt coenam meam they are not worthy they shall not taste of my supper God doth offer occasions every moment to praise him or to pray to him it is part of mans misery that he is negligent and taketh not the benefit of these occasions to serve God He was adjudged to utter darknesse who hid the talent of his master in the ground Take that uprofitable servant and cast him into utter darknesse yet was this but a sin of omission The Law saith Hoc fac vives do this and live and not only they that do Contrarium huic contrary to this but they that do not Hoc facere are prevaricatours of the Law To do good and to distribute forget not he doth not say forbear to do evill or omit not to do good but forget not it is a sin to forget our duty more to omit it willingly but most horrible to do the contrary 3. Sins of evil motion These are against the tenth Commandement non concupisces thou shalt not covet for there is a conception of sinne a vegetation and a putting forth The Conception of sin is the first motion thereof the first titillation of the sense as Galasius Quamvis non planè assentiamur desiderio si tamen nos titillat sufficit ad nos reos peragendos So Chrysost Aliud est concupiscere aliud velle Saint Bern. doth distinguish our Cogitations thus 1. Sunt Cogitationes otiosae idle thoughts ad rem non pertinentes these he calleth Lutum simplex that is a thinne clay which cleaveth not yet it coloureth 2. Sunt Cogitationes violentae fortius adhaerentes violent and faster cleaving thoughts These he calleth Lutum viscosum a viscous clay stick-fast 3. Sunt Cogitationes faetidae Filthy thoughts quae ad luxuriam invidiam avaritiam c. pertinet which belong to luxury c. Coelum immundum foul mud The first of these cogitationes motus primi may be either in phantasie only so they defile not or in voluntate in the will a little infecting that so they break the law St. Chrysost Si concupiscentiae non consentit voluntas sola concupiscentia non condemnat if the Will consenteth not the Concupiscence condemns not I dare not embrace his judgement Saint Paul found by the law and he could find it by no law but this of the tenth Commandement that Concupiscentia est peccatum Concupiscence is sin This is part of the misery of our fall from God we cannot think a good thought of our selves 4. Sins of evil-affection The spirit doth detect this further misery when the consent of the will and the bent of desire doth affect evil in which kind our Saviour the best interpreter of the Law doth call anger murther and unchast desires adultery and desires of our neighbours goods theft These are not only sins in proventu ex corde but in corde as Christ saith out of the heart cometh murther adultery theft 5. Sins of evil action These are evil praevarications and actual transgressions of the law such as the erecting of another God against the true God worshipping of idols Swearing and blasphemy Breach of the Sabbath in the first table of the law Disobedience to authority murther adultery theft false witnesse in the second Table They that do these things have not God in their ways Haec sunt quae polluunt hominem saith Jesus Christ It is a principal work of the Spirit of God in man to make him sensible of the pollution of sin it is a thing natural to fear punishment and to decline it but the perfect hatred of sin is in respect of the pollution so that if there were no further danger yet because it fouls my soule and defiles my body I
the Church and the Common-wealth Yet they that are thus overtaken do commonly excuse themselves that they have been amongst their friends but this pot-friendship which hath the power to divide a man from himselfe will scarce prove a glue strong enough to unite and knit him to another The kisses of such friends betray thee and thou maist say rather Thus was I wounded in the house of my friends It was Davids prayer let it be thine Let the righteous smite me for that is a benefit Ps 141.5 and let him reprove me and it shall be a precious oyle that shall not break my head but Incline not mine heart to evill that I should commit wicked works with men that commit iniquity and let me not eate of their delicates nor drink neither It is a good observation of Cardinal Bellarm. here ubique nocet conversatio malorum sed nusquam magis quam in conviviis compotationibus This is no new danger but a disease of former ages infectiously transmitted by imitation to our times and in them grown epidemical Saint Ambrose describeth a surfetting and drunken meale De Helia Jenin 6.13 primo minoribus poculis velut velitari pugnâ praeluditur verum haec non est sobrietatis spes sed bibendi disciplina ubi res calere caeperit poscunt majoribus poculis certant pocula cum ferculis Deinde procedente potulongius contentiones diversae magna certamina quis bibendo praecellat Nota gravis si quis se excuset All you that call God Father and do desire either the honour of his name or the coming of his Kingdom or the fulfilling of his will make conscience of this great sin call it no longer good-fellowship for St. Ambr. saith vocatis ut amicos emittitis inimicos Ibid. c. 14. Vocas ad jucunditatem cogis ad mortem invitas ad prandium efferre vis ad sepulturam vina praetendis venena suffundis Say to him that tempteth thee to drink drunk vade retro me Sathana get thee be hind me Satan the Kingdom of God is not meate nor drink God shall finde thee out thou hast his woe upon thee and thou shalt see anon how he will punish thee 1. Ad quid ut videant nuditatem It is the boast of brave drunkards how long they have sat at it how many pots and pottles they have swallowed how many they have made drunk this is thy nakednesse Litterally drunkennesse doth make men do things uncomly some use this lewd practise to make way for their lust some to take advantages otherwise Modesty cannot utter what unclean provocations do arise from drunkennesse what lewd and unchaste actions are done what profane and filthy words are spoken Noah himself full of wine doth lie uncovered in his tent and sheweth his nakednes St. Ambrose complaineth of women That full of wine did come immodestly into the street singing and dancing Ibid. c. 18. irritantes in se juvenum libidines Coelum impuro contaminatur aspectu terra turpi saltatione polluitur aer obscenis cantibus verberatur O the miserable state of man in whom sin reigneth he is not only tempted to do evil horrible and shameful evil to drink drunk but to be his neighbours devil to draw him into evill by making him drunk and also this propter malum even to discover the nakednesse of his brother Some shew themselves in their pots like lyons furious and quarrelsome others are dull and heavy only serving for whetstones to sharpen the wits of the company others drowsie and sleepy others talkative every man in his humour all in their nakednesse To do evil that good may come of it is an heinous sin for God needs not Satans help But to do evil our selves to draw others into evil for so evil an end this doth make sin out of measure sinful 1. Take nakednesse literally for the discovering of those parts which modesty doth hide out of sight so after the transgression the man and woman saw that they were naked and they were ashamed being but themselves alone in the garden and they sowed fig-leavs together to hide their nakednesse from each others sight so much remained in them that having left primas sapientiae they yet retained secundas modestiae and could not for shame behold each others nakednesse The Apostle saith These members of the body which we think to be lesse honourable 1 Cor. 12.23 upon these we bestow more abundant honour and our uncomely parts have more abundant comelinesse The honour here meant is the decent hiding of their nakednesse and the modest covering of our shame Where the Apostle doth declare the care that is in the natural body the comely parts which need no hiding from sight do cover the uncomely parts from sight Therefore they that uncover nakednesse do shew themselves to be no members of the body so that such drunkards as give strong drink to their neighhour to this end to discover their nakednesse declare themselves to be no parts of the body of the Church Surely much nakednesse is discovered in many drunken meetings and no marvel when men and women having laid aside reason and temperance religion and the fear of God if they then turn beasts and do those things that are uncomely 2. Take this nakednesse in a spiritual sense then St. Ambrose will tell you Lib. de Noe Arca c. 30. Omnis impius quoniam ipsedevius disciplinae est aliorum lapsus pro sui erroris solatio accipit quod consortes invenerit culpae Then is the season for the Cosener to invade the purse of his neighbour for the cunning insidiator to take advantage of words to find out the infirmitits of his brother that he may keep him in aw thereby I cannot dive so deep into this mystery of iniquity as to declare all and again I fear to go farre in it least I might teach the ignorant sinner more cunning then he had before This I dare say that it is not love that maintaineth drunken acquaintance for true love is a coverer of nakednesse if literal you may see it in Sem and Japhet if spiritual you may hear it from the Apostle love covereth a multitude of sins And out of that love David weeps fot them that keep not the law It becomes them best in my text who know not God but were abominable and to every good work rebrobate to make men drunk to make them sport but these things must not be so much as named amongst those that call God our father that come to Church that hear the word that offer themselves to be guests at the Lords boord Bur I remember the wise man saith Rods be for the backs of fools What greater folly then to sell our inheritance in heaven for strong drink a worse bargain then Esaus and an harder penny-worth The rods for this are 2. Poena peccati the punishment of sin 1. Thou art filled with shame for glory 2. It shall be thine own
hardened our heart from thy fears 3 Sometimes when we have the zeal of Gods glory and a strong desire to serve him we feel a failing in the act of obedience and as the Apostle complaineth when we delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man Rom. 7.22 We finde another law in our members rebelling against the law of our minds and leading us captive to the law of sin which is in our members for Sometimes when we set and dispose our selves to the worship of God in prayer and thanksgiving or to the hearing of the Word either a covetous or a wanton or an envious or an ambitious thought thwarts us and carries us quite away for a time and we have much a doe to redeeme our selves from it 4 Sometimes we do feel such want of the Spirit of God in us that Satan takes advantage thereat perswadeth that God hath forsaken us and thus many of Gods deare children feel the bitternesse of despaire for a time in which agony Job cries For the arrows of the Almighty are within me Job 6.4 the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrour of God do set themselves in array against mee In this fit of deep agony some have died despairing and blaspheming the name of God some have done violence to themselves and have died of their own hand of whom let christian charity hope the best seeing that God hideth the horne of his salvation out of sight Therefore David prayeth O forsake not me utterly Ps 119.8 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usquè valde as our English over-long for the word utterly is somewhat too full of fear and the hiding of this power giveth hope to the distressed the light will rest in darknesse 3 Doctr. God is armed with instruments of vengeance to punish sin pestilence and burning coals The 10 plagues of Egypt do prove this and the destruction of Pharoah his hoast in the red Sea And lest the Church should presume too far upon his favor the story of the passage of the children of Israel from the Land of Egypt to Canaan is full of examples of terrour to evill doers which the Apostle doth urge and presse to the Corinthians and giveth them warning of the wrath to come For he saith 1 Cor. 10.5 first in generall termes that with many of them God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness And in perticular he nameth some sharp judgment For fornication Vers 8. Num. 25.9 there fell in one day twentie three thousand That was the plague and St. Paul speaks within compasse for we read 24000. For tempting Verse 9. Num. 21.6 Verse 20. of God they were destroyed with serpents these were the fiery serpents For murmuring they were destroyed of the destroyer which I understand the plague Those men which did bring up the evill report of the Land num 14.37 died by the Plague before the Lord. David describing the judgments of God in those dayes saith Ps 106.18 Num. 16.31 A fire was kindled in their company and burnt up the wicked meaning the 250 that offered incense who murmured against Moses and Aaron Thus you see how the pestilence still walked before him and burning coals at his feet Not onely without the pale amongst the enemies of his Church but within foul amongst such as were reckoned with the Church In which course of powerfull justice 1 Reas he hath still gone forward to put the sonnes of men in fear that they may know they are but men and that they may not dare to resist the right hand of the most High For Satan doth still suggest that God is mercifull and so animates sinners to do evill by feeding their presumption Therefore the children of God who set God always before their eyes do not only behold him as he is togatus in peace or as he is rogatus easily entreated but as he is oculatus to behold and aculeatus to sting sinners it is the voice of the Church In the way of thy judgments have we waited for thee Isa 26.6 this keepeth children in awe this shewing of the rod saves them many a swinging and for the ungodly of the earth it filleth them with the terrour of the Lord they dare not do all that they would for fear of the pestilence that destroyeth at the noon day and for fear of stirring these coals at the