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
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
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
liberty to transgresse the common rules of Life and of Lawes It is most true indeed the Spirit of God is a free Spirit and not tyed to strictnesse of rule nor limited by any bounds of Lawes But yet that free spirit hath astricted thee to a regular course of life and bounded thee with Lawes which if thou transgresse no pretension of the Spirit can either excuse thee from sinne or exempt thee from punishment It is not now euery way as it was before the comming of Christ and the sealing vp of the Scripture Canon God hauing now settled a perpetuall forme of gouernment in his Church and giuen vs a perfect and constant rule whereby to walke euen his holy word And wee are not therefore now vainly to expect nor boastingly to pretend a priuate spirit to lead vs against or beyond or but beside the common rule nay wee are commanded to try all pretenâ—ions of priuate spirits by that common rule a Esay 8.20 Ad legem ad testimonium to the Law and to the Testimony at this Test examine and b 1 Ioh. 4.1 try the spirits whether they are of God or no. If any thing within vs if any thing without vs exalt it selfe against the obedience of this rule it is no sweete impulsion of the holy spirit of God but a strong delusion of the lying spirit of Sathan But is not all that is written §. 17. but with limitation written for our Example or why else is Phinehes act recorded and commended if it may not bee followed First indeed S. Paul saith a Rom. 15.4 All that is written is written for our learning but Learning is one thing and Example is another and we learne something from that which we may not follow Besides there are Examples for b 1 Cor. 10.11 Admonition as well as for Imitation Malefactors at the place of execution when they wish the by-standers to take Example by them bequeath them not Imitation of their courses what to doe but Admonition from their punishments what to shunne Yea thirdly euen the commended actions of good men are not euer exemplary in the very substance of the Action it selfe but in some vertuous and gracious affections that giue life and lustre thereunto And so this act of Phinehes is imitable Not that either any priuate man should dare by his example to vsurpe the Magistrates office and to doe iustice vpon Malefactors without a Calling or that any Magistrate should dare by his Example to cut off gracelesse offenders without a due iudiciall course but that euery man who is by vertue of his Calling endewed with lawfull authority to execute iustice vpon transgressours should set himselfe to it with that stoutnesse and courage and zeale which was in Phinehes §. 18. vnto this zeale If you will needs then imitate Phinehes imitate him in that for which he is commended and rewarded by God and for which hee is renowned amongst men and that is not barely the Action the thing done but the Affection the zeale wherewith it was done For that zeale God commendeth him Num. 25. vers 11. a Num. 25.11 Phinehes the son of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel whilest he was zealous for my sake among them And for that zeale God rewardeth him Ibid. vers 13. b Ibid. 13. Hee shall haue and his seed after him the Couenant of an euerlasting Priesthood because hee was zealous for his God And for that zeale did posterity praise him the wise c Sirac 45.23 son of Sirac Eccl. 45. and good old d 1 Maccab. 2.54 Mattathias vpon his death-bed 1 Macc. 2. And may not this phrase of speech He stood vp and executed iudgement very well imply that forwardnesse and heate of zeale To my seeming it may For whereas Moses and all the Congregation sate weeping a e As. Neh. 1.4 Iob. 2.13 Psal. 137.1 Esay 47.1.8 gesture often accompanying sorrow or perhaps yet more to expresse their sorrow lay graueling vpon the Earth mourning and sorrowing for their sinne and for the Plague it could not be but the bold lewdnesse of Zimri in bringing his strumpet with such impudence before their noses must needs adde much to the griefe and bring fresh vexation to the soules of all that were righteous among them But the rest continued though with double griefe yet in the same course of humiliation and in the same posture of body as before Only Phinehes burning with an holy indignation thought it was now no time to sit still and weepe but rowzing vp himselfe and his spirits with zeale as hot as fire f Solida mente Cassiodorus Constanter Lyranus Constantiâ mentis audacia operis Ludolfus hîc Hee had zeale in the feare of the Lord and stood vp with good courage of heart Sitac 45.23 hee stood vp from the place where he was and made hast to execute iudgement Here is a rich example for all you to imitate §. 