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spirit_n	adoption_n	cry_v	father_n	9,732	5	5.0154	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69196	Foure sermons viz. 1. The blessednesse of peace-makers. 2. The aduancement of Gods children. Preached before the King. 3. The sinne against the holy Ghost. Preached at Pauls Crosse. 4. The Christian petitioner. Preached at Oxford on the Act Sunday. By Iohn Denison Doctor of Diuinity, and one of his Maiesties Chaplaynes.	Denison, John, d. 1629.; Denison, John, d. 1629. Beati pacifici.; Denison, John, d. 1629. Sinne against the holy ghost plainly described.; Denison, John, d. 1629. Christian petitioner. Shewing how we must sue for reward and remission.	1620 (1620)	STC 6587; ESTC S120377	95,129	308

is more then wee can expect then wee can deserue To see this honour done by some great Monarch to a poore beggar must needes be wonderfull in the eyes of the beholders yet that comes exceedingly too short in proportion comparison of our adoption by almighty God For what proportion what comparison betweene heauen and earth God and man Yea if our condition had beene base and ignoble onely and not sinfull also it had beene lesse strange But we being by birth and conception wretched sinners Psal 51.5 Rom. 5.10 enemies to God and by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.3 to make vs the children of God is an vnspeakeable fauour and deserues that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fift to the Romanes Rom. 5.8 God sets forth his loue Sarah spake eagerly and angerly concerning Ishmael Gen. 21.10 This sonne of the bond-woman shall not be heire with my sonne And might not God haue said as roundly and resolutely concerning vs These bondslaues of sinne and Sathan shall not be heyres with my Sonne But such is the goodnes of our gratious God that he deales with vs like the father of the Prodigall childe of whom Saint Ambrose Ambros in Luke 15. saith Filius timet conuitium pater adornat conuiuium The sonne feares a sharpe check but the father prouides a dainty feast For hee not onely pardons our indignities Psal 103.3.4 but crownes vs with mercy and louing kindnesse Fourthly this our adoption is admirable in the latitude of aduancement as Saint Paul presseth it most soundly and sweetely in the eight to the Romanes Rom. 8.17 If we be children wee are also heyres heyres of God and ioynt heyres with Iesus Christ Chrys in Rom. Hom. 14. Here Chrysostome obserues three notable passages of honour euery one arising by degrees aboue another For first where as one may be a childe and yet not be an heyre we are not onely children but heyres also Secondly wee are not heyres to any mortall man though neuer so potent but heyres to the immortall and omnipotent God Thirdly we are not basely associated in this our inheritance we are co-heyres annexed to Iesus Christ then which there can be no greater honour For when our Sauiour will propose the greatest aduancement that may be to them who haue done worthily in the spirituall warfare Reuel 3.21 it is this To him that ouercommeth will I giue to sit with me on my Throne as I haue ouercome and sit with my father on his Throne In regard therefore of the aduancement which attends our adoption Psal 1.12 well might Saint Iohn say Dedit eis potestatem as the vulgar latine hath it To them hee gaue power to be made the sonnes of God Greg. super Ezech. hom 6. and Gregory thereupon Quid hac potestate altius Quid hac altitudine sublimus Well might he call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prerogatiue or dignitie Iansen Conc. Cap. 1. as Iansenus well interprets the word For it is the greatest prerogatiue that heauen and earth doe yeelde If it were the highest ambition of that great conqueror to be esteemed Iouis filius Alexander the sonne of Iupiter what an honour is it to be called the children of Iehouah the great God of heauen and earth Well might that Apostle say 1. Ioh. 3.1 Behold what manner of loue the father hath bestowed vpon vs that we should be called the sonnes of God Surely this great aduancement deserues an Ecce to vsher it for demonstration Behold and a Qualem charitatem to follow it for admiration What manner of loue the father hath bestowed vpon vs. Ioh. 3.16 For here is that Sic Deus dilexit mundum So God loued the world and this Sic is like that Sicut in the Lamentations of Ieremy Lamen 1.12 it cannot be paralleld Psal 8.4 What is man O Lord that thou art so mindefull of him What are the sonnes of men that thou shouldst so visit them so honour them Now as this aduancement is very admirable so is it very comfortable yea here is a confluence of all comforts belonging to it It were a tedious nay an impossible taske to recount them all I will mention a few yet so that by a cluster