the World and ours to Grace and so even possess Christ whilst we speak of him And first if we look on his Mother Mary we shall find her an entire pure Virgin only espoused to Joseph but before they came together she was found with Child of the Holy Ghost Matth. i. 18 And then the Soul of Man must be this Virgin Now there is a threefold Purity or Virginity of the Soul First An absolute one such as was found in Adam before his fall Secondly A respective of a Soul which like Mary hath not yet joyned or committed with the World to whom it is espoused which though it have its part of natural corruptions yet either for want of ability of age or occasion hath not yet broke forth into the common outrages of sin Thirdly A restored purity of a Soul formerly polluted but now cleansed by repentance The former kind of natural and absolute purity as it were to be wished for so is it not to be hoped and therefore is not to be imagined in the Virgin Mother or expected in the Virgin Soul The second purity we find in all regenerate infants who are at the same time outwardly initiated to the Church and inwardly to Christ or in those whom God hath called before they have ingaged themselves in the courses of actual hainous sins such are well disposed well brought up and to use our Saviours words Have so lived as not to be far from the Kingdom of God Such happily as Cornelius Acts x. 1 And such a Soul as this is the fittest Womb in which our Saviour delights to be incarnate where he may enter and dwell without either resistance or annoyance where he shall be received at the first knock and never be disordered or repulsed by any stench of the carkass or violence of the Body of sin The restored purity is a right Spirit renewed in the Soul Psal li. 10 a wound cured up by repentance and differs only from the former purity as a scar from a skin never cut wanting somewhat of the beauty and outward clearness but nothing of either the strength or health of it Optandum esset ut in simplici Virginitate servaretur navis c. It were to be wished that the Ship our Souls could be kept in its simple Virginity and never be in danger of either leak or shipwrack but this perpetual integrity being a desperate impossible wish there is one only remedy which though it cannot prevent a leak can stop it And this is repentance after sin committed Post naufragium tabula a means to secure one after a shipwrack and to deliver him even in the deep Waters And this we call a restored Virginity of the Soul which Christ also vouchsafes to be conceived and born in The first degree of Innocence being not to have sinned the second to have repented In the second place the Mother of Christ in the flesh was a Virgin not only till the time of Christ's conception but also till the time of his birth Matth. i. 25 He knew her not till she had brought forth c. And farther as we may probably believe remained a Virgin all the days of her life after for to her is applied by the Learned that which is typically spoken of the East-gate of the Sanctuary Ezek. xliv 2 This gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred in by it therefore it shall be shut A place if appliable very apposite for the expression Hence is she called by the Fathers and Counsels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Perpetual Virgin against the Heresie of Helvidius The probability of this might be farther proved if it were needful And ought not upon all principles of nature and of justice the Virgin Soul after Christ once conceived in it remain pure and stanch till Christ be born in it nay be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Perpetual Virgin never indulge to sensual pleasures or cast away that purity which Christ either found or wrought in it If it were a respective purity then ought it not perpetually retain and increase it and never fall off to those disorders that other men supinely live in If it were a recovered purity hold it fast and never turn again As a Dog to his vomit or a Sow to her wallowing in the mire For this conception and birth of Christ in the Soul would not only wash away the filth that the Swine was formerly mired in but also take away the Swinish nature that she shall never have any strong propension to return again to her former inordinate delights Now this continuance of the Soul in this its recovered Virginity is not from the firm constant stable nature of the Soul but as Eusebius saith in another case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From a more strong able Band the Vnion of Christ to the Soul his Spiritual Incarnation in it Because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred in by it therefore it shall be shut Ezek. xliv 2 i. e. it shall not be opened either in consent or practice to the lusts and pollutions of the World or Flesh because Christ by being born in it hath cleansed it because he the Word of God said the Word therefore the leprosie is cured in whom he enters he dwells and on whom he makes his real impression he seals them up to the day of redemption unless we unbuild our selves and change our shape we must be his In the third place if we look on the agent in this conception we shall find it both in Mary and in the Soul of Man to be the Holy Ghost that which is conceived in either of them is of the Holy Ghost Matth. i. 20 Nothing in this business of Christs birth with us to be imputed to natural power or causes the whole contrivance and final production of it the preparations to and labouring of it is all the workmanship of the Spirit So that as Mary was called by an ancient so may the Soul without an Hyperbole by us be styled The Shop of Miracles and The Work-house of the Holy Ghost in which every operation is a miracle to nature and no tools are used but what the Spirit forged and moves Mary conceived Christ but it was above her own reach to apprehend the manner how for so she questions the Angel Luke i. 34 How shall this be c. So doth the Soul of Man conceive and grow big and bring forth Christ and yet not it self fully perceives how this work is wrought Christ being for the most part insensibly begotten in us and to be discerned only spiritually not at his entrance but in his fruits In the fourth place that Mary was chosen and appointed among all the Families of the Earth to be the Mother of the Christ was no manner of desert of hers but Gods special favour and dignation whence the
the meer eating of an apple In the next place as Adam was no private person but the whole humane nature so this sin is to be considered either in the root or in the fruit in its self or in its effects In its self so all mankind and every particular man is and in that name must humble himself as concerned in the eating of that fruit which only Adams teeth did fasten on is to deem himself bound to be humbled for that pride that curiosity that disobedience or whatsoever sin else can be contained in that first great transgression and count you this nothing to have a share in such a sin which contains such a multitude of Rebellions 'T is not a slight perfunctory humiliation that can expiate not a small labour that can destroy this monster which is so rich in heads each to be cut off by the work of a several repentance Now in the last place as this sin of all mankind in Adam is considered in its effects so it becomes to us a body of sin and death a natural disorder of the whole man an hostility and enmity of the flesh against the spirit and the parent of all sin in us as may appear Rom. vii and Jam. 1.14 Which that you may have a more compleat understanding of consider it as it is ordinarily set down consisting of three parts 1. A natural defect 2. A moral affection 3. A legal guilt i. e. a guiltiness of the breach of the Law for these three whatsoever you may think of them are all parts of that sin of our nature which is in and is to be imputed to us called ordinarily original sin in us to distinguish it from that first act committed by Adam of which this is an effect And first that natural defect is a total loss and privation of that primitive justice holiness and obedience which God had furnisht the Creature withal a disorder of all the powers of the Soul a darkness of the understanding a perverseness of the will a debility weakness and decay of all the senses and in summ a poverty and destruction and almost a nothingness of all the powers of Soul and Body And how ought we to lament this loss with all the veins of our heart to labour for some new strain of expressing our sorrow and in fine to petition that rich grace which may build up all these ruines to pray to God that his Christ may purchase and bestow on us new abilities that the second Adam may furnish us with more durable powers and lasting graces than we had but forfeited in the first The following part of this sin of our nature viz. A moral evil affection is word for word mentioned Rom. vii 5 For there the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordinarily translated motions of sins and in the margin the passions of sins are more significantly to be rendred affections of sins i. e. by an usual figure sinful affections That you may the better observe the encumbrances of this branch of this sin which doth so over shadow the whole man and so fence him from the beams and light of the spiritual invisible Sun I am to tell you that the very Heathen that lived without the knowledge of God had no conversation with and so no instruction from the Bible in this matter that these very Heathens I say had a sense of this part of original sin to wit of these evil moral lusts and affections which they felt in themselves though they knew not whence they sprang Hence is it that a Greek Philosopher out of the antients makes a large Discourse of the unfatiable desire and lust which is in every man and renders his life grievous unto him where he useth the very same word though with a significant Epithet added to it that S. James doth c. 1. ver 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infinite lust with which as S. James saith a man is drawn away and enticed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so saith he that part of the mind in which these lusts dwell is perswaded and drawn or rather fall backward and forward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which lust or evil concupiscence he at last defines to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unsatiable intemperance of the appetite never filled with a desire never ceasing in the persecution of evil and again he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our birth and nativity derived to us by our parents i. e. an evil affection hereditary to us and delivered to us as a Legacy at our Birth and Nativity all which seems a clear expression of that original lust whose motions they felt and guest at its nature Hence is it that it was a custom among all of them I mean the common Heathen to use many ways of purgations especially on their children who at the imposition of their names were to be lustrated and purified with a great deal of superstition and ceremony such like as they used to drive away a plague or a cure for an House or City As if nature by instinct had taught them so much Religion as to acknowledge and desire to cure in every one this hereditary disease of the soul this plague of mans heart as 't is called 1 Kings viii 38 And in summ the whole learning of the Wisest of them such were the Moralists was directed to the governing and keeping in order of these evil affections which they called the unruly citizens and common people of the soul whose intemperance and disorders they plainly observed within themselves and laboured hard to purge out or subdue to the government of reason and virtue which two we more fully enjoy and more Christianly call the power of grace redeeming our Souls from this Body of sin Thus have I briefly shewed you the sense that the very Heathen had of this second branch of original sin which needs therefore no farther aggravation to you but this that they who had neither Spirit nor Scripture to instruct them did naturally so feelingly observe and curse it that by reason of it they esteemed their whole life but a living death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their body but the Sepulchre of the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which together are but a periphrasis of that which S. Paul calls in brief the body of death And shall we who have obtained plenty of light and instruction besides that which nature bestowed on us with them shall we I say let our Eyes be confounded with abundance of day shall we see it more clearly to take less notice of it Shall we feel the stings of sin within us which though they do but prick the regenerate prove mortal to the rest of us and shall we not observe them Shall we not rather weep those Fountains dry and crop this luxury of our affections with a severe sharp sorrow and humiliation Shall we not starve this rank fruitful Mother of
especially that of Joh. 3. 〈…〉 on that 〈…〉 and generally Christ is the person 〈…〉 bridegroom Now as those bridegroom 〈…〉 solemnly brought out from under the 〈…〉 25.1 〈…〉 of darkness comes to us 〈…〉 of his 〈…〉 whither he hath 〈…〉 to be seen 〈…〉 morning at the rising of the 〈◊〉 saith the 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 star 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 sense 〈…〉 of God to the 〈◊〉 whether 〈…〉 or by voice from heaâ—en at last 〈…〉 of righteousness was ready to come forth their 〈…〉 and his son John the Baptist of whom it is peculiarly said he was a â—rning and a shining lamp this light from heaven that of Prophecy began to shew it self as the Phosphorus of Daduchus the light bearer or torch-bearer to bring out this bridegroom into the world who when he was come should imitate the Sun in his course 〈…〉 and warm all the parts of the babâ—â—able world before he set again This we know Christ did by 〈…〉 rays by those his Apostles 〈…〉 which makes it 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 of Christ and not only of 〈…〉 in the creatures V. 8. 〈…〉 is 〈…〉 is thought to be the 〈…〉 to the Chaldee 〈…〉 and the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 But it is not so 〈◊〉 that 〈…〉 the feminine of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather 〈…〉 then it may not be 〈◊〉 to remember 〈…〉 of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take food and from the◠〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 meat or food So Iam. 4.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for food in thâ— plural the Chaldee renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for food so Psal â—8 22 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for food 〈…〉 Sam. 13.5 7 10. And to this sense the 〈…〉 here to inclinâ— First by rejoycing the heart precedent which being the effect attributed to wine 〈…〉 that this second part of the verse should 〈◊〉 long 〈…〉 and the effects thereof and so secondly it follows it enlightens the eyes That this is an effect of taking food peculiarly hath been noted at large Psal â—â— note 〈◊〉 from that passage of Jonathan when the tasting 〈◊〉 little honey was the inlightning his eyes and so the phrase is used to express any refection of mind or body And so it will be most agreeable here the law of God and obedience thereto being the most proper aliment to the soul as it is said to be Christs meat to do the will of him that 〈◊〉 him and the effect thereof all manner of refreshment to the spirit when on the other side sin puts men into a sad weak famishing condition such as the prodigal in the Gospel is described in To this sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for food the reader will be more inclined 1. by the context v. 7. where the law of the Lord is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make my soul or life return which is the ordinary expression of foods refreshing us when we faint with hunger So Psal 23.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he restores my soul a consequent of the green pasture and still waters v. 2. he refresheth me So 1 Sam. 30.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his spirit 〈…〉 him as an effect of eating and drinking after 〈…〉 days So Lam. 1.16 the conforter 〈…〉 or bringing back the soul i. â— he that 〈…〉 restoring refresh me And then this restoring of the soul and 〈◊〉 food to it are in effect all one This food be◠〈◊〉 that of Paradise without the curse â—â—â—ext to 〈…〉 us by God without our labour the 〈…〉 of knowledge and of life 〈…〉 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the 〈…〉 from both the roots 〈…〉 dimensum or por◠〈…〉 â—is purged and drest before 〈…〉 V. 10. 〈…〉 signifies will be uncertain The 〈◊〉 renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oâ—ryzum 〈…〉 Hierome conceives 〈…〉 that which comes 〈…〉 gold But the 〈…〉 precious stone and Psal 〈…〉 precious stone And this latter is very 〈…〉 the word and is but a light variation of it 〈◊〉 other languages if we may believe Hesyâ—â—â— For 〈◊〉 he speaking of the 〈…〉 which is but this 〈◊〉 with the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pa◠〈…〉 Topaâ— and is a precious stone Meanwhile it is also clear that it is used for fine gold also of which the Crown is made Psal â—â— 3 and of which 〈◊〉 vessels Job 28.17 and so it may be here also V. 11. Warned The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used hath three significations First to shine and is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shine forth Dan. 12.3 Secondly by a metaphor to admonish and warn and then is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezech. 33.3 to signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezech. 33.9 to declare before â—and and Thirdly to flourish in the Chaldeâ— Paraphrase Hos 14.6 and Psal 90.6 From the second of these most of the Antient Interpreters render it here the Chaldee thy servant was circumspect in them the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keeps them and so oft elsewhere and from them the Syriack Latine Arabick and Aethiopick But the context â—â—ems rather to determine it to the first or which 〈◊〉 all one to the third sense the glorious and flourishing condition that is to be attained to either in 〈◊〉 or in another world by this means of careful obedience unto Gods commands and by no other for to this it follows that in keeping of them there is great reward V. 13. Presumptuous From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—bullivit intumuit to boil to swell is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proud or insolent one that on set purpose deliberately commits any ill and also the action that is so committed This the LXXII render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine ab alienis from strangers or strange sins or other mens sins most probably misreading the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from strangers for it V. 14. Let the words The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the future is literally to be rendred shall be and 〈◊〉 the LXXII and Latine read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—raâ—â—â— and the words shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut complaceant such as shall be acceptable before God or in his sight or more expresly an acceptable sacrifice So 't is used Exod. 28.38 Lev. 22.20 21. Isai 56.7 Jer. 6.20 in all the places where it occurs And to this sense the context confines it speaking of that abstinence from all wilful known presumptuous sins which is required of all men to make their prayers or any other their best performances or sacrifices acceptable before God according to that of the Apostle exhorting to lift up clean or holy hands 1 Tim. 2.8 and the Prophet Isai 1.16 Wash ye make ye clean till then surely God heareth not sinners John 9.31 The Twentieth
there were no Competition as it might be Chance so it might be Necessity too Thou art fain to be vertuous because thou canst be nothing else goodness must go for thy refuge but not thy choice were there no rival sin no competitor lust to pretend for thee 'T is therefore not only an act of wisdom but of goodness too observable in Gods wonderful dispensation of things under the Gospel to leave the Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the confines of two most distant people improveable into good and capable of evil like Erasmus's Picture at Rome or that vulgar Lie of Mahomet's Tomb at Aleppo betwixt two Load-stones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Synesius calls it a stake between God on one side and all the Devils in Hell on t'other made up of a Canaanite and an Israelite a law in the members as well as a law in the mind or as Antoninus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perswasions in the members many Topicks of Rhetorick many strong Allectives to evil in the lower carnal part of the man as well as invitations and obligations to good in the upper and spiritual Thus did God think fit to dispose it even in Paradise it self the flesh tempted with carnal objects even before the first sin had disordered that flesh A Palate for the sweetness of the Apple to please and an eye for the beauty to invite as well as an upper Masculine faculty a Reason for commands to awe and threats to deter yea and it seems in Heaven it self and the Angels there where is no flesh and blood that officina cupidinum shop or workhouse of desires yet even there is an inlet for Ambition though not for lust a liableness to the filthiness of the spirit though not of the flesh or else Lucifer had still stood Favourite could never have forfeited that state of bliss And so 't is ever since in this inferiour Orb of ours Behold I set before thee life and death blessing and cursing on one side all the joys of Heaven to ravish and enrap thee the mercies of Christ to draw thee with the cords of a man with the bands of love to force and violence thy love by loving thee first by setting thee a copy of that heavenly passion to transcribe but then withal death in the other scale death which it seems hath something amiable in it too it would not be so courted else a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Macarius styles it a gallantry of Hell a purple garment of darkness that such sholes of men and I tremble to think and say so large a quantity of baptized Christians are so ambitious of sell all that 's comfortable and valuable in this life to purchase it And were there not both these set before us by God life on one side and death on t'other blessing on one side and cursing on t'other a double canvass for thy soul a rivalry a competition and somewhat on both sides amiable to somewhat in thee life to the immortal death to the perishing part of thee blessing to the rational divine cursing to the bedlam brutish part of thee the man of God could not go on as he doth in that place Deut. 30.19 therefore chuse life that thou and thy sons may live Were there but one in our reach 't were necessity still and not choice and that most absolutely destructive of all judgment to come Hell might be our Fate but not our Wages our Destiny but not our Reward and Heaven any thing more truly than a Crown of righteousness A Piece of the Philosopher there hath been a long while in the world that hath had a great stroke in debauching the Divine that the Understanding doth necessarily and irresistibly move the Will that whatever hath once passed the judicium practicum got not only the assent of the Judgment that 't is true but the allowance also that 't is good and fit to be chosen cannot chuse but be desired and prosecuted by the Will from whence the Divine subsumes that where Faith is once entered though that but a Speculative I wish it were not sometimes but a Phantastical Faith there Works must and will infallibly follow I confess it were admirable news if this were true if all that knew these things were sure to do them if there were no such thing possible as Sin against Light Sin against Gospel Sin against Conscience if the lives of Believers could not prove infidel the actions of those that acknowledge God that make no doubt of the truth of Christianity could not avoid or escape being Godlike and Christian if 't were but a flash of S. Augustin's wit that the wicked Infidel believes contrary to Faith the wicked Believer lives contrary to it There were then but one care left a Christian to be catechiz'd aright which the Solifidian calls Faith or to be confident of his own Election which the Fiduciary calls Faith and then Quis separabit any thing else will be wrought in me by Christ or that any thing else will be unnecessary to be wrought Instead of this Pagan Principle that ties up all in the chains of inevitable Fate if it be examin'd give me leave to mention to you one Aphorism of Christian Philosophy which is but the interpretation of the competition that now I speak of that the Will is no more necessitated to obey the suggestions of Reason than of the Sensual Appetite of the upper than the lower Soul that 't is an indifferent middle Faculty able to chuse the evil and refuse the good or to satisfie the Philosophers importunity which resolves it impossible to chuse the evil unless under the appearance of good you may take it in a clearer notion able to chuse the pleasant and refuse the honest to chuse the sensual carnal and refuse the intellectual spiritual good And that you may see the ground of this observe that the whole Man is made up of three parts Spirit Soul and Body 1. The Body or Flesh lusting against the Spirit And 2. the Spirit again lusting against the Flesh Those two Extremes perfectly contrary one to the other in their appetites and therefore called by the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one the Masculine t'other the Feminine part one the Monarch in the Soul t'other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Commonalty one the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Master t'other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Child one the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voice and image of God in us t'other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bestial part one the Man t'other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the four-footed creatures in us And these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot do or as the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that you do not this is a consequent of that Contrariety you do not the thing that you would i. e. perhaps perfectly purely without some tack or mixture however I am sure not
of Aegypt God and a cruel Pharaoh a Deliverer and a Tyrant one to have them Slaves in Aegypt t'other to have them Princes in Canaan a sufficient inequality betwixt the Pretenders that it might be impossible for any to prefer the Onions and the Garlick before the Manna and the Kingdom After 't was betwixt God and a golden Calf a Calf still no very honourable creature though 't were of gold and anon betwixt God and a brazen Serpent Serpent and brazen too neither form nor metal to commend it and all along through the heathen world the competition was yet more unequal betwixt the God of Heaven and Wood and Stone of the Earth the most glorious Creator and vilest Creature nay the piece of Wood as the Prophet sets it that was not fit for any use not so much as to be burnt the very refuse of the refuse is the thing the Idol was made of and none but that Idol thought fit to be a Competitor with God for the adoration If you look back to Judaea again at the time of the great competition for the hearts of Israel betwixt Rehoboam and Jeroboam it was still of the same making betwixt a Kings son and a Servant a right Heir and a cunning Seducer a kind of Serpent again yes and betwixt the glorious Temple of Jerusalem on one side and the upstart Dan and Bethel on t'other the high Priest on one side and the basest of the People on the other betwixt the Calves at that Dan and the Cherubims at that Jerusalem and so still there was advantage enough one would think on Gods side against such Competitors And if we look now abroad into the most idoliz'd adored Diana's the sins that get all the custom away from Christ the only rivals with him for our souls we shall find them but little advanc'd above that old pitch little lovelier than the Serpent just such are our crafts our unsanctified counsels our wily artifices that have nothing but Serpent in their composition little honourabler than the Calf just such are our Gods of gold which I cannot mention but in Moses passion O these people have committed a great sin have made them Gods of gold all piety transform'd and contracted into the worship of that one shrine our gain the only godliness we can hear of and then a multitude more of a yet viler making fit only for a competition with that knotty refuse piece of wood of which the Idol was made the more shame they should outvie a most glorious God a Christ that if he had nothing in his life amiable yet hath died for us and so hath dearly purchas'd a title to our love yea and a blessed Spirit come down on purpose to sublime our judicative faculty to convince the world of the unreasonableness of sin yea and a poor thirsty panting soul which hath some reason to expect kindness from us a heaven and an immortal bliss Consider but a few of that glittering train of reigning sins in this our Land in this my Auditory and be astonished O Earth that they should ever be received in competition with Christ The oaths that all the importunity of our weekly Sermons turn'd into Satyrs against that sin cannot either steal or beg from us what gain or profit do they afford us which of our senses do they entertain which of our faculties do they court an empty profitless temptationless sin sensuality only to the devil-part in us fumed out of hell into our mouths in a kind of hypochondriacal fit an affront to that strict command of Christ his ego autem to his Disciples but I say unto you Christians swear not at all the best quality that it can pretend to is that that Hierocles of old mentions with indignation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fill up the vacuities of the speech to express and man a rage i. e. to act a mad man the more perfectly And of him that hath in his time sworn over all the hairs of his head I would still ask but this one question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what fruit had he then of this sin then when it was full in his mouth a swelling his cheeks whereof he is now ashamed cannot chuse but blush his ears glow or be in some pain till I have done speaking of it and yet beyond this the end of those things is death a several fiend in hell most sadly to come the paiment of every of those gainless oaths It were but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or cold address to this kind of sinner to bespeak in that of expostulating stile what advantageth it to gain the whole world and lose his own soul 't were more to his purpose to demand what advantageth it him to gain not one atome or most diminutive part of the world not the least acquisition of any thing desirable even to the carnal man satisfactory to any part of his appetite save that in a manner Platonick designless love of sinning and ruining his own soul and yet to do that as sure as if he had Satans totum hoc his whole Exchequer of wealth and honour in exchange for it I shall rather add what shall that man give in exchange for his soul to get it back again which he hath parted with so cheap without any barter sold it for nought and taken no mony for it in the Psalmists phrase and now cannot redeem it with all his patrimony 'T would grieve one I confess that did but weigh this sin in this ballance and observe the Tekel in the wall over against it how light and kexy and impertinent a sin this is to hear that any body should be damn'd for it in another world part with such treasures for such trifles make such African voyages carry out the substantial commodities of a good land and return with a fraight of toies or monsters pay so hugely dear for such perfect nothings and yet 't would grieve one more that this sin should glitter in a Protestant Court become part of the gallantry and civility of the place I and defame and curse our Armies that the improsperousness ruin perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a whole Kingdom should be imputable to one such sin and all our prayers to Heaven for you be outsounded and drown'd with that most contrary eloquence 'T were the Justest thing in the world that he that upon my present instance this more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 second admonition will not now vow to part for ever with this one sin so threatful to his Soveraign his Country his own Soul to the hosts gone forth against the enemy to all that is or should be pretious to him and so absolutely gainless to himself in his vilest capacity even as a sensual brute should never be admitted within these doors again never be preach'd to more never be consider'd as a Christian so much as in profession that will part with his true Christ or Jesus rather than with the