feet of God which can so soon overtake them So God hath these judgments at hand to put men out of hope of impunity which is the greatest flattery to sooth up sin that is The false Prophets seduced the people of God saying peace peace Ezek. 13.10 and thereby They strengthened the hands of the wicked Verse 22. that he should not return from his wicked way by promising him life It is said of the Magistrates of the earth That they do not bear the Sword in vain and can we think that this supream Lord of all doth carry these rods of vengeance so near him the Pestilence before his face and these burning coals at his feet for nothing 2 Hee nameth these two judgments for all 2 Reas because they be of sudden dispatch and of quick execution the plague we do know how speedy it is in a work of destruction three days pestilence swept away threescore and 10000 in Davids time We cannot forget what desolations it hath made in this our great City and what terrour it made all the Land over Fire is a merciless Element sudden and cruel in consumption of all combustible matter the Apostle chose that resemblance to express God in a fury Deus noster ignis consumens Our God is a consuming fire Here is not onely the violence of wrath 1 Thess 5. but the suddainess also expressed the last fire that shall destroy the world shall come as a Thief in the night as that shovver of fire and Brimstone fell upon Sodom This teacheth the man of earth 1 Vse vvho is but man to feare vvhen the plague commeth to consider that he is but stubble and therefore not fit to encounter this fire he is but man and not fit to meet this devouring pestilence therefore let him not provoke the God of this povver let him not stir up these coals nor avvake judgement rather let him quench this fire with the tears of true repentance As Christ said to the Church of Sardis Remember how thou hast received and heard Râ—v 3.3 hold fast and repent if thou wilt not watch I will come to thee as a thief It is not the vvay of peace to put avvay the evill day Amos 6.3 rather let us put avvay the evil and break off our sins by repentance that vve may obtein mercy in the time of need He that hath such ready instruments of vvrath to punish sin is not to be dallied vvith he may surprise us on the bed vvhereon vve study mischief he may meet
externall warres do cease then internall digladiations do commonly succeed then wit and policie and power do put themselves to it to see what they can get and this is a sin which God taketh notice of and which he declareth to his Prophets that they may reprove it 2. Here is Violence also added for where by fraud and circumvention and secret conveyance the spoiling cannot be wrought there like the Priests servant that came for flesh for the Priest they will take by strong hand and by violence that which they would have This is commonly the war between the superiour and inferiour between the strong and the weak for the weakest here go to the wall These be signes of a drooping and decaying common-wealth when cruelty and violence is its own carver and the poor have their faces ground between the tearing milstones of oppression when the poor flock pines and starves with hunger When Alienas oves custos bis mulget in hora. For they be called filii alieni strange children that do oppresse their brethren When things are not carried by the Law of Justice but by the power of violence And the common-wealth of the Jewes were even sick to the death of this disease at this time when Habakkuk prophecied for shortly after followed their deportation and the destruction of Jerusalem and desolation of the Temple Let all the Kingdomes of the world take warning by this fearfull example and let not private persons transgressing in this kinde forget what the Lord did to this people 3. The Prophet addeth Before me wherein he declareth a double boldnesse of these sinners 1. That they professed their opposition and cared not who saw it for the holy men of God search not so deep into the manners of men to seek out their faults neither do they professe themselves students in the affaires of the common-wealth as to observe how things are carried but if God declare it to them and cause them to behold it and if the workers of this wickednesse be so bold and open that they care not who see it this doth prove the sinne deeply rooted and high-grown in amongst them 2. It proves their boldnesse in sinning that they durst commit those crying sins before the Prophet the messenger of God sent of purpose to reprove them and coming from Almighty God to disswade them from it Sinne at first is bashfull and modest and doth fear the sight of any good man Seneca the learned Preacher thought it a good thing to keep in unruly desires and any intemperancy in young men Prodest sine dubio custodem sibi imposuisse habere quem respicias And to live Tanquam sub alicujus boni viri semper praesentis oculis But when men grow to that height of sinning that they dare commit their iniquities in the sight of God and men in the sight of the Minister that carrieth the sword of Gods Spirit the word of God to reprove it and threaten it or in the sight of the Magistrate that carrieth the sword of God to punish it then to use the Apostles word Sin is out of measure sinfull Such are they that swear and blaspheme the name of God that talk scurrilously and leudly that deprave their brethren maliciously that drink drunk even before us the Ministers of Gods word as if God had sent us to bid them sin on and as if we had no commission to find fault out of the Pulpit They save their own stakes by confining us to the Pulpit and shutting up our power there for there they know we may not tax personally and they think themselvs free enough if we smite at sin only in generall terms for such reproofes have no edge but what parricular application doth give them and therein they are wise enough to favour themselves It is not nothing that the Prophet doth say that this spoyling and violence was done before him for his words of reproof will prove them guilty of wilfull transgression and contempt of the divine Majesty as it presently followeth And he will be both a fearfull imprecator against them as he proveth in this Chapter to call down Gods judgments upon them and he will be a full witnesse to testifie against them before God And there are that raise up strife and contention This is a further complaint of the Prophet against this people that they are so farre from peace that they do pick quarrels one with another and make matter of strife and contention This is contrarie to the Apostles precept If it be possible as much as in you is Rom. 12. have peace with all men There be some of that froward nature and wrangling disposition that cannot contain themselves within the bounds of peace but they must be ever searching where they may finde fault thinking it best fishing in troubled waters You see that God taketh notice of such unquiet persons and detecteth them to his Prophets that they may chide them for it as the Apostle saith Now I beseech you brethren marke them which cause divisions and offences You see God marketh them Rom. 16.17 for it is one of the six things which God abhorres him that soweth discord among brethren Pro. 6.19 There is great cause why God should abhorre such as stirre up strife 1. Because God is called the God of peace and his Gospel is called the Gospel of peace and his naturall Sonne became Pax nostra our peace and his adopted Sonnes be children of peace Therefore those sonnes of thunder those boystrous and tumultuous natures must needs be abominable to him whose wayes be viae pacis the wayes of peace for contraries do expell one the other Contention doth derive it self from two very offensive corruptions in men which are abominable to God as Solomon sheweth 1. Only by pride commeth contention Pro. 13.12 and indeed they that think themselves wiser then their brethren and overween the graces of God in themselves and think themselves worthy to sit at the helme and to direct all if they cannot have their own wils in every thing then they quarrell and contend with all that oppose them The proud man God resisteth for he encrocheth upon his soveraingty therefore David sayeth that God abhorreth him 2. Hatred stirreth up strife Prov. 10.12 that is another corruption in man which God cannot dispense with because he is charity and only he which dwelleth in charity dwelleth in God and God in him There be many distastes and dislikes that do grow even amongst friends because we either want the wisedom to know or the patience to consider when time is that there can be no peace between us except we can bear with one another and forgive one another some infirmities which the Apostle calleth bearing one anothers burthens It is not that sinne of infirmity in our nature that is here complained of but when men be so perverse and unquiet that they will stirre up strife and contention as David complaineth They
If you were of the world the world would love you for the world loves all her own but because you are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you You see how they compasse about the just men in whom any Religion appears or any care of a good conscience or any fire of holy zeal the wicked come about such to quench this fire and beset such round about that they may not escape them Let Lot say to the Sodomites I pray you brethren do not so wickedly Gen. 19 9 they will presse upon him and threaten him Now will we deal worse with thee then with them then they pressed to break the door Therefore wrong judgment proceedeth Because things are carried by the licentious and unbridled will of power without Religion or conscience of Equity therefore there is wrong judgment I understand the Prophet thus That private injuries and oppressions between man and man were frequent and the wicked used all means to molest the just and when they did flie for remedy to the courts of Justice they were also so corrupt and did so favour the cause of the wicked that there they had wrong judgment The Judges and Magistrates that should execute the judgments of God upon the wicked and should deliver the oppressed out of the hands of the oppressour they were guilty 1. Of favouring and animating and abetting the wicked in their ungodlinesse which they should have punished for which also they were ordained 2. Of unjust judgment punishing where they should spare and oppressiing whom they should defend Here was a corrupt common-wealth and this was the grief of the Prophet and he had no remedy but to put the scrole of their sins and to spread it before the Lord and in the behalf of the oppressed to appeal from the courts of men to the tribunal of God The words thus opened and the sense cleared let us consider this text 1. In the totall summe it is a verie serious complaint of the Prophet to God 2. In the particulars of which he complaineth He complaineth of two things 1. Of the corruption of the state of the common-wealth of the Jewes 3. Of Gods declaring the same corruption to him The corruption is exprest in three things 1. In the Conversation 2. In the Religion 3. In the Justice of that Nation 1. In the totall the Prophet doth complain to God seriously and out of a greived heart of the people 〈Complaint is a part of Prayer 〉 Doctr. Prayer is a pouring forth of the heart to God wherein we prostrate all our desires to God and crave his help Sometimes we call to remembrance the mercies of God and summe up his benefits which though it be joyned with prayer and doth passe under the name of prayer yet is it rather a speciall and distinct part of Gods worship in it self then properly any member or part of prayer Sometimes we begge of God supply of our wants and that we call Petition Sometimes we plead the cause of our brethren and begge for them that is Intercession Sometimes we pray against judgment and sin and that is Deprecation Sometimes we have cause to complain to God of the sins and transgressions of our brethren when either the honour of God or the peace of brethren is violated so here this is Imprecation For when we see that the outward means of reclaiming men from giving offence to God to the Church and to Christian Religion do not work effectually to reforme them yet we must not forsake the cause of God so but make our complaint unto him and put the matter into his hand Thus when there was a councel held against the Apostles Act. 4. and therein consultation for the quenching of the light of the Gospel then beginning to shine more clearly Vers 17. Peter and John went aside from the councel dismissed with a straight and severe charge to speak no more in that name They came to their brethren and informed them of these things and They lifted up their voice to God with one accord Vers 24. In that prayer they complain of their enemies 1. For that which they had done already For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate and the Gentiles were gathered together 2. For that which they meant to doe And now Lord behold their threatnings This also is twice included in the Lords Prayer for when we desire that the Kingdome of God may come we do complain of the enemies of that Kingdome and desire God to arise and scatter them and defeat all their designes against the same And when we pray not to be led into tempation but to be delivered from evils we do secretly complain of all those evils which Satan and his wicked instruments do plot against the body of the Church or any particular members thereof 1. The reason is because vengeance belongeth to God and we must remember of what spirit we are and must not take the quarrel of God into our hands but leave it to God to see and require 2. Because the times and seasons are only in his power and we must leave it to his wise Justice to take the fit time for the conversion or confusion of his enemies in the mean time resting our selves on his sure Protection and faithful care of us 3 Because we may have enemies for the present who may come to a sight and sense of their sins and may by our complaint of them to God receive his saving mercy to reconcile them to the Church as he did Saul at the Prayer of Saint Stephen who shortly after became an Apostle and proved a chosen Instrument of Gods Glory 4. We must complain of these things to declare our zeal of Gods Glory and our holy impatience to see his Commandements despised of men 5. To shew our charity to our brethren who do suffer by this cruel and wicked world whose estates we pitty and we go to God as a common father to us all to take the matter into his own hands From whence we conclude that it ever ought to be a part of our Prayer to call upon the name of God by way of complaint of the iniquity of the times in which we do live that God may give an end to it and that it may not prevail against his Church least the enemies thereof do grow too proud This manner of complaining and calling upon God for Justice against the ungodly doth not die with us here the separated souls parted from earth and from their bodies do retain it I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the Testimony which they held Rev 6.9 And they cryed with a loud voice saying how long O Lord and holy and true Vers 10. dost thou not judg and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth This