19. Manifested by executing Iudgement whom it doth concerne I speake not only nor indeed so much to you the Honourable and reuerend Iudge of this Circuit of whose zeale to doe iustice and iudgement I am by so much the better perswaded by how much the eminency of your place and the weight of your charge and the expectation of the people doth with greater importunity a Maiora populus semper à summo exigit Senec. in Octau Act. 2. exact it at your hands But I speake withall and most especially to all you that are in commission of the Peace and whose daily and continuall care it should bee to see the wholsome lawes of the Realme duly and seasonably executed Yea and to all you also that haue any office appertaining to iustice or any businesse about these Courts so as it may lie in you to giue any kinde of furtherance to the speeding either of Iustice in Ciuill or of iudgement in Criminall causes Looke vpon the zeale of Phinehes obserue what approbation it had from God what a blessing it procured to his seed after him what glorious renowne it hath wonne him with all after-ages what ease it did and what good it wrought for the present state and thinke if it bee not worthy your imitation b Gal. 4.18 It is good saith the Apostle to bee zealously affected alwayes in a good thing And is it not a good thing to doe iustice and to execute iudgement nay Religion excepted and the care of that is a branch of justice too doe you know any better thing any thing you can doe more acceptable to God more seruiceable to the State more comfortable to your owne soules If you bee called to the Magistracy it is c 3. King 10.9 your owne businesse as the proper worke of your calling and men account him no wiser than hee should be that sluggeth in his own busines or goeth heartlesly about it It is the
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
them another while vpon his mercy Consider not only what hee threateneth but consider withall why hee threatneth it is that you may repent and withall how hee threatneth it is vnlesse you repent Hee threatneth to cast downe indeed but vnto humiliation not into despaire Hee shooteth out his arrowes euen bitter words but as b 1 Sam. 20.20.21 Ionathans arrowes for warning not for destruction Thinke not hee aymeth so much at thy punishment when he threatneth alas if that were the thing he sought hee could lay on loade enough c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. in Gen. hom 25. Nemo punire desiderans quod facturus est comminatur Hieronym in Ion. 3. without words No it is thy amendment hee aimeth at and seeketh therein and hee therefore holdeth not his tongue that if thou wilt take it for a warning hee may hold his hand If the Father doe but threaten the childe when the rod lyeth by him it is very likely hee meaneth not to correct him for that time but only to make him the more carefull to obey and the more fearefull to offend for the time to come Canst thou thus gather hope from the chiding of thy earthly father and wilt thou finde no comfort in the chidings and threatnings of thy heauenly Father whose bowels of tender compassion to vs-ward are so much larger than any earthly Parents can be by how much himselfe the d Heb. 12.9 Father of spirits is greater than those fathers of our flesh Yea but who am I will some disconsolate soule say that I should make Gods threatnings voide or what my repentance that it should cancell the Oracles of Truth or reuerse the sentence of the eternall Iudge Poore distressed soule that thus disputest against thine owne peace but seest not the while the vnfathomed depth of Gods mercy and the wonderfull dispensations of his Truth Know that his threatnings are not made voide or of none effect when thou by thy repentance stayest the execution of them yea rather then are they of all other times most effectuall for then doe they most of all accomplish their proper end and the thing for which they were intended in thy amendment Neither let his truth make thee despaire but remember that the tenor of all his most peremptory threatnings runneth with an implicite reseruation and conditionall exception of Repentance which condition if thou on thy part faithfully performe the iudgement shall bee turned away and yet Gods Truth no whit impaired This for the Distressed §. 15. 2. of Terrour to the secure Now for the Secure Moses in Deut. 29. speaketh of a certaine a Deut. 29.18.19 roote that beareth gall and wormewood that blesseth it selfe when God curseth and standeth vnmoued when God threatneth Here is an Axe for that roote to hew it in pieces and vnlesse it b Math. 7.19 bring forth better fruite to cleane it out for the fire If there be any spriggs or spurnes of that roote here let them also consider what hath beene said and tremble Consider this I say and tremble all you that make a mocke at God and at his word and imagine that all his threatnings are but Bruta fulmina empty cracks and Powder without shot because sundry of them haue fallen to the ground and not done the hurt they made shew of But know who so euer thou art that thus abusest the Mercy and despisest the Truth of God that as his Mercy neuer did so his Truth shall