b Exod. 20.5 third scarce euer the fourth generation passe before God visit the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children if hee doe not in the very next generation In his sonnes dayes will I bring the euill vpon his house §. 34. The second Secondly if not onely our owne but our fathers sinnes too may be shall be visited vpon vs how concerneth it vs as to repent for our owne so to lament also the sinnes of our forefathers and in our confessions and supplications to God sometimes to remember them that he may forget them and to set them before his face that hee may cast them behind his backe Wee haue a good precedent for it in our publike Letany Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our forefathers A good and a profitable and a needefull prayer it is and those men haue not done well nor justly that haue cauilled at it O that men would be wise according to sobriety and allow but iust interpretations to things aduisedly established rather than busie themselues nodum in scirpo to picke needelesse quarrels where they should not What vnity would it bring to brethren what peace to the Church what ioy to all good and wise men As to this particular God requireth of the Israelites in Leuit. 26. that they should a Leuit. 26.39.40 confesse their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers b Psal. 106.6 Dauid did so and c Ierem. 3.15 Ieremy did so and d Dan. 9.5 Daniel did so in Psal. 106. in Ierem. 3. in Dan. 9. And if Dauid thought it a fit curse to pronounce against Iudas and such as he was in Psal. 109. e Psal. 109.14 Let the wickednesse of his fathers be had in remembrance in the sight of the Lord and let not the sin of his mother be done away why may we not nay how ought we not to pray for the remoueall of this very curse from vs as well as of any other curses The present age is riâ—e of many enormous crying sinnes which call loud for a iudgement vpon the land and if God should bring vpon vs a right heauie one whereat all eares should tingle could wee say other but that it were most iust euen for the sinnes of this present generation But if vnto our owne so many so great God should also adde the sins of our forefathers the bloudshed and tyranny grieuous vnnaturall butcheries in the long times of the ciuill warres and the vniuersall idolatries and superstitions couering the whole land in the longer and darker times of Popery and if as hee sometimes threatned to bring vpon the Iewes of f Math. 23.35.36 that one generation all the righteous bloud that euer was shed vpon the earth from the bloud of the righteous Abel vnto the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias so hee should bring the sinnes of our Ancestors for many generations past vpon this generation of ours who could be able to abide it Now when the security of the times giue vs but too much cause to feare it and the regions begin to looke white towards the haruest is it not time for vs with all humiliation of Soule and Body to cast downe our selues and with all contention of voyce and spirit to lift vp our prayers and to say Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our forefathers neither take thou vengeance of our sinnes Spare vs good Lord spare the people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious bloud and be not angry with vs for euer Spare vs good Lord. §. 35. the third inference Thirdly Since not onely our fathers sinnes and our owne but our Neighbours sinnes too aliquid malum propter vicinum malum but especially the sinnes of Princes and Gouernours a Morat 1. Episâ— 2. delirant reges plectuntur Achiui may bring iudgements vpon vs and enwrap vs in their punishments it should teach euery one of vs to seeke his owne priuate in the common and publike good and to endeauour if but for our owne security from punishment to awaken other from their security in sinne How should wee send vp b â— Tim. 2.1 2. supplications and prayers and intercessions for Kings and for all that are in authority that God would encline their hearts vnto righteous courses and open their eares to wholesome counsells and strengthen their hands to just actions when but a sinfull ouersight in one of them may proue the ouerthrow of many thousands of vs as Dauid but by once numbring his people in the pride of his heart lessened their number at one clap c 2 Sam. 24.15 threescore and ten thousand If d Ios. â—8 10.25 Israel turne their backs vpon their enemies vp Iosuah and make search for the troubler of Israel firret out the thiefe and doe execution vpon him one Achan if but suffered is able to vndoe the whole hoast of Israel what mischiefe might he do if countenanced if allowed The houre I see hath ouertaken me and I must end To wrappe vp all in a word then and conclude Thou that hast power ouer others suffer no sin in them by base conniuence but punish it thou that hast charge of others suffer no sin in them by dull silence but rebuke it thou that hast any interest in or dealing with others suffer no sinne vpon them by easie allowance but distast it thou that hast nothing else yet by thy charitable prayers for them and by constant example to them stop the course of sin in others further the growth of grace in others labour by all meanes as much as in thee lyeth to draw others vnto God lest their sinnes draw Gods iudgements vpon themselues and thee This that thou mayst doe and that I may do and that euery one of vs that feareth God and wisheth well to the Israel of God may doe faithfully and discreetely in our seuerall stations and callings let vs all humbly beseech the Lord the God of all grace and wisedome for his Sonne Iesus sake by his holy spirit to enable vs. To which blessed Trinity one only wise immortall inuisible almighty most gracious and most glorious Lord and God be ascribed by euery one of vs the kingdome the power and the glory both now and for euer Amen THE FOVRTH SERMON In S. Pauls Church London 4. Nov. 1621. 