1. For his Godhead that none other but he should be called God or esteemed 2. For his Worship not to be given to creatures 3. For his name not to be taken in vain 4. For his Sabbath to be kept holy And it is our first petition sanctificetur nomen Hallowed be thy name and for our conformity with him For I am the Lord your God ye shall therfore sanctifie your selvs Levit. 11.44 and yee shall be holy for I am holy So there is 1. Sanctitas increata an increate holinesse in God 2. Creata Created in man as a beam of that heavenly light a stream of that full fountain in our God This uncreated holinesse which is the attribute of God is the absolute perfection of Gods nature and attributes his full goodnesse not only that wherein he is good in himself but in his operations also 2. The Consequent From hence the Prophet concludeth that God cannot do more to his Church then correct it he cannot utterly destroy it because he is holy so is his Church his correction of the Elect is only a fire to purge out their drosse which will go out of it selfe when the combustible matter is spent Hear God himselfe I am the Lord the Holy One the Creator of Israel your King Isa 43.15 This People have I formed for my self Vers 21. they shall shew forth my praise I but our sinnes spoile all He addeth I Vers 25. even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins The Church of God is semen sanctum an holy seed God cannot forsake it he is Sanctus Creator an holy Creator and he is Sanctus Redemptor an holy Redeemer of it as the holy text stileth him You see here Applicat that as Christ saith This is life eternal to know thee Let us study God and his attributes for from thence we derive whatsoever we are or have they are our light of direction our staffe of supportation From the wisedome of God we have all intellectual illumination From the Iustice of God all our integrity From the Holinesse of God all our Sanctification From the Eternity of God our immortality From the Omnipotency of God our strength And as by our faith we cleave to him so we are made Partakers of the divine nature The juice of this text is the Prophets faith which from the Holinesse and Eternity of God doth resolve That this judgement of God Doct. threatned against the Jews is no more then a temporal chastisement according to the doctrine taught out of Obadiah Though God afflicteth his Church yet he loveth her still This perswasion of deliverance from evils is found in natural men but either it is grounded upon an opinion that they have of fortune such make chance their God or it is built upon the consideration of the vicissitude of things which maketh sundry mutations Informes hyems reducit Jupiter Hor. Car. 2. Od. 10. idem Summovet non se malè nunc olim sic erit God sendeth fowl weather and faire if it be ill now with us it will not be so hereafter This is but cold comfort to hope only in the change of times and so to look for better days Some acknowledge a Deity and ascribe all alterations to that not knowing the true God as Aeneas comforted his company Durate vesmet rebus servate secundis Continue and reserve your selves for better times Dabit Deus his quoque finem God will put an end to these your sufferings But that which comforteth the Saints of God in afflictions is their faith in the Eternity and Holinesse of God from whence they gather assurance that they shall not miscarry under the rod of God he is eternal therefore they shall not perish he is holy therefore he will but correct not destroy and hereof they make this use 1. They do not limit God to a set time when he shall deliver them so Daniel waited for the deliverance of Israel from Babylon seventy years The Church waited till the fulnesse of time for the promised Messiah 2. They do not limit God to any set means of deliverance Mordecai did see that the preferment of Hester was a likely means to save the Iews from the fury of the decree which Haman had procured against them and he putteth her to it to use her mediation with the King for it but he builded not his hopes in that means for he said to her If thou altogether hold thy Peace at this time Esth 4.14 then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Iews from another place The promise made to Abraham concerning his seed was in nature despaired by the old age of Abraham Sarah yet was not Abraham out of hope but when Isaac the sonne of Promise was come God afterward commanded him to be offered in sacrifice yet did not that weaken the faith of Abraham for he built upon the word of the promise and not upon the possibility of the means For he that promised was faithful 3. They do not limit God to the measure of affliction for they know that whatsoever the judgement be which God inflicteth upon his Church it cannot exceed a fatherly correction So Job Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 4. They are not discouraged in the faith of Gods mercy though they feel the contrary and therefore being in one contrary they do believe another Thus even when they feel the burthen of their sinnes they believe their justification for the heavy-laden seeke Christ for case When they feel misery they believe blessedneesse for they know Blessed are they that mourne When they feel correction they believe for he chasteneth every sonne whom he receiveth When they feel themselves forsaken of God they believe themselves interested in his favour as David and Christ My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Both forsaken in respect of their feeling neither in respect of their faith 5. They by faith are ever in the Presence of God Ps 16.8 so David I have set God always before me for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not be moved So it is said of Moses being in danger in Aegypt Heb. 1◠27 By faith he forsook Aegypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible Thus strongly do they build whose foundation is not laid it any possibility of their own merits to deserve deliverance and of their own wit and cunning to decline evils or of their own strength and power to resist them or evade them or the vicissitude of things to change them but trust in the living God and make him their hiding place Whereas the Prophet saith Doct. 2 that God had ordained the Chaldeans for judgement that is for the execution of his judgement and hath established them for correction Docemur we are taught That God is the Author of
by the wings of God we do understand divine Protection sic cum audimus manus operationem pedes praesentiam oculos visionem faciem justitiam brachium potentiam So by hands divine operation by feet Presence by eye vision by face Iustice by hands divine Power And to shew that neque solus neither alone nec prior nor first he is of this opinion he citeth Saint Hierome Saint Gregory Nazianzen St. Ambrose St. Athanasius all of the same judgment And surely because this errour is yet in the minds of many simple and ignorant people of the world it will be fit that you do learn that when you do either give thanks to God or pray or think on God you do not conceive him in your thoughts in any such manner but as he hath revealed himself to us in his word God is a spirit eternal immortal invisible infinite in Wisedome Justice Holinesse Power Mercy Goodnesse Seeing and foreseeing all things doing whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth and in all deep places governing all things by the word of his power Moses who searched as deep into this sacred and secret mystery of God found that the face of God that is his heavenly nature could not be seen only his back-parts that is the effects of his attributes might be seen No doubt God took that occasion in Moses to teach the Church how they should conceive him in their thoughts Thou shalt see my back-parts Ex 33.23 Gregor Nyslene We must follow after God for he goeth before us and guideth us as David He teacheth the way that we should chuse Qui autem sequitur non faciem sed tergum aspicit Procopius Invisibilia dei videntur ex creatione For we must remember how tender God was of appearing in any forme which might have been represented in picture or sculpture for fear of idolatry Take yee therefore good heed unto your selves for yee saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Hored Deut. 4.15 out of the midst of the fire Least ye corrupt your selves Vers 16. and make you a graven image the similitude of any figure c. Neither is it necessary for adoration that we do assigne any set figure to God in our thoughts seeing every one of us doth believe that he hath a living soule in him whereby all the parts of the body are both directed and enabled in their several offices yet no man can conceive any set forme or similitude wherunto it may be resembled 2. Another figurative speech here is where the Prophet calleth these eyes of God pure eyes for wickednes and evil cannot defile the sight it is said of the fair eye of heaven that it shineth upon the just and unjust And David saith that God seeth all the thoughts of mans heart why he then seeth much vanity and much iniquity But those are called pure eyes which do behold nothing that is evil to approve it in it selfe to abet it in our brother to imitate it in our selves and in this sense the eyes of God are said to be pure that is abhorring sin Again the Purity of Gods eyes doth import the clear judgment of God which is of such penetration as nothing can conceal it self from him in which sense David saith The Lord is in his holy Temple the Lords Throne is in heaven Ps 11.14 his eyes behold his eye lids try the children of men upon which words Saint Augustine saith that there is apertio and opertio oculorum dei an opening and a covering of Gods eyes He is said to see with his eyes when he declareth himself to see and take notice of any thing but he doth try with his eye-lids when he maketh as though he slept and considered not winking for a time at the iniquities of men Our lesson from this double figure of speech is That God is a severe searcher and punisher of sinne Doct. for search he trieth the hearts râ—ins for punishment judgment begins at his own house this certain rule of truth we must lay hold beleive that the Justice truth of God can't fail the whole course of Scripture the experience of all times doth make this good The sin of the Angels that kept not their first estate was soon found out and punished the first news we hear of them was that one of them was a tempter and deceived our first Parents There was a light shining in darknesse which the darknesse comprehended not The Manichees seeing the devil went so early against God thought and taught that there were two principia two beginnings one good God the Author of all good another evil God the Author of all evil not knowing the fall of the Angels and the mischief that they attempted against God after their fall But they were the first example of the severe vengeance of God Of whom Saint Iude saith And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation Jude 6. he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the judgement of the last day And for our first Parents the pure eyes of God saw their nakednesse after their fall and came himself into the garden in the coole of the day and convinced the Delinquents and examined the fault and gave judgment against them all and presently executed that judgment The Cain when his sin was yet but in the bud at the first putting forth thereof in the casting down of his countenance was called to account for it God disputing the matter with him and after when he came to the execution of his abominable wickednesse God again well examined the evidence convicted the Prisoner and brought him to confession of his fault and banished him from his presence In all these examples God was a speedy and a severe Judge as was fit for terrour in the beginning but after he grew more remisse and as the Apostle saith The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing 1 Pet. 3.20 So that God declared himself patient and long-suffering who had before shewed and revealed his severe Justice that the terrour of his righteousnesse might discourage sin and yet his gentle forbearance might invite to repentance Therefore throughout the whole course of holy Scripture we have examples of both sorts both of quick vengeance and of favourable sufferance that God may be known both to be just and merciful The reason whereof is 1. That the danger might breed terrour for who can promise himself mercy when our just God may and doth take such quick vengeance Remember Lots wife that she was Lots wife whom God favoured that the Angel pulled her out of Sodom to hasten her from their judgment that her offence was no more then looking back whether out of curiosity to see what God would do to Sodome or out of unbelief doubting the truth of the threatning or out of love to the place or