himself of ingenuity and innocence together and become one of Aristotles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Natural slaves which if it signifie any thing denotes the fools and simple ones in this Text whom nature hath marked in the head for no very honourable imployments But from this passivity in the Mines and Gallies to attain to a joy and voluptuousness in the imployment to dread nothing but Sabbatick years and Jubiles and with the crest-faln slave to disclaim nothing but liberty and manumission i. e. in effect Innocence and Paradise and Bliss to court and woo Satan for the Mansions in Hell and the several types and praeludiums of them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the initial pangs in this life which he hath in his disposing to be such a Platonick lover of stripes and chains without intuition of any kind of reward any present or future wages for all his patience and as it follows to hate knowledge and piety hate it as the most treacherous enemy that means to undermine their Hell to force them out of their beloved Satan's embraces this is certainly a very competent aggravation of the simplicity And yet to see how perfect a character this is of the most of us that have nothing to commend or even excuse in the most of those ways on which we make no scruple to exhaust our souls but only our kindness irrational passionate kindness and love toward them and then that love shall cover a multitude of sins supersede all the exceptions and quarrels that otherwise we should not chuse but have to them Could a man see any thing valuable or attractive in Oaths and Curses in Drunkenness and Bestiality the sin that when a Turk resolves to be guilty of he makes a fearful noise unto his Soul to retire all into his feet or as far off as it is possible that it may not be within ken of that bestial prospect as Busbequius tells us Could any man endure the covetous man's sad galling Mules burthens of Gold his Achans Wedge that cleaves and rends in sunder Nations so that in the Hebrew that sin signifies wounding and incision Joel ii 8 and is alluded to by his piercing himself thorow with divers sorrows 1 Tim. vi 10 his very Purgatories and Limbo's nay Hell as devouring and perpetual as it and the no kind of satisfaction so much as to his eye from the vastest heaps or treasures were he not in love with folly and ruine had he not been drenched with philtres and charms had not the Necromancer plaid some of his prizes on him and as St. Paul saith of his Galatians even bewitched him to be a fool Would we but make a rational choice of our sins discern somewhat that were amiable before we let loose our passion on them and not deal so blindly in absolute elections of the driest unsavory sin that may but be called a sin that hath but the honour of affronting God and damning one of Christ's redeemed most of our wasting sweeping sins would have no manner of pretensions to us and that you will allow to be one special accumulation of the folly and madness of these simple ones that they thus love simplicity The second aggravation is the continuance and duration of this fury a lasting chronical passion quite contrary to the nature of passions a flash of lightning lengthned out a whole day together that they should love simplicity so long It is the nature of acute diseases either to have intervals and intermissions or else to come to speedy crises and though these prove mortal sometimes yet the state is not generally so desperate and so it is with sins many the sharpest and vehementest indispositions of the Soul pure Feavers of rage and lust prove happily but flashing short furies are attended with an instant smiting of the heart a hating and detesting our follies a striking on the thigh in Jeremy and in David's penitential stile a So foolish was I and ignorant even as a beast before thee And it were happy if our Feavers had such cool seasons such favorable ingenuous intermissions as these But for the hectick continual Feavers that like some weapons the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 barbed shafts in use among the Franks in Agathias being not mortal at the entrance do all their slaughter by the hardness of getting out the Vultures that so tyre and gnaw upon the Soul the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that never suffer the sinner fool to make any approach toward his wits toward sobriety again this passionate love of folly improved into an habitual steddy course of Atheisticallness a deliberate peremptory final reprobating of Heaven the purity at once and the bliss of it the stanch demure covenanting with death and resolvedness to have their part to run their fortune with Satan through all adventures this is that monstrous brat that as for the birth of the Champion in the Poet three nights of darkness more than Egyptian were to be crowded into one all the simplicity and folly in a Kingdom to help to a being in the World and at the birth of it you will pardon Wisdom if she break out into a passion and exclamation of pity first and then of indignation How long ye simple ones c. My last particular The first debt that Wisdom that Christ that every Christian Brother ows and pays to every unchristian liver is that of pity and compassion which is to him of all others the properest dole Look upon all the sad moneful objects in the world betwixt whom all our compassion is wont to be divided first the Bankrupt rotting in a Gaol secondly the direful bloody spectacle of the Soldier wounded by the Sword of War thirdly the Malefactor howling under the Stone or gasping upon the Rack or Wheel and fourthly the gallant person on the Scaffold or Gallows ready for execution and the secure â—enseless sinner is the brachygraphy of all these You have in him 1. A rich patrimony and treasure of grace purchased dear and setled on him by Christ most prodigally and contumeliously misspent and exhausted 2. A Soul streaming out whole Rivers of blood and spirits through every wound even every sin it hath been guilty of and not enduring the Water to cleanse much less the Wine or Oyl to be poured into any one of them the whole Soul transfigured into one wound one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 congelation and clod of blood Then thirdly beyond this all the racks and pangs of a tormenting conscience his only present exercise and lastly all the torments in Hell the Officer ready hurrying him to the Judge and the Judge delivering him to the Executioner his minutely dread and expectation the dream that so haunts and hounds him And what would a man give in bowels of compassion to Christianity or but to humane kind to be able to reprieve or rescue such an unhappy creature to be but the Lazarus with one drop of water to cool the tip of the scalding Tongue that
Soul bestows all life and motion on it and enables it to perform any work of nature Again the Body and Soul together considered in relation to somewhat above their power and activity are as impotent and motionless as before the Body without the Soul Set a man to remove a Mountain and he will heave perhaps to obey your command but in event will do no more towards the displacing of it than a stone in the street could do but now let an Omnipotent Power be annext to this man let a supernatural spirit be joined to this Soul and then will it be able to overcome the proudest stoutest difficulty in nature You have heard in the Primitive Church of a grain of Faith removing Mountains and believe me all Miracles are not yet out-dated The work of Regeneration the bestowing of a spiritual Life on one dead in trespasses and sins the making of a Carcass walk the natural old man to spring again and move spiritually is as great a miracle as that Now the Soul in that it produces life and motion the exercise of life in the body is called a principle that is a Spring or Fountain of Life because all comes from it in like manner that which moves this Soul and enables it to do that which naturally it could not that which gives it a new life which before it lived not furnisheth it with spiritual powers to quell and subdue all carnal affections which were before too hard for it this I say is called properly an inward principle and an inward because it is inwardly and secretly infused doth not only outwardly assist us as an auxiliary at a dead lift but is sown and planted in our hearts as a Soul to the Soul to elevate and enable it above it self hath its seat and palace in the regenerate heart and there exercises dominion executes judgment and that is commonly either by Prison or Banishment it either fetters or else expels all insolent rebellious lusts Now the new principle by which not the man but the new man the Christian lives is in a word the spirit of God which unites it self to the regenerate heart so that now he is said to be a godly man a spiritual man from the God from the Spirit as before a living reasonable man from the Soul from the reason that inform'd and ruled in him which is noted by that distinction in Scripture betwixt the regenerate and unregenerate exprest by a natural or animal and a spiritual man Those Creatures that have no Soul in them are called naturals having nothing but nature within to move them others which have a Soul animals or living Creatures by both which the unregenerate is signified indifferently because the Soul which he hath stands him in little stead his flesh rules all and then he is also called a carnal man for all his Soul he is but a lump of flesh and therefore whether you say he hath a Soul and so call him an animal or hath not a Soul and so call him a mere natural there is no great difference in it But now the regenerate man which hath more than a Soul Gods spirit to enliven him he is of another rank 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual man nay only he properly a Christian because he lives by Christ He lives yet not he but Christ liveth 〈◊〉 him Gal. ii 20 This being premised that now you know what this new Creature is he that lives and moves by a new principle all that is behind will be clearliest presented to you by resolving these four questions first whence it comes secondly where it lodges thirdly when it enters fourthly what works it performs there To the first whence it comes the answer is clear and punctual John iii. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above from whence comes every good and especially every perfect gift James i. 17 but this most peculiarly by a several and more excellent way than any thing else Since Christs Ascension the Holy Ghost of all the persons in the Trinity is most frequently employed in the work of descending from Heaven and that by way of mission from the Father and the Son according to the promise of Christ John xv 26 The comforter whom I will send from the Father Now this spirit being present every where in its essence is said to come to us by communication of his gifts and so to be peculiarly resident in us as God is in the Church from which Analogy our Bodies are called the Temples of the Holy Ghost which is in us 1 Cor. vi 19 God sends then his spirit into our hearts and this I said by a peculiar manner not by way of emission as an Arrow sent out of a Bow which loses its union which it had with the Bow and is now fastned in the Butt or White nor properly by way of infusion as the Soul is in the Body infus'd from God yet so also that it is in a manner put into our hands and is so in the man's possession that hath it that it is neither in any mans else nor yet by any extraordinary tye annext to God from whom it came but by way of irradiation as a beam sent from the Sun that is in the air indeed and that substantially yet so as it is not separated from the Sun nay consists only in this that it is united to the Sun so that if it were possible for it to be cut off from the Sun it would desist to be it would illuminate no longer So that you must conceive these beams of Gods spirit at the same time in the Christians heart and in the spirit and so uniting that spirit to the heart as you may conceive by this proportion I have a Javelin or Spear in my hand if I would mischief any thing or drive it from me I dart it out of my hand at it from which Gods judgments are compared to shooting and lightning He hath bent his bow he hath sent forth his arrows he cast forth lightnings Psalm xviii 14 But if I like any thing that I meet with if I would have it to me I reach out my Spear and fasten in it but still hold the Spear in my hand and having pierc't it draw it to me Thus doth God reach forth his graces to us and as I may so say by keeping one end in his hand and fastning the other in us plucks and unites us to himself from which regeneration is ordinarily called an union with Christ and this union by a strong able band 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Euseb his phrase which no man can cut asunder 'T is impossible to divide or cut a spirit and this Bond is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual one and that made St. Paul so confident That no creature should ever separate him Rom. viii 39 And this God does by way of emanation as a Loadstone sending out its effluvia or magnetick atomes draws the Iron to
it self which never stays till it be united Thus do you see from whence this principle comes to me and in what manner from Gods spirit by this means uniting me to himself To the second question where it lodges my answer is in the heart of man in the whole soul not in the understanding not in the will a distinction of faculties invented by Philosophers to puzzle and perplex Divines and put them to needless shifts but I say in the whole Soul ruling and guiding it in all its actions enabling it to understand and will spiritually conceived I say and born in the Soul but nursed and fed and encreased into a perfect stature by the outward Organs and actions of the body for by them it begins to express and shew it self in the World by them the habit is exerted and made perfect the Seed shot up into an Ear the Spring improved to Autumn when the tongue discourses the hands act the feet run the way of Gods commandments So I say the Soul is the Mother and the operations of Soul and Body the Nurse of this Spirit in us and then who can hold in his spirit without stifling from breaking out into that joyful acclamation Blessed is the womb that bears this incarnate spirit and the paps that give him suck Now this inward principle this grace of regeneration though it be seated in the whole Soul as it is an habit yet as it is an operative habit producing or rather enabling the man to produce several gracious works so it is peculiarly in every part and accordingly receives divers names according to several exercises of its power in those several parts As the Soul of man sees in the Eye hears in the Ear understands in the Brain chooses and desires in the heart and being but one Soul yet works in every room every shop of the Body in a several trade as it were and is accordingly called a seeing a hearing a willing or understanding Soul thus doth the habit of grace seated in the whole express and evidence it self peculiarly in every act of it and is called by as several names as the reasonable Soul hath distinct acts or objects In the understanding 't is first spiritual wisdom and discretion in holy things opposite to which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. i. 28 an unapproving as well as unapproved or reprobate mind and frequently in Scripture spiritual blindness Then as a branch of this it is belief or assent to the truth of the promises and the like In the practical judgment 't is spiritual prudence in ordering all our holy knowledge to holy practice In the will 't is a regular choice of whatsoever may prove available to Salvation a holy love of the end and embracing of the means with courage and zeal Lastly in the outward man 't is an ordering of all our actions to a blessed conformity with a sanctified Soul In brief 't is one principle within us doth every thing that is holy believes repents hopes loves obeys and what not And consequently is effectually in every part of Body and Soul sanctifying it to work spiritually as an holy instrument of a divine invisible cause that is the Holy Ghost that is in us and throughout us For the third question when this new principle enters first you are to know that comes into the heart in a threefold condition first as an harbinger secondly as a private secret guest thirdly as an inhabitant or Housekeeper As 't is an harbinger so it comes to fit and prepare us for it self trims up and sweeps and sweetens the Soul that it may be readier to entertain him when he comes to reside and that he doth as the ancient gladiators had their arma praelusoria by skirmishing with our corruptions before he comes to give them a Pitch-Battel he brandishes a flaming Sword about our Ears and as by a flash of lightning gives us a sense of a dismal hideous state and so somewhat restrains us from excess and fury first by a momentany remorse then by a more lasting yet not purifying flame the Spirit of bondage In summ every check of Conscience every sigh for sin every fear of judgment every desire of grace every motion or inclination toward spiritual good be it never so short-winded is praeludium spiritus a kind of John Baptist to Christ something that God sent before to prepare the wayes of the Lord. And thus the spirit comes very often in every affliction every disease which is part of Gods Discipline to keep us in some order in brief at every Sermon that works upon us at the hearing then I say the lightning flashes in our Eyes we have a glimpse of his spirit but cannot come to a full sight of it and thus he appears to many whom he will never dwell with Unhappy men that they cannot lay hold on him when he comes so near them and yet somewhat more happy than they that never came within ken of him stopt their Ears when he spake to them even at this distance Every man in the Christian Church hath frequently in his life a power to partake of Gods ordinary preparing graces and 't is some degree of obedience though no work of regeneration to make good use of them and if he without the Inhabitance of the spirit cannot make such use as he should yet to make the best he can and thus I say the spirit appears to the unregenerate almost every day of our lives 2. When this spirit comes a guest to lodge with us then is he said to enter but till by actions and frequent obliging works he makes himself known to his Neighbours as long as he keeps his Chamber till he declare himself to be there so long he remains a private secret guest and that 's called the introduction of the form that makes a man to be truly regenerate when the Seed is sown in his heart when the habit is infused and that is done sometimes discernibly sometimes not discernibly but seldom as when Saul was called in the midst of his madness Acts ix he was certainly able to tell a man the very minute of his Change of his being made a new Creature Thus they which have long lived in an enormous Antichristian course do many times find themselves strucken on a sudden and are able to date their regeneration and tell you punctually how old they are in the spirit Yet because there be many preparations to this spirit which are not this spirit many presumptions in our hearts false-grounded many tremblings and jealousies in those that have it great affinity between Faith natural and spiritual seeing 't is a spirit that thus enters and not as it did light on the Disciples in a bodily shape 't is not an easy matter for any one to define the time of his conversion Some may guess somewhat nearer than others as remembring a sensible change in themselves but in a word the surest discerning of it
coals of fire which hath a vehement flame She had before often lost her beloved which made her so fiercely fasten on him for having roused him ruit in amplexus she rusht into his embraces she held him and would not let him go Thus you see the jealousie and eagerness of love produc'd by either a former loss or present more than ordinary want of the object both which how pertinent they are to the regenerate man either observing his past sins or instant temptations this Discourse hath already made manifest The Vse of this Thesis to wit that the greatness of ones sins makes the regenerate man apply himself more fiercely to Christ is first by way of caution that we mistake not a motive for an efficient an impulsive for a principal cause For where we say It makes him apply himself c. we mean not that the encrease of sin produces faith formally but only inciteth to believe by way of instruction by shewing us what distress we are in and consequently in what a necessity of a deliverer The meditation of our sinful courses may disclose our misery not redress it may explore not mend a Sinner like a touchstone to try not any way to alter him It is the controuling spirit which must effectually renew our spirits and lead us to the Christ which our sins told us we had need of The sense of sin may rouze the Soul but it is the spirit of God that lays the toils the feeling of our guilt may beat the Waters but it is the great Fisher of our Souls which spreads the Net which entraps us as we are in our way to Hell and leads us captive to salvation The mere gripings of our Conscience being not produced by any Pharmacon of the spirit but by some distemper arising from sin what anxiety doth it cause within us What pangs and twinges to the Soul O Lord do thou regenerate us and then thy holy spirit shall sanctifie even our sins unto our good and if thy grace may lead us our sins shall pursue and drive us unto Christ Secondly By way of character how to distinguish a true convert from a false A man which from an inveterate desperate malady shall meet with a miraculous unexpected cure will naturally have some art of expression above an ordinary joy you shall see him in an ecstasie of thanksgiving and exultancy whilst another which was never in that distress quietly enjoys the same health and gives thanks softly by himself to his preserver So is it in the distresses of the Soul which if they have been excessive and almost beyond hope of recovery as the miracle must so will the expression of this deliverance be somewhat extraordinary The Soul which from a good moral or less sinful natural estate is magis immutata quam genita rather chang'd than regenerate into a spiritual goes through this business without any great noise the spirit entring into it in a still small voice or at a breathing but when a robustous obdurate Sinner shall be rather apprehended than called when the Sea shall be commanded to give up his ship-wrack't and the Sepulchre to restore her dead the Soul surely which thus escapeth shall not be content with a mean expression but will practise all the Hallelujahs and Magnificats which the triumphant Liturgies of the Saints can afford it Wherefore I say if any one out of a full violent course of sinning conceive himself converted and regenerated let him examine what a degree of spiritual exultancy he hath attained to and if he find it but mean and flight and perfunctory let him somewhat suspect that he may the more confirm the evidence of his calling Now this spiritual exultancy of the regenerate consists both in a solemn humiliation of himself and a spiritual rejoycing in God his Saviour both exprest in Maries Magnificat where she specifies in the midst of her joy the lowliness of his handmaid and in S. Pauls victory-song over Death So that if the conversion of an inordinate Sinner be not accompanied with unwonted joy and sorrow with a godly sense of his past distress and a godly triumph for his delivery if it be not followed with a violent eagerness to fasten on Christ finally if there be not somewhat above ordinary in the expression then I counsel not to distrust but fear that is with a sollicitous not suspicious trembling to labour to make thy calling and election sure to pray to that Holy Spirit to strike our hearts with a measure of holy joy and holy sorrow some way proportionable to the size of those sins which in our unregeneracy reigned in us and for those of us whom our sins have separated far from him but his grace hath called home to him that he will not suffer us to be content with a distance but draw us close unto himself make us press toward the mark and fasten our selves on that Saviour which hath redeemed us from the body and guilt of this so great death The third Vse is of comfort and confirmation to some tender Souls who are incorporate into Christ yet finding not in themselves that excessive measure of humiliation which they observe in others suspect their own state and infinitely grieve that they can grieve no more Whereas this Doctrine being observed will be an allay to their sorrow and wipe some unnecessary tears from their Eyes For if the greatness of sin past or the plentiful relicks of sin remaining do require so great a measure of sorrow to expiate the one and subdue the other if it be a deliverance from an habituate servitude to all manner of sin which provokes this extraordinary pains of expression then certainly they who have been brought up with the spirit which were from their baptism never wholly deprived of it need not to be bound over to this trade of sorrow need not to be set apart to that perpetual humiliation which a more stubborn sin or Devil is wont to be cast out by I doubt not but a soul educated in familiarity with the spirit may at once enjoy her self and it and so that if it have an humble conceit of it self and a filial of God may in Earth possess God with some clearness of look some serenity of affections some alacrity of heart and tranquillity of spirit God delights not in the torment of his children though some are so to be humbled yea he delights not in such burnt-offerings as they bestow upon him who destroy and consume and sacrifice themselves but the Lords delight is in them that fear him filially and put their trust i. e. assurance confidence in his mercy in them that rejoice that make their service a pleasure not an affliction and thereby possess Heaven before they come to it 'T is observed in husbandry that soyl laid on hard barren starved ground doth improve it and at once deface and enrich it which yet in ground naturally fruitful and kept in heart and good case
is esteemed unnecessary and burthensom You need not the application Again the husbandman can mend a dry stubborn wayward fruitless earth by overflowing of it and on such indeed is his ordinary requisite discipline to punish it for its amendment But there is a ground otherwise well tempered which they call a weeping ground whence continually water soaks out and this proves seldom fruitful if our learned Husbandmen observe aright wherefore there is sometime need of draining as well as watering The application is that your Soul which either hath been naturally dry and barren or else over-wrought in the business of the World needs a flood of tears to soften and purge it But the well temper'd Soul which hath never been out of heart but hath always had some inward life some fatness of and nourishment from the spirit is rather opprest than improved by such an overslow The Christian is thereby much hindred in his progress of good works and cannot serve the Lord with alacrity that so perpetually hangs down his head like a Bulrush Wherefore the Country rule is that that ground is best which is mellow which being crusht will break but not crumble dissolve but not excessively Hence I say the habituate believer need not suspect his estate if he find not in himself such an extremity of violent grief and humiliation as he observes in others knowing that in him such a measure of tears would both soil the face of his devotion and clog the exercise of it His best mediocrity will be to be habitually humbled but actually lively and alacrious in the ways of godliness not to be too rigid and severe a Tyrant over his Soul but to keep it in a temper of Christian softness tender under the hand of God and yet man-like and able both in the performance of Gods worship and his own calling And whensoever we shall find our selves in either extreme either too much hardned or too much melted too much elevated or too much dejected then to pray to that Holy Spirit so to fashion the temper of our Souls that we neither fail in humbling our selves in some measure for our sins nor yet too cowardly deject and cast down our selves below the courage and comfort and spiritual rejoycing which he hath prescribed us O Holy Lord we are the greatest of Sinners and therefore we humble our selves before thee but thou hast sent thy Christ into the World to save Sinners and therefore we raise up our spirits again and praise and magnifie thy name And thus much of this point and in brief of the first consideration of these words to wit as they are absolutely a profession of Paul himself to which end we beheld him in his double estate converted and unconverted In his unconverted state we found though a very great Sinner yet not absolutely greater than those times brought forth and therefore we were to think of him relatively to his future estate and so we found him the greatest Sinner that ever was called in the New Testament into so glorious a Saint Whence we observe the rarity of such conversions that though Saul were yet every blasphemous Sinner could not expect to be called from the depth of sin to regeneracy and salvation and this we proved both against the ancient Romans and modern Censors of morality and applied it to the care which we ought to have of keeping our unregeneracy spotless from any reigning sin Afterward we came to Paul converted where we balk't the Discourse of the condition of sin in the regenerate and rather observed the effect of it and in it that the greatness of his sin made as Paul so every regenerate man more eagerly to fasten on Christ Which being proved by a double ground we applied first by way of caution how that proposition was to be understood 2. By way of character how a great Sinner may judge of his sincere certain Conversion 3. By way of comfort to others who find not the effects of humiliation and the like in themselves in such measure as they see in others and so we have past through the first consideration of these words being conceived absolutely as St. Pauls profession of himself we should come to the other consideration as they are set down to us as a pattern or form of confessing the estate and applying the Salvation of Sinners to our selves which business requiring the pains and being worthy the expence of an entire hour we must defer to a second exercise Now the God which hath created us hath elected redeemed called justified us will sanctifie us in his time will prosper this his ordinance will direct us by his grace to his glory To him be ascribed due the honour the praise the glory the dominion which through all ages of the world have been given to him that sitteth on the Throne to the Holy Spirit and Lamb for evermore Pars Secunda SERMON XIX 1 TIM I. 15 Of whom I am the chief IN all Humane Writings and Learning there is a kind of poverty and emptiness which makes them when they are beheld by a Judicious Reader look starved and Crest-faln their Speeches are rather puft up than fill'd they have a kind of boasting and ostentation in them and promise more substance and matter to the Ear than they are able to perform really to the understanding whence it falls out that we are more affected with them at the first hearing and if the Orator be clear in his expression we understand as much at the first recital as we are able to do at the hundredth repetition But there is a kind of Excellency in the Scripture a kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sublimity above all other Writings in the World The reading of every Section of it leaves a sting in the mind and a perpetual conceit of a still imperfect understanding of it An intelligent man at every view finds in it a fresh mystery and still perceives that there is somewhat beyond not yet attain'd to like men digging in Mines the deeper he dives he finds the greatest treasure and meets with that under ground which looking on the outward turf or surface he never imagined to have been there This I observe unto you to shew you the riches both of all and especially of this Scripture whereinto the deeper I dig the more Ore I find and having already bestowed one hour in the discussing of it without any violence or wresting or wire-drawing find plenty of new materials We have already handled the Words at large in one consideration as they are a profession of Paul himself I will not repeat you the particular occurrents We now without any more delay of Preface come to the second consideration of them as they are spoken by Paul respectively to us i. e. as they are prescribed us for a form of confessing the estate and applying the Salvation of Sinners unto our selves teaching each of us for a close of our Faith and Devotion to confess