neuer faile Thou saiest some of his threatnings haue done no harme I say as much too and his mercy be blessed for it but what is that to secure thee If any where Gods threatnings did no harme and wrought no destruction it was there only where they did good and wrought repentance If they haue turned thee from thy sinnes as they haue done some others there is hope thou maist turne them away from thee as some others haue done But if they haue done no good vpon thee in working thy repentance certainly they hang ouer thee to doe thee harme and to worke thy destruction Gods threatnings are in this respect as all other his words are sure and stedfast and such as c Esay 55.11 shall neuer returne voide but accomplish that for which they were sent if not the one way then without all doubt the other If they doe not humble thee they must ouerwhelme thee if they worke not thy conuersion they will thy ruine As some strong Physicke that either mendeth or endeth the Patient so are these And therefore when iudgements are denounced resolue quickly off or on Here is all the choyce that is left thee either Repent or Suffer There is a generation of men that as Moses complaineth d Deut. 29.19 when they heare the words of Gods curse blesse themselues in their hearts and say they shall haue peace though they walke in the imagination of their owne hearts that as S. Paul complaineth e Rom. 2.4 despise the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering not taking knowledge that the goodnesse of God would lead them to repentance that as S. Peter complaineth f 2 Pet. 3.3.4 walke after their owne lusts and scoffingly iest at Gods iudgements saying where is the promise of his comming But let such secure and carnall scoffers bee assured that howsoeuer others speed they shall neuer goe vnpunished Whatsoeuer becommeth of Gods threatnings against others certainely they shall fall heauy vpon them They that haue taught vs their conditions Moses and Paul and Peter haue taught vs also their punishments Moses telleth such a one how euer others are dealt with that yet g Deut. 29.20 the Lord will not spare him but the anger of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in Gods booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from vnder heauen S. Paul telleth such men that by despising the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance they doe but h Rom. 2.5 treasure vp vnto themselues wrath against the great day of wrath and of the reuelation of the righteous iudgement of God S. Peter telleth them howsoeuer they not only sleep but euen snort in deep security that yet i 2 Pet. 2.3 their iudgement of long time sleepeth not and their damnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much as slumbereth Doe thou then take heed whosoeuer thou art whatsoeuer thou dost that thou abuse not the Mercy of God and to diuorce it from his Truth is to abuse it If when God threatneth thou layest aside his Truth presumest on his bare Mercy when he punisheth take heed he doe not cry quittance with thee by laying aside his Mercy and manifesting his bare Truth God is k Psal. 145.8 patient and mercifull Patience will beare much Mercy forbeare much but being scorned and prouoked dared l Furor sit laese saepius patientia Patience it selfe
ends and Dauids children c 2 Sam. 13.29 Ammon and d 2 Sam. 18.15 Absalon and the e Num. 16.37.33 little ones of Dathan and Abiram and others Some haue had losses and reproaches and manifold other distresses and afflictions in sundry kindes too long to rehearse And all these temporall iudgements their fathers sinnes might bring vpon them euen as the faith and vertues and other graces of the fathers doe sometimes conueigh temporall blessings to their posterity So Ierusalem was saued in the siege by Sonacherib for f Esay 37.35 Dauids sake many yeares after his death Esay 37.35 And the succession of the Crowne of Israel continued in the line of g 4 King 10.30 Iehu for foure descents for the zeale that hee shewed against the worshippers of Baal and the house of Ahab So then men may fare the better and so they may fare the worse too for the vertues or vices of their Ancestors Outwardly and temporally they may but spiritually and eternally they cannot For as neuer yet any man went to heauen for his fathers goodnesse so neither to hell for his fathers wickednesse §. 