Jewes who gave them strength to fight and who gave them victory therefore they burne incense to their own nets and kisse their own hands and thank themselves for all Here is the growth of iniquity for first they exercise all cruel inhumanity against the Jewes then they rejoyce over them and then doth their sin grow out of measure sinful for they forbear not to provoke God himself by their pride of heart robbing him of the glory of his own work and ascribing it to themselves This even the light of nature hath detected to be most injurious to God and most dangerous to men for they that have any natural notion of the Deity know that the whole glory of all atchievements belongs to that supreme power which ruleth all In the great consultation wherein Xerxes made a Proposition of warre against Greece having a special grudge at the Athenians Herod 1.7 Polyrrima Mardonius was an earnest perswader to the attempt but Artabanus the son of Histaspes the Uncle of Xerxes the King a grave aged man disswaded it His great argument was drawn from a consideration of the danger of greatnesse to which the King his Nephew aspired to be Lord of all and urgeth that old observation which Horace the Poet since used Feriuntque summos fulmina montes the ligtning strikes the highest tops his rule is Gaudet Deus eminentissima quaeque de primere quia Deus neminem alium quam seipsum sinit magnifice de se sentire The point here noteable is The prosperity of this world doth fill the hearts of men with pride and vaine estimation of themselves Doct. At the first when things succeeded well with the Chaldean he gave the honour thereof to his Idol god as you have heard but now he taketh it all upon himself his own net that is his wit and strength hath done all and he is now his own god The Wiseman saith The prosperity of fools shall destroy them Prov. 1.42 They that worship strange gods and do ascribe all their faire betydings to them do commit Idolatry and sin grievously yet these do confesse a Deity and acknowledge the power though not the person of God in supreme agencie but they that assume all to themselves deny a Deity or disable it so as that they may work without any borrowed help from thence So that the greatest Idolatry that is or can be committed is that pride of heart which assumeth to it selfe the glory of prosperous successe And let men take heed of this temptation Prov 30.8 9. for it is flattering and fair-spoken and our corrupt nature is very prone to give it entertainment this is one of the two things that Agur the son of Jakeh did pray against Remove far from me vanity and lies this opinion of our selves is well termed vanity for nothing can be more empty and voyd then it is and it is as well called lyes for nothing can be more untrue then that we should be able as of our selves to do any thing for our selves The danger Least if I be full I deny thee and say who is the Lord Here be two things in the Chaldaeans which Iob doth protest against and imprecate himself if he be guilty of either of them The former evil Job 31.29 If I rejoyced at the destruction of them that hated me And this Vers 27. If my heart hath been secretly enticed or my mouth hath kissed my hand This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge Vers 28. for I should have denied that God that is above It is Saint Gregories note upon that text Per manum operatio per os locutio designatur manum ergo osculatur ore suo qui laudat quod facit testimonio propriae locutionis soli virtutem tribuit operis Let us remember our Sicut in coelo as in heaven For in heaven the twenty foure Ellers cast their Crowns before the Throne Rev. 4.10 which as Saint Gregory saith is Certaminum suorum victorias non sibi tribuere sed authori ut ad illum referant gloriam laudis à quo se sciunt accepisse vires certaminis To arrogate to our selves Gods glory this is Jobs judgment is iniquitas maxima the greatest iniquity for peccatum ex infirmitate spem non perdit sin of infirmity loseth not hope but presumption destroyeth hope utterly and so faith also for faith is the ground of things hoped for Against this let us heare the Apostle Let us not be desirous of vain-glory Gal. 5.26 This is that dangerous sinne of pride which doth put our selves into the place and roome of God and usurpeth his rights Our Saviour hath sufficiently discouraged this sin in a few words to such as do rightly understand him for when the disciples returned to him Luk. 10 17 and said Lord the devils are subject to us through thy name Christ answered I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven Greg. Vt in discipulis suis elationem premeret Vers 18. judicium ruinae retulit quod ipse magister elationis accepit The very way to begin the true worship and service of God in us is to put off our selves by an humble and true Confession that of our selves we areable for no good work I do not say to demerit God but not to do our selves any good the wisedome that guideth us is from above the strength that enableth us is dextra excelsi the right hand of the most High this shews which way the glory and praise of all must go Considering then the fault of these Chaldaeans in this vanity of boasting themselves 1. Let us come to decline it as a disease 2. Let us embrace the remedies thereof 1. Decline it Vse 1. Because it trespasseth that same primum magnum mandatum the first and great Commandment for it robbeth God of his glory and assumeth it to our selves and God hath sworn that he will not admit any Partner or sharer with him in glory 2. It connumerateth us with the children of Satan for he is the father of all the sons of Pride 3. It exterminates charity for it maketh a mans own wil the rule of his actions and not the wil of God which maketh us the Praevaricators of the second like Commandment to the first diliges proximum sicut teipsum Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 4. It maketh us liable to the severest vengeance of God for God resisteth the proud and if they perish whom God doth not assist what hope can they have whom God doth resist 5. It strippeth us out of all those graces and common favours of the Holy Ghost which we have for when God seeth that we employ his talent to our own advantage he will surely take it from us seeing he took from him that employed not his talent to his advantage for it is a greater sin to be a false then to be an idle servant 6. There is no vice that becomes a man
then should keep thee from this remedy 1. Consider that there is no man in better case then thou by nature for all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God 2. Confider that this remedy is without thy self if it were of thy self thou hadst cause to distaste it but it is the free offer of Gods grace to thee 3. Consider that the giver of the Remedy is the giver of faith also by which the remedy is apprehended and applyed and if thou do not feel this faith in thy self do not judge thy self void of it for there may be and is faith often where is no feeling thereof 4. Tarry the Lords leasure as before wait for the vision will not lye How long lay the poore man at the Poole of Bethesda and though still hindered yet was he not without hope We must not part the truth of God and his justice and mercy for the truth of God bindeth both the threatnings of his judgement and the truth of his mercy Thus is the faith of the Elect given and nourished in us 2. How our faith may be proved Because there may be a shew and seeming of faith where the true substance thereof is wanting the best way to try our faith is by the true touchstone for as gold is tried by the touch so faith which is much more precious then gold that perisheth hath a proper touchstone to try it 1 Pet. 1.7 1. That is the conscience of man within for that doth declare to himself his faith 2. That is good conversation and godly life for that doth declare our faith to men 1. A good Conscience For being justified by faith we have peace toward God Rom. 5. This peace a wicked man cannot have Non est pax impio saith God No peace to the wicked Against this is a double objection 1. Many wicked men have quiet hearts and aile nothing Object they are not humbled like other men they are not poured from vessel to vessel therefore their sent remaineth in them The effect of true peace is joy in the Holy Ghost Sol. The wicked mans joy is not such it is but a flash it is neitâ—â—â—â—ound for when any tryal cometh it faileth neither is â—t 〈…〉 for it perisheth in time neither is it growing and increâ—â—â—â—g neither is it excusing 2. Many of the best of Gods servants have their minds troubled and suffer great distresses in their conscience for sinne Object 2 yea such a winter there is upon their souls that they feel not any life of grace at all in them True but observe from whence this ariseth Sol. even from the warre of the spirit against the flesh the world and the devil in which conflict often times the spirit is daunted and dismayed for a season but there is ever joy in tribulations and joy arising and growing out of sorrowes whereas the hearts of them that have not Faith dye in them And this fire is from heaven the covering of it with oppressions doth make it burn so much the hotter and the strring of it up with temptations doth make it shine the clearer so that peace of conscience is a sure signe of a good Faith 2. Another touch-stone for this gold this Faith is an evidence of godly conversation to approve our selves to God and man both by doing all the duties of a godly life and avoyding the contrary This is the only work of Faith in us 1. The pit whence we draw this water of life is deep the bucket by which we fetch it up is Faith for whatsoever desire or strength we have or endeavour to live godly it is an extraction drawn by our Faith from Jesus Christ I live by Faith in the same God 2. Faith only doth assure to us the loving kindnesse of God God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son c. Ecce quantam charitatem what eye shall behold this but the eye of Faith 3. Faith worketh love that is it breedeth a correspondence between Christ and us for the beleeving soul assured of Christs love to it doth cast about within it self quid rependam and finding nothing to recompence that love it seeketh how God may be pleased and walketh in that way so neer as he can So it is said of the faithful that they walk with God and they answer every temptation to evill as Joseph did How shall I do this and sin agaâ—â—â—â—â—â—d Or if by infiâ—â—â— â—hey fall they cry God mercy and they groan and grieâ—â—â—â—hin themselves that they cannot performe better service to God Thus we love God 1 Joh. 4.19 Luk. 7 47. because he loved us first And Christ said Many sins are forgiven her quia dilexit multum This is a fruit of the Holy Ghost shed abroad in our hearts by faith Observe it when faith doth lie concealed in us that our selves cannot discern it yet may we discern in our selves our love of God and of such as love God and this proves Gods love to us for we could not love him except he loved us first 4. Faith maketh us sincere for it is the notation of our faith it is called faith unfained and Christ saith Blessed be the pure in heart faith purifieth the heart as the Apostle saith These are not the generation of them that are pure in their own eyes of which Solomon spake but the other of which David his father spake Haec est generatio quaerentium faciem tuam Seeing there cannot be perfectio operis the perfection of works God is pleased if there be puritas cordis purity of heart 2 Cor. 1.12 which the Apostle calleth Simplicitie and godly purenesse And that is known by these signes 1. If a man be humbled in true contrition for sins which he knoweth himself guilty of and hath no peace in his heart till he hath comfort in his conscience that God hath forgiven them 2. If he consider his own weaknesse so farre as to acknowledge that he committeth many sins that he knoweth not and prayeth earnestly and often with David à secretis meis munda me cleanse me from my secret sins 3. If he finde in his heart a present strife of his spirit against the flesh wrastling with his own corruptions and not suffering sin to reign in his mortal body leading him captive to the Law of sinne 4. If he finde him watchful to prayer and fasting and watching and all exercises of mortification striving to bring his body in subjection to the law of God 5. If he be willing to hide the word of God in his heart to arme him against Satans temptations as Christ did with scriptum est it is written 6. If he finde a desire of perseverance therein to the end which is discerned by his spiritual growth from grace to grace bringing forth more fruit even in age as Christ testifieth of the Church of Thyatira more at the last then at the first Rev. 2.19 For he that beleeveth in