1. COR. 7.24 Brethren let euery man wherein he is called therein abide with God IF flesh and bloud be suffered to make the Glosse §. 1. The Occasion and scope of the Text. it is able to corrupt a right good Text. It easily turneth the doctrine of Gods grace into a Iude 4. wantonnesse and as easily the doctrine of Christian libertie into licenciousnesse These Corinthians being yet but b 1. Cor. 3.1.3.4 Carnall for the point of Liberty consulted it seemeth but too much with this cursed glosse Which taught them to interpret their Calling to the Christian faith as an Exemption
vs that are of the Clergie §. 4. The explication of the words By manifestation of the Spirit here our Apostle vnderstandeth none other thing than hee doth by the adiectiue word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first and by the substantiue word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last verse of the Chapter Both which put together doe signifie those spirituall gifts and graces whereby God enableth men and especially Church-men to the duties of their particular Callings for the generall good Such as are those particulars which are named in the next following verses a Vers. 8-10 the word of wisdome the word of knowledge faith the gifts of healing workings of miracles prophecy discerning of spirits diuers kinds of tongues interpretation of tongues All which and all other of like nature and vse because they are wrought by that one and selfe-same b Vers. 11. Spirit which diuideth to euery one seuerally as he will are therefore called c Vers. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall gifts and here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifestation of the Spirit The word Spirit though in Scripture it haue many other significations §. 5. By Spirit is meant the Holy Ghost yet in this place I conceiue to be vnderstood directly of the Holy Ghost the third Person in the euer-blessed Trinitie For first in vers 3. that which is called the Spirit of God in the former part is in the later part called the Holy Ghost a Vers. â— I giue you to vnderstand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Iesus accursed and that no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Againe that varietie of gifts which in vers 4. is said to proceed from the b Vers. 4-6 same Spirit is said likewise in vers 5. to proceed from the same Lord and in vers 6. to proceed from the same God and therefore such a Spirit is meant as is also Lord and God and that is onely the holy Ghost And againe in those words in vers 11. c Vers 11. all these worketh that one and the selfe-same Spirit diuiding to euery man seuerally as he will the Apostle ascribeth to this Spirit the collation and distribution of such gifts according to the free power of his owne will and pleasure which free power belongeth to none but God alone d Vers. 18. who hath set the members euery one in the body as it hath pleased him Which yet ought not so to bee vnderstood of the Person of the Spirit as if the Father §. 6. not as excluding the other Persons and the Sonne had no part or fellowship in this businesse For all the Actions and operations of the Diuine Persons those onely excepted which are of intrinsecall and mutuall relation are the ioynt and vndiuided workes of the whole three Persons according to the common knowne maxime constantly and vniformely receiued in the Catholike Church Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa And as to this particular concerning gifts the Scriptures are cleare Wherein as they are ascribed to God the Holy Ghost in this Chapter so they are elsewhere ascribed to God the Father a Iam. 1.17 Euery good gift and euery perfect giuing is from aboue from the Father of Lights I am 1. and elsewere to God the Sonne b Ephes. 4.7 Vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephes. 4. Yea and it may be that for this very reason in the three verses next before my text these three words are vsed Spirit in vers 4. Lord in vers 5. and God in vers 6. to giue vs intimation that c Ne gratia donum diuisum sit per personas Patri Filij et Sp. Sancti sed indiscretae vnitatis naturae trium vnum opus intellâ—gatur Ambros in 1. Cor. 7. ca. 61. these spirituall gifts proceed equally and vndiuidedly from the whole three Persons from God the Father and from his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and from the eternall Spirit of them both the Holy Ghost as from one entire indiuisible and coessentiall Agent §. 7. but by way of appropriation But for that we are grosse of vnderstanding and vnable to conceiue the distinct Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Godhead otherwise than by apprehending some distinction of their operations and offices to-vs-ward it hath pleased the wisedome of God in the holy Scriptures which being written for our sakes were to be fitted to our capacities so farre to condescend to our weaknesse and dulnesse as to attribute some of those great and common workes to one person and some to another after a more speciall manner than vnto the rest although indeed and in truth none of the three persons had more or lesse to doe than other in any of those great and common-workes This manner of speaking Diuines vse to call a V. Aquin. 