13. An Obiection with the first If it be obiected that for any people or person to suffer a a Amos 8.11 famine of the word of God to bee depriued of the vse and benefit of the sacred and sauing ordinances of God to be left in vtter darkenesse without the least glimpse of the glorious light of the Gospell of God without which ordinarily there can be no knowledge of Christ nor meanes of Faith nor possibility of Saluation to be thus visited is more than a temporall punishment and yet this kinde of spirituall iudgement doth sometimes light vpon a Nation or people for the vnbeliefe and vnthankfulnesse and impenitencie and contempt of their Progenitors whilest they had the light and that therefore the Children for the Parents and Posterity for their Ancestrie are punished not only with temporall but euen with spirituall iudgements also If any shall thus obiect one of these two answers may satisfie them First if it should bee granted the want of the Gospell to be properly a spirituall iudgement yet it would not follow that one man were punished spiritually for the fault of another For betwixt priuate persons and publike societies there is this difference that in priuate persons euery succession maketh a change so that when the father dyeth and the sonne commeth after him there is not now the same person that was before but another but in Cities and Countries and Kingdomes and all publike societies succession maketh no change so that when b Eccles. 1.4 one generation passeth and another commeth after it there is not another City or Nation or People than there was before but the same If then the people of the same land should in this generation bee visited with any such spirituall iudgement as is the remoueall of their Candlesticke and the want of the Gospell for the sinnes and impieties of their Ancestors in some former generations yet this ought no more to bee accounted the punishment of one for another than it ought to be accounted the punishing of one for another to punish a man in his old age for the sinnes of his youth For as the body of a man though the primitiue moysture bee continually spending and wasting therein and that decay bee still repayred by a daily supply of new and alimentall moysture is yet truely the same Body and as a Riuer fed with a liuing spring though the water that is in the channell be continually running out and other water freshly succeeding in the place and roome thereof is truely the same Riuer so a Nation or People though one generation is euer passing away and another comming on is yet truely the same Nation or People after an hundred or a thousand yeares which it was before §. 14. and second answer thereunto Againe secondly the want of the Gospell is not properly a spirituall but rather a temporall punishment Wee call it indeed sometimes a spirituall Iudgement as wee doe the free vse of it a spirituall Blessing because the Gospell was written for and reuealed vnto the Church by the spirit of God and also because it is the holy ordinance of God and the proper instrument whereby ordinarily the spirituall life of Faith and of Grace is conueighed into our soules But yet properly and primarily those only are a Epli. 1.3 spirituall blessings which are immediately wrought in the soule by the spirit of God and can neuer be lost where they are once placed and are proper and peculiar to those that are borne againe of the spirit and all those on the contrary which may bee subiect to decay or are common to the reprobate with the elect or may turne to the hurt of the receiuer are to be esteemed temporall blessings and not spirituall And such a blessing is the outward partaking of the word and ordinances of God the want thereof therefore consequently is to be esteemed a temporall iudgement rather than spirituall So that notwithstanding this instance still the former consideration holdeth good that God sometimes visiteth the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children with outward and temporall but neuer with spirituall and eternall punishments Now if there could no more bee said to this doubt but only this it were sufficient to cleere Gods Iustice since wee haue beene already instructed that these temporall iudgements are not alwayes properly and formally the punishments of sinne §. 15. Temporall euils of children though not properly For as outward blessings are indeed no true blessings properly because Wicked men haue their portion in them as well as the Godly and they may turne and often do to the greater hurt of the soule and so become rather Punishments than Blessings so to the contrary outward punishments are no true punishments properly because the Godly haue their share in them as deepe as the Wicked and they may turne and often doe to the greater good of the soule and so become rather Blessings than Punishments If it be yet said But why then doth God threaten them as Punishments §. 16. are yet after a sort punishments to the Fathers and how if they be not so I answer First because they seeme to be punishments and are by most men so accounted for their grieuousnesse though they bee not properly such in themselues Secondly from the common euent because vt plurimùm and for the most part they proue punishments to the sufferer in case hee bee not bettered as well as grieued by them Thirdly because they are indeed a kinde of punishment though not then deserued but formerly Fourthly and most to the present purpose because not seldome the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. in Gen. hom 29. Filij bona valetudo felicitas patrimonium pertiâ—et ad patrem Felicior futurus si saluum habuerit filium infelicioâ— si amiserit Senec. 5. de
