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A66020
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The arraignment of a sinner at the bar of divine justice delivered in a sermon in St. Maries Church at Oxford, March the 5. 1655 before the Right Honourable, the Judges of Assize, &c. / by Robert Wilde ...
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Wild, Robert, 1609-1679.
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1656
(1656)
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Wing W2165; ESTC R22649
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25,661
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46
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the Originalls Here is now before us a Text which if they will allow the Epistle to be Greek as indeed they doe suffers by their vulgar Latine which Lyranus Tolet and the Rhemish and most Romish writers doe and will follow in the very sense and substance of it For they read it thus Who knowing the Iustice of God understood not that they which doe such things are worthy of death c. By which they first insert non intellexerint which is not to be found in any Greeke Coppy and then that which they doe put in is not the Herbe Iohn as we say but very Colloquintida which infects the whole Messe making thereby the Gentiles who are the Subject of the Apostles discourse to be nescious and ignorant that Sin deserved at Gods hands death and so the more excusable when as the very thing which the Holy Ghost seemes apparently to drive the whole Argument at is quite contrary viz. to aggravate and accumulate to their Guilt 1 that They knew sin to be sin 2 that they knew that sin some sin at least deserved death and yet 3 that they did hold downe and violently keepe under this knowne truth like a Prisoner and in despite of it dared to commit those Sinnes Nay 4 not onely so but also that they did connive yea consent to yea Patronize and applaud Others who did so also so that They sinned not through ignorance infirmity or temptation but out of choise and Election and with Deliberation and Delight But I must remember I am not at home but in a place which needs not to be taught how to read or expound Scripture That I may therefore present you the words in a Metaphoricall language proper to this daies occasion and yet not wrench'd and forc'd Methinkes I see Saint Paul in this Epistle as in a triumphant Charriot riding by the Spirit a Circuit about the world first like a Severe but just Iudge to try and condemne all guilty ones and then according to his commission in the Gospel to offer unto all penitents a pardon from Iesus Christ the King of Peace His whole Expedition he divides into two parts as it were two Goale-deliveries One of the Gentile world whom he sits upon and tries by the Law of Nature written in all their Hearts something blurr'd yet legible and by the works of Creation and Providence obvious to their very Senses The other is an Assize upon the Iewes with whom he proceeds to a tryall according to the Lawes of their owne Moses written in their Bookes upon their Walls Doores and Phylacteries and also according to their great priviledges and Gods speciall dispensations towards them and this is the work of the second chapter My Text is the issue of his Arraignment of the Gentiles begun at ver. 18. And with some light and assistance from the context laies before us these particulars * First the Iudge Saint Paul Once a guilty and condemned Malefactor Himselfe But pardoned made a Favourite raised to the dignity of an Apostle and Ambassador sent out and by speciall commission of Oyer and Terminer as I may say given him from heaven by word of mouth from Jesus Christ the King of all the world authorized to try and judge the Gentiles And accordingly in this chapter he sits upon them opens his commission publisheth it then proceeds with them upon an issue of Eternall Life or death Such an other Judge was the Prophet Ezek. Wilt thou Iudge them Son of Man wilt thou judge them chap. 20. 3. And that I may seasonably magnifie our vilified office Such a Judge is every true Minister of the Gospell being all put into commission as well as the Apostles Math. 18. 19. 20. As very scar-crowes as the wicked world make of them having a power as authoritatively to declare and pronounce Sentence of life or death from the Pulpit upon the Souls of men as any Judge on earth hath upon the bodies and lives of Malefactors from the Bench And the effects and Successe of our Sermons doe oftentimes make this appeare causing Sinners that stand below as at a Barre to grow pale wring their hands to tremble and cry out like those in the Acts Men and Brethren what shall we doe As we read Judge Faelix himselfe did who when he sent for Paul to heare him thought only of some neat discourse but it proved a Judiciary Tryall of Him for intemperance and injustice The poore prisoner proving to be the Judge and the Judge the prisoner 2. The prisoners at the Barre of Pauls Ministry are the whole body of the Gentile-nations spread all over the Earth Greeks and Barbarians Princes Philosophers Poets Orators wise unwise rich and poor all all There is I confesse a Learned Annotator of our owne nation who as he too much hath gratified the Church of Rome laying the great Mystery of Iniquity at the doore of the Gnosticks a Mungrel Sect made up of Gentilisme Iudaisme and Christianity living in the Apostles time So also he loads them with the heavy Burden of both these chapters But I finde him in this latter opinion to stand alone and by himselfe and not so much as his Friend H Grotius with him The generall vote of Expositors being that the Gentiles were the men whom the Apostle here chargeth 3. The Indictment and Articles of Crimes laid to their Charge wee have ranked under three Heads 1 against God 2 their neighbours 3 themselves many or most of them are found to be Felones de se Not to name All Here is within the compasse of three verses 29 30 31. a Bill brought in against them consisting of Treasons Murders Felonies Riots Buggeries Perjuries and all sorts of misdemeanours no lesse than 23. in number c. 4. As for the Law by which he proceeds in their tryall it is here produced {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Ancient and Fundamentall Law of Divine Iustice From whence as the very Fountaine have issued all the just and good Lawes both Divine and Humane in the world The word in the plural number as Beza observes is promiscuously used both for the Mandates of God Morall Iudiciall and Ceremoniall and also for his Judgemenâ—s Rom. 15. 4. But in the singular as here it either signifies that Divine Law of Righteousnesse written in all mens hearts with the obligation to vengeance upon the transgressors so comes to as much as the Synteresis and Syneidesis in naturall conscience Or else it imports that just execution of punishment due for sin Iustitia poenalis Suidas calls it and our English Translation in the Text The Iudgement of God So then the Law is 1. A common and universall Law called by some The Law of Nature by others Ius Gentium and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Divine Law 2. A Iust and Equall Law translated sometimes The righteousnesse of God dealing with sinners according as they are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}