or two of Grapes Numb 13.24 you may iudge of the riches of Canaan Hence it is that the children of God are freed from the spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 and receiue the spirit of Adoption whereby they cry Abba father Mat. 7. they haue both accesse and audience before the throne of grace Hence it is that they enioy the especiall prouidence of almighty God Mat. 6. for their heauenly father careth for them Fathers lay vp for their children 2 Cor. 12.14 saith Paul and how meruailous saith Dauid is the goodnesse which the Lord hath laid vp for his children Psal 31.19 euen before the sonnes of men And no meruaile Rom. 8.32 for hee that spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how should hee not with him giue vs all things that are good Are the children of God in want the Lord is ready to relieue them rather then they shall lacke the stony rocke shall yeelde them water Num. 19.11 the heauens shall raigne downe Quailes and Manna in abundance Exod. 16.13 The poore Widow shall relieue Elias 1 Reg. cap. 17. 19. the Angell from heauen shall furnish him and the rauenous Rauens shall feede him Thus all the creatures shall be seruiceable to the children of God and the earth the aire the heauens shall be store-houses for them Are they in danger or distresse Psal 34.7 the Angels become their gard and doe pitch their tents about them Are they not all ministring spirits to the children of God Heb. 1.14 that are heires of saluation Are they sicke The Lord will make their bed in their sicknesse Psal 41.3 Are they alone the father will come and dwell with them Iohn 14.23 Are they in sorrow and heauinesse behold their heauenly Father is the father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 the God of all consolation Haue they a iourney a progresse to vndertake the Lord will be their fidus Achates as he was to Iacob in his iourney to Mesopotamia Gen. 28.15 he will be with them whither soeuer they goe But why goe I about to number those comforts that are numberlesse Or why doe I confine my speech to the things of this life Neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceiue what God hath prepared for his children in the life to come There is that kingdome that cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 25.34 Heb. 11.10 which is the ancient inheritance There is that City whose builder and founder is God that glorious City which the Angel measured with a golden reede Reuel 21.15

life for euermore Non in commotione Dominus God was neyther in the blustring windes the boystrous earth-quake nor the furious fire 1. Reg. 19.11.12 But when the still and soft voice comes there the Lord is according to that of the Apostle Brethren liue in Peace and the God of Peace shall be with you 2. Cor. 13. 2. Cor. 13.11 Therefore I may also say of this kinde of Peace Speciosum nomen Pacis est The name of this Peace is precious The fourth and last kinde of Peace is Peace eternall which also followeth the other For hee that hath not Peace on earth shall neyther haue peace nor place in Heauen As the first was Pax regis so this is Pax regni As that was Pax gratiae so this is Pax gloriae that was peace with Heauen this peace in Heauen That was peace of grace this is peace of glory Cassiodorus in Psal 36. This Cassiodore describes negatiuely Vbi nihil aduersum nihil contrarium which admits no aduersity no crosse or calamity for the seruants of God haue all teares wiped from their eyes Reuel 7.17 There is a meruailous difference betwixt our present and future condition Wee are here like sea-faring men incountred with many contrary windes Neuer did any sayle so prosperously in the Ocean of this present world but sometimes hee hath met with the stormes of discontent But there is sinus maris sinus matris the port and hauen of constant happinesse The excellency of this peace the Scriptures set not forth positiuely but in Alegoryes and no meruaile For neyther eye hath seene 1. Cor. 2.9 nor eare hath heard nor can it enter into the hearts of men what the Saints and seruants of God shall enioy in heauen Saint Austin knowes not whether he should call it August de Ciuit. Dei 19. 11. Pax in aeterna vita or aeterna vita in Pace peace in eternall life or eternall life in peace And no meruaile for if he had been furnished with the tongues of men and Angels he could neuer haue expressed the excellency of it Tam spe●iosum nomen pacis est the name of this Peace is so specious so precious The second part Of the Peace-maker I Might further obserue the excellency of Peace and Vnity as being founded in the blessed Trinity three persons and one God But I come to speake of the Peace-maker whose honour it is that Peace is the worke of the blessed Trinity 2. Cor. 5.19 First the Apostle saith that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe Psal 85.8 He speakes peace to the soules of his seruants Psal 46.10 causeth warres to cease and planteth peace in their borders Leuit. 