the eare c. 2. In respect of his permission for he hath chains to bind up Satan and his instruments and he can carry snares when he will to catch sinners This is not approbation but toleration for a time 3. It is of the Lord in respect of his will for he scourgeth a man with his own sins in just judgement and letteth the wicked wear out themselves with extreme labours for their punishment Whereas if he have a favour to any he cals upon them It is vain for you to rise up early Ps 127.2 to sit up late to eat the bread of sorrows for he giveth his beloved sleep And our Saviour saith Nolite sollicitiesse Be ye not careful But the Aegyptians shall gather Jewels of silver Ex. 14.25 and Jewels of gold together it is of the Lord and they shall pursue Israel into the sea and to make them work he took off their charet wheels that they drave them heavily 2. It is of the Lord that all their labour is lost For the Jewels of Gold and Jewels of silver which the Aegyptians have gathered the Israelites shall carry away And they and their chariots which they have driven long shall all be covered with the sea The Prophet putteth them together Thou shalt sow but thou shalt not reap Mic. 6.15 thou shalt tread the Olives but shalt not annoint thee with the oyle and sweet wine but thou shalt not drink wine For God professeth it I will walk contrary unto you Lev. 26 24 and punish you seven times for your sins It is a great wisedome in our labour to consider whither God be with us and walk with us or walk contrary to us Isa 57.2 For if we fear God and walk in his ways we are said to walk with God But if we do that which is evil in his sight and covet an evil covetousnesse to build our nests and to gather riches by unlawful means such as God in his word hath forbidden we shall see and find that God will walk contrary to us To proud man shall find that when he is at the highest God can cast him down The extortioner shall find that no bonds nor statutes will hold his debtors they will say we will break these bonds and cast away these cords from us The wanton shall find that the sins of his youth shall ake in the bones of his age and they that sow in wickednesse shall reap in shame There be many that meet with grievous inconveniencies in their life manifold crosses in their health in their friends in their children in the affairs of life especially such as concern their estate and they do not observe two things most of all to be heeded 1. That God walketh contrary to them and crosseth them 2. The cause why God doth so Here it is plain that these crosses are of the Lord and the Lord himself revealeth the cause and giveth account of his judgments for pride and covetousnesse c. Observe how the Prince of darknesse hath blinded our eyes 1. The sins that bring in profit and make the pot seeth 1. Suggest though Moses and his Prophets Christ and his Apostles do tell them that they are sins and such as lead the offenders to hell they will not believe them all against their profit but cry as the Ephesians did for Diana Great is Mammon this is called The deceitfulnesse of Riches Mat. 13.22 O Who hath bewitched the heart of man that he should value his soul for which Christ died at so low a rate that he will sell it for corruptible things So St. Peter cals and silver Forasmuch as yee know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as gold and silver 1 Pet. 1.18 2. These sins be thought little sins where they be confest 2 Suggest because they make a man able to make God some part of amends in almes and good works so the oppressour of his brethren turneth his oppressions into sacrifices as if oppressions of injury could be sacrifices of righteousnesse This suggestion seemeth supported by the words of Christ Give almes of such things as you have Luc. 11.41 and behold all things are clean to you So that he which hath congested wealth by oppression shall purifie all his goods by giving almes of part thereof They mistake our Saviour there observe him well he found the Pharisees faulty in this sinne here threatned with judgment for their outside was a fair Profession of Religion their inside was full of rapine and wickednesse 1. Our Saviour opposeth almes against rapine rapine corrupteth all the goods that we possesse even the fruits of our honest labours in our callings the fruits of our inheritance from our Parents goods unlawfully gotten from our brethren against the law and word of God do make all unclean they defile all and bring a rust and canker upon our treasure but charity by distribution of almes doth purifie and keep clean all our wealth 2. This charity must have matter to work upon and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such things as are in our power we may give no almes de alieno of what is anothers and there is nothing in our power to dispose of but what we may rightly call our own this utterly despaireth the hope of the oppressor that he may make a sacrifice of his rapines And farther whereas the custome of gathering wealth by injury which robbeth our brethren doth passe it over lightly as a small sinne let me tell you that ill-gotten goods do bring such a sin upon a man as cannot be purged but with two Pills 1. Unfained repentance 2. Just restitution Observe it in Zachaeus he joyned charity and restitution his charity was of his own goods Dimidium bonorum meorum Luk. 19.8 It is theft what soever is not Gods gift and nothing is the gift of God but what is warrantable by the law and word of God For this a man that feareth God will rather be Gods Lazarus and beg crumbs then the Devils Dives and fair deliciously 3. The oppressors of their brethren that live at ease 3 Suggest and rest in plenty and surfet drinking the sweat of their brethrens faces and to use the phrase of David drinking the blood of their brethren when any crosse or losse betideth them because they observe some formal customary profession and practice of Religion they smooth it over with this comfort that God doth exercise the patience of his servants in this life with some tryals To whom I say take heed be not deceived take not that for an exercise of thy patience which is a punishment of thy sin 1. Thou mistakest God he is not thy friend but is contrary to thee 2. Thou mistakest thy self thou callest thee the servant of God no Mammon is thy God for thou goest against the word of God to gather wealth It is but a false worship that thou givest to God God loves
opinions As in the first temptation he told the woman ye shall not surely dye for God doth know that when ye eate thereof ye shall be as gods Bringing the woman into divers dishonourable thoughts of God as concerning his truth his justice his love to man For in tempting her to eate against the presse and precise commandment of God 1. She must think that God would not bring death upon her for her fault as he had threatned which toucheth the truth of God 2. She must suppose that the offence of eating taken at the worst is a small offence and so not likely to be avenged and mulcted with any such punishment which toucheth the justice of God 3. She must suppose that God who shewed so much favour to man to give him all the fruit for his meate but that had he loved man as he made shew would not have left that fruit for a snare to catch him and bring him to ruine or if he did so he was too loving to man to work upon the advantage Yet in this very suggestion wherein he infuseth so many dishonourable thoughts into the heart of the woman to dim the brightnesse of Gods excellent glory observe how he doth secretly confesse that God is jealous of his glory for faith Gen. 3.5 he doth know that in the day that you eate thereof you shall be as gods That is to say as well as he loves you he would not admit you into the society of his glory for man was created in the likeness of Gods holinesse and righteousnesse but not in the similitude of his glory That Satan knew well and therefore suggested that ambition which he knew would ruine mankind for that had cast him out of heaven Here by the way let me shew you the sting of the first sinne God had said to Adam Thou shalt not eate 2. Qua die comederis morte morieris what day thou eatest thou shalt die 1. In the eating the forbidden fruit the Commandment of God was broken therein man rebelled 2. In the eating being threatned with death for punishment of their eating there must either be 1. Presumption upon the goodnesse of God which should make him merciful against his truth and justice or 2. Unbeleife of his power to inflict that punishment or 3. Contempt of his power or 4. A carelesnesse I will taste come of it what will And in all these the glory of God is much defaced 3. In the eating to be as gods that most nearly touched the glory of God for it was a base opinion of God in the heart of the woman to conceive him such as she might come to be as wise as he this layd home upon the crown of Gods glory In which passage let me commend one observation of mine own upon the Text to your judgments Sâ—than tempted the woman only not the man and he sugard his temptation with these two arguments only 1. Non moriemini ye shall not dye 2. Eritis sicut dii ye shall be as gods There was aculeus in cauda a sting in the tayl for that last stung her to the quick When she came after to tempt her husband it seemeth that her inducements were three 1. It was good for food 2. Pleasant to the eye 3. To be desired to make one wise Here is no mention of this temptation to be like God Which makes me think that Adams sin did not violate the glory of God so much as the womans did and that the refore the Apostle faith I Tim. 2 â—4 Adam was not deceived but the woman was deceived and was in the transgression For though I cannot clear Adam from doing injury that ways yet as the school faith he that cannot be excused a toto may be excused a tanto But the point which I wish terrible in your remembrance is that suggestions to sin do lay their foundation in some unworthy opinion of God which trespasseth his glory here spoken of God himself declares as much to the ungodly When thou sawest a theif thou consentedst with him c. These things thou hast done and I kept silence then thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self Ps 50.21 The fool saith in his heart Psal 14.1 Non est Deus there is no God that he may sin the more securely David stirreth up God the avenger against the ungodly that boast themselves in evil that break in pieces Gods people Psal 94.5 and afflict his heritage That slay the widow and the stranger Vers 6. that murther the fatherlesse How dare they do all this Yet they say the Lord shall not see Vers 7. neither shall the God of of Jacob regard it Augustine to such In foelix homo ut esses curavit Deus non curat ut bene esses Is not this a great trespasse against the honour of God to deny his providence There be presumptuous sinners that go on in very great sins sins which Gods word detecteth and reproveth and threatneth yet as the Prophet saith They will lean upon the Lord and say is not the Lord among us no evil shall come upon us Thus they dishonour God that make him the patrone of their persons and their sins Mich. 3.11 But they that have true knowledge of the glory of God they behold him in Majesty and that not only opening his hand and giving and filling but stretching out his arme and striking and so in that one sight they behold both Ecce quantam charitatem and scientes terrorem Domini behold how great love and knowing the terrour of the Lord. In the due consideration of his justice and mercy both governed with wisdom to moderate exuberancie consisteth the knowledge of Gods glory This point serveth to good use For first it assureth us I. Vse that the God whom we serve is the true God because he is so jealous of his glory that he will have none to share with him therein For the gods of the Heathen were such good-fellows as they would admit society Baal and Melchom and Moloch and Rempham the god of Eckron Dagon the Devil and all I do not hear of any great jealousie between them but the true God is impatient of corrivall in glory 2. Because God claimeth glory in such extent all the earth over which none of the god of the heathen did but were content with their territories and knowing him to be the true God We are taught Vse 2 that there ought nothing be so dear to us as the glory of God Do but observe what remembrancers we have to put us in mind of this The law begins I am the Lord thy God who brought thee out of the land of Egypt That implyes who brought thee into the land of Egypt The Lords Prayer Our Father which art in heaven and the first Petition Sanctificetur nomen tuum then adveniat regnum then fiat voluntas all glory The Creed Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem
drunkennesse call it good fellowship or making merry or keeping good company or whatsoever faire colours you will lay upon it it is drunkennesse It turns grace into wantonnesse and medicine into disease it maketh the body which should be the Temple of the Holy Ghost the very Cellar of Bacchus The evils that grow out of this sinne are many 1. The great Commandement is broken which biddeth us to love God above all things for the drunkard makes his belly his god and delâ—ghteth in his shame neither is God in all his ways of whom doth the name of God more suffer then of the drunkard and who do make lesse conscience of the Sabbath then such do who make that day of all other the most licentious the most lascivious despising the Commandment of God 2. It is a sin against himself who committeth it for he shameth himself to beholders he wasteth his estate hurteth his own body drowneth his understanding judgment memory and depriveth himself of the use of reason as Solomon saith Pro. 23.29 Who hath woe who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath babling who hath wounds without cause who hath rednesse of eyes They that tarry long at the wine At the last it biteth like a serpent Vers 32. Vers 33. and stingeth like an adder It corrupteth the affections and inflameth lust Thine eyes shall behold strange women It corrupteth the speech thine heart shall utter perverse things It maketh a man insensible of his punishment They have stricken me and I was not sick they have beaten me Vers 35. and I felt it not It groweth into an habite and cannot be easily given over drunkennesse is like a quartane the dishonour of Physitians so it is the dishonour of Preachers they cannot cure it we would have cured the drunkard and he would not be healed When shall I awake I will yet seek it again as Saint Gregory saith qui hoc facit non facit peccatum sed totus est peccatum 3. It is a sin against our neighbour for it is a waster and consumer of the provisions which God hath given to nourish and sustain many and so he becomes a thief robbing the hungry and thirsty for it is panis pauperis vinum dolentis the bread of the poor and the wine of the sorrowful that is thus swilled and swallowed It toucheth upon the Commandment of murther for to take away life and to take away the means that should support life are so set that we can hardly draw a line between them It inflameth lust as Ambrose Pascitur libido conviviis vino accenditur