THE ARRAIGNMENT OF A SINNER At the Bar of DIVINE IVSTICE Delivered in a SERMON in St. Maries Church at Oxford March the 5. 1655. before the Right Honourable the Judges of Assize c. BY ROBERT WILDE B. D. Minister of the Gospell at Ayno in Northamptonshire GEN 18. 25. Shall not the Iudge of all the Earth doe rightly Quia impunitum non debet esse peccatum puniatur à te ne tu pro illo puniaris peccatum tuum te Iudicem habeat non patronum August de utilitate agendae poenit LONDON Printed by I. G. for Nathanael Webb and William Grantham at the black Beare in St. Paul's Church-yard neer the little North-dore 1656. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFUL JOHN CARTVVRIGHT of Ayno Esq. High Sheriffe of the County of Oxford 1655. My ever honour'd Patron SIR OF those many hundreds of Sermons which you have heard from me since you pleased to call me to the work of the Gospell in your place The lot of being published is only falne upon this single one preach't at your Command to the Country then under your Command I will not adventure at an Apology for my printing it for I look upon the presse as a common Midwife for poore folkes as well as rich and an advantage not only to the grand Masters of Learning and parts but to all other men who desire a cheape easie and ready way of Communication Neither doth this Sermon a Zacheus rather than a Saul come forth because it is higher by the head or of a goodlyer Stature or Complexion then its brethren for no man that sees it will by its looks guesse that it was born in an University nor doe I print it for any thing that it hath done beyond others upon the Subject which it handles for I am not worthy with Ionathans Lad to run and gather up their Arrows but because the Lord pleased to blesse it with some good successe the Reverend Judges and many others being much affected with it and because I cannot as yet find any way of expressing my due respects to your selfe so publiquely as this The best word it had after it was preacht and I never desire better was that it was An honest Sermon and as it is usually said of an honest man that he may travell all the world over and need not feare looking any one in the face so I hope may an honest Sermon And to him that shall examine this Messenger of mine whence he comes and whither he goes and what is his businesse If he say From Ayno with an Hue and Cry after a company of self-condemned sinners who have broken the prison of conscience and run up and downe in their chaines to apprehend them and withall makes mention of your name and warrant for so doing I hope it shall be neither danger nor dishonour to you There is never a Magistrate in England but I am sure ought and never a good one but will assist this work of Gods word to suppresse sinne and open wickednesse There is a suite I confesse depending amongst Divines about Gods Vindictive Justice and its necessary working and excellent pleaders there are on both sides Now although this Sermon speakes on the defendants side yet I hope its testimony shall offend none who shall consider that the chief tendency of my speech and indeed of that point is to the glory of Gods holinesse Justice and mercy and the beating down sinne and those slight thoughts of ungodly men concerning it if therefore this comes into a good mans hands he will not be the worse for reading it if into an evill mans he may be the better and if into a learned mans he will have cause to blesse God that he can write farre better My only request is that when it comes into your hand it may be accepted with the right hand even as it is tendred All that I have to adde is to acknowledge and to leave this with you as a testimony of my gratitude for your many favours and of your diligent and exemplary attendance at and countenance of the publick Ordinances and worship of God under my Ministery And to beg of God on your behalf that you may flourish in your spirituall estate even as you doe in your temporall That in your Magistracy you may be wise and zealous that you may be eyes to the blind and feet to the lame that you may be a terrour to evill doers and a praise to them that doe well that the poore and oppressed may waite for you as the raine and you may cause the widdowes heart to sing for joy That in your family you may walke with a perfect heart not suffering an evill doer or wicked servant to tarry in your sight In a word that by an holy and cheerfull improvement of your time Interest and many talents you may glorifie the great God credit the Gospell uphold sinking Religion be one of those innocents that may preserve the Island doe good be fruitfull in good workes relieve the poore and needy which indeed you doe more than many that make a greater noise strengthen the hands of the Ministry and so expresse your affection to Learning which I know you prize that poor I may stand by and more excellent pens come forth publiquely to acknowledge you and blesse God for you and you may be the blessed of the Lord and your seed after you Sir These are and such as these shall be the humble and dayly prayers of Your most willing and ready Servant in all civill and Christian Offices Aprill 20. 1656. RO: WILDE ROM 1. 32. Who having the judgement of God that they who commit such things are worthy of death not only doe the same but take pleasure in them that doe them SUch Malice as the Iewes formerly dwelling in England shewed when they poysoned Springs and Fountaines and such subtile cruelty as the enemies of Israel in the wars betwixt Barak and Sisera practic'd viz. to shoot most fiercely at the places of drawing water Such hath been the subtilty cruelty and malice of the enemies of Scripture and Mens soules who have either corrupted the Originalls and laboured the poysoning of them with unsound translations and Glosses or else strongly opposed those that have desired to goe down and draw for themselves and their Flocks water of life out of those pure Springs and wells of salvation Es. 12. 3. It was for this that Campanella gave that pestilent rule to the King of Spaine that he should never suffer his Students in divinity to be much exercised or acquainted with gramatical disputes concerning the Originalls of Scripture as an expedient very probable to keep them from heresies But as subtile as that Serpent was it hath proved as time and experience shewes it only a stratagem against themselves Keeping their leaders in perversnes and their poore people in much leannesse whilst they nurse them with traditions and unkinde translations and deny them the Sincere milke of