26.6 Therefore is hee called the God of Peace yea the name of his house is Peace for his dwelling is at Salem that is peace Psal 76.2 Rom. 5.1 Christ Iesus also is a blessed Peace-maker For we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Eph. 2.14 Yea hee is called our peace it selfe because peace is Praecipuum opus vnigeniti Chrysostom the especiall worke of the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.20 He set at peace by the blood of his crosse all things in earth and heauen In which words wee haue both the price and bounds of this peace the price it was per sanguinem crucis it cost him his deerest heart blood and for the bounds they are of a large extent he reconciled all things in heauen and earth He brake downe a double partition wall and reconciled man vnto man and both vnto God and therefore is he stiled the prince of Peace The holy-Ghost is a blessed Peace-maker for Peace is one of those excellent fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal 5.22 Hee calmes a threefold warre in the soules of men that is of the perturbations against reason the flesh against the spirit and the terror of Conscience wrestling with the wrath of God And therefore is hee called effectiuè Augustin the Comforter Now as the blessed Trinity the Father Sonne and holy-Ghost are Peace-makers so are all the children of God but diuersly Some employ themselues in making peace betweene God and man So did Moses stand in the gappe and by his humble supplications stayed the Cannons of Gods wrathfull indignation from playing vpon the Israelites Psal 106.23 So Noah by his sacrifice procured a couenant of Peace at the hands of the Lord and stopt the fountaines of the deepe Gen. 8.21 and the flood-gates of heauen that the earth should no more be made a fish-poole by the invndation of waters Some are for the peace of Conscience who hauing a tongue of the learned Esa 50.4 doe minister a word to him that is wearie These come like Noahs Doue with the Oliue-branch Genes 8.11 like the pittifull Samaritan with the oyle of gladnesse Luk. 10 34. and the balmes of mercy Quàm speciosi Oh how beautifull are the feete of them that bring glad tidings of Peace Rom. 10.15 Some are employed in out-ward and ciuill peace So was Moses when he indeauoured to take vp the quarrell betweene the two Hebrewes Exod. 2.13 So was Abraham when hee preuented the strife betweene himselfe and Lot Gen. 13.8 and stayed it betweene their seruants And so are those worthy Monarches who establish peace in their owne territories and compound controuersies betweene neighbour-Nations Thus as there are diuers kinds of Peace so are there of Peace-makers and I may say of them all in our Sauiours words Blessed are the Peace-makers And so I come to the third part which is the vniting of Peace-making and Blessednesse together The third part HEre I might first say the Peace-makers are blessed Quoniam filij deo vocabuntur because they shall be called the children of God but that were to gleane before the haruest I may deriue an argument from the excellency of Peace If peace be such a gratious ornament such a singular blessing I may well conclude thereupon that the Peace-maker is blessed For in this the Axiom holds Aristot 1. poster cap. 2. Propter quod vnum quodque tale illud magis tale est The temple being an excellent worke Psal 74.5 they were renowned that builded it So Peace being a singular blessing they must needes be thrise blessed that make it As God is glorified in the excellent frame structure of the heauens Psal 19.1 because his wisedom power goodnes shine therein most resplendently So is the Peace-maker much honoured in this excellent worke of Peace because such goodnesse and blessednesse are knit to the same inseparably The peace-maker is blessed in the very act of peace as he is esteemed a blessed man that quencheth some violent fire 1. Sam. 25.32 And therefore Dauid blessed Abigail for staying his hand from the stroake of violence vpon churlish Nabal saying Blessed be thou who hast kept mee this