when Jesus had cried with a loud voice which belongs to the former passage he said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and having said this he gave up the Ghost 9. Here we see our Blessed Saviour that had not the Spirit by measure that spake as never man spake chose yet to conclude his life to entertain himself in his greatest Agony and at last to breath out his Soul in this Psalmist's form of words rather than in his own No tongue of Men or Angels can invent a greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set out the honour of any Writing or give us more reason to lay up in our minds the words of the Martyr Hippolitus that in the dayes of Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liturgy shall be extinguisht Psalmody shall cease Reading of the Scriptures shall not be heard In which three as the Publick Service of God was by the Antients thought to consist so the destroying of all and each of them must needs be a branch if not the whole body of Antichristianisme a direct contradiction to Christ who by his own prescription or practice of each of these imprest a Sacred Character on each 10. The use which the Apostles of Christ are recorded to have made of this Book bears proportion with these precedents 11. In St. Peter's Speech about Judas and his Successor the directions are taken from hence Act 1.16 20. In his first Sermon to his Countreymen his proofs are from hence Act. 11.25 31 34. So again chap. 4.11 And upon the delivery of him and John out of the Rulers hands the whole company celebrate the news of it chap. 4.24 first in the words of Psal 146.6 then of Psal 2.1 2. so St. Paul in his Preaching Act. 13.22 33 35. in his Writings Rom. 3.4 10 c. 8.36 10.18.11.9.15.3 9 11 and oft elsewhere and so in his Sufferings also Act. 16.25 At midnight one of the Solemn hours of Prayer and Psalmody in the Antient Church Paul and Silas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their office of Prayer used an Hymn or Psalm one or more also and recited so loud that the prisoners heard and this again signally accepted and rewarded by God with the earth-quake and opening of the doors and loosing of their bands v. 26. 12. The use of these in the Publick Assemblies as early as the Apostles times is intimated 1 Cor. 14 26. but distinctly set down 1 Cor. 2.4 under the style of Prophesying every Man praying or prophesying according to the importance of that phrase 1 Chron. 25. Heman and Jeduthun should prophesy with harps with psalteries and with cymbals v. 1. and the sons of Asaph prophesied according to the order of the King v. 2. and the sons of Jeduthun prophesied with the harp to give thanks and praise the Lord v. 3. and in them as in praying all joyned the whole assembly in heart and voice had all their common inteterest women as well as men every woman that prayeth or prophesieth v. 5. though in other parts of the office they were not allowed to speak chap. 14.34 yet let us exalt his name together Psal 34.3 young men and maidens Psal 148.12 and so still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Isidore Polusiote the Apostles of Christ wisely permitted that women should Sing Psalms in the Churches and he there mentions it as a most severe punishment to be inflicted on them for their misdemeanours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be interdicted Singing in the Church with which he joyns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the turning them out of the City 13. Then for the more private use of them St. Paul's prescriptions are authentick testimony Eph. v. 18 19. where in opposition to the heathen Orgia of Bacchus's Enthusiasts he directs to speaking to themselves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in their hearts unto God and Col. 3 16. teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord. And so St. James also chap. v. 13. Is any merry let him sing Psalms 14. How this Exercise was frequented in all after-Ages in the Church and made a very great part of the Christians devotions both in the publick assembly and more privately in the Family and yet in the greater retirement in the Closet and the waking Bed we need not seek in the Histories of the Ascetae and Recluse many of which spent their whole time in this imployment reciting the whole Psalter daily others weekly none past an hour of Prayer without a considerable portion of it The Fathers of the Church assure us that for those that lived in Seculo Psalmody was the constant attendant sometimes of their Meals generally of their Business in the shop and in the field that they learnt the whole Book by heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and through their whole age continued singing or saying Psalms that whereas the custome of the world had taught all to deceive the wearisomness or length of business by any kind of singing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God had provided them Psalms for their pleasure and profit together that whilst they did in appearance but sing they should really be instructed and improved in their souls 15. The consideration of these things but especially of the common interest of all sorts and states Ages and Sexes in this one great treasury and magazine deposited with the Church for the inriching and securing of Souls together with one sadder reflection which I had rather the Reader should be told from St. Chrysostome than from me have oft suggested and at length perswaded me to make this attempt to cast in my Mite to this Treasury my Symbolum toward so charitable a work as is the indeavour that every man may be in some measure able to say with St Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will sing or recite a Psalm with the spirit I will do it with the understanding also 16. In order to which what is here attempted to be performed together with the uses which every pious Christian may think fit to make of it I am in this place to advertise the Reader 17. For the first The maine if not only scope of the Paraphrase and Annotations hath been to extricate and clear the literal importance of each Psalm whether that were more general wherein all men indifferently were concerned or more particular and that again either such as concerned the Psalmist only in relation to some Matter of Fact in the Story of those Times or such as had a farther and more Divine Aspect on Christ the Messias of the World who without question is oft predicted in this Book of Psalms and either by Christ himself or by his inspired Apostles acknowledged and attested to have been signally meant and so to have given the World the most eminent Completion of those Predictions 18. Now because the Expounding of Prophecies
do what the words signify Cassian hath said over the same thing more largely and earnestly That we injoy this treasure it is necessary that we say the Psalms with the same spirit with which they were composed and accommodate them unto our selves in the same manner as if every one of us had composed them or as if the Psalmist had directed them purposely for our uses not satisfying our selves that they had their whole completion in or by the Prophet but discerning every of us our own parts still to be performed and acted over in the Psalmists words by exciting in our selves the same affections which we discern to have been in David or in others at that time loving when he loves fearing when he fears hoping when he hopes praising God when he praises weeping for our own or others sins when he weeps begging what we want with the like spirit wherein his petitions are framed loving our enemies when he shews love to his praying for ours when he prays for his having zeal for the glory of God when the Psalmist professes it humbling our selves when he is humbled lifting up our spirit to heaven when he lifts up his giving thanks for Gods Mercies when he doth delighting and rejoycing in the beauty of the Messias and of the Church his Spouse when he is delighted and rejoyceth when he relates the wonderful works of God in the Creation of the World bringing his People out of Aegypt c. admiring and glorifying God as he stands amazed and glorifies him and when he mentions the Punishments inflicted on rebellious sinners and Rewards and Favours bestowed on the obedient we likewise are to tremble when he trembles and exult when he exults and walk in the Court of Heaven the Sanctuary as he walks and wish to dwell in it as he wishes Finally where he as a Master teacheth exhorts reprehends and directs the just man each of us must suppose him speaking to him and answer him in such due manner as the instruction of such a Master exacts And that we may in some measure performe this vital substantial part of our task Let us saith he at the beginning of the Psalm beg of God that light and affection and gust and savour with which David was affected when he made it and that with the affection and desire of obteining what he felt 31. And if it be here objected First that there be many things in these Psalms which are not agreeable to every mans condition and so cannot at all times be attended with the spirit of the reciter as the Eucharistical Psalms are not proper for him that is in distress c. Secondly that there are many which have no propriety to the spirit of any Christian as those which are spent in calling down vengeance on Gods and the Psalmists enemies Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul Psal 35.4 Let them be as chaffe before the wind and let the Angel of the Lord chase them v. 5. Let destruction come upon them at unawares v. 8. and especially Psal 109. allmost throughout the answer will not be difficult To the first 1. that the very objection is a grant that the Psalms contein devotions proper to the most distant conditions of all men and then that which is no way agreeable to my present circumstances being yet most agreeable and accommodate to several other men this is but a summons to my charity to swell above its own banks and diffuse it self to the refreshing and supplying of others wants and so this not any defect but an advantage in the Psalms which will never be complained of by those which begin their Forms as our Saviour directed addressing them to the common Father and Redeemer of all men and desire not to inclose benedictions but take all others into a principal part of their care and so can pray most zealously for any thing that any other Christian stand in needs of And yet 2. it will be hard to mention any thing which was ever fit for the Psalmist to say which will not have some propriety to every of us in whatsoever condition 'T is certain as to the particular instance that he that is in the greatest distress hath yet various matter for and obligations to Thanksgivings when his very distress which seems to set him at the greatest distance from it is the most peculiar ingagement to it God's taking all away bringing to the boiles and dunghill from the ease and splendor of the Palace is Job's summons to blessing the name of the Lord as well as the memory of his greatest donatives and the Psalmist oft assures us of the goodness and most valuable benefits of afflictions and consequently teaches us the duty of blessing and magnifying our benefactor for the mercy of those wholsome be they never so bitter ingredients And the same will be found appliable to all other affections of the Psalmist which will seldome miss to meet seasonable matter to work on in any mans breast which wants not devotion to discern and bring it home to him 32. To the second Objection I shall not need accommodate any other answer than the Reader will find allready given in the Margin and Paraphrase and Annotation on Psal 35.4 and other the like that the Hebrew is as capable of the Future as the Imperatiue mood and sense and so the Translation in all reason to be changed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not let them be confounded and put to shame but they shall blush and be ashamed they shall be turned back 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall be as chaffe before the wind and the Angel of the Lord shall chase them Their way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be dark and slippery and the Angel of the Lord shall persecute them Destruction shall come upon him unawares and his net that he hath hid shall catch himself into that very destruction shall he fall That David who was a Prophet inspired by God with knowledge of future events should thus rather predict and denounce Gods just judgments on obstinate sinners and that out of designs purely charitative by denouncing to work repentance that repentance might frustrate and cancel the denunciation is much more reasonable for us to resolve than that in the spirit when possibly without the power of Elias he should so frequently call for thunder from heaven either upon his own or Gods enemies And in many places particularly that of Psal 109. 't is reasonable to resolve that it is Christ himself that speaketh in the Prophet as being the person there principally concerned and the completion most signal in many circumstances there mentioned the succession especially of Matthias in his Apostolical and Episcopal office And then there remains no more question or difficulty how these and the like passages are to be accommodated to the Christians affection and spirit than how the plain denunciations of the Gospel are to be entertained by it
Except ye repent ye shall perish Indignation and anger and wrath upon every soul that doth ill Our God is a consuming fire There remains no more sacrifice for sin but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall consume the adversary and many the like which are to be admitted into the very bowels of the Soul there to perform their work of Melting Contrition Mortification and Reformation to bruise the Soul and dissolve it and purge all the dross out of it and so refine and prepare it for the uses of Holiness 'T is ordinarily said that the Jews were a typical people the whole divine oeconomy toward them is doctrinal and instructive to us not immediately or literally but by way of Anagogy the severity required of them toward the Canaanites is to be transcribed by us no other way than by our displeasure and revenges on our Lusts and sins the greatest enemies either of God or us And thus our zeal and indignation may be seasonably laid out yea and our Anathemas if we still continue them in that form our solemn delivering them up to God's displeasure judgment and executions without pleading their cause or solliciting any reprieve for them 33. If again it be objected That many affections of the Psalmist are much more divinely elevated than 't is imaginable our dull earthy hearts should keep pace with them That the Beatitudes belong to those which are much higher advanced than we are That the professions of love are exuberant and but reproaches of our lukewarmness not paterns of forms for it I answer That 't is most true that these divine flames are much above the common pitch and were not meant so to our use as to flatter us that we are or may lawfully assume to be such as David was or as he by these pourtraitures desired we should be Yet are there other proper advantages to be made of these They that recite the Beatitudes are to do it with the sincerity of honest hearts aspiring to that pitch and begging God's grace and assistance to advance them to some measure of all those practices to which those Beatitudes are pronounced they that take into their mouths David's forms of professions of love or faith or zeal or resolute adherence and obedience to God are thereby to reproach and excite their own defects to humble themselves before God that they cannot pronounce them so vigorously as they ought and to pray for that growth and spiritual proficiency that at their next approaches to that part of the office they may performe it with more savour and profess with more truth what the Psalmist calls us and teaches us to profess 34. Lastly for the sweetness of Gods Law which is so oft proclaimed in these Books the gratiousness of Gods precepts not only of the promises annext to them by way of future reward but the resultance of present joy and gratefulness and agreeableness which discovers it self in every part of our obedience to Gods Yoke more to be prized than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter also than honey and the honey-combe and such as when it is tried to the uttermost the servant of the Lord not only willingly supports but unfeignedly loves it If we are not cordially able to joyn with the Psalmist in these and the like expressions then as we need not be told 't is for want of the like temper and frame of mind which he had so we must hereby be directed first to cure our appetites and then to taste and see as the Psalmist advises solemnly to make our trials to gain this part of Christian experience which is not to be had but in a constant serious practice of all God's wayes and then we shall not faile to see and discern how gracious the Lord is and that there is not any such probable way to the blessedness even of this life as that of adhering and keeping fast to his precepts and directions in opposition and defiance and abhorrence to all the false wisdom and promises of the World 35. I shall not now farther inlarge this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by inquiring as I had thought into the Measures and Musick of this Divine Poesy Of which as it is not easie to make any exact discoveries so some imperfect observations which are the utmost I can aspire to will not be sufficient to excuse the confidence of entring on a disquisition which no others have adventured to trace before me nor found themselves invited to it either by the Helps which remain in this kind or the Profit that probably were to be reaped by it The only advise with which I shall conclude is That in general we remember that the whole Book is originally metrical and so designed to consort and united affections and therefore ought to be distinguisht and have its use separate from other Scriptures which are read in our presence and accordingly we sit and hearken to them and indeavour to remember them and apply them to the increase of our spiritual knowledge whereas this as all the Hymns of the Church belongs to the whole Assembly of both Sexes not as to Auditors but to Actors and therefore in this part of the Publick Service whether saying or singing of Psalms every person of the Congregation is to preserve his interest with his voice and heart joyning in all or at least by maintaining his right to all by interposing in every other verse by way of Response and alternation Which that it was the Primitive custom if we wanted other evidences the Epistle of Plinie to Trajane would competently assure us where he tells him of the custom of the Christians in their coetus Carmen Christo tanquam Deo dicere secum invicem to say one with another by turns a verse i. e. a Psalm or Hymne to Christ as unto God Which custome together with the reverend posture of standing assigned to this office of Psalmody and the Doxology at the end of every Psalm to testify what Pliny discovered that we say our Psalms to Christ as to God upon what deliberations or designs it hath been indeavoured to be laid aside and the Psalms whilst they are but in Prose barely read in the common mode of other Scriptures and the people denied their parts in them save when they are sung in very ill Metre I list not to conjecture but shall hope when we have attained any part of the Psalmists affections to fit us for the office it will be thought as fit for our Lips and Hearts as for our Ears to turn Psalmodists THE WORKS Of the REVEREND and LEARNED Henry Hammond D. D. The Fourth VOLUME CONTAINING A Paraphrase Annotations UPON THE PSALMS As also upon the Ten First Chapters of the PROVERBS TOGETHER WITH XXXI SERMONS ALSO An APPENDIX to Vol. II. LONDON Printed by T. Newcomb and M. Flesher for Richard Royston Bookseller to the Kings most Sacred Majesty at the Angel in Amen-Corner and Richard Davis Bookseller
〈◊〉 thou hast afforded strength to my beauty made my splendor or prosperous state v. 7. firm and durable which may probably enough be the intire meaning of the phrase without referring to the Ark yet was it not amiss to mention the other in the Paraphrase as the means of his conceived safety V. 10. Hear For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hear thou the LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath heard and so for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast been and so convert the petition of David into a report of Gods having granted it which is the subject of the next verse V. 11. Dancing From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bore is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pipe or hollow musical instrument ordinarily used in singing or dancing and from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here for dancing So the Chaldee renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into dancing and so the Interlinear and though the copy of the LXXII antiently as well as now read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into joy and so is followed by the Latine Syriack and Arabick yet the conjecture of our learned Country-man Mr. Nic. Fuller is very probable that their original reading was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dancing not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gladness the Hebrew word thus exacting and the conjunction with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wailing and lamentation not unfitly agreeing thereto for to that is opposed and properly succeedeth dancing see Matth. 9.17 To this is here added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally thou hast opened my sackcloth For in time of mourning the manner was to gird it on so 2 Sam. 3.3 Rend your clothes and gird you with sackcloth Joel 1.13 Gird your selves and lament and so Isa 32.11 gird upon your loyns In stead of that melancholy cincture gladness here becomes a cincture as if sorrow like a conquered enemy were to be carried in triumph adding to the glory of the victory and taken in as an ingredient in our joy V. 12. My glory What is here meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory is somewhat uncertain The Chaldee render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the honourable of the earth that they may praise thee the Syriack read it as after the verb of the first person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will sing to thee glory but the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that my glory may sing and so the Latine Arabick and Aethiopick in the notion of glory for the tongue or heart of man praising God as elsewhere and here the context directs to interpret it The Thirty First PSALM TO the chief Musitian a Psalm of David Paraphrase The Thirty First Psalm is an excellent mixture of prayer and praises and constant affiance in God it was composed by David and committed to the Prefect of his Musick 1. In thee O Lord do I put my trust let me never be ashamed deliver me in thy righteousness Paraphrase 1. O blessed Lord I place my whole affiance and confidence in thee do not thou forsake and disappoint me but make good thy promised mercies and deliverances unto me 2. Bow down thine ear to me deliver me speedily be thou my strong rock for an house of defence to save me Paraphrase 2. Receive my prayer and hasten to my relief be thou to me as a fortress and place of refuge whereto I may confidently resort and find safety 3. For thou art my rock and my fortress therefore for thy names sake lead me and guide me Paraphrase 3. And such indeed have I constantly experimented thee to be whensoever I have made my applications to thee thou hast succoured and secured me and so I do not doubt thou wilt still continue to do and though I have no title of claim thereto but only thy free mercy and most gracious promise direct and conduct me in all my ways 4. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me for thou art my strength Paraphrase 4. Rescue me I pray thee out of the mischief that is treacherously prepared and designed against me for thou art my only helper 5. Into thy hand I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Paraphrase 5. To thee I offer up my very soul that part which alone is worth thy having to thee I give it in pledge as to one that having already wrought so many deliverances for me hast obliged me to be wholly thine and withal ingaged thy self by those pawns of thy goodness to do the like again in all my necessities 6. I have hated them that regard lying vanities but I trust in the Lord. Paraphrase 6. I detest all the Gentile practices of consulting auguries and divinations which alas never stand them in any stead deceive and frustrate their confidences All my addresses shall be made to thee O Lord and in thee will I repose all my confidence 7. I will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble thou hast known my soul in adversities Paraphrase 7. All my delight and joy shall be in recounting thy continual goodness toward me how thou hast regard to my necessities and owned me and relieved me in my lowest condition 8. And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy thou hast set my feet in a large room Paraphrase 8. And not delivered me up into the power and malice of my adversaries but as yet preserved me in a state of liberty 9. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am in trouble my eye is consumed with grief yea my soul and my belly Paraphrase 9. Yet are not my troubles at an end O Lord I have long waited for rest but have not yet attained to it This is very grievous unto me painful to my soul my sensitive faculty and to my bowels the seat of those affections and of most accurate sense O be thou graciously pleased to look upon me 10. For my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing my strength faileth because of mine iniquity and my bones are consumed Paraphrase 10. For the continual distresses and troubles wherewith I have been exercised have even exhausted me thy punishments for my sins have brought me very low I am ready to sink and fail under them 11. I was a reproach among all my enemies but especially among my neighbours and a fear to mine acquaintance they that did see me without fled from me Paraphrase 11. My enemies scoff at me and so also do my friends in a great degree seeing me after all my confidence to continue thus helpless This makes them from whom I have most reason to expect relief to be afraid to afford me any and so I am avoided and left destitute by all men 12. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind I am like a broken vessel Paraphrase 12. I am no more considered or cared for by them than as a