ebrietate inflammatur it filleth the tongue with allkind of evil words which corrupt good manners turpiloquium multiloquium vaniloquium falsiloquium and where be the good names of men more foully handled then upon the ale-bench when a drunken Senate meeteth And to conclude it dishonoureth Parents for the laws of the Church and the laws of the Common wealth do forbid it and designe punishment for it Yet this sin is the Diana of our Ephesus and if all the Preachers of England do cry it down in Pulpits the Court of good fellowship will cry it up again though we shew you the serowl of God and open all the folds of it and read it to you written within and without with nothing but lamentations mourning and wo against this sin though we bind the sinners in this kind by the power given to us by Christ saying Whosoever sins yee retain they are retained yet do men run headlong into this sin without fear or wit But when sin is once grown into fashion we may stretch out our hands all the day long against it and spend our strength in vain yet I will not despair of a blessing upon our faithful labours against it and thus much I will undertake to do as the Apostle saith I will yet shew you a more excellent way I will yet shew you approved remedies against this sinne and there is no time of the year unseasonable for the soul to take Physick Remedia 1. Take Davids Physick I have kept thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Remed 1 for that word will answer the temptation as Ioseph did How then shall I do this great wickednesse and so sin against my God Remember the fearful threatnings of wo and judgement against this sinne Remember the day of judgment wherein every man must give account to God of himself and of all his ways remember the bitternesse of the latter end thereof all this is clearly denounced in the word of God Remember that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God for our God is even a consuming fire 2. Remedy is a constant Practise of mortification for they that humble their souls with fasting and chasten their bodies and bring them in subjection that watch and pray and call their sins every day to account and examine their consciences by the law of God he that doth these things well shall soon come to their diet of whom the Psalmist speaketh Thou feedest them with the bread of tears and givest them tears to drink in great measure Psâ—l 80.5 Then thou wilt go mourning all the day long 3. Remedy is withdrawing thy self from such company as use drunkennesse from such places wherein it is used as Solomon adviseth Be not amongst wine-bibbers amongst riotous eaters of flesh for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty Prov. 23.20.21 and drowsinesse shall cloath a man with rags So Saint Paul chargeth the Corinthians But now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater 1 Cor. 5.11 or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one no not to eat It is company that corrupts many there are few that love drunkennesse so well 1 Reg. 16.9 that they will sit down and drink themselves drunk as Elah king of Israel did but good fellowship spoils all and one pot draweth on another 4. Remedy is Let every man abide in the calling wherein he was called 1 Cor. 7.20 God hath given his Angels charge of thee to keep thee in all thy ways so it is said of a drunkard that he is out of the way for did he exercise himself in his calling within his way he could not miscarry The desire of the slothful killeth him for his hands refuse to labour Pro. 21.25.26 he coveteth greedily all the day long 5. Remedy is a consideration of the hunger and thirst which Christ sustained on earth for thee and of the hunger and thirst which Christ yet in the members doth suffer Remember what he hath done for thee do not waste that unthriftily which would serve to relieve Jesus Christ he hungred to satisfie thee do not thou surfet to make him hungry he thirsted it was one of the last words that he
spake on the Crosse Sitio I thirst do not thou make thy self drunk with that which should quench his thirst lest thy last draught be like his vinegar mingled with gall 6. Remedy is a consideration that we are required to pray continually and in all things to give thanks which holy duty we cannot performe so long as we are in our cups these duties require a sound judgment a cleare understanding an heart established with grace as the Apostle saith Not in gluttony and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse but put ye on the Lord Jesus and have no care to the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof We were created to glorifie God in our bodies and in our souls for they are God's and therefore whether you eate or drinke or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God 7. Remedy consider that we are bidden guests to the Supper of the Lamb and the Spirit and the Bride saith come and let whosoever heareth say come Rev. 22.17 and take of the waters of life freely we cannot tell when this supper time is till Gods messenger death cometh and telleth us all things are prepared come now let not us over-charge our hearts with surfetting and drunkennesse least that day come upon us unawares they that are drunk already and full gorged with wine and strong drink Luc. 21 34. have left no roome for the waters of life vas plenum plus non recipit It is a work for our life on earth to travel and take paines and to exercise our souls to godlinesse and all to get us a stomach to this Supper of the Lamb here is meate enough the fatnesse of Gods house we shall be fed as it were with marrow here is the hidden Manna for bread here is Calix inebrians we shall be made to drink of the rivers of Gods pleasures for at his right hand are pleasures for evermore Here are good guests for many shall come from the East and West Mat. 8.11 and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven They that come there let them drink and spare not but let them keep their stomachs till then I conclude this point in the words of our Saviour If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them 2. They give their neighbour drink Joh. 13.17 and put their bottle to him adding heat to heat Drunkennesse as you have heard is a grievous sin but this is a degree of fuller unrighteousnesse to make others drunk Amongst all the sins that David did commit nothing sate so close to him nor left so foul a staine upon the honour of his memory as did his carriage toward the Hittite Vriah David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned from nothing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite 1 Reg. 15.5 This excuse of David in all other things wherein through humane frailty he failed often doth shew how God passeth over the sins of the elect as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which through infirmity they do commit but this special notice taken of the matter of Vriah the Hittite declareth it to have been peccatum primae magnitudinis a sin of the first magnitude in a vessel of glory because so many sins met together in it to name the most eminent First adultery then the making of Vriah drunk then the murthering of Vriah Wherein you see that this foul sin doth make weight in the burthen of David The Holy Ghost to declare how foul and hideous a sin drunkennesse is hath not spared to leave the dishonour of Gods good servants upon record offending therein as of Noah who is much to be excused because having planted a Vine and out of the grapes having pressed the first liquor that we read made of grapes and not knowing the strength thereof being also old he was overtaken with it once and no more Surely it was the will of God so early to let the danger of wine appeare even at the first drinking thereof that all succeeding times might beware So the example of David who made Vriah drunk against whom the matter of Vriah is upon record for terrour that men should feare this great sin of making their neighbours drunk for that is part of the matter of Vriah the Hittite Will you hear the decision of the canon law in their cases of conscience concerning this sin Ille qui procurat ut quis inebrietur Summa Anglica ebrietaâ—e mortaliter peccat quia consentit in damnum notabile proximi This is now the crying sin of our Land Court City Country all defiled with it and I must confesse a truth which the Sunne seeth not all innocent of it who should by authority from God reprove it by the word and punish it by the sword it is a sin in fashion Yet at the great feast which Assuerus made to his Princes it is specially noted And the drinking was by an order Hest 1.8 none might compel for so the King had appointed to all the officers of his house that they should do according to every mans pleasure Lyran his note is Nolebat Rex ut in aula sua aliquis uteretur modo incomposito irrationabili more barbarorum qui nimis importune inducebant homines ad bibendum 1. It is our duty to stir up one another Reaf 1. and to provoke one another to all Christian duties of these to act sobriety in the moderate using of meat and drink and fasting in the abstinence from them for a season St. Paul whether ye eate or drink do all to the glory of God Christ quando jejunatis To omit this duty is a great sin to commit the contrary evill is most abominable This the Prophet sheweth In that day did the Lord God of Hosts call unto weeping and mourning Isa 22 12 Vers 13. c. And behold joy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking Cras moriemur And it was declared in the eares of the Lord of Hosts Surely this iniquity shall not be purged till ye die How then shall they appeare before God who insteed of calling to fasting call to drinking and presse the drinking even to the making of their neighbour drunk 2. If we contrive against our neighbours life to take it from him Reas 2 we are murtherers if against his wife to defile her we are adulterers if against his goods to rob him of them we are theeves if against his good name we are false witnesses consider then what thou dost when thou attemptest thy neighbour to make him drunk for thou seekest to perish his understanding to rob him of the use of reason which should distinguish him from a brute beast to expose him a spectacle of shame and filthinesse to all beholders and to make him a transgressor of the law of God
Heb 10.31 Thy right hand is full of righteousnesse Psal 48. That righteousnesse will give suum cuique to every one his own it payeth home he keeps it in his bosome of purpose to spare men and to give them time of repentance But I must tell you that the Saints of God are so impatient of the wrong done to the name of God that they cry unto him O God how long shall the adversary reproach Psal 24.10 11. shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever Why withdrawest thou thy hand even thy right hand pluck it out of thy bosome 2. How he will punish 1. He will fill them with shame for glory which shame is further exprest Shameful spewing shall be on thy glory 2. He will punish them with their own sinne for he saith Drink thou also and let thy fore-skin be uncovered 1. With shame You are not to learn that all sin is folly and all sinners are fools but no transgressor in any kind doth more make a foole of himself then the drunkard doth for he proclaimeth his own shame as he walketh up and down the streets as he sitteth in the house his words his gestures his actions do all shame him as Solomon saith When he that is a fool walketh by the way his wisedome faileth him and he saith to every one that he is a foole Eccl. 10.3 so doth a drunkard shame himself by telling every one that he is drunk This were a great punishment if custome of sinning and multitude of sinners in this kind had not hardned the foreheads of them that transgresse in this kind that they feel not the rod of shame I may say with the Prophet of the drunkards of our days as he spake of the idolaters of his time Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination nay they were not ashamed Jer. 6.15 neither could they blush But let no man despise the good opinion of his neighbour sober men care not how little conversation they have with drunkards they seek to avoid them and all that fear God abhor their evil manners Yet they glory and boast how much themselves have drunk how many they have made drunk but as the Apostle saith Their glory is their shame And though they be not sensible of it in the heat of their wine and in the custome of their sinne the end thereof will be bitternesse for the wise man telleth them At the last it biteth like a Serpent Pro. 23 32 and stingeth like an adder When shame once begins to smart it goeth to the quick Remember Adam in paradise I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked Gen. 3.10 and I hid my self The Lord will come in the cool of the day to us and we shall hear his voyce in the evening of our time and then our â—hame shall come with a sting even the sting of servile fear and cast up our account What fruit then of those things whereof we are ashamed then is God even with you For he crieth out to you How long wilt thou turn my glory into shame Do not drunkards do so who make their bodies which should be the Temples of the Holy-Ghost the styes of uncleannesse The Holy Ghost you see is plain and homely in his phrase of speech these drinks which they poure into their bodies luxuriously shall not make their hearts glad they shall not comfort the stomack they shall not nourish the body The stomach shall complain of them as a wrong and cast them up as a burthen too heavy for it to bear nature it self shall exonerate it self and resist regest it in a shameful vomit And to use Gods own phrase God shall spew these workers of iniquity out of his mouth and all the service that they do to him he shall cast up again for he wil say nauseat anima mea my soul loatheth he is even sick of them and their service And if God once set upon us to shame us who then shall have pity upon thee O Jerusalem or who shall bemoan thee or who shall go aside to ask thee how thou dost Isa 15.5 2. He will punish them with their own sin Drink thou also and let thy fore-skin be uncovered 1. This calleth to your remembrance a doctrine formerly delivered out of Obadiah That God requiteth sinners with the same measure that they have measured to others 2. This reneweth also the remembrance of another doctrine there delivered that God ponisheth sin by sin as there Edom trusted in the help of men that was their fault and that God laid upon them after for a punishment So here the fault of the Chaldeans was their making men drunk that they might see their nakednesse and that is their punishment now they shall be drunk and their nakednesse discovered There I handled this question how God would be Author of this kinde of punishment and innocent in the sinne of the offendor Resolving it thus that God will withdraw his grace and forsake them that forsake him and leave them to the sourse and strong streame of their own corruptions as the Apostle saith God gave them up to uncleannesse through the lusts of their owne hearts Rom. 1.24 Vers 26. to dishonour their bodies For this cause God gave them up to vile affections We carry stuffe enough about us to punish us withall if God do but make rods of our own corruptions he will soone be armed against us You shall finde in that place of the Apostle that in man there are two things to which for sin they are yeelded up by God himself in his justice 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14. 