into which they are infranchised There is that blessed society innumerable Angels Heb. 12.22 the spirits of iust and holy men and Iesus Christ the mediatour of the new couenant to whom they are ioyned There are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5.4 those thrones and crownes of glory that shall neuer fade Yea there the sonnes of God shall shine like the Sunne in the kingdome of their father In a word Mat. 13.43 from this Adoption it is that the children of God haue an interest in all the comforts and all the creatures that heauen and earth doe yeelde according to Saint Pauls epiphoneme whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephus or the world or life or death 1 Cor. 3.23 or things present or things to come they are all yours because you are Christs and Christ is Gods Behold here the admirable and comfortable aduancement of Gods children And therein behold the blessed condition of the Peace-maker who is so estranged from the world that he doth not in some degree desire aduancement and who is so voide of iudgement that hee doth not preferre this honour before the greatest aduancement in the world Aug. in Psa 84. Habetis patrem habetis patriam habetis patrimonium saith Saint Austin If you be the sonnes of peace you are the children of God you haue a louing father a rich inheritance a goodly patrimonie When the Apostle Peter speakes of this he breakes forth into this vehement acclamation Blessed be God 1 Pet. 1.3 euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath begotten vs againe to an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled that fadeth not away but is reserued for vs in the heauens Giue me leaue now to make some Application of what I haue deliuered and so I will finish this maine point And first I hope that this discourse hath not beene heard of you without comfort We hold it a great cause of ioy to be the children of Nobles and to be admitted into the fauour of Princes and surely they are great temporall blessings that men may lawfully reioyce in But let me say vnto you in our Sauiours words Reioyce not in this Luke 10.20 but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen let it be your ioy that you are the children of God and in fauour with the King of Kings as the Apostle saith Reioyce in the Lord Phil. 4.4 and againe I say reioyce Againe are wee the children of God farre be it from vs to vnder-value the glorious inheritance of the Saints of God in life Farre be it from vs to dis-esteeme it like that carnall Cardinall Cardinall of Bourbon who said he would not giue his part in Paris for his part in Paradise Let vs not be like profane Esau who for the satisfying of his appetite lost his birth-right Heb. 12.16 But rather let vs say resolutely with Naboth 1 Reg. 21.3 God forbid that I should make away the inheritance of my fathers So God forbid that for all the vaine and transitory profits and pleasures vpon earth we should depriue our selues of those riuers of pleasures which the Saints of God doe enioy in heauen Bernard saith truely of the best things of this present life possessa onerant amata inquinant amissa cruciant The possession of them burdens vs the loue of them defiles vs and the losse of them vexes vs And the time will come when either the day of death or the day of iudgement shall swallow them all vp as the Ocean doth the riuers For the glory of this world passeth away like a shadow 1 Cor. 7.31 Againe are wee the children of God then let vs indeauour that our carriage and comportment may answere this dignity It becomes not the children of Nobles to be conuersant in base actions And how vnfit is it for the children of God to become like the Indian drudges to be taken vp with the corruptions of this euill world and to haue their affections in caeno when they should be in caelo Our Sauiour hath taught vs better in the fift of Matthew Let your light so shine before men Mat. 5.16 that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen To conclude Let vs as the Apostle Peter exhorts 2 Peter 1.10 Rom. 8.16 study to make our election sure by good workes Let vs get the euidence of our adoption sealed vp to our soules and consciences by the spirit of God Then let the earth totter and her pillars tremble vnder her let the sea roare euen to astonishment let the heauens burne to dissolution and the elements with vehement heate be consumed this our adoption shall be our comfort on earth and our crowne in heauen for euer more The third part The appropriation of this aduancement BVt what is this Adoption tyed onely to the ornament of Peace Surely no Gal 3.26 For Saint Paul saith You are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus And Saint Austin in largeth the meanes Per gratiā per fidem per sacramentum per sanguinem Christi De verb. Dom. ser 63. saying We are the sonnes of God by grace by faith by the Sacrament by the blood of Christ Euery faithfull Christian is made one with Christ whereby he becomes the childe of God He hath the image of God stamped vpon him And as our natural birth makes vs the children of our earthly parents so our supernaturall and new birth makes vs the children of our heauenly father May not I then say of the Peace-maker as Saint Paul of the Iewes What is then the preferment of the Iew So Rom. 3.1 what is the aduantage and aduancement of the Peace-maker Yes and answer