twelve times more used as the title of a Psalm to denote the sort of melody the tune to which it was set so saith Kimchi on Psal 3. known among the Hebrews by that name from some famous song first set to that tune either from the wisdom contained in it as when it is styled Maschil of Heman and Ethan Psalm 88 and 89. those being two eminent wise men 1 King 4.31 or else as beginning with that word The Chaldee render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good understanding the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of knowledge or understanding More literally it signifies the concrete the wise or intelligent but being added to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to or of David it undoubtedly signifies a Psalm of his set to that tune and nothing else and so in all the other Psalms where it is prefixt in the title See note on Psalm 88. b. V. 1. In whose spirit Where the Hebrew hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his spirit which the Syriack Latine and Aethiopick follow some reading in his spirit some in his heart which is all one the LXXII as now we have their Translation have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their mouth and so the Arabick also This 't is possible from the double notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either for the spirit and soul or else for the breath which is the instrument of speech But 't is more probable that some scribe may have thus mistaken by reason of the affinity of the words and set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mouth for spirit S. Hierome in Ep. ad Suniam Fretill affirms the LXXII to have read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was inserted from Symmachus V. 4. My moisture The last part of this v. 4. is so rendred by the LXXII and Latine c. as hath no affinity with the Hebrew as now we have it and as it is understood by the Chaldee The Hebrew hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chief difficulty is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet that is well cleared by the Chaldee rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my freshness or moisture and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is best rendred from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dugge or brest the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Abu-Walid being pleoâ—astical and that from an old word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to moisten in which sense the Arabs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Num. 11.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the freshness or juice or fatness or moisture of oyle This saith the Psalmist was converted from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to turne into the droughts from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exaruit of summer So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taedet molestum est because of the wearisomeness of summers heat But the LXXII seem to have misread at least three of these words For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was turned as if it had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first person For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my moisture or freshness they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into misery in which sense also the Jewish-Arab takes it as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in angustiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grief or calamity from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proscidit vastavit For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into droughts they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in being fixt or strucken into from that old notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sword comes from it the instrument of transfixion from whence this other notion seems to have been derived because when an arrow or the like is entred into the flesh it causeth a burning in it Lastly for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 summer they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prick or thorn from the same theme And by thus varying the sense in every word they have yet given us but another expression of the same matter fit enough for a paraphrase of the Psalmists great sorrow for sin thus I was turned into great misery when the thorn entred into me i. e. to signifie the sharp sense of his transgression The Syriack paraphrase it in a plainer manner grief turned in my brest to the killing of me and the Arabick thou hast reflected on me cares or troubles warring in my heart But the Jewish-Arab followeth another construction day and night thy plague is heavy upon me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turneth or is turned upon me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the grieving me or and grieveth me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the heats or hot winds of summer V. 6. In a time when thou mayest be found In this v. 6. the weight seems to be laid on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a time of finding a time when God will hear and grant their prayers and that suggests another rendring of the latter part of the verse than the antient Interpreters have taken notice of thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as for the inundation of many or great waters hereby signifying the wicked man that like a torrent breaks over the banks transgresses the Laws and sweepes and carries all before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will not come nigh or at all approach unto him i. e. to God they run on obstinate in their course they care not nor ever look after God Thus the opposition seems to exact and the change of the person from thee to him is no objection against it being frequent in other places of this poetick writing On this it regularly follows thou art my hiding place I desire to be in the number of the humbly pious that make a seasonable and successful address to thee and so to have my part in thy protection c. And then for all other the obstinate c. I will instruct them v. 8. V. 7. Preserve me The LXXII their reading here is very far from the Hebrew For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt keep from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they seem to have read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast besieged from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besieging me For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acclamations or songs from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sing for joy they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my rejoycing as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my exultation Then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the infinitive in the notion of the gerund in di they read as in the Imperative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deliver me Lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt incompass me they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from them that incompass me as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus also the Latine à tribulatione quae circundedit me exaltatio mea erue me à circundantibus me from
themselves that they shall perpetuate the wealth and greatness which they have gathered but are very wide of their expectations find themselves foully deceived and frustrated And yet they that succeed them in their estates go after them in the same track imitate that folly which was so fatal to them and think themselves happy that they shall enjoy the fruits of it 14. Like sheep they are laid in the grave death shall feed on them and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling Paraphrase 14. But then death comes upon them all and defeats all their expectations As sheep or other such creatures they die remove from all their splendid possessions to those dark invisible plains where they continue as a flock in a pasture till that great morning of the resurrection when the righteous shall be assumed by God to assist in judicacature and so shall arise in their old shapes when the earth shall give up her dead and the grave wherein their beauty strength and form decayed and was consumed shall at length it self decay and lose its strength death having lost its sting and the grave its victory and so being no longer the mansion for the bodies of just men 15. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me Selah Paraphrase 15. And accordingly my comfort is that God will after my death one day restore me again to life into his hands I commend my spirit not doubting but he will hereafter receive me to glory And so for all others that constantly adhere to and wait on God whatever terrors they meet with here they have this full matter of confidence that God hath particular care of them and will either deliver them out of their dangers or convert them to their greatest good rewarding them abundantly in the resurrection 16. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich when the glory of his house is increased Paraphrase 16. It is therefore most unreasonable to be troubled at or to envy the increase of wordly riches or honour or any kind of greatness or prosperity to the worldly man 17. For when he dyeth he shall carry nothing away his glory shall not descend after him Paraphrase 17. For death will soon overtake him and then he cannot carry his wealth with him his present glory and greatness shall not then yield him the least advantage 18. Though whilst he lived he blest his soul and men will praise thee when thou dost well to thy self Paraphrase 18. Indeed might his own word be taken he were an happy man for so he flattereth himself that he hath goods laid up for many years and as long as this life lasts he entertains no other thoughts But when death comes all these flattering fallacies vanish 'T is not thine own mouth but anothers whose commendation will be worth the having and that will not be had but for the real kindnesses and good turns thou dost unto thy self in doing that which will prove thy durable good and not in saying magnificent things of thy present state applauding thy temporal felicities 19. He shall go to the generation of his fathers they shall never see light Paraphrase 19. The just shall be gathered to their fathers in peace die indeed as their fathers did before them but the wicked shall be destroyed for ever their death shall be their entrance into endless unexpressible darkness and misery and to that they shall be for ever confined 20. Man that is in honour and understandeth not is like the beasts that perish Paraphrase 20. The conclusion then is There is not a more brutish creature more fit to be pitied than envied than a worldly wicked man advanced to greatness in this world and pleasing himself in it he doth not at all understand his own condition he triumphs and thinks himself very happy and whilst he doth so death unexpectedly seises upon him and confutes him sweeps him away helpless and friendless as a beast of the field that just now took himself for one of the greatest men in the world just as they perish and leave all behind them so doth he Only the wise and virtuous the upright v. 10 14. have better hopes and shall not fail of atteining them Annotations on Psalm XLIX V. 2. Low and high The difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may here briefly be noted The former is taken for a great or eminent person in any respect of virtue extraction strength c. So 1 Sam. 26.15 Art thou not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man is expounded by what follows and who is like thee in Israel signifying there the military valour and reputation of Abner and many the like Whereas as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earth signifies an earthy or frail mortal mean man And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here sons of this mean man are the lower and ordinary sort of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sons of the earth say the LXXII not that they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earth for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because they would in their reading allude to the original of the word as oft they do And then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the contrary to these persons of the higher quality The Chaldee express the former phrase by the sons of old Adam the latter by the sons of Jacob making this difference between the rest of mankind and the people of Israel and giving the latter the preeminence over all other and so they make them comprehensive words containing Gentiles and Jews i. e. all the men in the world and that very fitly the Psalm following being the equal concernment of them both But 't is more likely that the phrases denote only the several conditions of men of the lower and higher rank for so the consequents interpret it rich and poor the former according to the sacred style frequently observable explicative of the latter of those and the latter of the former by way of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 4. Dark saying The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a proverb or parable is of great latitude signifies primarily any similitude by which another thing is exprest thence a figurative speech either by way of fiction and fable such are riddles or significant apologues as that of Jotham Jud. 9.7 and many others in Scripture both in the old and new Testament or by way of application of some true example or similitude as when the sluggard is bid go to the ant the impenitent sinner to the swallow and crane which return at their certain seasons and so are fit to preach returning or repentance to sinners And finally it belongs to all moral doctrine either darkly or only sententiously delivered because the wise men of the world were wont to deliver that in short concise sentences
those that are in the greatest distresses be thou gratiously pleased to look upon me to be atoned and reconciled toward me 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Paraphrase 2. O let not any the least of these crimes that I have been guilty of in this matter be permitted to appear in thy sight or rise up in judgment against me but seal me thy perfect pardon for every one of them 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me Paraphrase 3. For I do most willingly confess that I have committed in the compassing of one carnal pleasure many horrid and odious sins These are a perpetual terror to my conscience an amazing prospect continually outfacing and tormenting me 4. Against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and be clear when thou judgest Paraphrase 4. And though the dignity and office wherein thou hast placed me over thy people leave me not liable to any humane process or judicature among men yet am I most sadly culpable and liable to vengeance from thee the pure God of heaven the transcendent Ruler over all the Kings of the earth Thou mayest most justly proceed against me as against the most criminous rebel indite me and arraign me of adultery drunkenness and murther also and whatever suit thou wagest against me thou art sure to cast me whatsoever vengeance thou exactest to be inflicted on me I must most deservedly and inevitably fall under it 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me 6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom Paraphrase 5 6. Lord I am a most polluted creature the corruption of my nature the bare inclinations of my will to any unlawful object ought in any reason to be strictly watched and industriously rejected by me and thy grace continually sollicited to inable me to overcome them and not in the least degree favoured or indulged or yielded to when I so well know that thou requirest purity of the heart and affections and forbiddest the very first thoughts of any unlawful injoyment and beside this revelation of thy will that I should thus keep my self pure art pleased to grant me thy grace to make me inwardly sensible of this part of my duty and this is a great inhauncing of my sin committed against all these obligations 7. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Paraphrase 7. Lord be thou pleased to absolve me and solemnly to declare and seal to me thy reconciliation after the same manner as the priest is wont to do when upon the unclean thing he sprinkles water mixed with the ashes of an heifer and of cedar wood and of hyssop and of scarlet Lev. 14.6 7. Num. 19.6 the solemn ceremony for the purification of sin v. 9. and whereby the blood of the lamb of God the death of the Messias was praefigured and then I shall again be restored to that blessed state from which I have so sadly fallen by my outragious miscarriages 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Paraphrase 8. I am in a most sad and wretched condition thy just displeasure and wrath for my sins as long as it continues over me is the setting my soul upon the torture my own conscience being the executioner under thee O be thou pacified and reconciled toward me and it shall be the joyfullest news that ever came to any poor tortured suppliants ears when he is taken off from the rack and all his bones set and restored to ease again 9. Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities Paraphrase 9. Lord pardon my sins and return to thy wonted favour toward me 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Paraphrase 10. I have sadly fallen from my wonted purity and sincerity Lord by the good work of thy grace upon my heart restore me to it again and renew me inwardly and throughly my very thoughts as well as my actions that I never fall into the least beginning of any such pollution again 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me Paraphrase 11. Lord it is just with thee to reject me from all spiritual commerce and communication with thee who have resisted thy spirit and wasted my soul by so many wilful commissions against thee just that thou shouldest withdraw thy grace to which I have done such despite O do not thou thus severely punish me by withdrawing that which now more than ever I stand in need of 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit Paraphrase 12. Without thy help and aids I am utterly unable to get out of this broken condition the free and voluntary assistances of thy spirit are so perfectly necessary to me that I can never think a good thought make the least attempt toward recovering the purity from whence I am fallen without them O be thou pleased to restore them to me and thereby to support and establish me 13. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee Paraphrase 13. And this thy exceeding mercy to a sinner so sadly laps'd may be a means to bring wicked livers home to repentance I shall be able to incourage them to return by proclaiming mine own success who have fallen as sadly as any of them can have done And being thus incouraged by my example and experience many I doubt not by the assistance of thy grace shall be brought home to thy service and the practice of the duties of new life 14. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God thou God of my salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness Paraphrase 14. Oh that sin of murther is an horrid and crying sin of a black and deep dy and though mine own hands have not been polluted with it yet my conscience assures me the guilt of the murther of Uriah lies on me who projected and contrived it by others O thou blessed Lord from whom all my deliverance must come be thou pleased to deliver me from this one as from those other foul Commissions and it will be most joyful news to me and with the greatest exultation of heart shall I proclaim thy abundant mercies to me 15. O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Paraphrase 15. This work of grace from thee shall set my lips wide open in praising and magnifying thee 16. For thou desirest not sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt-offerings Paraphrase 16. 'T is not any the richest hecatombe or most chargable oblation for my sin that thou expectest
shews that it was a very sad and considerable slaughter and the greatness of it Kimchi collects probably by comparing the sum of the Ephraimites Num. 2.19 when they came out of Egypt with that of them in the plains of Moab Num. 26.37 In the former the host of the Ephraimites was 40500 in the latter but 32500 eight thousand short whereas in that space the other tribes were considerably encreased And to this flight and defeat and slaughter an effect of their cowardise and unbelief and want of dependance on God the Psalmist here refers most probably V. 12. Zoan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb 13.22 though it be not set down in the story in Exodus is twice specified by the writer of this Psalm here and v. 43. as the scene wherein the wondrous works were wrought on Pharaoh by Moses either because really the first and principal of the miracles were shewed Pharaoh there this city being the seat of the King and a most antient city as appears by the expression used of Hebron Num. 13.22 where to set out the antiquity of that city where Abraham the tenth from Noah dwelt 't is said that it was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt or perhaps only in poetical style as the field or country of Zoan is all one with the land of Egypt foregoing Thus in other prophetick writings when judgments are threatned in stead of Egypt sometimes we find Zoan alone Isa 19.11 where the Princes of Zoan are all one with the wise Counsellors of Pharaoh sometimes the Princes of Zoan with the addition of some other city as v. 13. the Princes of Zoan the Princes of Noph i. e. again the Counsellors of that Kingdom which as it there follows have seduced Egypt brought the whole nation to ruine So Isai 30.4 where they send to Egypt for releif 't is said their Princes were at Zoan their Embassadors at Hanes But elsewhere Ezek. 30.13 c. we have a larger enumeration of many cities of Egypt Noph Pathros Zoan No Sin Aven Phibeseth Tehaphnehes all to express the same thing the land of Egypt after the manner of the Hebrews by some one or two or more cities of it For Zoan the Chaldee and LXXII and Latine read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tanis which certainly is but a light change from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the צ as 't is ordinary being turned into T and the ע left out Of this saith Stephanus Byzant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the name of a great city of Egypt V. 18. Lust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soul is generally set to signifie the sensitive or animal faculty as that is distinguished from the spirit the upper or rational faculty And so here when their wants were abundantly supplied and yet they remained unsatisfied and querulous it is fitly said that they demanded meat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their souls i. e. not for their real wants which they might rationally desire to have supplied but for their phansies their sensitive and carnal appetites not restrained by reason Thus the Jewish Arab took it rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without need And this in the story Num. 11.4 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lusted a lust and so here v. 29 30. and accordingly in sense it is not unfitly here rendred by our English meat for their lust V. 25. Angels The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong or robustuous is applyable to any creature that is such oxen horses souldiers and may here not improbably refer to the Israelites groundless complaint against the Manna as thin light food assuring us that it was meat for the healthiest appetite noble food saith the Jewish Arab and accordingly they were sed with it as athletae to saturity as it follows in this verse and v. 31. the wrath of God fell on the fattest of them their murmurings being most unexcusable But besides this the word being used first of God may be here secundarily applyed either to heaven or therein to the Angels and so it is taken by all the antient Interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bread of Angels say the LXXII and all the rest accord the bread of heaven saith Abu Walid and Kimchi As for the meaning of the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread of Angels who we know neither eat nor drink the Chaldee gives a full account of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the food that descends from the dwelling of Angels and so it signifies no more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wheat or corn of heaven v. 24. only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corn relates only to the matter of it whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adds the dressing of it which without question is the importance of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeparavit and accordingly is rendred by the author of the book of Wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 16.20 bread prepared from heaven as an explication of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the food of Angels preceding there Of this 't is here said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is capable of a double interpretation either that man eat that food which was brought by Angels as a special dignity to the murmuring Israelites to be so royally attended or else that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies quilibet every one and is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 36.16 so here every one did eat in reference to the great abundance of this manna as it follows he sent them meat to the full V. 34. When he slew them The full and clear importance of these 6. verses from the beginning of verse 34. to the end of verse 39. will be best fetcht from the various acception of the particle י which is sometimes copulative and then must be rendred and sometimes is the note of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 introducing the latter part of a disjunctive or comparative speech and then is sometimes best rendred yet sometimes than If the period begin with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when or if then ו that introduceth the latter part must be rendred then If the period being begun thus consist of many members one involved in the other by way of parenthesis and ו be still continued as the means of connecting them then they will best be rendred by though and yet And so it is most probably here For there being very many parts of this period each of them begun with ו the context directs to carry the sense suspended for the four former verses 34 35 36 37. and to begin the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 38. after this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If or when he killed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they sought him and returned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and remembred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though they flattered him with their mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and with their tongues lyed unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their heart was not right with
and attend the voice of my supplications Paraphrase 6. And hereon I found my trust and importunity that thou wilt now grant this my petition 7. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee for thou wilt answer me Paraphrase 7. When I am in the greatest streights then aâ— in thy special opportunity I address my prayers unto thee being then most confident that thou wilt give me an answer of mercy 8. Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy works Paraphrase 8. Of all the Angels in heaven much more of the false heathen Idol gods there is none fit to be compared with thee their power to relieve is not comparable to thine nor proportionably their readiness for such a work of mercy 9. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorify thy name Paraphrase 9. And this is so evident in thy works of creation but especially in thy works of redemption and thy strange providential dispensations and interpositions of thy hand in behalf of thy servants that all the blindest Idolatrous Gentiles may therein discern reasons abundantly sufficient to convince them of thy power and to bring them as proselytes to thy worship to acknowledge and magnifie thy divine Majesty and so at length they shall do in the days of the Messias 10. For thou art great and dost wondrous things thou art God alone Paraphrase 10. For to thee only belongs the soveraign commanding controlling power to which all creatures yield their obedience as being the one only God over all the world None but thou only hast the priviledge of working true miracles of resisting the most puissant power of men and so of rescuing the most disconsolate sufferers out of the utmost distresses 11. Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy name Paraphrase 11. O Lord let thy spirit direct and guide all the actions of my life that they may be acceptable to thee that I may uniformely practice what thou requirest O be thou pleased to purge all hypocrisy out of my soul that I may perform a sincere universal obedience to thy commands not taking any interest of the world or flesh into competition with thee 12. I will praise thee O Lord my God with all mine heart and I will glorifie thy name for evermore 13. For great is thy mercy toward me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell Paraphrase 12 13. This I am sure is most perfectly due to thee and with it all the praises and acknowledgments of my whole soul and that for ever It being a work of thy superabundant mercy toward me thy poor indigent helpless and withall most unworthy servant that thou hast not permitted me to be swallowed up with that abyss of dangers that have incompast me but as yet preserved and so in some degree delivered me out of them 14. O God the proud are risen against me and the Assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul and have not set thee before them Paraphrase 14. For they are a sort of obstinate and withall very numerous powerful and formidable enemies that have set themselves purposely to destroy me without any fear of thee or imagination that thou wilt interpose any hinderance to the prosperous success of their designs 15. But thou O Lord art a God full of compassion and gratious long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and truth Paraphrase 15. But thou O Lord wilt undoubtedly relieve me and discomfit them Of this thy divine attributes assure me who art so wholly made up of mercy and pity to them that are in distress and cry to thee for help that I cannot doubt of thy hearing and rescuing me at this time and though thou deferâ—est the execution of thy wrath upon wicked doers on purpose to reduce them by thy patience to repentance yet when this work of thy long-sufferance and mercy proves in effectual when men go on impenitently and obstinately in their course thy fidelity and performance to thy servants that are opprest by such as well as that soveraign property thy mercy oblige thee to discomfit and exemplarily to punish them and relieve and deliver those that are oppressed by them 16. O turn unto me and have mercy upon me give thy strength unto thy servant and save the son of thy handmaid Paraphrase 16. Lord if it be thy will may this now be thy opportunity to restore thy wonted mercies to me to interpose thy power for my rescue and deliver me thy most lowly servant out of these present dangers 17. Shew me a token for good that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me Paraphrase 17. Let thy favour and kindness toward me be now by some means as thou shalt think good signally and illustriously exprest that it may be effectual to work a shame and reformation in mine enemies so far at least as to give over their malitious design when they discern thee to espouse my cause to take my part to assist and support me against all their machinations Annotations on Psalm LXXXVI V. 2. For I am holy The meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render for I am holy may deserve to be examined The Chaldee directly follow the Hebrew words and are to be interpreted by them and give no help toward the understanding them The LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as literal the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an aspirate for ×— as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with γ for ×— being most probably formed by an easie change from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This signifying originally 1. piety to God 2. probity 3. mercy or benignity the Syriack it seems thought it so unreasonable for the Psalmist to affirm any of these of himself that taking it in the third notion that of goodnese as that is all one with mercy they apply it not to the Psalmist but to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art good and so the Arabick also That this was by them done either through change or misunderstanding the Hebrew is not probable when there is another notion of the word which as it will best accord with this place so it will perfectly justify this their rendring that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see note on Ps 4. d. one that hath found favour with God This best accords with the rest of the titles here given to himself poor and needy v. 1. thy servant that trusteth in thee v. 2. one that cries daily to thee v. 3. that lifts up his soul to thee v. 4. Which what are they but the description of Gods Eleemosynary the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elsewhere Another possible notion of the word and which recedes very little from this such as may be owned of the