2. Eis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These two do differ much for 1. Concupiscence is but a grudging of a disease but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the very strength of the fit 2. Concupiscence is within the heart and affections but this pathos is active and in operation and so corrupt the whole man God leaveth the wicked to both these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the minority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the strength of sin Thus as Augustine saith some sins are not tormenta peccantium but incrementa vitiorum and men do not feele any punishment Yet he that shall consider it well will find that Solomon means a punishment to the young man when he saith Rejoyce O young man in thy youth So doth the Holy Ghost saying Let him that is filthy be filthy still For if God let go the reines and leave us to our selves we are likely to bring our sin to a full stature It is a good use of this point which St. Paul teacheth Brethren Gal. 6.1 if any man be overtaken with a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a man with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy self lest thou also be tempted God hath a just hand in the moderation of the things of this world and of mens persons Hath not
God is armed vvith povver to punish evill doers 4 That in all this God vvas glorified First the consideration of former mercies doth strengthen faith in present troubles Therefore do they commemorate the manner of Gods glorious comming from Teman and of Paran vvherein he had glory in the heavens and prayse upon the earth David did make good use of this point often For vvhen my distresse came he found comfort in this remembrance Novv thou art farre of and goest not forth with our armies Thou makest us turn back from the adversary Psal 44.9.10 and they which hate us spoile for themselves c. To comfort this affliction he beginneth that Psalme We have heard with our ears O God and our fathers have told us what thou didst in their days and in the times of old How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand and planted them c. So Psal 74 9. again complaining of great afflictions We see not our signes there is no more any Prophet this is his comfort God is my King of old working Salvation in the midst of the Earth Thou didst divide ehe Sea by thy power c. So again Psal 77.2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my soar ran and ceased not and in the night my soul refused comfort Then I considered the days of old Verse 5. Psal 4.1 and the years of ancient times Thou hast enlarged me when I was distrest The reason why this doth minister comfort to the Church 1 Reas is because we have learned that our God is constant in his love whom he once loved he ever loveth for he is without variablenesse and shadow of changing as the Apostle and the Psalmist saith But thou art the same thy years shall have no end Ps 102.27.28 The children of the servants shall continue and their seed shall be established before thee The goodness of God endureth continually Psal 52.1 Reas 2. Because the commemoration of former benefits is a work of thanksgiving and prayse and that is the highest service that we can perform to God in his worship this is Sicut in coelo it is heaven upon earth For it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing prayses to the Name of the most High Psal 92.1 Ps 50.23 It is good for God for He that offereth me praise glorifieth me and for that he made us It it good for us for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased there is our happiness for in his favor is light Reas 3 Again the thankfull commemoration of former mercies of God to us doth draw on new benefits for thanksgiving as it is Gods crop which he gathereth from us of the seed of his many favours so it is our seed which we cast into the ground of Gods kindness and it bringeth us an harvest of new blessings Every man thinks his seed well bestowed in good ground that yeeldeth an encrease and God hath said Them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 This point is of excellent use Vse to stir us up to a wise consideration of the constant love of God to such as fear serve him Benefits are soon forgotten therefore as David saith I called upon the Lord in my trouble so he stirreth up himself to thankfulness My soul praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits He found great comfort in this looking back When he undertook Goliah and Saul discouraged him as unable for it he looked back to the time past and remembred how God had delivered him from a Lion and a Bear and from that experience of Gods good help he resolved to attempt the uncircumcised Philistine And in his declining years when age grew upon him he comforted his drooping spirits thus Thou art my hope O Lord God Psa 71.5 even my trust from my youth Vpon thee have I been stayed from the womb thou art he that took me from my mothers bowels Cast me not off in the time of age forsake me not when my strength faileth There be three sorts of men that do even run themselves upon the edge and point of reprehension we cannot here forgive them a chiding 1 Those that tanquam prona pecora as groveling beasts do look onely upon the time incumbent mistaking St. Paul who saith I forget that which is behind Lyranus understandeth him legalia terrena Theophilact better Praeteritarum virtutum nihil reminiscor nec memoria repeto Phil. 3.13 sed ea omnia post tergum relinquo So we must forget all the good we have done as being short of perfection that we may mend our pace in the ways of Gods Commandements But the Apostle did look back to times past to see what Christ had done for us how he loved us when vve vvere his enemies how he washed us in his bloud how he forgave him his sins and how he obteined mercy of him because vvhat he did he did it ignorantly through unbelief 2 Those also are here reproved vvho look only to the time past and see therein nothing but Gods temporall favours but regard not the times present and consider not Gods spirituall graces Some that lived in the time of Popery do prayse those dais then vvas good house-keeping easie rents a constant fashion of apparrel that many Gentlemen had the lands of their grandfathers in possession and their cloaths on their backs then vvas no seeking of reversions or buying of offices no market of Church-livings Israel did so Remember the fish that we are in Aegypt for nought the Cucumbers and the Melons and the Leeks and the Onions num â—1 5 and the Garlick I deny not but when the people of this Land vvere fewer and the vanity of the pride of other Nations and many of their foul sins kept home and were not imported hither there were better times for the belly then these are But let us see the state of souls at that time they were then in the house of bondage under Pharaoh of Rome Beef and Mutton Wheat and Barly were cheap but the two Testaments the two breasts of the Church vvere like a Fountain sealed up and like a Garden enclosed But when Queen Elizabeth began to rest in this Hemisphere like the Sun to run her race she turned that night into day and maintained this light till she vvas taken up into heaven and she that vvas a shining star on earth and blest the Church of God here vvith benigne aspect and influence vvas made a glorious ever blessed Saint in heaven In the beginning of her raign God came from Teman The Holy one from mount Paran God revealed himself in the glorious Sun-shine of his Gospel of peace 3 They are also reproved vvho out of too much fore-casting fear of the times to come do quite forget both the former and the present mercies of God and astonish themselves vvith representations of hideous formes of ensuing
us at the doore vvhen vve are going forth to act it he may overtake us vvhen we are upon the vvay he may cut us off in the act of sin and bring us from the fact to judgement And how soever his mercy hath the name above his other works and his patience and long suffering be the fruits of his mercy yet he never had mercy enough to swallow or consume either his justice or his truth He hath diverted his plague often he hath sometimes called it in and long he keepeth it in for that he expecteth repentance but he hath never turned it out of his service but hath it always before him he hath also turned his fire another way that it might not come neer the Tabernacles of the righteous but he hath never quenched it it is always at his feet if he moveth that moveth with him the Rain-bow about his head is the joy of his Church the coals of terrour at his fire are the terrour of the wicked 2. We have also our lesson herein Vse 2 2 Cor. 5.11 for the Apostle saith Knowing therfore the terror of the Lord we perswade men but we are made manifest unto God and I trust are made manifest also in your consciences We find this danger in sin and this severity in judgement thereupon we perswade men to a conscionable course of life such as may keep them unspotted of the world If we do not acquaint you with the terrour of the Lord and shew you the pestilence that walketh before him and the burning coals at his feet God will right himself upon us for as he told his Prophet Ezekiel so he will deal with us Son of man I have made thee a watchman to the house of Israel therefore hear the word from my mouth Ezc. 3.17 and give them warning from me When I say to the wicked thou shalt surely dye and thou givest him not warning nor speakest to warn the wicked from his evill way to save his life the same wicked man shall dye in his iniquity but his bloud will I require at thy hand This excuseth us to you when we preach the rod of God even pestilence and coales of fire that this is not our furie and railing as some call it but it is the wrath of the Lord against sin and if we temper a bitter potion for you to drink it is not poison but medicine and it is ministred to you as God himself saith to save your lives that you may not dye in your sins it is the therapentique physick to heal your souls it is prophilactique to us to prevent disease that we perish not for your unreproved sins The arrows of vengeance are aimed at your sins that you may kill sin and save the sinner alive Cry therefore Spare us good Lord. 4. Doct. God is glorious in heaven and in earth for this Heaven is covered with his glory and the Earth is full of his praise This is the confession of David O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the Earth Psa 8.1 who hast set thy glory above the heavens What need we any more reason to think this his due Reas 1 then these two 1 His name onely is excellent his glory is above the Earth and Heaven Here we are sure we cannot over-doe in matter of praise and glory the Angels and Saints do him that service and cover the heaven with the praises of God Psa 148.13 for his love shineth to his Church and we pray Sicut in Coelo as in heaven He also exalteth the horne of his people Psa 14.3 the praise of all his Saints Let not us sit out vvhen all joyn to glorifie God Vse let not any of us like the fleece of Gideon be dry vvhen all the floore is watered vvith the joys and jubilations of the Church David is not content vvith a bare praising of the name of God as they that say alway The Lord be praised but he requireth both a song Ps 149.1 Canticum novum a nevv song and that in the congregation of the Saints He also requireth a dance Verse 3. he requireth also instruments of musique he gives reason He vvould have us delight in the service that we do to God therefore he addeth The Lord taketh pleasure in his people Verse 4. he will beautifie the meek with Salvation Let the Saints be joyfull in glory Verse 5. let them sing aloud upon their beds Let the high praises of God be in their mouth Verse 6. This is that vvhich this example requireth not to be shallovv and sleight in the promises of God but to strein our selves to the uttermost the inward man of the heart the voice the hand playing the feet dancing till vve cover the heaven and fill the earth vvith his glory Verse 6. He stood and measured the earth he beheld and drove in sunder the Nations and the everlasting Mountains were scattered the perpetuall hils did bow his ways are everlasting 2 HEre is a commemoration of the power and glory of God in giving to his Israel the Land of Canaan for their possession Diverse judgments have made diverse constructions of these words Mr. Calvine is of opinion that they declare God in his glorious Lordship over all the world for as David when he should come to be absolute Monarch of Judah and Israel said I will rejoyce therefore and divide Shechem and mete out the valley of Succoth c. So God is here declared absolute Monarch in this phrase of measuring of the earth as David would cast his shooe over the Philistines would rejoyce So God is here declared Conquerour of all by dividing in sunder the nations c. St. Augustine turnes all into Allegory and applieth it to Christ You remember how before I found that the Church doth comfort their present miseries with remembrance of Gods former mercies therefore I choose to keep pace with the story of Gods former mercies to his Israel And as before he spake of the comming of God from Teman and Paran when he appeared glorious to them in giving the law so now he comes to another powerfull mercy that is when he gave them the promised Land for then he that went before them all the vvay of their journey in their removes now stood still as declaring that novv they vvere come to the land of their rest as he had promised it And there He measured the Earth it is ascribed here to God that he divided the land amongst the Tribes because it vvas done by lot vvherein not chance but God answered This hath reference to that story vvhich vve read Joshua 5. for when the people vvere entred into the land of Canaan and vvere come so far in to it as Gilgall that the Ark of God was setled in Gilgall Then God commanded the Sacrament of Circumcision to be revived vvhich in the vvhole journey between their comming out of Aegypt to this place had been omitted