1. qu. 39 7. Appropriation By which appropriation as Power is ascribed to the Father and Wisedome to the Sonne so is Goodnesse to the Holy Ghost And therefore as the Worke of Creation wherein is specially seene the mighty power of God is appropriated to the Father and the worke of Redemption wherein is specially seene the wisedome of God to the Sonne so the workes of sanctification and the infusion of habituall graces whereby the good things of God are communicated vnto vs is appropriated vnto the Holy Ghost And for this cause the gifts thus communicated vnto vs from God are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall gifts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifestation of the Spirit Wee see now why spirit but then §. 8. What is meant by Manifestation why manifestation The word as most other verballs of that forme may be vnderstood either in the actiue or passiue signification And it is not materiall whether of the two wayes we take it in this place both being true and neither improper For these spirituall Gifts are the manifestation of the spirit Actiuely because by these the spirit manifesteth the will of God vnto the Church these being the instruments and meanes of conueighing the knowledge of saluation vnto the people of God And they are the manifestation of the spirit Passiuely too because where any of these gifts especially in any eminent sort appeared in any person it was a manifest euidence that the Spirit of God wrought in him As we reade in Act. 10. that they of the Circumcision were astonished a Act. 10.45 46. When they saw that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost If it bee demanded But how did that appeare it followeth in the next verse for they heard them speake with tongues c. The spirituall Gift then is a b Id est Donum spiritus quo dono spiritus suam in homine praesentiam declarat Metonymia effecti Piscat in schol hîc manifestation of
facilitate the exercise of any of the former graces dispositions or habits such as are health strength beauty and all those other Bonae Corporis as also Bona fortunae Honour Wealth Nobility Reputation and the rest All of these euen those among them which seeme most of all to haue their foundation in Nature or perfection from Art may in some sort bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall gifts in as much as the spirit of God is the first and principall worker of them Nature Art Industrie and all other subsidiary furtherances being but second Agents vnder him and as meanes ordained or as instruments vsed by him for the accomplishing of those ends he hath appointed §. 12. Inferences hence The first And now haue wee found out the iust latitude of the spirituall gifts spoken of in this Chapter and of the manifestation of the spirit in my Text. From whence not to passe without some obseruable inferences for our Edification Wee may here first behold and admire and magnifie the singular loue and care and prouidence of God for and ouer his Church For the building vp whereof hee hath not only furnished it with fit materials men endowed with the faculties of vnderstanding reason will memory affections nor only lent them tooles out of his owne rich store-house his holy Word and sacred Ordinances but as sometimes hee filled a Exod. 35.30 c. Bezaleel and Aholiab with skill and wisedome for the building of the materiall Tabernacle so he hath also from time to time raysed vp seruiceable men and enabled them with a large measure of all needfull gifts and graces to set forward the building and to giue it both strength and beauty A Body if it had not difference and variety of members were rather a lumpe than a body or if hauing such members there were yet no vitall spirits within to enable them to their proper offices it were rather a Corps than a Body but the vigour that is in euery part to doe its office is a certaing euidence and manifestation of a spirit of life within and that maketh it a liuing Organicall body So those actiue gifts graces and abilities which are to be found in the members of the mysticall body of Christ I know not whether of greater variety or vse are a strong manifestation that there is a powerfull Spirit of God within that knitteth the the whole body together and worketh all in all and all in euery part of the body §. 13. The second Secondly though wee haue iust cause to lay it to heart when men of eminent gifts and place in the Church are taken from vs and to lament in theirs our owne and the Churches losse yet wee should possesse our soules in patience and sustaine our selues with this comfort that it is the same God that still hath care ouer his Church and it is the same Head Iesus Christ that still hath influence into his members and it is the same blessed Spirit of God and of Christ that still actuateth and animateth this great mysticall Body And therefore wee may not doubt but this Spirit as he hath hitherto done from the beginning so will still manifest himselfe from time to time vnto the end of the world in raising vp instruments for the seruice of his Church and furnishing them with gifts in some good measure meete for the same more or lesse according as he shall see it expedient for her in her seuerall different estates and conditions giuing a Eph. 4.11 13 some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministerie for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all meete in the vnitie of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnes of Christ. He hath promised long since who was neuer yet touched with breach of promise that he would b Matth. 