then powerfully support his Church against all the enemies thereof destroying in a remarkable manner those that hold out against him and will not be subject to his kingdom 11. Let the heavens rejoyce and let the earth be glad let the sea roar and the fulness thereof 12. Let the field be joyfull and all that is therein then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce 13. Before the Lord for he cometh for he cometh to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth Paraphrase 11 12 13. And this is matter not of mourning but of joy to the whole heathen world who upon this act of divine vengeance and judicature Christs destroying their false Gods and casting them out of their Temples and by their forsaking those ridiculous detestable idol-worships and all the pollutions annext to them and receiving the Christian faith and with it mortification of lusts practice of all Christian vertues and tasting the inward joys and comforts of these shall be obliged to bless and praise and magnifie God and acknowledge this sovereign mercy far beyond all that ever they aspired to and admire his justice and wisedom in this blessed turn of his providence and withall the uprightness of his judgments the exact justice thereof in dispensing both his punishments and rewards to all the people in the world protecting those that by adhering to him take care of their eternal welfare and eminently and signally destroying those that will not permit so gracious a Saviour and Redeemer with his easie and pleasant yoke and not onely light but beneficial burthen to rule and reign over them Annotations on Psal XCVI V. 5. Idols From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing of nothing that which profits not Job 13.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Physicians that profit not are not esteemable are not able to cure or help So a false vision or prophecy not fit to be heeded or depended on is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a nothing Jer. 14.14 and a shepherd that leaveth the flock that instead of visiting healing feeding devoureth and teareth the flock in pieces Zach. 11.16 is called a pastor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of nothing From this notion is the word used of the false Gods of the heathens which Hesth 14.11 are styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that are not and of which therefore the Apostle pronounceth that an Idol is nothing 1 Cor. 8.4 Not simply nothing for that physician was not nothing nor that vision nor that shepherd but as the context there inclines to interpret we know an Idol is nothing in the world and that there is no other God but one that the Idol-God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a God there being in the whole world but one such the Creatour and first cause of all other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are called Gods and again that the Idol-Gods are not able to profit to preserve or defend their worshippers So Deut. 32.16 they provoked me to jealousie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with that which was not God and Jer. 2.9 they walkt after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that profit not where the notion of the heathen Gods is that they are not Gods and that they profit not In which respect they are Esth 14.10 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain things and 3. Mac. both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty and vain And so here when the Gods of the heathen are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning is clear they are not Gods but creatures of God's making for be they Angels of heaven or the souls of eminent men supposed to be assumed thither or the Sun Moon and Stars it is the Lord that made the heavens as here it follows and consequently all that is comprehended in them and being creatures they are not able to profit their worshippers 'T is here observable with what variety the ancient Interpreters in this place have exprest this word The Syriack have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain or empty the vain things as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hester and 3. Mac. The Chaldee have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to erre and to fornicate either as a wandring from the true to false Gods or else as the worships of them had all manner of filthiness joyned with them The Jewish Arab reads Idols Abu Walid as he puts the ordinary interpretation of the name as denoting things of no possibility and vain so he commends another respect to be had in the understanding of it according to the use in the Arabick of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the notion of grief and dolour as things bringing and causing grief and so may be compared with that other name given to an Idol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from trouble or molestation But the LXXII and Latin have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daemonia which elsewhere they use also Isa 65.11 for fortune so the Jews expound Gad there Isa 34.14 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wild beasts of the desert Satyrs c. Deut. 32.17 and Psal 105.35 Psal 90.6 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the destroyer or evil Angel as again Tob. 3.8.6.17.8.2 and Isa 13.21 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Satyr again and Bar. 4.7 35. for the false Gods promiscuously as they are there v. 7. opposed to the one true God By all which it appears that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the LXXII and the Hellenists signifie neither evil spirits or devils alone as it is vulgarly thought nor peculiarly the souls of men departed as others conceive of the word but more comprehensively all sorts of false heathen Gods as they are opposed to the true God whatsoever creatures have by the errours of men been deified and worshipt in the notion wherein Plato uses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods in the plural when in Timaeo he saith that the supreme God the parent of all things created all the rest of the Gods See Augustin de Civit. Dei li. 9. c. 23. Of the original of this creature-worship as far as it concerns the stars of heaven Maimonides hath spoken at large l. 1. de Idololat and in opposition to those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no Gods it is here literally to be understood the Lord made the heavens these visible spheres which they so admire and adore as Gods the one God of the Jews did make As for that of deified men Istiaeus Milesius hath as clearly deduced the story of it see Euseb Chron. l. 1. that of the line of Japhet came Zerug 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who first began the Graecian or heathen worship for saith he Zerug and they that were with him did with statues of pillars honour those which had anciently been warriours or Captains or that did any
rooms were laid see note a on Psalm 148. i. e. whereas in the building of an upper story there must be some walls or pillars to support the weight of it and on that the beams are laid God here by his own miraculous immediate power laid and ever since supported these upper rooms there being nothing there but waters to support them and those we know the most fluid tottering body not able to support it self and therefore that is another work of his divine power that the waters which are so fluid and unable to contein themselves within their own bounds should yet hang in the middle of the air and be as walls or pillars to support that region of air which is it self another fluid body Ibid. Wind. What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sometimes signifies spirit sometimes wind which is nothing but air moved is set to import here might be somewhat uncertain were it not for the next verse where 't is said of the Angels He maketh his Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his ministers a flaming fire which the Apostle Heb. 1.7 expresly expounds of the Angels There as Angels and Ministers are but several names of the same divine creatures so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and fire are but expressions of the several appearances of them sometimes in airy sometimes in flaming clouds In this part of v. 3. is described the use of clouds for God's appearing to us here below exprest by mention of his chariot and walking He is we know an infinite Spirit and so invisible to any material created finite faculty yet he is said to come down to us to presentiate and exhibit himself to us at some times more than others then especially when the Angels who are the attendants and officers of his Court the satellitium or guard that wait upon him mentemque profundam circumeunt and incompass this profound Mind as the Platonists styled God do visibly appear unto us And these again being in their own nature either spiritual and so invisible substances or else if bodies of a most subtile indiscernible nature are wont when they purpose to appear to come in clouds either airy or that air being ascended fiery and flaming In which respect that airy or fiery cloud when it is in motion especially is fitly resembled to an Eagle with wings in which those Angels descend and overshadow first then perhaps light on us as an Eagle or Dove doth first hover over then light on any thing and then God is agreeably said to come or fly or walk on those wings of the wind or moved air or white cloud i. e. to be eminently present where the Angels thus appear From hence therefore it may be resolved that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural in the next verse are the winds i. e. agitated air or clouds wherein the Angels appear and those defined by their opposition to flaming fire to be clouds of pure air white not fiery clouds so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is the generical word belonging to both those sorts of clouds which the Angels make use of to descend and appear in and those clouds of such a breadth as to resemble the wings of an Eagle or great Bird and then God who makes the clouds his chariot his vehiculum to bring him down may fitly be said to walk on these wings toward us Thus Psal 18.10 God's riding on the Cherub is again exprest by flying on the wings of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we there also render the wind There the Angels are sure meant by the Cherub and those as in the Ark pictured with wings Now in the Ark the wings of the Cherubim were so placed one toward the other that they made over the Propitiatory a kind of Seat and that was looked on as the seat of God and accordingly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or spirit there and here on whose wing◠God is said to fly there and walk here must be those agitated clouds whereby as with wings the Angels fly down to us and so God is said to walk or be present on them This makes it necessary to render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same sense in both verses and that according to the original notion of it air or wind which are exactly all one save that the latter intimates motion and so is the fitter to express these clouds by which the Angels descend most frequently with some incitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a violent rushing blast Act. 2.2 Aben Ezra and Kimchi in this fourth verse are willing to take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 winds in the genuine notion and Angels in a metaphorical interpreting it by Psal 148.8 wind and storm fulfilling his word where the wind is described as a kind of minister and so Angel of God But the Apostle Heb. 1.7 expresly applying the words of this fourth verse to the Angels obligeth us thus to interpret them V. 8. They go up by the mountains It is not here certain whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mountains and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valleys or plains be to be read as in the nominative or as in the accusative case If they be in the nominative then we must reade as in a parenthesis the mountains ascend the plains or valleys sink down joyning the end of the verse unto the place to haste away v. 7. thus The waters once stood above the mountains those places which now are such but at the uttering God's voice they fled and hasted away the mountains ascending and the valleys descending unto the place which thou hast prepared for them Thus the LXXII and Latin understood it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascendunt montes descendunt campi the mountains ascend and the plains descend referring to the change that was made in the earth from being perfectly round and incompassed with waters into that inequality wherein now it is great mountains in some parts and great cavities in other parts wherein the waters were disposed which before covered the face of the earth But they may be more probably in the accusative case and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the waters v. 6. which were understood v. 7. though not mentioned for it was the waters that there fled and hasted away must be here continued also viz. that the waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascend or climb the mountains and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 descend or fall down upon the valleys or fissures or hollow places ditches and the like receptacles of waters for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now signifies among the Rabbins And this sense the Chaldee follow they ascend from the abyss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the mountains and they descend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the valleys to the place And this is the clearest exposition of it rendring an account of the course of waters since the gathering them together in the Ocean that from thence they are by the power
vengeances as on so many accursed Malefactors whose lives and estates being forfeited to the law their widow'd wives and orphan children shall become vagabonds over the face of the earth covetous and griping and beggerly for ever 11. Let the extortioner catch all that he hath and let the stranger spoil his labour 12. Let there be none to extend mercy to him neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children Paraphrase 11 12. And as they corrade and indeavour to get together the wealth of others so shall others when they have any thing to be seis'd on plunder and rifle and pillage them rob them of all these gainings and no man take any compassion on them or their posterity in their sufferings be they never so cruel 13. Let his posterity be cut off and in the generation following let their name be blotted out 14. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembred with the Lord and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out 15. Let them be before the Lord continually that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth Paraphrase 13 14 15. As for the principal instruments in these wicked rebellions and treasons against David and the son of David they shall certainly come to untimely deaths so did Achitophel 2 Sam. 17.23 and Absalom c. 18.14 and Saul 1 Sam. 31.5 and Doeg Psal 52.5 and so Judas Matth. 27. and their posterity shall not last beyond the next age They shall be cursed by God and all the punishments due to their fathers sins shall be so visited on this their wicked progeny that they shall soon come to utter eradication and extirpation 16. Because that he remembred not to shew mercy but persecuted the poor and needy man that he might even slay the broken in heart Paraphrase 16. And this a most just reward for their uncharitable and cruel dealing with him whose distresses might justly have extorted their greatest kindness and assistance but found nothing but bloody pursuits from them This seems especially to refer to David at Nob and Ahimelech and the priests slain by Doeg 17. As he loved cursing so let it come unto him as he delighted not in blessing so let it be far from him 18. As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment so let it come into his bowels like water and like oile into his bones 19. Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually Paraphrase 17 18 19. 'T is to be expected from the all-just retributions of heaven that as they were willing to mete to others it should be meted back to them They were for nothing but mischief and cruelty and they are to expect no least mixture of compassion or mercy They delighted in slandering and cursing wishing and speaking ill of them that least deserved it and the bitter water that causeth the curse Numb 5.21 that maketh the thigh to rot and the belly to swell shall enter as water is wont into one that is overwhelmed with it into his stomach belly bowels and make them as the bitter water did to swell and burst so it happened literally to Judas Act. 1.28 and probably to Achitophel see note on Matt. 27. a. and in effect to the others also in their untimely excision And as oile which is more piercing than water penetrates the very flesh veins nerves and bones so shall this the most inward parts of them seise upon their very spirits and souls so it did remarkably on those two Achitophel and Judas and the same every such wicked man is to expect and never be gotten out again but within afflict and without incompass them and cleave to them for ever 20. Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the Lord and of them that speak evil against my soul Paraphrase 20. Thus will God certainly punish them that either so rebelliously or so bloodily and cruelly set themselves against me and so those hereafter that oppose and crucifie the Messias 21. But doe thou for me O God the Lord for thy names sake because thy mercy is good deliver thou me Paraphrase 21. As for me I have no other solicitude than to repose my self in God's hands he is a God of most abundant goodness and mercy and his honour is ingaged in vindicating my cause in maintaining me whom he hath set on the throne against all opposers He is also an omnipotent Lord whose power can soon overrule and calme all these tempests To him therefore I humbly address my self for his seasonable interposition and relief referring the way and means to his all-wise disposal 22. For I am poor and needy and my heart is wounded within me 23. I am gone like the shadow when it declineth I am tossed up and down as the locust Paraphrase 22 23. And of this his mercy I am very confident being a most seasonable object of it at this time brought to great want to a sorrowfull deplorable condition every day growing lower and lower like the shadow about sun-set driven from my home and by the same danger that drove me thence removed from place to place like the silly impotent locusts that are carried without any aim design or conduct whithersoever the tempest drives them 24. My knees are weak through fasting and my flesh faileth of fatness 25. I am become also a reproach unto them when they looked upon me they shaked their heads Paraphrase 24 25. We are now quite wearied out ready to faint and fail and accordingly are lookt on by our enemies with scorn and derision making no question but we shall soon fall into their hands to be destroyed and devoured by them 26. Help me O Lord my God O save me according to thy mercy 27. That they may know that it is thy hand and that thou Lord hast done it Paraphrase 26 27. To thee therefore O God of all power which hast obliged and insured thy particular mercy to me I humbly address my self be thou pleased seasonably to relieve and rescue me that it may be visible to all that this so opportune interposition of thine hath wrought the deliverance for us 28. Let them curse but bless thou when they arise let them be ashamed but let thy servant rejoyce Paraphrase 28. Though they rail and defame and rise up against me yet I shall be secure of thy benediction and this shall be sure to give me the victory when they are put to flight and dissipated 29. Let my adversaries be cloathed with shame and let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a mantle Paraphrase 29. And this shall certainly be their portion and consequently nothing but shame and confusion of face for all their malicious successless enterprises 30. I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth yea I will praise him among the multitude 31. For he shall stand at the right hand of
failing which if thou shouldest proceed with us in thy just severity would render us uncapable of thy absolution 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Paraphrase 4. But thou art a God of grace and mercy which allowest place of repentance to those that have offended and wilt allow pardon to the penitent Were it not for this we were all in an hopeless desperate condition and that utter desperation of mercy would ingage us for ever in our course of sin without any thought of returning or repenting But being by thy mercy respited and by thy gracious call invited and by the attraction of thy spirit if we do not resist effectually drawn to repentance and assured of thy acceptance if we come here is a full concurrence of all arguments and motives and aids to bring us and oblige and ingage us to it 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope Paraphrase 5. In thee therefore my hope and full trust is repoposed thy mercies and gracious promises are the onely anchor and support of my soul 6. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they which watch for the morning Paraphrase 6. To thee I daily betake my self early in the morning at the time that the Priests offer their morning-sacrifice in the temple I constantly address my prayers and my very soul before thee 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption 8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities Paraphrase 7 8. And the same is the duty of all true Israelites let all such apply themselves diligently and constantly to God as to a God of mercy and pardon and propitiation that will be reconciled to all truly penitent faithfull servants of his not imputing to them their frailty and sins of infirmity if they be guilty of no other nay nor their grosser sins knowingly and deliberately committed if they be retracted and forsaken by confession contrition and renovation of mind and their pardon humbly sued out by constant prayer For as a remedy for all such the blood of the Messias was most sufficient and that decreed and designed by God to all the world for the obtaining of actual redemption and pardon and restitution to his favour as of captive Israelites to their countrey and temple upon their sincere change and reformation Annotations on Psal CXXX V. 4. Feared For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou mayest be feared our copies of the LXXII have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thy names sake and that joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have waited for thee O Lord following But the Hebrew no way inclining to that reading of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 name and the Latin which most commonly follows the LXXII reading propter legem tuam sustinui te Domine for thy law I have waited for thee and the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read without points being easily mistaken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 law in all probability the original reading of the LXXII was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thy laws not for thy names sake But this as it is evident by a double mistake one in the reading of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other whether in the Latin only or in the LXXII also 't is uncertain by taking that word from the end of the former and joyning it to the latter period But without either of these the Hebrew reading is very current But so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oft to be rendred there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pardon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the LXXII propitiation with thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou mayest be feared by the fear of God signifying obedience to his laws to which his pardoning of the frailties and slips of our lives invites and draws us when a desperation of all mercy for such would certainly avert us from it V. 6. More than they that watch for the morning This verse is very perspicuous in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally my soul to the Lord where is an Ellipsis necessarily to be supplied by riseth or cometh or hasteneth or the like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the watchers or warders or guard in the morning i. e. as early from that time that they come or hasten to their watches then follows again repeated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guard or watchers in the morning which repetition in Hebrew Dialect signifies the daily several watchers of every morning as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man man i. e. every man one after another the Hebrews wanting forms of distribution see note on Mar. 6. e. And so this is the full importance of the verse The guards every morning that hasten to their watches are not yet earlier than I in my daily addresses to God What these watchers or guards of the morning are the Chaldee hath best exprest they that observe the morning watches say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may offer the morning oblation i. e. the Priests which in their turns officiated or rather some officers of theirs which were peculiarly appointed from a tower to expect the first appearance of break of day the manner of which is at large described in the Talmud Cod. Joma The Chaldee for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the watchers reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just to the same sense which yet their Latin render plusquam observantes more than they that observe But the words do not so import nor could it truly be said that he waited or observed his offices more than the Priests or guards in the Temple did who never mist the performing of their daily offices there The LXXII reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the morning watch till night by the addition of till night thinking to supply what was wanting and to the term from which he began his watch adding the term to which he continued it hereby evidencing their understanding of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the notion of from And so the Syriack do also who reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the watches of the morning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and untill the morning watch i. e. from one morning watch unto another Whereby they rightly render the former part but observe not the elegancy in the repetition but suppose the preposition ל to to be there wanting which they thus supply But the interpretation we have given is most agreeable both to the sense which is to express his daily constant earliness in the service of God equal to that of the Priests in the Temple every morning of every day and to the Hebrew idiome also Of these watches somewhat hath been said note on Psal 119. hh Yet in this place it will not be amiss
felicity of this life consists they shall also be means of accumulating all other prosperities upon us They whom all men love and revere will be in least danger of being hurt by them but on the contrary shall receive all aids and assistance from them and they that have the favour of God have therein a title to all auspicious influences of his providence which are the onely sure way to prosperity here and to all eternity 5. Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not to thine own understanding 6. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Paraphrase 5 6. A second duty that I shall recommend to thee on the same account as a special ingredient in thy prosperities is the reposing thy trust entirely and cordially on God so as not to rely on thine own wisedom contrivances or artifices to compass thy designs in this world but to keep thy self to the ways and means which God affords thee and approves of and this beyond all worldly policies will secure thee of a most happy and easie and expedite passage through all the dangers of this life 7. Be not wise in thine own eyes fear the Lord and depart from evil 8. It shall be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones Paraphrase 7 8. A third quality of the same form is humility as that contains a very lowly opinion and conceit of ones self Rom. 12.16 and withall a tender awe and reverence to God and fear of displeasing him a readiness to obey him in all he shall require of us a conscientious abstaining from all sin a conquest over the temptations of the world or flesh an uniform obedience in opposition to that pride and contumacy and despising of God which the Psalmist notes in the wicked Psal 10.4 And nothing can more contribute to thy prosperity bodily and ghostly than this Confident overweening persons run themselves into strange inconveniencies but humility keeps men safe makes them seek aid and help from others and call constantly to God for that direction and assistance they stand in need of and the rejecting and averting of all wicked proposals secures us from them and neither the most sovereign medicines nor the most plentifull provisions of all things conducible to the body tending and cherishing it as the Gardner doth his ground with continual watering can contribute more to the acquiring of health and strength and agility and an athletick habit of body than this one advantage of humility and conscientious exact walking contributes to all worldly good successes As for ghostly health and strength which come wholly from the grace and spirit of God that is in especial manner promised to the humble and obedient and withdrawn from the proud or else repell'd by them 9. Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first-fruits of all thine encrease 10. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine Paraphrase 9 10. A fourth duty that will tend extremely to the same end of advancing not onely thy eternal but even thy secular interests is a carefull constant paying to God all that he hath by any law required of thee and even by voluntary oblations exceeding that proportion which is strictly required hereby acknowledging that all thou hast cometh to thee merely from his bounty and is no way owing to thine own labour or subtlety but merely to his blessing Of this sort are the tithes and first-fruits and all other payments among the Jews due to the Temple and the Priests and other Officers of the Temple and in proportion all that hath ever been consecrated to God or his service in the Christian Church And of this sort also is the second tithing part whereof was spent at the feasts part assigned to the refreshing of the poor fatherless c. so was the second tithing every third year and so the gleanings of their harvest c. and being given to them is acceptable as given to God and so is much to the honour of God and an act of acknowledgment and thanksgiving to him answerable to which is setting apart some constant considerable proportion out of our revenues or gains for a stock of charity to our poor Christian brethren And if this duty be carefully and liberally and chearfully performed merely on design to bless and praise God and to provide for those whom he hath appointed his proxies upon earth to receive our works of piety and mercy it shall be so far from lessening thy store that it shall generally be a means of encreasing it exceedingly Nothing shall more tend to the bringing down a blessing upon all thy undertakings and so to the enriching thee than this see Mal. 3.10 Whereas they that withhold what is thus due much more they that sacrilegiously invade what is by others consecrated unto God or that oppress the poor are to expect nothing but blasts and improsperities and beggery It being ordinary for great estates and whole families to be utterly wasted by these means which yet according to wordly measures might expect to be most enriched and raised thereby 11. My Son despise not the chastening of the Lord neither be weary of his correction 12. For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth even as a father the son in whom he delighteth Paraphrase 11 12. It is true that every of these Aphorisms premised must be understood with a limitation or condition leaving place for some mixtures of the cross which all men in this valley of tears as the punishment of sin must sometimes expect and pious men have no exemption from them their greatest temporal felicities come with some allay or dash of afflictions and persecutions Mar. 10.40 When these come then is the season of another sort of Christian vertues patience meekness submission not onely to God's will which may not be resisted but also to his wisedom who can and doth choose for us that which is absolutely best and most wholesome though at the present dolorous and unwelcome and from that consideration ariseth also matter of refreshment and chearfulness so far at least as that we be not discouraged in our course of piety or any way tempted to slacken our zeal or to discover the least weariness or despondency of mind on this occasion but rather to rejoyce and be exceeding glad Matth. 5.12 And this thou wilt find no difficulty to doe if thou but consider that as all afflictions come from God so they are not acts of hatred in him but preparatives to his favour and reconciliation punishments indeed for sin but such as God in mercy inflicts here that he may not condemn with the world the very same that the corrections of a Father to a Son designed onely to his good and are therefore generally most frequent to those Children when they offend whom the Parents love most tenderly In them whatsoever is amiss or any way improveable the Parents excessive love makes