our God for ever we may go forth boldly in the strength of the Lord both against the enemies of our temporall estate and the spirituall adversaries of our souls for who can wrong us if we follow the thing that is good God who maketh in us both velle facere to wil and to do and make us able for this work of our salvation Verse 14. Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me Hab. 3.14 there rejoycing was to devour the poor secretly THis as you have heard before in the exposition of the words hath reference to that victory which God gave against the Midianites to his Israel Judg. 7.22 wherein the Lord set every mans sword against his fellow throughout all the hoast for there he strook them with their own staves and armed them against themselves to their own ruine Wherein consider with me two things 1 Their punishment 2 Their sin In the punishment we are taught That God in his just judgment maketh the ungodly rods to punish one another of them Doct. if they have no other enemies but themselves they shall go together by the ears amongst themselves and smite one another This is that which God threatned against the sinnes in Israel no man shall spare his brother Isai 19.19 He shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shall eat on the left hand and shall not be satisfied they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh and they together shall be against Judah This was the burthen of Egypt And I will set the Aegyptians against the Aegyptians Isai 19.2 and they shall fight every one against his brother and every one against his neighbour City against City and Kingdome against Kingdome In the first of these two places the Prophet doth foretell how the Tribes shall fall out among themselves and how their greedinesse of wealth and honour shall make them devour one another For the Apostle giveth warning that we be tender how we bite one another Lest we be devoured one of another This is sin and punishment both wherein they offend therein they are punished In the second example of the Egyptians destroying one another we behold the uncertain state of ungodly nations and people they can have no constant peace 1 Because they know not Reas 1 they serve not the God of peace and where true Religion doth not unite hearts they may cry a confederacie which may hold so long as it may some private turns but the next great provocation turns all into fury and combustion for there wants the foundation of peace within them 2 Because he would thereby maintain the equity of that naturall law written in every mans heart by the finger of God Reas 2 Do as thou wouldest be done to Wouldest thou bee content to be beaten with those staves that thou hast made to beat others to be hewed and mangled with those weapons of violence therefore God in his justice employeth this preparation against themselves and scourgeth them with their own rods 3 That we may know that all things in the administration of the world are directed by the wisedome and providence of God Reas 3 who though he be a God of peace yet he also causeth divisions and contentions amongst men and punisheth transgressours therewith The ten Kings in the Revelation which are the 10 horns of of the beast that is of Rome These at first joyn their forces against the Lambe and set up the beast Revel 17.13 These have one mind and shall give their strength unto the beast But in the end And these 10 horns which thou sawest upon the beast Verse 16. these shal hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and shall burn her with fire For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and to give their Kingdom to the beast untill the words of God shall be fulfiâ—â—â—d From whence we gather that that agreement which is amongst wicked men against Christ and against his Church is strengthened by the will and providence of God for a time till that time the confederacies of the ungodly do hold but when he pleaseth to dissolve them they end in self-woundings and intestine combustions This serveth to settle our judgments Vse 1 concerning the combinations of the wicked against the Church they are of God and he hath his secret and just ends therein either to chasten the errours and transgressions of his people or to bring their patience and piety to the test to try whether any thing will make them forsake their hold and relinquish their trust in him Or to bring the greater condemnation upon those whom he useth as instruments in this tryall of his chosen servants Therefore now that we both hear the news and see the effects of this new bloudy league to destroy the Church and to root out the Protestant Religion whereby much Christian bloud of Innocents is already shed more is feared let it establish our hearts and settle our judgments upon this rest The Lord will have it A Domino factum est hoc Tu Domine fecisti thou Lord hast done it Surely there is much drosse in our gold which must be purged we have not spared one another with schismaticall mouthes and pens to break the peace of the Church and God in his just judgment suffereth the wicked to prevail against us This comforteth the Church against these tempests of fury Vse 2 that her enemies do raise against her For though they weaken us thereby and exalt their own horn on high yet when the waves of the sea do rage horribly God that is on high is more mighty then they and he will smite them with their own staves that supported them and wound them with their own swords that defended them 3 This admonisheth us not to settle any confidence or trust in the friendship of man Vse 3 whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be trusted The Prophet Micah saith The good man is perished out of the earth Mical. 7.2 there is none upright among men they all lie in wait for bloud they hunt every man his brother with a not That they may do evill with both hands earnestly The Prince asketh Verse 3. the Judge asketh for a reward and the great man uttereth the mischief of his soul so they wrap it up The best of them is a bryar Verse 4. the most upright of them is sharper then a thorn hedge And from this consideration of the generall falshood that is in friendship his caution is Trust ye not in a friend Verse 5. put no confidence in a guide keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosome For the Son dishonoureth the Father Verse 6. the Daughter riseth up against her Mother the Daughter in
have of a Saviour We may see it in our first parents vvho no sooner had sinned but they hid themselves from God because they savv their fault by the light of the Lavv vvhich they had transgressed This fear bringeth us to repentance Reas 2 it putteth our sins in our sight and setteth before our eys the vvrath to come so the generation of vipers vvere first put in fear by vvarning given them of the anger to come and upon that foundation he buildeth his doctrine of repentance ferte ergò fructus dignos poenitentia bring forth therefore fruits vvorthy of repentance it is time to amend vvhen sin standeth at the door that is the vvages of sin to punish all or some nevv temptation to sin to make it more fear vvill tell us that time is pretious vve must lose none of it from our true repentance and conversion to God 3 This fear serveth for caution against the time to come Reas 3 for piscis ictus sapit one that hath been once soundly shaken with a strong fit of this fear will be the more weary to declâ—ne and avoid it another time For there is nothing that so much agonizeth the soul and body of man as the sense and conscience of the wrath of God 4 It is one of the arguments as you have heard Reas 4 by which we do prove certain great Articles of faith as 1 It proveth that there is a God for that power which the conscience of man doth fear as an avenger of evill is God 2 It proveth the resurrection of the body for as the Apostle saith if in this life onely we have hope so we may say if for this life onely we have fear it can be no great matter for the judgments of God cannot take sufficient vengeance of sin here 3 It proveth the finall judgment for all the afflictions of a temporall life are but the fore-unner of the last judgment But here it is objected that this may wel hold in the reprobate Quaest but to see this earth-quake of trembling in the Church and amongst the holy ones of God as it is here described this seemeth too hard a portion for Gods beloved chosen ones To this I answer that judgment beginneth at the house of God and the righteous are hardly saved Sol. they that have no other hell but in this terrour of the Lord here do most smart in this world and there is great reason for it 1 In respect of God to shew him no accepter of the persons of men but an equall hater of evill in all that commit it as David saith If I regard wickednesse in my heart God will not hear me 2 In respect of the sin committed by his chosen that God may declare the danger of it for terrour to others and his justice in avenging it that men may fear and do no more so 3 In respect of the wicked that they may have example of fear in the smart of others to bring them to the obedience and service of God This doth serve Vse 1 first for exhortation to stir us up to consider our God in the way of his judgments and to bethink us what evill may hang over our heads for sin the Church hath ever found this a profitable course In the way of thy judgments Isai 26 8. ô Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee The profit that groweth hence is there confest by the Church When thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse This doth serve to put difference Vse 2 between the children of God and the children of this world for the ungodly are not afraid of the hand of God but the sinner contemneth but the righteous layeth it to his heart so saith the Church Lord when thy hand is lifted up they wil not see Verse II. Vse 3. but they shall see and be ashamed This also serveth for consolation of the Church for let them not be too much dejected with consideration either of Gods revealed wrath or their own just fear no though their fear do shake and stagger their very faith for a time for God will not forsake them unto despair but will let some of the beams of grace shine even through the clouds of fear to comfort them David felt it Psal 56.3 and confest it saying What time I am afraid I will trust in thee See how they grow together fear and faith But this is objected as an argument against that doctrine of the assurance of salvation Ob. that a child of God may have in this life for it is urged Can a man that standeth assured of the favour of God to him in Christ Jesus be so shaken with fear as the Church here confesseth We answer 1 That fear of temporall smart in this life is naturall Sol. and may be in the sons of God it was in the Sonne of God Jesus Christ and it may be without sin and the elect although they fear the judgments of God on earth yet they doubt not but that their names are written in heaven 2 That fear is not against faith which is quick and sensible of the wrath and judgments of God it is Cos fidei the Whetstone of faith it puts a better edg upon it and serves to teach us to lay so much the faster hold upon Jesus Christ Courage either to resist an evill ingruent without a right knowledg of it or to bear an evill incumbent without a right understanding both of the Authour of it the cause of it or the end of it or the measure of it is not courage but stupidity But when we do rightly know God to lay his hand on us for sin or hear him threaten us with the rod is it not time to fear and to pray with Jeremie Be not a terrour to me Jer. 17.17 for thou art my hope in the day of evill 3 Fear and faith go together in respect of the temporall judgments of God because the threatnings of temporall judgments are not always peremptory but oft-times conditionall therefore the King of Niniveh proclaiming a generall Fast and repentance in Niniveh had this encouragement Jonah 3.9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not God himself hath put us into this comfort At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation Jer. 18.7 and concerning a Kingdome to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evill I will repent of the evill that I thought to do unto them So that this fear of the temporall judgments of God doth no way weaken the faithfull assurance that we have conceived of eternall salvation rather it strengtheneth it yea the more that we either tast or fear the punishing hand of God here the more do we