28.20 be with his Apostles and their successours alwaies vnto the end of the world §. 14. The third Thirdly where the Spirit of God hath manifested it selfe to any man by the distribution of gifts it is but reason that man should manifest the Spirit that is in him by exercising those gifts in some lawfull Calling And so this manifestation of the Spirit in my text imposeth vpon euery man the Necessity of a Calling Our Apostle in the seuenth of this Epistle ioyneth these two together a Gift and a Calling as things that may not be seuered a 1. Cor. 7.17 As God hath distributed to euery man as the Lord hath called euerie one Where the end of a thing is the vse there the difference cannot be great whether we abuse it or but conceale it The b Math. 25.30 vnprofitable seruant that wrapped vp his Masters talent in a napkin could not haue receiued a much heauier doome had he mispent it O then vp and be doing c Math. 20.6 why stand you all the day idle Doe not say because you heard no voyce that therefore no man hath called you those very gifts you haue receiued are a Reall Call pursuing you with continuall restlesse importunitie till you haue disposed your selues in some honest course of life or other wherein you may be profitable to humane societie by the exercising of some or other of those gifts All the members of the Body haue their proper and distinct offices according as they haue their proper and distinct faculties and from those offices they haue also their proper and distinct names As then in the Body that is indeed no member which cannot call it selfe by any other name than by the common name of a member so in the Church he that cannot stile himselfe by any other name than a Christian doth indeed but vsurp that too If thou sayest thou art of the body I demand then What is thy office in the body If thou hast no office in the body then thou art at the best but Tumor praeter naturam as Physitians call them a scab or botch or wenne or some other monstrous and vnnaturall exerescency vpon the body but certainely thou art no true part and member of the body And if thou art no part of the body how darest thou make challenge to the head by mis-calling thy selfe Christian If thou hast a Gift get a Calling §. 15. The fourth Fourthly we of the Clergy though wee may not ingrosse the Spirit vnto our selues as if none were spirituall persons but oue selues yet the voyce of the World hath long giuen vs the Name of the Spiritualtie after a peculiar sort as if we were spirituall persons in some different singular respect from other men And that not altogether without ground both for the name and thing The very name seemeth to be thus vsed by Saint Paul in the 14. Chapter following where at vers 37 he maketh a Prophet
any of his brethrens It is needfull that you of all others should bee eftsoones put in remembrance that those eminent manifestations of the Spirit you haue were giuen you First it will bee a good helpe to take downe that d Scientia inflat 1 Cor. 8.1 swelling which as an Apostume in the body through rancknesse of blood so is apt to ingender in the soule through abundance of Knowledge and to let out some of the corruption It is * Magna rara virtus profecto est vt magna licet operantem magnum te nescias Bernard in Cant. Serm. 13. a very hard thing Multum sapere and not altum sapere to know much and not to know it too much to excell others in gifts and not perke aboue them in selfe-conceipt S. Paul who e Phil. 4.12 in all other things was sufficiently instructed as well to abound as to suffer need was yet put very hard to it when hee was to try the mastery with this temptation which arose from the f 2 Cor. 12.7 abundance of reuelations If you finde an aptnesse then in your selues and there is in your selues as of your selues such an aptnesse as to no one thing more to be exalted aboue measure in your owne conceipts boastingly to make ostentation of your owne sufficiencies with a kinde of vnbecomming compassion to cast scorne vpon your meaner brethren and vpon euery light prouocation to flye out into those termes of defiance g Hîc vers 21. I haue no need of thee and I haue no need of thee to dispell this windy humour I know not a more soueraigne remedy than to chew vpon this meditation that all the Abilities and perfections you haue were giuen you by one who was no way so bound to you but hee might haue giuen them as well to the meanest of your brethren as to you and that without any wrong to you if it had so pleased him You may take the Receipt from him who himselfe had had some experience of the Infirmity euen S. Paul in the fourth of this Epistle h 1 Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou hast not receiued and if thou hast receiued it why dost thou boast as if thou had not receiued it §. 24. 