with him in the same place much euery way Though Iesse had eight sonnes yet was Dauid onely the Lords darling Though Christ had twelue Disciples yet was Iohn the Disciple whom Iesus loued Though all Iacobs children were deare vnto him yet was Bemamin the son of his right hand So may I say that howsoeuer all the faithfull are the children of God and consequently blessed yet the Peace-makers haue that honour in a more especial kinde because they doe in a more liuely manner resemble almighty God in that which is most excellent For as amongst the diuine attributes some of them are quoad nos more excellent then others as namely those of mercy and peace which are the sanctuarie to a distressed sinner so all those who doe in a more especiall manner come neerest to God in the same are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a kinde of eminency called the children of God For as Bernard saith Deus Deus pacis Bern. ergo pacifici filij Dei iure optimo vocantur God is the God of peace and therefore those who are Peace-makers are the children of God by especiall right Though the body of man consist of diuers humours yet the denomination of the

Loe thus shall the man be blest whom God will fauour Secundum specialem cultum In respect of their especiall homage and religious seruice they doe to God August Retract lib. 1. cap. 13. For Religio as Saint Augustine after Lactantius retracting his owne etymon saith is a religando because it is the bond of that mutuall league betwixt God and Man I will be their God Ierem. 31.1 and they shall be my people In this sence God is called the God of Abraham and the God of Israel God chooseth to himselfe the man that is godly As for the wicked Psal 4.3 and workers of iniquity who make their chests their Temples their backs their Altars their bellies their Gods that they may sacrifice vnto the same their Pride their Couetousnesse and Luxury the Lord will professe concerning them Mat. 7.23 Depart from me I know ye not Secundum speciale praemium In respect of his especiall reward for so he saith to Abraham of whom he had made an especiall choyse Ego sum merces tua admodum ampla Genes 15.1 I am thy exceeding great reward Well might the Lord call his reward multam valdè multam Chrysost in Gen. hom 36. exceeding much and many as Chrysostome saith Psal 34.10 For they that feare God want nothing that is good Whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World or Life or Death Whether it be things present 1 Cor. 3.22.23 or things to come they are all yours because you are Christs and Christ is Gods Seeing then that God is the God of the faithfull in these especiall respects let euery faithfull Christian in especiall manner apply God to himselfe and say with Thomas in the twentieth of Iohn Iohn 20.28 My Lord and my God This particular application the Romanists cannot abide they count it vaine presumption and why because men of all sorts though very different in conuersation will appropriate God to themselues when some of them must needes be deceiued Their argument is like this Fooles and mad men may be deceiued in apparant truths therefore wise and iudicious may The Frantique Athenian was ready to arrest for his owne euery ship that arriued therfore no sober minded Merchant knew his owne If our expectation of reward were grounded vpon merits as the Papists is we might iustly stagger as they doe Nemo absque reuelatione certò scire potest se habere vera merita Bellar. de Iustific lib. 5. cap. 7. for Bellarmine confesseth that no man without especiall reuelation can be sure that he hath true merits but for as much as our hope hath her dependance vpon Gods mercy and Christs merits we may without wauering approach before the throne of grace Rom. 8. and cry Abba Father Surely I should the lesse meruaile at this Romish doctrine Bellarm de Purgat lib. 2. cap. 4. if Bellarmine and other Papists did not teach that the soules in Purgatory haue an infallible certainty of their saluation Rhem. Annot. in Apoc. 14. For admitting a Purgatory no probable no possible reason can be giuen how they should come by this certainty except they be more beholding for the same to the infernall spirits then they haue beene to their wretched teachers But leauing them to their vanities let vs finde by a diligent scrutiny that we haue the spirit of God witnessing with our spirits Rom. 8.16 that we are the sonnes of God as the Apostle speaketh For then may we say with Saint Augustine Augustin Psal 32. Dicat anima mea Deus meus es tu qui dicit animae meae salus tua sum Seeing that God saith to my soule I am thy saluation let my soule reflect vpon God againe and say thou art my God Seeing that Christ hath made vs a plaster of his precious bloud let vs apply the same to our wounded soules seeing he hath