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
from the duties of all other Callings as if their spirituall freedome in Christ had cancelled ipso facto all former obligations whether of Nature or Ciuility The Husband would put away his wife the seruant dis-respect his master euery other man breake the bonds of relation to euery other man and all vnder this pretence and vpon this ground that Christ hath made them free In this passage of the Chapter the Apostle occasionally correcteth this errour principally indeed as the present Argument led him in the particular of Marriage but with a farther more vniuersal extent to all outward states and conditions of life The summe of his Doctrine this He that is yoaked with a wife must not put her away but count her worthy of all loue he that is bound to a master must not despise him but count him worthy of all honour euery other man that is tyed in any relation to any other man must not neglect him but count him worthy of all good offices and ciuill respects sutable to his place and person though Shee or He or that other be Infidels and Vnbeleeuers The Christian Calling doth not at all preiudice much lesse ouerthrow it rather establisheth and strengtheneth those interests that arise from naturall relations or from voluntary contracts either domesticall or ciuill betwixt Man and Man The generall rule to this effect he conceiueth in the forme of an Exhortation that euery man notwithstanding his calling vnto liberty in Christ abide in that station wherein God hath placed him containe himselfe within the bounds thereof and cheerefully contentedly vndergoe the duties that belong therto vers 17. As God hath distributed to euery man as the Lord hath called euery one so let him walke And lest this Exhortation as it fareth with most other especially such as come in but vpon c Ex incidenti dat documentum generale Lyran. ad vers 17. the by as this doth should be slenderly regarded the more fully to d Quod vt plenè commendet reiterat Ambros in 1. Cor. cap. 37. commend it to their consideration practise he repeateth it once againe vers 20. Let euery man abide in the same calling wherein he was called And now againe once more in the words of this verse concluding therewith the whole discourse into which he had digressed Brethren let euery man wherin he is called therin abide with God From which words §. 2. The Pertinency I desire it may be no preiudice to my present discourse if I take occasion to entreat at this time of a very needefull argument viz. concerning the Necessity Choyce and Vse of particular Callings Which whilest I doe if any shall blame me for shaking hands with my Text let such know First that it will not be very charitably done to passe a hard censure vpon anothers labour no nor yet very prouidently for their owne good to slight a profitable truth for some little seeming impertinency Secondly that the points proposed are indeede not impertinent the last of them which supposeth also the other two being the very substance of this Exhortation and all of them such as may without much violence be drawne from the very words themselues at leastwise if we may be allowed the liberty which is but reasonable to take-in also the other two verses the 17. and the 20. in sense and for substance all one with this as anon in the seuerall handling of them will in parr appeare But howsoeuer Thirdly which S. Bernard deemed a sufficient Apology for himselfe in a case of like nature a Nouerint me nâ—n â—à m inâ—endisse exponere Euangelium quà m ex Euangelio sumere occasionem loquendi quod loqui delectabat Bernard super Messus est Nouerint me non tam intendisse c. let them know that in my choyce of this Scripture my purpose was not so much to binde my self to the strict exposition of the Apostolicall Text as to take occasion there-from to deliuer what I desired to speake and judged expedient for you to heare concerning 1. the Necessity 2. the Choyce and 3. the Vse of particular Callings §. 3. and Needfulnesse of the Points Points if euer needefull to bee taught and knowne certainly in these dayes most Wherein some habituated in idlenesse will not betake themselues to any Calling like a heauy jade that is good at bit and nought else These would bee soundly spurred vp and whipped on end Othersome through weakenesse doe not make a good choyce of a fit Calling like a young vnbroken thing that hath mettall and is free but is euer wrying the wrong way These would be fairely checkt turned into the right way and guided with a steddy skilfull hand A third sort and I thinke the greatest through vnsettlednesse or discontentednesse or other vntoward humour walke not soberly and vprightly and orderly in their Calling like an vnruly Coult that will ouer hedge and ditch no ground will hold him no fence turne him These would be well fettered and side-hanckled for leaping The first sort are to be taught the Necessity of a Calling the second to be directed for the Choyce of their Calling the third to be bounded and limitted in the Exercise of their Calling Of which three in their order and of the First first the Necessity of a Calling §. 