vital energy of the Gospel God of his infinite mercy grant us all even for the sake and through the operation of his Son Jesus Christ that wonderful Counsellor that mighty God that Father of this Evangelical state that Prince and that God of peace to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be ascribed as is most due the honour the glory the power praise might majesty and dominion which through all ages of the world hath been given to him that sitteth on the Throne to the Holy Spirit and to the Lamb for evermore Amen The II. SERMON MATTH 11.30 My yoke is easie and my burthen is light THat the Christian's Heaven should be acknowledged his only blissful state and yet they which pant for bliss never think fit to enquire after it That Christ the way to that heaven should be truly styled by one Prophet the desire of all Nations and yet they that look on him be affirm'd by another Prophet to see nothing in him that they should desire him That a rational creature should be made up of such contradictions as to desire life most importunately and yet as passionately to make love to death to profess such kindness to immaterial joyes and yet immerse and douz himself in carnal to groan and languish for Salvation i. e. an eternal state of purity and yet to disclaim and flie it whensoever any impure delight is to be parted with might have leave to exercise and pose a considering man were there not one clear account to be given of this prodigy one reason of this fury the many evil reports that are brought up of the way to this good land the prejudices fatal prejudices infused into us the vehement dislikes and quarrels to all Christian practice that only passage to our only bliss We have heard of an Angel with a flaming Sword at the gate of Paradise which our poetick fears and fancies have transformed into a Serpent at the door of the Hesperides garden that Angel fallen and turned into a Devil we have heard of the Cannibal Anakims in the confines of the promised Land that devour all that travel toward that Region and our cowardly sluggish aguish fancies have transplanted all these into Christendom made them but emblems of Christ's duri sermones the hard tasks unmerciful burthens that he laies on his Disciples yea and conjured up a many spirits and Fairies more sad direful apparitions and sent them out all a commanded Party to repel or to trash us to intercept or incumber our passage toward Canaan to pillage and despoil the Soul of all Christian practice of all that 's duty in Discipleship Three of these prejudices our Saviour seems to have foreseen and prevented in the words of this Text. 1. That there is no need of doing any thing in Discipleship Christ came to free from yokes to release from burthens the Gospel's made all of promises Obedience to precepts is a mere unnecessary And for the preventing of that prejudice you have here as a yoke and a burthen so both of Christ's owning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my yoke and my burthen A second prejudice of them that being forc'd to confess the necessity of Christian obedience do yet resolve it impossible to be perform'd discerning the burthens in my Text must have them unsupportable burthens no hope no possibility for us to move under them and then studium cum spe senescit their industry is as faint as their hope Desperation stands them in as much stead as Libertinism did t'other they are beholden to the weight of their burthens for a supersedeas for taking them up And for the preventing of that prejudice you have here this character of Christ's burthen not only supportable but light my burthen is a light burthen A third prejudice there is yet behind of those that having yielded the both necessity and possibility of Christian obedience are yet possest of the unpleasingness and bitterness of it like those in the Prophet cry out The burthen of the Lord the burthen of the Lord the yoke a joyless melancholick yoke the burthen a galling pinching burthen and to them hath our Saviour designed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here as the most significative epithet to express the nature of the Christian yoke We have rendred it but imperfectly my yoke is easie it signifies more richly my yoke is a benign yoke all pleasure and profit made up in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.4 signifies the bounty we render it the goodness of God that which immediately before is the riches of his bounty and proportionably the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gracious bountiful yoke a mine a treasure of bounty a good a joyous and a gainful yoke And he that is thus answered in all his objections confuted in all his fears and prejudices and excuses for Libertinism if he do not acknowledge the reasonableness of Christ's advice take my yoke upon you take it for its own sake though it were not laid upon you by Christ my necessary my light my gracious yoke he that will not accept of some office in the house of so good a Master I know not what kind of address to make to him I must leave him to Pythagoras's Sponde's that could cure a Mad man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rectifie the errours of his appetite first and then his mind first of his spleen and then his brain before any portion of this bread of life will be diet for him I have drawn you the lines which lie folded up in this Text the filling each up with colours in the shortest manner I could devise would prove a work of more time than is now my portion The expedient I have resolved on is to leap over the two former and only fasten on my last particular as that which includes and supposes the two former as that which will bring its reward with it invite and feed your patience and in all probability obtain your belief because there is never an interest never a passion about you that it contradicts Your patience being thus armed with a fight of the guesses but one stage and that the smoothest you ever pass'd I shall presume you ready to set out with me and it is to consider that anticipation of the third prejudice in the Epithet affixt to Christ's yoke in the fulness of its significancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my yoke is a benign a gracious a pleasant a good and a gainful yoke Yea and that in this life at the taking the yoke upon you a present gooodness in it here though there were never a treasure of rewards never a heaven after it at least as the present paradise of a true Disciple is considered apart abstracted from that future expectation my yoke is a good yoke is for the present the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is hath an influence on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
our selves we should go near to find imputable to the want in us of one or both these ascending Angels either that the things we would have we dare not justifie the asking or expecting them from God because they are such only as we desire to spend on our lusts and then we have not because we ask amiss or else we are so over-hasty in pursuit of them that we utterly forget the dependance and waiting upon God the Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. If he be not ready with his Auxiliaries on our first call deliverance shall come in some other way the Witch must prevent and supply the Samuel's place the first creature that will look a little kindly upon us shall get away all the applications from Heaven as in some Countries whatsoever they chanced to see first every morning they solemnly worshipp'd all the day after the most aiery appearances of relief from the improbablest Coast shall be able to attract our hopes and trusts and unbottom us utterly from God as Socrates is brought in by the Comedian with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a making his addresses to the air or clouds when he had turn'd out all other worships out of his heart The thing that makes a worldling such a piteous creature such a Meteor in Christ's such an unstable wave of the Sea in St. James's style toss'd perpetually betwixt ebbs and floats of hopes even without the association of any wind to drive him while the only poor patient waiting Christian that hath sent out his good genius on his message up the Ladder and waits contentedly and calmly for his return again is the only fix'd Star in this lower Firmament his feet stand fast be the pavement never so slippery he believeth in the Lord. That Orpheus that in his life-time had made his applications to as many gods as there be days in the year and thence perhaps it was that Mexico had so many Temples grew wiser by more observation and left in his Will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there was but one 'T were well if we might do so too profit by his experience devest our selves of all our aiery poetick dependances betimes and roll our selves wholly upon God 't were the only probable thriving policy in the world I have detained you too long in the first Isle of this Bethel that which gives you a view of God's promises there made I hasten to the second the atrium interius to consider God in relation to this dreadful this consecrated place as Bethel literally signifies Beth El the House the Temple of God and so God hath a peculiarity of respect to that I am the God of Bethel in the second sense i. e. the God of God's house And here were a copious Theme indeed should we take a view of the material Bethel and in it observe 1. The voluntary institution and dedication of Temples even before the Law was given to the Jews as after it the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Feast of dedication being of a mere humane original instituted as the Feast of Purim and the Fast of the fifth and seventh month in Zachary by the Jews themselves 1 Mac. 4. and not by God's immediate appointment was yet celebrated and consequently approved by Christ in the 10. of John and after the Jewish Law was laid asleep yet the building and setting apart of Synagogues and Oratories and Upper-rooms and since Basilicae and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the parallels of the Bethel here the Palaces of the great King and Lord appropriate to his publick worship whenever Persecution did not drive it thence 2. The vow'd dedication and paiment of Tithes toward the endowing of Bethel before there was any such thing as Judaism in the world which therefore 't were strange that God's subsequent command to the Jews his own people should make unlawful to a Christian which otherwise had he not commanded it must have been as commendable now as it was in Jacob. These I say with divers others are the so many Branches of this second Consideration of these words of the relation of God to Bethel But I have not that unkindness to my Auditory as to pursue them with such a shole of unseasonable subjects There is another Bethel the flesh of man wherein God himself was pleased to inhabit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. John to pitch his Tent or Tabernacle there to consecrate it into a very Temple our bodies are the Temples of that holy Ghost by which Christ was so long ago conceived among us and thence it is that his eyes and his heart are set so particularly upon this flesh of ours to cleanse and to drain and to spiritualize it to expostulate with us whenever we put it to any common profane uses as if we violated and ravished Christ himself and forcibly joyned him to an Harlot and at last if it prove capable of such dignity to array it in all holiness and glory to cloath it upon with beauty and with bliss immortal And so God is the God of this Bethel also Beside this there is yet one more invisible House of God wherein he delights to be inthron'd and by God's own confession Isa 66. more than either in the Temple of his own building or the Heaven of his own exalting even the poor contemptible this man for whom no body else hath any kind looks He that is poor and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at his word this is that lovely dress that is so ravishing in God's eyes that sets out every Cottage into a Temple the poorest Peasant into the consecrated delight of Christ the most abject stones in Luz once anointed with this grace into an awful royal Bethel the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is content to be at a great deal of charge in the purchase of it to pardon the absence of a great many other excellencies which may possibly exalt us above measure so he may acquire but this one desired beloved meekness instead of all Let us but possess our selves of this one Jewel the meek in opposition to the proud the quiet in opposition to the tragical or turbulent murmuring impatient Atheistical spirit and the God of Bethel hath a peculiar propriety to us he that owns and defends his Temples that is the refuge of the very Sanctuary it self and never but for the pride and insolencies and provocations of his Church suffers the Philistins to seise on the Ark of his glory will be a refuge and sanctuary to us the Angels at Bethel shall become thy guardians the Cherubim-wings thy over-shadowing until this tempest this tyranny be over-past I have done with the second view also as the Bethel here is the dreadful House of God though it be not the dread of it that hath made our stay so short there but only my desire to hasten to my last as
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those abominable Gentile impurities the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the unnatural excrescencies of lust which the rest of his idolatrous Countrey-men had long been guilty of and which brought that fire and brimstone from heaven before his eyes upon some of them Abraham it seems resolv'd and vow'd against those heathen abominations covenanted with God a life of Purity and to that end a going out of that polluted Country then seal'd this Covenant to God as the custom of the Eastern Nations was in leagues and bargains seal'd it with blood and see what an obligation this proves to God not only to call him and account him a friend of God to style himself by him as he doth here by Bethel I am the God of Abraham through the whole Book of God but the obligation goes higher upon God it prevails so far that he comes down himself and assumes flesh on purpose to seal back the counterpart of that indenture to Abraham in blood also and in that that he is his shield and an exceeding great reward to all that shall but resemble him to the end of the world in that faithful coming that vow'd resolution of obedience to his commands The short of it is these resolutions and vows if they be sincere not the light transient gleam the sighs only that we are so ill or wishes that we were better but the volunt as firma rata the ratified radicated firm purpose of new life even before it grow to that perfection as to bring forth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worthy meet proportionable fruits of such change are instantly accepted and rewarded by God with pardon of sin and justification and so God is the God of Bethel hath a particular respect to these vows and resolutions at the very making of them and that was the first thing And so again secondly for the prospering them when they are made He that gives himself up to God becomes by that act his Pupil his Client part of his charge and Family an Orphan laid at his gates that he is bound to provide for engaged by that application if once accepted to be his Patron-guardian as among the Romans he that answers to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Clients calling him Father is supposed to adopt undertakes the protection of the Haeredipeta obliges himself to the office and real duty of a Father And I remember the story of the Campanians that could not get any aid from the Romans against a puissant enemy they solemnly came and deliver'd themselves up into the Romans hands by way of surrender that by that policy they might oblige the Romans to defend them and espouse their cause with a si nostra tueri non vultis at vestra defendetis if you will not lend us your help preserve our region yet now we are your own you are obliged to do it quicquid passuri sumus dedititii vestri patientur whatsoever from henceforth we suffer it will be suffer'd by your Clients and Subjects and so certainly the resigning our selves up into God's hands the penitent sober resolution of The Lord shall be my Lord giving our selves up not as Confederates but Subjects to be ruled as well as to be aided by him no such way in the world as that to engage God's protecting and prospering hand to extort his care and watchfulness over us He that comes out but resolutely into the field to fight God's battels against the common Enemy God and the Angels of Heaven are ready to furnish and fortifie that man Resolution it self courage but upon its own score is able to break through most difficulties and the want of that is the betraying of most Souls that come into Satan's power But then over and above the prospering influence of Heaven that is still ready to assist such Champions the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the LXXII puts in into the last verse of the 17. of Exod. the secret invisible hand by which God will assist the cordial Joshua and have war against Amalek for ever fight with him as long as Joshua fights the co-operation of the spirit of God with all that set resolutely about such enterprises of valour his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is a sure fountain of relief and assistance to such resolutions Do but try God and your own Souls in this particular for the vanquishing of any sin that your nature and temper is most inclin'd to Take but the method of this Text Come into God's presence resolve sadly and advisedly in that Bethel never to yield to that sin again resolve not only on the end but the means also that are proper to lead thither foresee and vow the same resistance to the pleasant bait that to the barbed hook under it to the fair temptation that to the horrid sin it self and then those weapons that may be useful for the resistance the fasting and the watching that are proper to the exorcising that kind of devil be sure to carry out into the field with thee and in every motion of the battel let the Moses as well as the Joshuah's hands be held up the sword of the Lord with that of Gideon implore and importune that help of God's which hath given thee to will to resolve that he will continue his interposition and give thee to do also that having begun the good work in thee he will not lose the pledge but go on also to perfect it And whenever thou art next tempted to that sin recal and remember this resolution of thine bid that very remembrance of thine stand by on thy guard and if you please by that token that this day I advised you to do so and withal consider the temptation that it is an express come just from Satan that sworn enemy of Souls against which in God's presence the first time thou ever cam'st into the Church thou didst thus vow and profess open defiance and hostility that this disguised Fiend shakes a chain in Hell be his address to thee never so formal and is now come on purpose to supplant or surprise thy constancy to see whether thou considerest thy reputation with God or no whether thou makest scruple of breaking vows and resolutions and then in stead of treating with that sin cry out to God to defend thee against it either to give strength or remove the temptation and deal honestly and sincerely with thine own Soul betray not those helps that God thus gives thee in this exigence and then come and tell me how it hath prov'd with thee In the mean time till thou hast made this experiment be not too querulous of thine own weakness or the irresistableness of sin Believe it a few such sober trials and practisings upon anger lust and the like and the benefit that would infallibly redound from thence might bring the ancient Church-order of Episcopal Confirmation into fashion and credit again which had it but its
quietly stilly without some opposition of the other And then comes in in the third place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soul the Elective Faculty i. e. the Will betwixt them courted and sollicited by both as that which hath the determining casting voice if the beast can carry it if the sensual suggestions get the consent of the Will obtain the embrace have its carnal proposals yielded to then in the Apostles phrase lust conceives and within a while proceeds from consent to act bringeth forth sin but when the Spirit prevails when the Reason the Conscience the God within the is allowed to be heard when that chaste sober matronly Spouse gets the embraces the consent of the Will then the Spirit conceives and from thence spring all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Scripture speaks of the fruits and productions of the Spirit You see now the competition the constant importunities and sollicitations the rivalry for thy soul not an action of moment or importance in thy life but the house is divided about it the spirit for one way and the flesh for another and that that prevails i. e. gets the Will of its side denominates the action and the action frequently and indulgently reiterated denominates thee either flesh or spirit either captive to the law of sin or obedient to the commands and dictates of Christ a carnal sinner or a spiritual disciple And then my brethren by way of Use 1. You see the answer to that hard probleme what is the reason and ground of the infiniteness of those punishments that await sinners in another world Here you have the oyl that maintains that accursed Vestal fire so much beyond Tulliola's or Pallas's Lamp in Licetus burning so many Ages under ground and not consumed I mean this competition in this Text the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which of the two infinites will you and that other we mention'd of life and death blessing and cursing set before us by God the leaving to our option whether of the two infinites we will have This and nothing but this hath made it most perfectly reasonable that Despisers should perish eternally that he that will contemn immortal life that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemens St. Pauls contemporary calls it that eternity put into our hands by Christ and make his deliberate covenant with death that his immortal part may die eternally should be thought worthy as the Book of Wisd hath it to take his portion or part with it And then 2. O how much the more care and caution and vigilance will it require at our hands to keep guard over that one faculty that spring of life and death that fountain of sweet and poysonous water that of chusing or rejecting willing or nilling never to dispense those favours loosly or prodigally never to deny them rashly or unadvisedly but upon all the mature deliberation in the world Keep thy heart with all diligence the heart this principle of action keep it above all keeping for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4.23 That when I would do good evil is present with me temptations of the carnal appetite to the contrary it matters little so I hold off my consent resist their importunity and that all the Devils in Hell are a whispering blasphemy within me it matters as little so I reject the suggestions Resist and he shall flie that he is loose to tempt this is my infelicity perhaps but not my guilt I and that mishap improved into a blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this tempter a kind of donative of Heaven to busie my patience and exercise my vigilance to set out my Christian valour to make me capable of the victory first and then the crown the nations left to prove Israel Jud. 3.1 yea and to teach them war verse 2. at least such as before knew nothing thereof Only be sure that those Nations get not the upper hand to that purpose that they be not pamper'd and fed too high till they grow petulant and unruly that this jumentum hominis as St. Jerom calls it this Ass or beast-part of the man prove not the Rider's Master this is the greatest danger first and then reproach in the world which you will more discern if you proceed from the competition to the Competitors and consider who they are in us spirit and flesh God and Devil as in the Jews Barabbas and Christ my second particular 'T is none of the least of God's mercies among his dispensations of providence that the competition falls to be betwixt such persons so acknowledgedly distant and hugely contrary a Christ and a Barabbas the one so pretious and the other so vile the Prince of Peace and the Author of an Insurrection a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour and a Destroyer had it been betwixt a Christ and a Nicodemus a Carpenters Son and a Rabbi or Ruler in Israel the choice might have been more difficult or the mistake more pardonable But so God loved the world such were the riches of his goodness to an infatuated rebellious people he sets before them a beautiful Christ and an odious foyl to make him more beautiful to make it impossible for them to be so mad as to refuse and finally to reject Christ that was on such grounds and in such company a suing and importuning for their favour none but a Barabbas to pretend against him that that notion had of him might serve instead of the fishes gall to recover the blind Tobits sight help the blindest natural man to discern somewhat tolerable if not desirable in the Christ that in so poor a choice an undervalued prejudg'd scandalous Jesus might have leave to be considered and owe a preferment aliâ—nis vitiis to the faults of the other though not virtutibus suis to any thing amiable or esteemable in himself The same oeconomy you may generally observe even from the first of Paradise to this day When our first Parents were the prize the Competitors were of somewhat a distant making God and the Serpent not the King of Heaven and one of his chief Courtiers God and an Archangel of light but God and a damned Spirit a black Prince and he but in very homely disguise but of a Serpent which though he were then a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Cedrenus out of some of the Antients will have it somewhat a taller and goodlier creature than now the Serpent is that his Legs be cut off yet the Text saith a beast for all that I and that beast branded for craft infamous for the subtilest creature and so not likely to prove the most honest and solicitous of their good and this cunning Pytho had made friends to speak contrary to his kind there was sure some sorcery in that and all this one would think was enough to have added authority to God by such a prejudg'd Competitor And just so was it to the Israelites at their coming out