procured our pardon let vs get it vnder the great seale of his blessed Spirit This is his will who hauing giuen vs the legacy of eternall life by his last Testament would haue the same seuerally transcribed by the preaching of the word and particularly sealed to vs by the blessed Sacrament Beleeue me my brethren It is no confused apprehension of Gods mercy that can yeelde any sound comfort But as when Elizeus applyed his eyes to the childes eyes his hands to his hands 2 Reg. 4. and his mouth to his mouth then the childe reuiued So the particular application of Christs merits hath life in it it reuiueth our dead soules and relieueth our daunted spirits Hence we haue the benefits of protection of benediction of consolation Christ Iesus sendeth that message to vs Goe to my brethren and say vnto them Ioh. 20.17 I send to my Father and to your Father to my God and to your God We make our boast of God all the day long Psal 44.9 Yea hence it is that wee approach with boldnesse into his glorious presence calling for the reward of our obedience with Nehemiah Remember me O my God concerning this The Motiue COncerning this That is in the hypothesis concerning the obseruation and sanctification of the Sabbath a matter of singular moment a duetie of great necessitie The foure Commandements of the first Table are most diuine like the foure streames in Paradise whereof this is the last but not the least like Ioseph who being the youngest prouided for his elder brethren For so is this present fourth Commandement a meanes of the better obseruation of the three precedent It standeth betweene the two tables like the sensus communis betweene the externall and internall senses and is seruiceable to both I may truely say that where the Sabbath is not sanctified there is neither a sound Religion nor a Christian conuersation to be expected How God esteemeth the strict sanctification of the Sabbath may appeare by the exact deliuery of the Commandement For he hath fenced it about like mount Sinai Exod. 19.12 with her markes and bounds at the deliuery of the law that no prophanenesse might approach neare vnto it First by his watch-word Remember Secondly by his bountie Sixe dayes thou shalt labour and doe all that thou hast to doe Thirdly by his soueraignety It is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Fourthly by the latitude Thou thy Sonne thy Daughter thy Man-seruant thy Maide-seruant the Stranger that is within thy gates must sanctifie it Fiftly by his example The Lord rested the seauenth day Lastly by his benediction He blessed and sanctified it The sixe markes are like the sixe water-pots in the second of Iohn Fill them vp to the brimme with a holy obseruation then draw out and carry to the Master of the Feast euen to Iesus Christ the Lord of the new Sabbath Remember I say to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath and then may you say with confidence Remember me O my God concerning this Yea the same shall be vnto you a pledge of

dreame be to them that hate thee and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies so let this pardon be to all trecherous and incendiary Papists and the reseruation of punishment to them who are enemies to the grace of God and our gracious Soueraigne Miserable O miserable were our condition if our pardon were not absolute For as one bad humour left vnpurged may be the death of the body one small cranny vnstopped may be the drowning of the shippe so the least sinne vnpardoned must needes be the death and drowning both of soule and body in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer But blessed be God Colos 2.14 we know that Christ Iesus hath fully satisfied the iustice of God Reuel 1.5 cancelled the bond of our debts and washed vs in his precious blood Hee was condemned that we might be iustified hee was punished that we might be pardoned Bern. in Cant. Serm. 22. Non gutta sed vnda sanguina largitèr per quinque partes corporis emanauit as Bernard saith There flowed out of fiue parts of his body not droppes but euen streames of blood that with him might be plenteous redemption and he might redeeme Israel from all his sinnes Auant therefore to the Merchants of Rome with their stained Merits their super-arrogant workes of supererogation their blasphemous satisfactions to God What needeth there a miserere where there is a mereri What neede is there of mercy where there is merit A man may fitly say of these men as Bernard speaketh of the boasting Pharisee Bern Annunci Domini Serm. 3. Nimirum plenus est nec habet in eo gratia Dei locum surely these men are so full of their merits that they haue no roome for Gods mercy Againe how miserable is the condition of those men who doe daily run through as many grosse sins as there are signes in the Zodiacke yet