4. The Generall and the Particular Calling The Scriptures speake of two kinds of Vocations or Callings the one ad Foedus the other ad Munus The vsuall knowne termes are the Generall and the Particular Calling Vocatio ad Foedus or the Generall Calling is that wherewith God calleth vs either outwardly in the ministery of his Word or inwardly by the efficacy of his Spirit or iointly by both to the faith and obedience of the Gospell and to the embracing of the Couenant of grace and of mercy and saluation by Iesus Christ. Which is therefore termed the Generall Calling not for that it is of larger extent than the other but because the thing whereunto we are thus called is one and the same and common to all that are called The same duties and the same promises and euery way the same conditions Here is no difference in regard of Persons but a Eph. 4.4.5 one Lord one faith one baptisme one body and one spirit euen as we are all called in one hope of our Calling That 's the Generall Calling Vocatio ad Munus or our Particular Calling is that wherewith God enableth vs and directeth vs and putteth vs on to some speciall course and condition of life wherein to employ our selues and to exercise the gifts he hath bestowed vpon vs to his glory and the benefit of our selues and others And it is therefore termed a Particular Calling not as if it concerned not all in generall for wee shall proue the contrary anon but because the thing whereunto men are thus called is not one and the same to all but differenced with much variety according to the
quality of particular persons b Vers. 7. hic Alius sic alius verò sic Euery man hath his proper gift of God one man on this manner another on that Here is c Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some called to be Magistrates some Ministers some Merchants some Artificers some one thing some another as to their particular Callings But as to the Generall Calling there is d Iude. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common Saluation all called to the same State of being the seruants and children of God all called to the performance of the same duties of seruants and to the expectation of the same inheritance of children all called to be Christians Of both which Callings the Generall and Particular there is not I take it any where in Scripture mention made so expresly and together as in this passage of our Apostle especially at the 20. verse Let euery man abide in the same calling wherein he was called Where besides the matter the Apostles elegancy is obserueable in vsing the same word in e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscat hîc both significations the Nowne signifying the Particular and the Verbe the Generall Calling Let euery one abide in the same calling wherein he was called bearing sense as if the Apostle had sayd Let euery man abide in the same Particular Calling wherein hee stood at the time of his Generall Calling And the same and no other is the meaning of the words of my Text. §. 5. A Particular Calling Whence it appeareth that the Calling my Text implieth and wherein euery man is here exhorted to abide is to be vnderstood of the Particular and not of the Generall Calling And of this Particular Calling it is we now intend to speake And that in the more Proper and restrained significatition of it as it importeth some settled course of life with reference to businesse office and employment accordingly as we say a man is called to be a Minister called to be a Lawyer called to be a Tradesman and the like Although I cannot be ignorant that our Apostle as the streame of his Argument carryed him here taketh the word in a much wider extent as including not only such speciall courses of life as refer to imployment but euen all outward parsonall states and conditions of men whatsoeuer whether they haue such referencce or no as we may say a man is called to Marriage or to single life called to riches or pouerty and the like But omitting this larger signification §. 6. Necessary for all men wee will hold our selues either onely or principally to the former and by Calling vnderstand a speciall setled course of life wherein mainly to employ a mans gifts and time for his owne and the common good The Necessity wherof whilest we mention you are to imagine not an absolute and positiue but a conditionall and suppositiue necessity Not as if no man could be without one de facto daily experience in these dissolute times manifesteth the contrary but because de jure no man should be without one This kind of Calling is indeede necessary for all men But how Not as a necessary thing ratione termini so as the want thereof would be an absolute impossibility but virtute praecepti as a necessary duty the neglect whereof would be a grieuous and sinfull enormitie He that will doe that which he ought and is in conscience bound to doe must of necessity liue in some Calling or other That is it we meane by the Necessity of a Calling And this Necessity we are now to proue And that First from the Obedience we owe to euery of Gods Ordinances §. 