of Gath the tallest Philistine in the company There is a wide distance betwixt reproaching of present and absent sinners the same that betwixt reproof and backbiting the boldness and courage of a champion and the detractions and whispers of a villain the first is an indication of spirit the second of gall the first that a man dares attempt the loving and saving of his brother when he shall endanger being cursed and hatâ—d for it sacrifice your opinion to your health your kindness to your souls the second is a character of a Sollicitor fee'd on none but Satans errand an Orator to set you a railing but not a trembling one that can write Satyrs on condition they shall do you no good incense but not reform that if it shall be possible for hell to lose by his Sermon will never preach more The one meaneth to transform his Auditory into converts and Saints the other into Broylers and Devils the one hath all the charity the other all the mean malice and treachery in his design And having such a copy before our eyes suppose a man should divert a little to transcribe it and instead of prudence and tempering and reviling of those that are out of our reach reason a while of one branch of justice yea and of the faith of Christ in which 't is possible we may some of us be concern'd and enquire Whether there be not a piece of Turkish Divinity stole out of their Alchoran into our Creed that of Prosperum felix scelus virtus vocatur whether the great laws of Vertue and Vice be not by some Politici taken out of the Ephemerides nothing decreed honest but what we can prognosticate succesful the victa Catoni the liking that cause which the heavens do not smile on is a piece of Philosophical sullenness which we have not yet learn'd of Christ What is this but as Saint Bernard complains in his time that those images had the most hearty adorations performed to them which had most of the gold and gemms about them the God obliged to the Image and the Image to the dress for all the Votaries it met with Have the Romanists marks of the Church so convinc'd us that we must presently forsake a Saviour because we see him in danger of crucifying tear our Gospels and run out with horrour assoon as we come to the 26. of Mat. The multitude with swords and staves for to take him Was the Cause of God worth the charge and pains of killing men formerly and is it not worth the patience and constancy of suffering now Is there any condition in the world so hugely desireable as that of suffering for or with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold we count them happy that suffer was Gospel in Saint James his days Chap. 5.11 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes the state of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dead Saints in their countrey of Vision as you know Saint Steven at the minute of his sufferings saw the glory of God and Jesus sitting the state of suffering is a state of bliss I may add a superiour degree of a glorified state a more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dignity above that Orbe that the Angels move in For they for want of Bodies are deprived of the honour of suffering all that they aspire to is but to be our Seconds our Assistants in this combate only Christ and we have the enclosure of that vast preferment And if there be any need to heighten it yet further is there any prize more worthy that masculine valour than that venerable sacred name Jerusalem the Mother of us all that brought us forth unto Christ begot us to all our hope of bliss and now for no other crime but that is a strugling under the pangs and agonies of a bitter combate with the ingratefull'st children under Heaven the Church of England I mean which whosoever hath learning and temper enough to understand knows to be the brightest image of primitive purity the most perfect conjuncture of the most ancient and most holy Faith that for these twelve hundred years any man ever had the honour of defending or suffering for And should the provocations of an ungracious people the not valuing or not walking worthy of the treasures here reserv'd the rude continued iniquities of our holy things tempt God to deliver it up as he did once his Ark to the Philistins his Christ to the Pharisees and the Souldiers the zeal of the one and the fury of the other yet sure this would not be the confuting of what now I say 't would not I must hope be an argument of Gods renouncing that Ark and that Christ which he did not thus deliver The Turks having conquer'd and torn out of the Christians hands the places of the Birth and passion of Christ did after this way of Logick infer that God had judg'd the cause for Mahomet against Christ and Trajan could ask the primitive Martyr Ignatius Et nos non tibi videmur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Have not we as much of God in us as you who prosper by the help of our deities against our enemies Let me purloin or borrow this heathen piece out of your hands and I shall be able to give you an antienter piece in exchange for it a thorough Christian Resolution of abiding by God of approving our selves to Heaven and to our own breasts whatsoever it costs us of venturing the Ermins fate the very Hunters hand rather than foul her body the pati mori posse the passive as well as the active courage which will bear us up through all difficulties bring us days of refreshment here or else provide us anthems in the midst of flames a paradise of comfort here and of joyes hereafter and let this serve for the exemplifying the point in hand the fitness of our Apostles discourse to Felix's state I might do it again by telling you of the dreadful majesty that dwells in this house the designation of it to be a house of Prayer to all people a place of crying mightily to the Lord at such times as these should I let loose a whole hour on this theme in this place 't would be but too perfect a parallel of Saint Pauls discourse of chastity before Felix which in any reason ought to set many of my Auditors a trembling but it seems we have not yet sufferings enough to do so and there is one particular behind that will rescue you from this uneasie subject the manner of Saint Pauls handling this theme by way of reasoning And when he reasoned c. The importance of this reasoning I shall but name to you which I conceive to be 1. The proposing to a very Heathens consideration the equity and reasonableness that there should be a judgment to come to recompence the unjust and incontinent person And 2. the charging home to each sinners heart the extream unreasonableness that for so poor advantages as
estate such are our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our weaknesses ignorances and the like and some that are not the spots of sons they which do them shall not without actual reformation and victory and forsaking enter or inherit the kingdom of God after all that Christ hath done and suffered for them such our deliberate acts and habits against light against grace the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text and let me tell you the not pondering these differences not observing the grains and scruples of sin how far the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extend and when they are overgrown into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the ground that I say no more of a deal of desperate profaneness We cannot keep from all sin and therefore count it lost labour to endeavour to abstain from any having demonstrated our selves men by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we make no scruple to evidence our selves Devils too by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the desperation of perfect sinlessness makes us secure in all vileness and being engaged in weakness we advance to madness either hope to be saved with our greatest sins or fear to be damned for our least and having resolv'd it impossible to do all resolve securely to do none our infirmities may damn us and our rebellions can do no more our prayers our almes have sin in them and our murthers and sacriledges can be but sinful and so if the Devil or our interests will take the pains to solicite it the deadliest sin shall pass for as innocent a creature as tame a stingless Serpent as the fairest Christian vertue and all this upon the not observing the weight of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here which Christ rose from the grave on purpose to turn us from and from which whosoever is not turned shall never rise unto life Add unto this the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the his iniquities as it refers to the author of them and this is the bill of challenge and claim to those accursed possessions of ours nothing is so truly so peculiarly ours as our sins and of those as our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our frailties our lapses our ignorances the diseases and infelicities of our nature which may insensibly fall from us vix ea nostra voco but our wasting wilful acts and indulg'd habits those great Vultures and Tygres of the soul they are most perfectly our own the natural'st brats and truest progeny that ever came from our loins nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Agamemnons phrase nor God nor Fate nor Fiend are any way chargeable with them The first were blasphemy the second Stoicism and folly to boot the third a bearing false witness against the devil himself robbing him of his great fundamental title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calumniator and proving those that thus charge him the greatest Devils of the twain and all this is but one part of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here the his c. as it refers to the Author And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again the his as it is a note of eminence his peculiar prime reigning sins that all others like the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or commonalty are fain to be subject to sometimes a monarch-dictator-single sin a the plague in his own heart a principality of ambition of pride of lust of covetousness that all others at their distance administer unto sometimes an optimacy of a few all prime coequal in their power and sometimes a democracy or popular state a whole Aegypt full of locusts in one breast a Gad a troop or shole of sins all leading us captive to their shambles and thus our Soveraign sins as different as our tempers and every oâ—e the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here every man from his iniquities The summ of this first prospect is briefly this Thâ—â—urning every one from his iniquities wherein Christs blessing us consists is his giving of grace sufficient to work an universal sincere impartial thorough-change of every sinner from all his reigning wilful sins The sincerity though not perfection of the new creature And the dependence betwixt this and the resurrection of Christ is the second or next enquiry The resurrection of Christ in the Scripture-stile signifies not always the act of rising from the dead but the consequent state after that rising by the same proportion that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the new creation and the being regenerate or born of God signifie the state of Sonship and not the act of begetting only So that in brief the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here the raising up of Jesus signifies the new state to which Christ was inaugurate at his resurrection and contains under it all the severals of ascension of sitting at the right hand of power of the mission of the Holy Ghost and his powerful intercession for us in Heaven ever since and to the end of the world And this is the notion of the resurrection of Christ which is the blesser which hath that influence on our turning 't will not be amiss to shew you how And here I shall not mention that moral influence of his resurrection upon ours by the example of his powerful rising out of the grave to preach to us the necessity of our shaking off the grave-cloths that cadaverous chill noisome estate of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rise again with him This is the blessing in the Text but this the example of Christ might preach long enough to dead souls before it would be hearkened unto although the truth is the antient Church by their setting apart these Holy-days for the baptizing of all that were baptized and the whole space betwixt this and Pentecost and every Dominical in the year for the gesture of standing in all their services that no man might come near the earth at the time that Christ rose from it did certainly desire to enforce this moral on us that our souls might now turn and be blessed rise and be conformed to the image of Christs resurrection Blessed Lord that it might be thus exemplary to us at this time But to omit this the special particulars wherein the resurrection of Christ as our blesser hath its influence on our turning are briefly these three 1. The bestowing on us some part of that Spirit by which Christ was raised out of the grave Consider Rom. 8. verse 11. and 't is all that I shall say to you of that first particular If the Spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you that Spirit of power by which Christ was raised out of the grave is the very efficient of our turning our new birth the Author of our present blessedness and the pledge of our future immortality God having raised his Son by his Spirit anointed him with that Spirit to work the like miracles
hearts to bless us to bless this accursed miserable Kingdom this shaking palsie Church this broken State this unhappy Nation this every poor sinner soul by turning all and every one from his iniquities by giving us all that only matter of our peace and serenity here and pledge of our eternal felicity hereafter Which God of his infinite mercy grant us all for his Son Jesus sake whom he hath thus raised To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be ascribed as our only tribute the honour c. GOD'S Complaint against REVOLTERS The X. SERMON Prepared at Carisbrook-Castle but not Preach'd ISAIAH 1.5 Why should you be stricken any more you will revolt more and more IT is a heavy complaint of Gods and though express'd without much noise yet in a deep melting hearty passion not only in the verse next before my Text with heaven and earth call'd to be witnesses of the complaint but with a little varying of the expression every where else throughout the Prophets that Israel doth not know Gods people doth not consider All the arts of discipline and pedagogie had been used to teach them knowledge and consideration i. e. to bring them to a sight and sense of their estate Lectures warnings chidings blows shaking and rouzing and hazening them if it were possible to awake them out of that lethargick sensless condition The whole people used like that proud King of Babylon driven from men set to live and converse with the beasts of the field such were the Chaldeans whither they were carried captive if so be as it fared with him so it might possibly succeed with them the Field be a more gainful School than the Palace had been that by that means at least they might lift up their eyes to heaven and their understanding return to them Dan. 4. Turn'd from men into Beasts that that stranger Metamorphosis might be wrought on them a transformation from men into men from ignorant brutish into prudent considering men nay delivered up even unto Satan by way of discipline that Satan might teach them sense The plagues of Aegypt of Sodom of Hell let loose upon them to try whether like the rubbing and the smarting of the Fishes gall it might restore these blind Tobits to their eyes and souls again To work the same work if it be possible upon us is I profess my business and only errand at this time There hath been a great deal of pains taken by God to this purpose doctrine and discipline instructions and corrections and all utterly cast away upon us hitherto the whole head sick and the whole heart faint in the words next after my Text which you must not understand as ordinarily men do of the sins of that people that those were the wounds and bruises and purified sores give me leave to tell you that is a mistake for want of considering the context but of judgments heavy judgments diseases piteous diseases both on head and heart Epilepsies wracking pains in the head the whole Kingdom may complain in the language of the Shunamites Child O my head my head nay in the Prophets the crown is fallen from our head the crown of our head torn and fall'n from our head and the heart in terrible fainting fits every foot ready to overcome From the sole of the foot to the crown of the head from one extream part of the Nation to another nothing but distress or oppression suffering or acting direful Tragedies misery or impiety the latter the more fatal symptome the greater distress of the two and yet no man layeth it to heart England will not know will not consider The truth is the deformities which are in our selves we are such partial self-parasites that there is no seeing in a direct line no coming to that prospect but by reflection shall we therefore bring the Elephant to the water and there shew him and amaze him with the sight and ugliness of his proboscis the state of the Jews is that water where we may see the image of this present Kingdom most perfectly delineated in every limb and feature its prosperity its pride its warnings its provocations its captivities its contumelious using of the Prophets scorning the Messengers from God that came to reprieve them at length its fatal presages the deadly feuds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zelots and Brothers of the sword plowing it up to be sow'd with salt and brimstone and all this chargable culture and discipline cast away upon them uttterly mortifying in stead of sins and impieties nothing but the relicks of piety and civility and ingenuous nature a strange pestilential feaver feising upon their very spirits and souls and now nothing but a Roman Eagle or a Hell a Titus or a fiend left behind to work any reformation on them Thus all Gods thunderbolts being exhausted his methods of discipline pozed and nonplus'd and frustrated there is nothing behind but calling in and retracting those rods the no longer vouchsafing those thunderbolts a news that perhaps you would be glad to hear of a respite of punishments but that the most ominous direful of all others the most formidable of all Gods denouncings the last and worst kind of desertion Why should you be not embraced and dandled but scourged and smitten any more You will revolt more and more These words will afford you these four fields of plain and useful meditation 1. Gods custom of striking sinners and encreasing stripes on them in order to their reformation 2. The prime proper seasons for such striking 1. In case of revolt 2. In case of revolting more 3. The one only case in which striking becomes uncharitable when the more and the more God smites the more and the more the sinner revolts 4. And lastly the pitiful estate of the sinner when he comes to this when in this case God removes smiting for though it be an act of mercy in God yet 't is that which bodes very ill 't is an indication of the most desperate estate of the Patient Why should you be stricken any more I begin first with the First which lies not so visible and distinguishable in the Text but is the foundation that is supposed under it and on which all that is visible is superstructed and that is Gods pious and charitable design in smiting sinners and encreasing stripes on them though now on more prudential considerations they shall not be any more smitten If my children forsake my Law c. I will visit their offences with the rod and their sin◠with scourges saith God by the Psalmist God hath his visits for distempered children not only like that of St. Pauls in the spirit of meekness but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the rod and if that single engine of discipline will not do it there are sharper and more behind the flagella or scourges in the Plural And this by the way of prudent medicinal process of solemn deliberate dispensation according to
pleasurable sin such a sad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a compost of more bitter than sweet at the very instant we should never be such blind obedient Votaries of Satan never so perfectly renounce and deny our selves our own ease our own all kind of interests and advantages never be such profest enemies and tyrants against our own flesh as to go on in such chargeable ways of sin when we see and feel so sadly how without and before the certain cures of a chill'd old age by this charitable anticipation of Gods smiting hand the days are come upon sin that we can truly say that we have no pleasure in it And so you see the grounds of this medicinal method the charity and piety of Gods design in smiting my first observable I proceed briefly to the prime proper seasons of this charity this smiting 1. In case of revolt 2. Of revolting more my second particular Gods first season of punishing is instantly upon revolt at the first breaking off or aversion or departure from God And sure he that is not suffer'd by God to enjoy one easie or comfortable hour in sin that is presently call'd to discipline taught what a jealous God he hath provoked that is rouzed and awaked at the first nod watch'd over by the most vigilant Monitor that he cannot move out of his posture of piety but presently God in heaven is a calling out to him to reduce him to his rank again cannot chuse but acknowledge himself a prime part of Gods care and sollicitude The first day of going out into the field as in Gods so in Satans service is generally a nice and a critical day according to the successes or discouragements we meet with then we have more or less mind to the trade for ever after should but our beginnings of revolt from God our first treacherous intentions against him prove lucky and smooth and prosperous 't were easie and prone and not at all improbable for us to glide insensibly into all rebellions and impieties to swear fealty to Satan that hath entertain'd us so hospitably and suddenly to engage so deep under his colours that there would be no retiring with honour no returning to God without being infamous without undergoing the brand of Apostates from Satan of a kind of Foedi-fragi Covenant-breakers and Desertors Our repentance would go for the more scandalous thing our reduction to our allegeance to Heaven would be the forfeiting of a trust and within a while appear the more ill-favour'd reproachful revolt of the two Whereas if we meet with some checks and discouragements betimes some rouzing brushes at the first entrance into the service 't is possible we may discern our error especially if it were the flesh that helped to seduce us if the hope of advantage that brought us into it because the wicked goes unpunished therefore the heart of man is wholly set to do evil saith Solomon and therefore that God may not be thought to desert them presently at the first revolt to deliver up that heart of theirs to that hell upon earth upon this first single provocation God is concern'd in faithfulness to cause them to be troubled not to lead them into this temptation to profane continuance in sin but to give them this grace this gift of punishment to reduce and recal them presently as soon as they are revolted to let Satan or his instruments loose to disease and awake this drowzy servant of his who therefore to such purposes though he be cast out of heaven from being Gods menial servant is still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods officer and minister retains so much of his old angelical title of being a ministring spirit and that if we be not wanting to our selves to the greates◠advantage of our souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a piece of edifying not sanguinary discipline And let me tell you my opinion that for that which is called punitive justice severity or revenge on sin that part of the Magistrates office among men to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an avenger for wrath were it not in meer necessary charity to them that are punished or to them that are warned by others punishment there were no reason for any man to inflict it upon another 't were wholly to be left to Gods tribunal From this hint two things I desire to commend to my Auditory by way of Application 1. The care that they are to have to take special notice of every the softest degree of smiting that ever befals them in their lives be it sickness or a miscarriage a thousand to one it is an application of Gods to some special distemper of thine to some degree of revolt from him This I will not say is perpetually true because I know there be other uses of smitings for the exercise of many Christian vertues which would rust and fully and come to little and so Christ lose all the glory and renown and we all the reward of them if we had not such occasions to exercise them but I say the odds is so great when the rod of God comes that it comes for some such revolt of thine that certainly it is thy duty so far to distrust thine own excellencies as to doubt that it comes not to thee meerly as to an athleta or combatant or perfect Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of trial only but as to one guilty of some kind of revolt and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for punishment and reformation And though I cannot be confident it is so yet believe me thou hast so much reason to suspect thy self that it will be worth thy pains to examine upon every stroke on thy body thy estate nay on thy reputation every cursing of a Shimei eve◠approach or terror brandishing the rod or sword against thee that 't is some present sin of thine some degree of instant revolt that hath brought this stroke upon thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. James If any man be sick c. The whole Text supposeth it strongly probable that he that is thus visited hath committed some act of revolt either of greater or lesser moment either against God or his brother to which that sickness hath some relation and there is a notable place Ecclus. 18.21 Humble thy self before thou be sick and in the time of sins shew repentance supposing the time of sins to be the forerunner of sickness and he that would but thus examine himself whensoever he hath any such bitter potion sent him from God ask his own conscience his best adviser the question to what former disease it is to which God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as an enemy but a Physician hath accommodated this application he might perhaps forty years hence thank me for this admonition and be able to tell me that from this day to that he hath experimented the truth of the observation never received a corrosive plaister from God but upon enquiry
out of the special dispensatory of Heaven but as the ordinary diet and portion of mortal mutable Men I wish I could not add that our malady hath most highly thrived and prospered under our Physick more new kinds and varieties of sinning from all the Nations about us nay from Hell it self taken in incorporate and naturaliz'd among us in a few years of Gods sword being drawn his thunderbolts scattered among us a greater progress toward Atheism made generally in this Nation under this preaching of the rod than in many Ages before had been observable among us Let it be considered with some sadness and it will certainly appear to the eternal shame of a provoking people that to every degree of oppression and injustice that this Nation was formerly guilty of the thousand-fold were now a very moderate proportion to every oath that was formerly darted against Heaven there are now whole vollies of perjuries never did so course and sturdy so plain and boisterous a sin so perfect a Camel go down so glib and go over so easily To omit that prodigy of lying and slandering a vapour that came visibly out of Hell assoon as it was there resolved that innocence must suffer some sins as wasting as any in the whole inventory have of late grown so frequent and fashionable in the world that they have quite put off the nature of sin by being our daily food digested and converted into other shapes as if swallowed by a pious man who God knows must answer the dearest for his revolts they should turn into his substance become acts of piety of the highest size one such metamorphos'd transfigured sin is become able to commute and expiate for a hundred more that have not had the luck of that disguise and in a word our revolts are so prodigiously increased improved into such a mountainous vastness such a colony of none but gyantly shapes that though I cannot undertake to foretel our fate or affirm that we are those very men come to that very crisis upon which God by the purport of the doom in my Text will soon give over smiting any more which perhaps some might be so mad as to think an happy news if they could but hear of it and would be content to venture any hazard that this could bring on them yet this I shall from hence be able to pronounce dogmatically that should such a fate befal us either the Nation in general or any of us in particular should there be a respite of the rod before any laying down of the sins that call'd for it a cessation of arms betwixt heaven and earth before a cessation of hostilities between earth and heaven this were as the last so the worst of evils a calm to be dreaded beyond all the loudest tempests which will be the better evidenc'd and demonstrated to you if we proceed to the fourth and last particular the pitiful estate of the sinner when in this case God removes smiting Why c. To discern the sadness and deplorableness of this estate I shall need give you no sharper character of it than only this that 't is a condition that forceth God to forsake us in meer mercy to give over all thoughts of kindness to us and that the only degree of kindness left whereof we are capable In plain terms to that man or people that is the worse for stripes these two most unreconcileable contraries are most sadly true The removing of these stripes is the greatest judgment imaginable And yet 2. That greatest judgment is the only remaining mercy also Consider these two apart and you will see the truth of them 1. The removing the physick before it hath done the work is the greatest judgment even substraction of all grace downright desertion and nothing more fatal than that to him that cannot recover or repent of himself without the assistance of that physick strokes are not sent by God but as a last and necessary reserve when a long peace and prosperity have been tried and not been able to make any impression on sin nay perhaps have gone over to the enemies side taken part with sin prov'd its prime friend furnish'd it with weapons and ammunition enabled it to riot and grow luxurious and to think of being final Conqueror over the Spirit of God which had it been kept low it could not have done and in this case the weight and fortune of the whole battel lies on stripes and if those be commanded away by God if recall'd upon a first or second repulse if all Gods thunderbolts the only remaining hope have the retreat sounded to them what a destitute routed forlorn estate is the Soul then left in Had sin been wounded or worsted in the fight brought to some visible declination yet this withdrawing of those forces that gave this lusty assault would presently restore it to some heart and courage again would give it space to rally and recover strength and so oft it falls out that when afflictions have done their work mortified our excesses and so march home again to God in triumph over the enemy yet within a while after the smart is forgotten the very vanquish'd lust returns and gets strength again and as 't is oft in Thucydides story by that time the trophies are set up the baffled enemy regains the field and victory But when on the other side sin after the combate with Gods rod comes off unwounded and haile and the bruised and batter'd rod is seen to have retired also then this is the greatest fleshing of sin imaginable a perfect bloudless victory over grace over Gods merciful Spirit striving with us and nothing but haughtiness and triumph and obduration is to be lookt for after such successes And this is that sad state of desertion I told you of a leaving the poor soul like him that had fall'n among thieves wounded and half dead and not so much as one good Samaritan near to bind up or pour in the least drop of oyl into the wounds for 't is not imaginable that ease or peace so calm so soft so pusillanimous a creature as affluence or prosperity is should ever come in to the rescue should do such valiant acts when so much stouter sterner instruments have been so utterly repulsed And yet in this sad case the matter is not yet at the highest but which was the second part of the true but doleful Paradox this very desertion is the only tolerable mercy now behind Should God continue stripes and they still make the sinner more Atheistical this I say would but increase the load in hell Every improsperous stroke on the steel'd anvil heart will but add to the tale of oppositions and affronts and resistances and so to the catalogue of guilts and woes that sad arrear which another world will see paid distinctly and so the calling off or intercepting of these strokes i. e. these our unhappy advantages and opportunities of enhansing our score or reckoning is a