2. to make them Rules vnto themselues Secondly Euery wise and conscionable man should aduisedly weigh his owne Gifts and make them his Rule to worke by not thinking hee doth enough if hee doe what Law compelleth him to doe or if he doe as much as other neighbours doe Indeed where Lawes bound vs by Negatiue Precepts Hitherto thou mayst goe but farther thou shalt not wee must obey and wee may not exceed those bounds But where the Lawes doe barely enjoyne vs to doe somewhat left hauing no Law to compell vs wee should doe iust nothing it can be no transgression of the Law to doe more Whosoeuer therefore of you haue receiued more or greater Gifts than many others haue you must know your selues bound to doe so much more good with them and to stand chargeable with so much the deeper account for them a Gregor Crescunt dona crescunt rationes When you shall come to make vp your accounts your receipts will bee looked into and if you haue receiued ten talents or fiue for your meaner brothers one when but one shall bee required from him you shall be answerable for ten or fiue For it is an equitable course that b Luk. 12.48 to whom much is giuen of him much should bee required And at that great day if you cannot make your accounts straight with your receipts you shall certainely finde that most true in this sense which Salomon spake in another c Eccl. 1.18 Qui apponit scientiam apponit dolorem the more and greater your Gifts are vnlesse your thankfulnesse for them and your diligence with them rise to some good like proportion thereunto the greater shall bee your condemnation the more your stripes But thirdly §. 25. 3. but not vnto others though your Graces must bee so to your selues yet beware you doe not make them Rules to others A thing I the rather note because the fault is so frequent in practice yet very rarely obserued and more rarely reprehended God hath endowed a man with good abilities and parts in some kinde or other I instance but in one gift only for examples sake viz. an Ability to enlarge himselfe in prayer readily and with fit expressions vpon any present occasion Being in the Ministerie or other Calling hee is carefull to exercise his gift by praying with his family praying with the sicke praying with other company vpon such other occasions as may fall out hee thinketh and hee thinketh well that if he should doe otherwise or lesse than he doth hee should not bee able to discharge himselfe from the guilt of vnfaithfulnesse in not employing the talent hee hath receiued to the best aduantage when the exercise of it might redound to the glory of the Giuer Hitherto hee is in the right so long as he maketh his Gift a Rule but to himselfe But now if this man shall stretch out this Rule vnto all his brethren in the same Calling by imposing vpon them a necessitie of doing the like if hee shall expect or exact from them that they should also bee able to commend vnto God the necessities of their families or the state of a sicke person or the like by extemporary Prayer but especially if he shall iudge or censure them that dare not aduenture so to doe of intrusion into or of unfaithfulnesse in their Callings he committeth a great fault and well deseruing a sharpe reprehension For what is this else but to lay heauier burdens vpon mens shoulders than they can stand vnder to make our selues iudges of other mens consciences and our Abilities Rules of their actions yea and euen to lay an imputation vpon our Master with that vngracious seruant in the Gospell as if he were a Math. 25.24 an hard man reaping where hee hath not sowen and gathering where he hath not strewed and requiring much where hee hath giuen little and like Pharaohs taske-masters exacting the b Exod. 5.18 full tale of brickes without sufficient allowance of materials Shall he that hath a thousand a yeare count him that hath but an hundred a Churle if he doe not spend as much in his house weekly keepe as plentifull a table and beare as much in euery common charge as himselfe No lesse vnreasonable is he that would binde his brother of inferiour Gifts to the same frequencie and method in Preaching to the same readinesse and copiousnesse in Praying to the same necessitie and measure in the performance of other duties whereunto according to those Gifts hee findeth in himselfe he findeth himselfe bound The manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery man let no man bee so seuere to his brother as to looke he should manifest more of the Spirit than he hath
to destroy to build and to plant Only then be intreated to vse that power God hath giuen you vnto edification and not vnto destruction And now haue I done my message God grant vnto all of vs that by our hearty sorrow and repentance for our sinnes past by our stedfast resolutions of future amendment and by setting our selues faithfully and vprightly in our seuerall places and callings to doe God and the King and our Countrie seruice in beating downe sinne and rooting out sinners wee may by his good grace and mercy obtaine pardon of our sinnes and deliuerance from his wrath and be preserued by his power through faith vnto saluation Now to God the Father the Sonne c. THREE SERMONS AD POPVLVM PREACHED IN THE PARISH CHVRCH of Grantham in the Diocesse and Countie of Lincolne BY ROBERT SAVNDERSON Bachellor in Diuinity and sometimes Fellow of Lincolne Colledge in Oxford PSAL. 25.10 Viae Domini Misericordia Veritas LONDON Printed by R.Y. for R. Dawlman at the Signe of the Bible neere the great Conduit in Fleetstreete 1627. To the Right VVorshipfull and my much honoured Lady the Lady MILDRED SAVNDERSON Wife to Sir NICHOLAS SAVNDERSON Knight and Baronet GOod