7. in respect 1. of the Ordinance and the Account wee must render for euery of Gods Gifts Amongst those ordinances this is one and one of the first that a Gen. 3.19 in the sweate of our faces euery man of vs should eate our bread Gen. 3. The force of which Precept let none thinke to auoyde by a quirke that forsooth it was layed vpon Adam after his transgression rather as a Curse which he must endure than as a Duty which he should performe For first as some of Gods Curses such is his goodnesse are Promises as well as Curses as is that of the b Gen. 3.15 Enmity betweene the Womans seede and the Serpents so some of Gods Curses such is his Iustice are Precepts as well as Curses as is that of the c Gen. 3.16 Eph. 5.22 Col. 3.18 1. Tim. 2.11 c. Womans subjection to the Man This of eating our bread in the sweate of our face is all the three it is a Curse it is a Promise it is a Precept It is a Curse in that God will not suffer the Earth to affoord vs bread without our sweate It is a Promise in that God assureth vs wee shall haue bread for our sweate And it is a Precept too in that God enioyneth vs if wee will haue bread to sweate for it Secondly although it may not be gainsayed but that that injunction to Adam was giuen as a Curse yet the substance of the injunction was not the thing wherein the Curse did formally consist Herein was the Curse that whereas before the fall the taske which God appointed man was with d Non erat laboris afflictio sed exhilaratio voluntatis Augustin 8. de Gen. ad lit 8. non labore seruili sed honestâ animi voluptate Ibid. c. 9. pleasure of body and content of mind without sweate of brow or brayne now after the fall he was to toyle and forecast for his liuing with e Sore trauell Eccl. 1.13 Great trauell and a heauy yoake Sirac 40.1 care of mind and trauell of body with * Eccl 12.12 wearinesse of flesh and e Eccl. 1.14.17 vexation of spirit But as for the substance of the injunction which is that euery man should haue somewhat to doe wherein to bestow himselfe and his time and his gifts and whereby to earne his bread in this it appeareth not to haue bin a Curse but a Precept of diuine institution that Adam in the time and state of Innocency before he had deserued a Curse was yet enjoyned his taske f Gen. 2.15 to dresse and to keepe the garden And as Adam liued himselfe so he bred vp his children His two first borne though heires apparant of all the world had yet their peculiar employments the one in g Gen. 4.2 tillage the other in pasturage And as many since as haue walked orderly haue obserued Gods Ordinance herein h Eph. 4.28 working with their hands the thing that is good in some kind or other those that haue set themselues in no such good way our Apostle elsewhere justly blaming as i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes. 3.6.11 inordinate or disorderly walkers And how can such disorderly ones hope to finde approueance in the sight of our God who is a God of order He
Doctors and his Proctors and his Aduocates leaue him For can it possibly enter into any reasonable mans head to thinke that a man should be borne for nothing else but to tell out money and take in paper which if a man had manie millions of gold and siluer could take vp but a small portion of that precious time which God would haue spent in some honest and fruitfull emploiment But what doe I speake of the iudgement of reasonable men in so plaine a matter wherein I dare appeale to the conscience euen of the Vsurer himselfe and it had neede bee a very plaine matter that a man would referre to the conscience of an Vsurer No honest man neede be c Pernagatissimus ille versus qui vetat Artem pudere proloqui quam fâ—ctites Cic. in Orator ashamed of an honest Calling if then the Vsurers Calling be such what need hee care who knoweth it or why should he shame with it If that be his trade why doth hee not in his Bills and Bonds and Nouerints make it knowne to all men by those presents that he is an Vsurer rather than write himselfe Gentleman or Yeoman or by some other stile But say yet our Vsurer should escape at least in the iudgement of his owne hardened conscience from both these Rules as from the sword of Iehu and Hazael there is yet a third Rule like the sword of Elisha to strike him stond dead and he shall neuer be able to escape that Let him shew wherein his Calling is profitable to humane society Hee keepeth no hospitalitie if he haue but a barr'd chest a strong lock to keepe his god and his scriptures his Mammon and his Parchments in hee hath house-roome enough He fleeceth many but cloatheth none He biteth and deuoureth but eateth all his morsels alone He giueth not so much as a crumme no not