haue no power to finde remorse or seeke for remission and those who in stead of this humble Petition Pardon me according to thy great mercy do take vp Kaines desperate complaint My Sinne is greater then can be pardoned Farre Gene. 4.13 O farre be it from vs thus to abuse Gods mercy Let vs be truely penitent for our sinnes and then let vs put vp our Petition and craue pardon for the same yea let vs neuer be quiet till wee haue our quietus est Psal 39.8 euen a generall acquittance for all our transgressions And here againe I must briefly aduertise you that you must resume the former compellation to this Petition Pardon me O my God It is odious to God and dangerous to men to seeke for Romish indulgences it is impious to thinke that wee may appeale from God to the Virgin Mary for mercy Bernardino de Busto It is blasphemous to affirme that Christ hath imparted to his Mother the disposing of mercy and reserued to himselfe onely the dispensing of Iustice Gabriel Biel in Canone Missae as certaine Papists teach Hee that rewardeth vs must also pardon vs according to that of Esay Esa 43.25 I euen I doe put away doe put away thy iniquities Here that I so redoubled is emphaticall and exclusiue as it is in the eleuenth Verse I euen I am the Lord. I euen I as if he should say I and none but I. We indeede by preaching of the word may draw your pardons but God in mercy must grant them and by his spirit must seale them 2 Sam. 12.13 according to Nathans words Dominus transtulit the Lord hath put away thy sinne Giue me leaue in a word or two to passe from the act to the person Pardon me Me here the comfort is more ample and excellent in the originall then in our translation and no maruaile for no translation can keepe a proportion quoad pondus with the originall the Hebrew which we translate me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is gnalai vpon me or ouer me as if hee should say let thy pardon protect me and let thy mercy be spred ouer me like the glorious Canopie of heauen Let it be like the clowdie pillar which was as a vaile and couering to the children of Israel So that Nehemiah craueth here a protecting Pardon both a protection and a Pardon and the Lord granteth them both in one Patent It is like Dauids wordes in the fift Psalme For thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous Psal 5.13 and with fauour wilt compasse him as with a shield Here also the Hebrew fountaine runnes fuller of diuine comfort then the English streame for the Hebrew word signifieth to compasse with a crowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus with Gods pardon there goeth his protection with this protection his crowne and benediction all these comforts doe flowe from the fountaine of his mercy as it followeth Pardon me according to thy great mercy The manner VVHen I come to speake of the mercy of God I enter into a Labyrinth without end and diue into an Ocean without bottome It fareth with mee as with the traueller who hath farre to goe and little time to spend but let mee craue your patience and I will hast to the end of my iourney The word Kesed here translated mercy plus est quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Pagn è Rab. Kimchi saith a learned Linguist it is more then naturall loue which you know runneth with a strong current Therefore when you heare of Gods tender mercies thinke vpon the affection of a tender hearted mother and remember yet that the mercy of God doth as farre surmount the same as the resplendent Sunne exceedeth the little sparke of fire in brightnesse No man hath seene God at any time yet hath he manifested himselfe vnto vs by his Sonne incarnate Bern. in Cant. Serm. 61. Per cuius vulnera patebant viscera through whose side wounded with the speare you might behold the bowels of compassion wounded with loue Gods mercy seldome goeth alone but vsually it hath some epithet annexed to it as here it is called his great mercy Rab quantitatis qualitatis est say the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that it comprehendeth all whatsoeuer hath excellency in quality or amplitude in quantity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is Kerob casdeka secundum multitudinem according to thy many mercies as diuers doe translate it or secundum magnitudinem according to thy great mercy as here we reade it and neither amisse For as the Hebrew word so Gods mercy haue both the discreete and continued quantity When Iacob had got the blessing of Isaack as we reade Genes 27. Esau said to his Father in the anguish of spirit Hast thou but one blessing blesse me euen me also my Father Yet the good old man though an indulgent father had but one that was worthy the name of a blessing But happy are wee our heauenly Father is not so penurious He hath more then one