Madame It is not so much the kinde respect which you haue for many yeares past continually manifested towards me although that might iustly challenge from mee a farre more ample acknowledgement that hath induced mee to present you with these three Sermons as your vnfained loue to Gods truth and Gospell together with your religious care by a holy and vertuous conuersation both to strengthen your owne assurances for the hopes of the life to come and to prouoke those that are sprung from you or liue vnder you by the strength of your example to presse so much the harder towards the same glorious marke by the same gracious courses To the encreasing of which Loue and Care either in you or yours or in any other into whose hands they may chance to come if these poore Meditations shall adde any furtherance I shall haue the lesse cause either to blame the importunitie of those that haue long vrged or to regard the censures of those that shall now mislike the publishing of them The God of power and of peace make them profitable to his Church and preserue your spirit and soule and body blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Your Ladyships to be commanded in the Lord ROBERT SAVNDERSON Boothby Paynell Linc. 9. Aprill 1627. THE FIRST SERMON At Grantham Linc. 3. Octob. 1620. 3 KINGS 21.29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe before mee because hee humbleth himselfe before me I will not bring the euill in his daies but in his sonnes daies will I bring the euill vpon his house THe History of this whole Chapter affoordeth matter of much Varietie and Vse §. 1. The Coherence but no passage in it so much either of Wonder or Comfort as this in the close of the whole both Storie and Chapter That there should bee Mightie-ones sicke with longing after their meaner neighbours vineyeards That there should bee crafty heads to contriue for greedy Great-ones what they vniustly desire That there should be officious Instruments to doe a piece of legall iniustice vpon a Great mans letter That there should bee Knights of the poast to depose any thing though neuer so false in any cause though neuer so bad against any man though neuer so innocent That an honest man cannot bee secure of his life so long as hee hath any thing else a Sic reus ille fere est de quo victoria lucre Esse potest Ouid. de nucâ— worth the losing here is instance in the fâ—re-part of the Chapter of all this in b vers 4. hîc Ahab sickening and c vers 7. Iesabell plotting and the d vers 11. Elders obeying and the e vers 13. Witnesses accusing and poore f vers 13. Naboth suffering But what is there in all this singularly either Strange or Comfortable All is but Oppression Actiue in the rest Passiue in Naboth And what wonder in either of these g Iuven. Satyr 13. stupet haec qui iam post terga reliquit Sexaginta annos himselfe may passe for a wonder if he be of any standing or experience in the world that taketh either of these for a wonder And as for matter of Comfort there is matter indeed but of Detestation in the one of Pity in the other in neither of Comfort §. 2. Argument To passe by other Occurrents also in the later part of the Chapter as That a great Oppressour should hugge himselfe in the cleanly carriage fortunate successe of his damned plots and witty villanies That a weake Prophet should haue heart and face enough to proclaime iudgement against an Oppressing King in the prime of his Iollitie That a bloudy Tyrant should tremble at the voyce of a poore Prophet and the rest some of which wee shall haue occasion to take-in incidentally in our passage along marke we well but this close of the Chapter in the words of my Text and it will bee hard to say whether it containe matter more Strange or more Comfortable Comfortable in that Gods mercy is so exceedingly magnified and such strong assurance giuen to the truely penitent of finding gracious acceptance at the hands of their God when they finde him so apprehensiue of but an outward enforced semblance of Contrition from the hands of an Hypocrite Strange in that Gods Mercy is here magnified euen to the hazzard of other his diuine perfections his Holinesse his Truth his Iustice. For each of these is made in some sort questionable that so his mercy might stand cleare and vnquestioned A rotten-hearted Hypocrite humbleth himselfe outwardly but repenteth not truely and God accepteth him and rewardeth him Here is Gods Mercy in giuing respect to one that ill deserued it but where is his Holinesse the while being a Hab. 1.13 a God of pure eyes that requireth b Psal. 51.6 truth in the inward parts and will not behold iniquitie thus to grace Sin and countenance Hypocrisie A fearefull iudgement is denounced against Ahabs house for his Oppression but vpon his humiliation the sentence at least part of it is reuersed Here is Mercy still in reuoking a sentence of destruction and if somewhat may bee said for his Holinesse too because it was but a temporall and temporary fauour yet where is his Truth the while being a c Tit. 1.2 God that cannot lye and d Iames 1.17 with whom is no variablenesse neither so much as the bare shadow of turning thus to say and vnsay and to alter the thing that is gone out of his lippes A Iudgement is deserued by the Father vpon his humiliation the execution is suspended during his life and lighteth vpon the Sonne Here is yet more Mercy in not striking the Guilty and if somewhat may bee said for Gods Truth too because what