to his dearest Broker or Scriuener onely where he biteth he alloweth them to scratch what they can for themselues The King the Church the Poore are all wronged by him and so are all that liue neere him in euery common charge hee slippeth the collar and leaueth the burden vpon those that are lesse able It were not possible Vsurers should be so bitterly inueighed against by sober heathen Writers so seuerely censured by the Ciuill and Canon Lawes so vniformly condemned by godly Fathers and Councells so vniuersally d Ier. 15.10 hated by all men of all sorts and in all ages and countries as Histories and experience manifest they euer haue been and are if their Practice and Calling had been any way profitable and not indeed euery way hurtfull and incommodious both to priuate men and publike societies If anie thing can make a Calling vnlawfull certainly the Vsurers Calling cannot be lawfull §. 32. Enquiries concerning our selues Our first care past which concerneth the Calling it selfe our next care in our choyce must be to enquire into Our selues what Calling is most fit for vs and wee for it Wherein our Enquirie must rest especially vpon three things our Inclination our Gifts and our Education Concerning which let this be the first Rule Where these three concurre vpon one and the same Calling our consciences may rest assured that that Calling is fit for vs and we ought so farre as it lieth in our power to resolue to follow that This Rule if wel obserued is of singular vse for the settling of their consciences who are scrupulous doubtfull concerning their inward Calling to anie office or imployment Diuines teach it commonly and that truly that euerie man should haue an inward Calling from God for his particular course of life and this in the calling of the Ministerie is by so much more requisite than in most other callings by how much the businesse of it is more weighty than theirs as of things more immediately belonging vnto God Whence it is that in our Church none are admitted into holy Orders vntill they haue personally and expresly made profession before the Bishop that they find themselues a Book of ordering c. inwardly called moued thereunto But because what that inward calling is how it should be discerned is a thing not so distinctly declared and vnderstood generally as it should be it often falleth out that men are distressed in conscience with doubts scruples in this case whilest they desire to bee assured of their inward calling and know not how Wee are to know therefore that to this inward calling there is not of necessity required anie inward secret sensible testimony of Gods blessed sanctifying Spirit to a mans soule for then an vnsanctified man could not be rightly called neither yet any strong working of the Spirit of Illumination for then a meere heathen man could not bee rightly called both which consequents are false For b 1. Sam. 10.24 Saul and c Ioh. 6.70 Iudas were called the one to the Kingdome the other to the Apostleship of whom it is certain the one was not and it is not likely the other was endued with the holy Spirit of Sanctification And many heathen men haue beene called to seuerall emploiments wherein they haue also laboured with much profit to their owne and succeeding times who in all probability neuer had any other inward motion than what might arise from some or all of these three things now specified viz. the Inclination of their nature their personall Abilities and the care of Education If it shall please God to affoord any of vs any farther gracious assurance than these can giue vs by some extraordinarie worke of his Spirit within vs we are to embrace it with ioy and thankfulnesse as a speciall fauour but wee are not to suspend our resolutions for the choice of a course in expectation of that extraordinary assurance since wee may receiue comfortable satisfaction to our soules without it by these ordinary meanes now mentioned For who need be scrupulous where all these concurre Thy parents haue from thy childhood destinated thee to some special course admit the Ministery and beene at the care and charge to breed thee vp in learning to make thee in some measure fit for it when thou art growne to some maturity of yeares and discretion thou findest in thy selfe a kinde of desire to bee doing some thing that way in thy priuate study by way of tryall and withall some measure of knowledge discretion and vtterance though perhaps not in such an eminent degree as thou couldest wish yet in such a competency as thou maist reasonably perswade thy selfe thou mightest thereby be able with his blessing to doe some good to Gods people and not bee altogether vnprofitable in the Ministery In this so happy concurrence of Propension Abilities and Education make no farther enquiry doubt not of thine inward Calling Tender thy selfe to those that haue the power of Admission for thy outward Calling which once obtained thou are certainly in thine owne proper Course Vp and be doing for the