the Sabbatical year which you know were to be left to the poor And again that there are four seasons wherein the plague was wont to rage especially in the fourth year upon the non-payment of the poor mans tithe the third year on the seventh upon the like default in the sixth in the end of the seventh upon default concerning the seventh years fruits that were to be free and common and the last yearly in the close of the feast of tabernacles upon the robbing of the poor of those gifts that at that time were left unto them the gleanings of the harvest and vintage the corners of the field the fallings c. Add to this one place more of Rabbi Bechai Though saith he it be unlawful to prove or tempt the Lord for man must not say I will perform such a commandment to the end I may prosper in riches yet Mal. 3.10 and Prov. 3.10 there is an exception for payment of tithes and works of mercy intimating that on the performance of this duty we may expect even miracles to make us rich and set to that performance on contemplation and confidence of that promise And 't is strange that we Christians should find more difficulty in believing this than the griping reprobated Jews strange that all those books of Scripture should be grown Apocryphal just since the minute that I cited those testimonies out of them This I am resolved on 't is wan◠of belief and nothing else that keeps men from the practice of this duty whatsoever 't is in other sins we may believe aright and yet do contrary our understanding hath not such a controuling power over the Will as some imagine yet in this particular this cannot be pretended Could this one mountain be removed the lessening of our wealth that alms-giving is accused of could this one scandal to flesh and blood be kick'd out of the way there is no other devil would take the unmerciful mans part no other temptation molest the alms-giver And how unjust a thing this is how quite contrary to the practice at all other Sermons I appeal to your selves At other times the doctrine raised from any Scripture is easily digested but all the demurr is about the practical inference but here when all is done the truth of the doctrine still that we shall not be the poorer for alms-giving is that that can never go down with us lyes still crude unconcocted in our stomachs A strange prepossession of worldly hearts a petitio principii that no artist would indure from us I must not be so unchristian whatsoever you mean to be as to think there is need of any farther demonstration of it after so many plain places of Scripture have been produced Let me only tell you that you have no more evidence for the truth of Christs coming into the world for all the fundamentals of your faith on which you are content your salvation should depend than such as I have given you for your security in this point Do not now make a mockery at this doctrine and either with the Jew in Cedrenus or the Christian in Palladius throw away all you have at one largess to see whether God will gather it up for you again but set soberly and solemnly about the duty in the fear of God and compliance with his will and in bowels of compassion to thy poor brethren that stand in need of thy comfort those Emeralds and Jacinths that Macarius perswaded the rich virgin to lay out her wealth upon and this out of no other insidious or vain-glorious but the one pure Christian forementioned design and put it to the venture if God ever suffer thee to want what thou hast thus bestowed Dorotheus hath excellently stated this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are saith he that give alms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that their farms may prosper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and God blesseth and prospers their farms There be that do it for the good success of their voyage and God prospers their voyage some for their children and God preserves their children yea and some to get praise and God affords them that and frustrates none in the merchandise he design'd to traffick for but gives every one that which he aimed at in this liberality But then all these traffickers must not be so unconscionable as to look for any arrear of farther reward when they are thus paid at present they must remember 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have no depositum behind laid up with God for them and therefore it is necessary for a Christian to propose to himself more ingenuous designs to do what he doth in obedience to and out of a pure love of God and then there is more than all these even a kingdom prepared for him Matt. 25. I must draw to a conclusion and I cannot do it more seasonably more to recapitulate and inforce all that hath been said than in the words of Malachy c. 3.10 Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse no doubt but this comprehends the duty in the text the compleveris anno tertio the poor mans tithing that there may be meat in my house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it If this will not open the misers hand unshrivel the worldlings heart I cannot invent an engine cunning or strong enough to do it Thou that hast tired and harass'd out thy spirits in an improsperous successess pursuit of riches digged and drudged in the mines thy soul as well as thou and all the production of thy patience and industry crumbled and mouldered away betwixt thy fingers thou that wouldest fain be rich and canst not get Plutus to be so kind to thee art willing to give Satan his own asking thy prostraveris for his totum hoc to go down to hell for that merchandise and yet art not able to compass it let me direct thee to a more probable course of obtaining thy designs to a more thriving trade a more successful voyage not all the devotions thou daily numbrest to the Devil or good fortune not all the inventions and engines and stratagems of covetousness managed by the most practised worldling can ever tend so much to the securing thee of abundance in this life as this one compleveris of the text the payment of the poor mans tithing And then suffer thy self for once to be disabused give over the worldlings way with a hâc non successit reform this error of good husbandry this mistake of frugality this heresie of the worldling and come to this new Ensurers office erected by God himself prove and try if God do not open thee the windows of heaven Shall I add for the conclusion of all the mention of that poor unconsidered merchandise the treasures of heaven after all this wealth is at an end the
if repentance will repair the faults of that and that exclude none but him that lives and dies indulgent in sin the common prostitute final impenitent infidel If whatsoever be wanting be made over in the demise of the Covenants and whatsoever we are enabled to do accepted in the condition of it then certainly no man that advises with these premisses and so understands what is the meaning of the duty can ever doubt any longer of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Omnipotence of the Christian his sufficiency from Christ to perform his whole duty Which is the summ of the conclusion of the second Arausican Council held against Pelagius c. ult Secundum fidem Catholicam credimus quòd acceptâ per Baptismum gratiâ omnes Baptizati Christo auxiliante cooperante quae ad salutem pertinent possint debeant si fideliter laborare voluerint adimplere The not observing of which is I conceive the fomenter of all that unkindly heat of those involved disputes whether a regenerate man in viâ can fulfil the Law of God of that collision concerning merits concerning venial and mortal sin justification by works or Faith or both all which upon the grounds premised will to any intelligent sober Christian a friend of truth and a friend of peace be most evidently composed To bring down this thesis to these several Hypotheses this time or place will not permit I shall be partial to this part of my Text if I pass not with full speed to that which remains the third Proposition That the strength and power being thus bestowed the work is the work of a Christian of the Suppositum the Man strengthned and assisted by Christ I can c. I not I alone abstracted from Christ nor I principally and Christ onely in Subsidiis to facilitate that to me which I was not quite able throughly to perform without help which deceitful consideration drew on Pelagius himself that was first only for nature at last to take in one after another five Subsidiaries more but only as so many horses to draw together in the Chariot with nature being so pursued by the Councils and Fathers from one hold to another till he was at last almost deprived of all acknowledging saith St. Austin Divinae gratiae adjutorium ad posse and then had not the Devil stuck close to him at the exigence and held out at the velle operari he might have been in great danger to have lost an Heretick But I absolutely impotent in my self to any supernatural duty being then rapt above my self strengthned by Christs perpetual influence having all my strength and ability from him am then by that strength able to do all things my self As in the old Oracle the God inspired and spake in the ear of the Prophet and then the Vates spoke under from thence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 echoed out that voice aloud which he had received by whisper a kind of Scribe or Cryer or Herauld to deliver out as he was inspired The principal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a God or Oracle the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inspired Enthusiast dispensing out to his credulous clients all that the Oracle did dictate or as the Earth which is cold and dry in its elementary constitution and therefore bound up to a necessity of perpetual barrenness having neither of those two procreative faculties heat or moisture in its composition but then by the beams of the Sun and neighbourhood of Water or to supply the want of that rain from Heaven to satisfie its thirst this cold dry Element begins to teem carries many Mines of treasure in the Womb many granaries of fruit in its surface and in event 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contributes all that we can crave either to our need or luxury Now though all this be done by those foreign aids as principal nay sole efficients of this fertility in the earth to conceive and of its strength to bring forth yet the work of bringing forth is attributed to the Earth Heb. vi 7 as to the immediate parent of all Thus it is God's work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Cyril to plant and water and that he doth mediately by Apollos and Paul yea and to give the encrease that belongs to him immediately neither to Man nor Angel but only ad Agricolam Trinitatem saith St. Austin but after all this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though God give the encrease thou must bring forth the fruit The Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary and she was found with child Mat. i. 18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she was found no more attributed to her the Holy Ghost the principal nay sole agent in the work and she a pure Virgin still and yet Luk. i. 31 't is the Angels Divinity That Mary shall conceive and bring forth a Son All the efficiency from the Holy Ghost and partus ventrem the work attributed and that truly to Mary the subject in whom it was wrought and therefore is she call'd by the Ancients not only officina miraculorum and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The shop of Miracles and The Work-house of the Holy Ghost as the Rhetorick of some have set it but by the Councils that were more careful in their phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only the Conduit through which he past but the Parent of whose substance he was made And thus in the production of all Spiritual Actions the principal sole-efficient of all is Christ and His Spirit all that is conceived in us is of the Holy Ghost The holy Principle holy Desire holy Action the posse velle operari all of him Phil. ii 12 But then being so overshadowed the Soul it self conceives being still assisted carries in the Womb and by the same strength at fulness of time as opportunities do midwife them out brings forth Christian Spiritual Actions and then as Mary was the Mother of God so the Christian Soul is the Parent of all its Divine Christian Performances Christ the Father that enables with his Spirit and the Soul the Mother that actually brings forth And now that we may begin to draw up towards a conclusion Two things we may raise from hence by way of inference to our Practice 1. Where all the Christians non-proficiency is to be charged either 1. Upon the Habitual Hardness or 2. The Sluggishness or 3. The Rankness of his own wretchless heart 1. Hardness That for all the seed that is sown the softning dew that distils and rain that is poured down the enlivening influences that are dispensed among us yet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hardness and toughness of the Womb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that dry unnutrifying Earth in the Philosopher's or in Christs dialect stony ground resists all manner of Conception will not be hospitable yield any entertainment even to these Angelical guests though they come as to Lot's house in Sodom only to secure
your selves to a pretty large task and it were a notable Christmas employment I should bless God for any one that would be so piously valiant as to undertake it you must read over the whole Book of Scripture and Nature to this purpose For when you find in the Psalmist the news of Christs coming Then said I loe I come you find your directions how to tract him In the volume of thy book it is written of me c. i. e. either in the whole book or in every folding every leaf of this Book Thou shalt not find a Story a Riddle a Prophecy a Ceremony a down-right legal Constitution but hath some manner of aspect on this glass some way drives at this mystery God manifest in flesh For example perhaps you have not noted whereever you read Seth's Genealogies more insisted on than Cain's Sem's than his elder brother Ham's Abraham's than the whole World besides Jacob's than Esau's Judah's than the whole twelve Patriarchs and the like passages which directly drive down the line of Christ and make that the whole business of the Scripture Whensoever I say you read any of these then are you to note that Shiloh was to come that he which was sent was on his journey that from the Creation till the fulness of time the Scriptur◠was in travel with him and by his leaping ever now and then and as it were springing in the Womb gave manifest tokens that it had conceived and would at last bring forth the Messias So that the whole Old Testament is a Mystical Virgin Mary a kind of Mother of Christ which by the Holy Ghost conceived him in Genesis Chap. iii. 15 And throughout Moses and the Prophets carried him in the Womb and was very big of him And at last in Malachi Chap. iii. 4 was in a manner delivered of him For there you shall find mention of John Baptist who was as it were the Midwife of the Old Testament to open its Womb and bring the Messias into the World Howsoever at the least it is plain that the Old Testament brought him to his birth though it had not strength to bring forth and the Prophets as Moses from Mount Nebo came to a view of this Land of Canaan For the very first words of the New Testament being as it were to fill up what only was wanting in the Old are the Book and History of his generations and birth Matth. i. You would yet be better able to prize the excellency of this Work and reach the pitch of this days rejoycing if you would learn how the very Heathen fluttered about this light what shift they made to get some inkling of this Incarnation before-hand how the Sibyls Heathen Women and Virgil and other Heathen Poets in their writings before Christ's time let fall many passages which plainly referred and belonged to this Incarnation of God It is fine sport to see in our Authors how the Devil with his famous Oracles and Prophets foreseeing by his skill in the Scripture that Christ was near his birth did droop upon it and hang the wing did sensibly decay in his courage began to breath thick and speak imperfectly and sometimes as men in the extremity of a Fever distractedly wildly without any coherence and scarce sense and how at last about the birth of Christ he plainly gave up the ghost and left his Oracular Prophets as speechless as the Caves they dwelt in their last voice being that their great god Pan i. e. the Devil was dead and so both his Kingdom and their Prophecies at an end as if Christ's coming had chased Lucifer out of the World and the powers of Hell were buried that minute when a Saviour was born And now by way of Vse can ye see the Devil put out of heart and ye not put forward to get the Field can you delay to make use of such an advantage as this can ye be so cruel to your selves as to shew any mercy on that now disarmed enemy will ye see God send his Son down into the Field to enter the Lists and lead up a Forlorn Troop against the Prince of this World and ye not follow at his Allarm will ye not accept of a conquest which Christ so lovingly offers you It is a most terrible exprobration in Hosea Chap. xi 3 look on it where God objects to Ephraim her not taking notice of his mercies her not seconding and making use of his loving deliverances which plainly adumbrates this deliverance by Christ's death as may appear by the first Verse of the Chapter compared with the second of Matth. 15. Well saith God I taught Ephraim to go taking them by their arms but they knew not that I healed them I drew them with the cords of a man an admirable phrase with all those means that use to oblige one man to another with bands of love c. i. e. I used all means for the sustaining and strengthning of my people I put them in a course to be able to go and fight and overcome all the powers of darkness and put off the Devils yoke I sent my Son amongst them for this purpose Verse 1. And all this I did by way of love as one friend is wont to do for another and yet they would not take notice of either the benefit or the donor nor think themselves beholding to me for this mercy And this is our case beloved If we do not second these and the like mercies of God bestowed on us if we do not improve them to our Souls health if we do not fasten on this Christ incarnate if we do not follow him with an expression of gratitude and reverence and stick close to him as both our Friend and Captain finally if we do not endeavour and pray that this his Incarnation may be seconded with annother that as once he was born in our flesh to justifie us so he may be also born spiritually in our Souls to sanctifie us for there is a spiritual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Mystical Incarnation of Christ in every regenerate man where the Soul of Man is the Womb wherein Christ is conceived by the Holy Ghost The proof of which Doctrine shall entertain the remainder of this hour for this is the Emmanuel that most nearly concerns us God with us i. e. with our Spirits or Christ begotten and brought forth in our hearts Of which briefly And that Christ is thus born in a regenerate mans soul if it were denied might directly appear by these two places of Scripture Gal. ii 20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Again Ephes iii. 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith c. Now that you may understand this Spiritual Incarnatien of Christ the better we will compare it with his Real Incarnation in the Womb of the Virgin that so we may keep close to the business of the day and at once observe both his birth to
words run truly interpreted Luke i. 28 Hail thou that art highly favoured not as the Vulgar read Gratiâ plena full of Grace And again verse 30. Thou hast found favour with God So is it in the case of Mans Soul there is no power of nature no preparation of Morality no art that all the Philosophy or Learning in the World can teach a man which can deserve this grace at Christs hands that can any way wooe or allure God to be born spiritually in us which can perswade or intice the Holy Ghost to conceive and beget Christ in us but only the meer favour and good pleasure of God which may be obtained by our prayers but can never be challenged by our merits may be comfortably expected and hoped for as a largess given to our necessities and wants but can never be required as a reward of our deserts for it was no high pitch of perfection which Mary observed in her self as the motive to this favour but only the meer mercy of God which regarded the lowliness of his hand-maid Luke i. 48 Whence in the fifth place this Soul in which Christ will vouchsafe to be born must be a lowly humble soul or else it will not perfectly answer Maries temper nor fully bear a part in her Magnificat where in the midst of her glory she humbly specifies the lowliness of his handmaid But this by the way In the sixth place if we consider here-with John the Baptist his forerunner coming to prepare his way and his Preaching repentance as a necessary requisite to Christs being born and received in the World then we shall drive the matter to a further issue and find repentance a necessary preparation for the birth of Christ in our hearts For so the Baptist's Message set down Isai xl 3 Prepare the ways c. is here interpreted by the event Matth. iii. 2 Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand as if this Harbinger had no other furniture and provision to bespeak in the heart that was to receive Christ but only repentance for sins I will not examine here the precedence of Repentance before Faith in Christ though I might seasonably here state the question and direct you to begin with John and proceed to Christ first repent then fasten on Christ only this for all the promises of Salvation in Christ are promised on condition of repentance and amendment they must be weary and heavy laden who ever come to Christ and expect rest Matth. xi 28 And therefore whosoever applies these benefits to himself and thereby conceives Christ in his heart must first resolve to undertake the condition required to wit Newness of life which yet he will not be able to perform till Christ be fully born and dwell in him by his enabling graces for you may mark that Christ and John being both about the same age as appears by the story Christ must needs be born before Johns Preaching so in the Soul there is supposed some kind of Incarnation of Christ before repentance or newness of life yet before Christ is born or at least come to his full stature and perfect growth in us this Baptist's Sermon that is this repentance and resolution to amendment must be presumed in our Souls And so repentance is both a preparation to Christs birth and an effect of it for so John preached Repent for c. Matth iii. 2 And so also in the same words Christ preaches Repent c. Matth. iv 17 And so these two together John and Christ repentance and Faith though one began before the other was perfected yet I say these two together in the fully regenerate man Fulfil all righteousness Matth. iii. 15 In the seventh place you may observe that when Christ was born in Bethlehem the whole Land was in an uproar Herod the King was troubled and all Jerusalem with him Matth. ii 3 which whether we apply to the lesser city the Soul of man in which or the adjoyning people amongst whom Christ is spiritually born in any man you shall for the most acknowledge the agreement for the man himself if he have been any inordinate sinner then at the birth of Christ in him all his natural sinful faculties are much displeased his reigning Herod sins and all the Jerusalem of habituate lusts and Passions are in great disorder as knowing that this new birth abodes their instant destruction and then they cry oft in the voice of the Devil Mark i. 24 What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God Art thou come to torment and dispossess us before our time If it be applied to the Neighbour Worldlings which hear of this new convert then are they also in an uproar and consult how they shall deal with this turbulent spirit which is made to upbraid our ways and reprove our thoughts Wisd ii which is like to bring down all their trading and consenage to a low ebb like Diana's Silver-smith in the Acts Chap. xix 24 which made a solemn speech and the Text says there was a great stir against Paul because the attempt of his upstart doctrine was like to undo the Shrinemakers Sirs ye know that by this craft we have our wealth And no marvel that in both these respects there is a great uproar seeing the spiritual birth of Christ is most infinitely opposite to both the common people of the World and common affections of the Soul two the most turbulent tumultuous wayward violent Nations upon Earth In the eighth and last place because I will not tyre you above the time which is allotted for the trial of your patience you may observe the increase and growth of Christ and that either in himself in Wisdom and Stature c. Luke ii 52 or else in his troop and attendants and that either of Angels to minister unto him Matth. iv 11 or of Disciples to follow and obey him and then the harmony will still go currant Christ in the regenerate man is first conceived then born then by degrees of childhood and youth grows at last to the measure of the stature of this fulness and the Soul consequently from strength to strength from vertue to vertue is increased to a perfect manhood in Christ Jesus Then also where Christ is thus born he chuses and calls a Jury at least of Disciple-graces to judge and fit upon thee to give in evidence unto thy Spirit That thou art the Son of God Then is he also ministred unto and furnished by the Angels with a perpetual supply either to increase the lively or to recover decayed graces So that now Christ doth bestow a new life upon the man and the regenerate soul becomes the daughter as well as the Mother of Christ she conceives Christ and Christ her she lives and grows and moves in Christ and Christ in her So that at last she comes to that pitch and height and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that St. Paul speaks of Gal. ii
of the obligation to obedience in us Christians who injoy that light and are precluded those excuses of ignorance that a Jew might be capable of From whence I may sure conclude that the Ego autem of not retaliating or revenging of injuries for that is sure the meaning of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render resist not evil the strict precept of loving and blessing and praying for Enemies and the like is more clearly preceptive and so more indispensably obligatory to us Christians than ever it was to the Jews before And there you have one part of the Spirit of the Gospel in opposition to a first notion of the legal Spirit And by it you may conclude that what Christian soever can indulge himself the enjoyment of that hellish sensuality that of revenge or retributing of injuries nay that doth not practise that high piece of but necessary be it never so rare perfection of overcoming evil with good and so heap those precious melting coals of love of blessings of prayers those three species of sacred vestal fire upon all Enemies heads Nescit qualis spiritus He knows not what kind of spirit he is of But there is another thing observable of the Law and so of the Judaical Legal Spirit to wit as it concerned the planting the Israelites in Canaan and that is the command of rooting out the nations which was a particular case upon God's sight of the filling up of the measure of the Amorites sins and a judicial sentence of his proceeding upon them not only reveal'd to those Israelites but that with a peremptory command annext to it to hate and kill and eradicate some of those Nations Which case because it seldom or never falls out to agree in all circumstances with the case of any other sinful people cannot lawfully prescribe to the eradicating of any other though in our opinion never so great enemies of God until it appear as demonstrably to us as it did to those Israelites that it was the will of God they should be so dealt with and he that thinks it necessary to shed the blood of every enemy of God whom his censorious faculty hath found guilty of that charge that is all for the fire from Heaven though it be upon the Samaritans the not receivers of Christ is but as the Rabbies call him sometimes one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sons of blouds in the plural number and sons of fire yea and like the Disciples in my Text Boanerges sons of thunder far enough from the soft temper that Christ left them Ye know not what kind of spirit ye are of In the next place Elias Spirit was a Prophetick Spirit whose dictates were not the issue of discourse and reason but impulsions from Heaven The Prophetick writings were not saith St. Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I conceive in an agonistick sense of their own starting or incitation as they were moved or prompted by themselves but as it follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they were carried by the Holy Ghost not as they were led but carried when the Lord speaks who can but prophesie And so likewise are the actions Prophetick many things that are recorded to be done by Prophets in Scripture they proceed from some peculiar incitations of God I mean not from the ordinary or extraordinary general or special direction or influence of his grace cooperating with the Word as in the brest of every regenerate man for the Spirit of Sanctification and the Spirit of Prophecy are very distant things but from the extraordinary revelation of God's Will many times against the setled rule of duty acted and animated not as a living creature by a Soul but mov'd as an outward impellent a sphear by an intelligence and that frequently into eccentrical and planetary motions so that they were no further justifiable than that prophetick calling to that particular enterprize will avow Consequent to which is that because the prophetick office was not beyond the Apostles time to continue constantly in the Church any further than to interpret and superstruct upon what the Canon of the Scripture hath setled among Christians Christ and his Word in the New Testament being that Bath-Col which the Jews tell us was alone to survive all the other ways of Prophecy he that shall now pretend to that Prophetick Spirit to some Vision to teach what the Word of God will not own to some incitation to do what the New Testament Law will not allow of he that with the late Fryar in France pretends to ecstatical revelations with the Enthusiasts of the last age and Phanaticks now with us to ecstatical motions that with Mahomet pretends a dialogue with God when he is in an Epileptick fi◠sets off the most ghastly diseases I shall add most horrid sins by undertaking more particular acquaintance and commerce with the Spirit of God a call from God's Providence and extraordinary Commission from Heaven for those things which if the New Testament be Canonical are evaporate from Hell and so first leads captive silly women as Mahomet did his Wife and then a whole Army of Janizaries into a War to justifie and propagate such delusions and put all to death that will not be their Proselytes is far enough from the Gospel Spirit that lies visible in the New Testament verbum vehiculum spiritûs and the preaching of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is not infused by dream or whisper nor authorized by a melancholy or phanatick phansie and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knows not what kind c. In the third place Elias was the great precedent and example of sharp unjudiciary procedure with Malefactors which from the common ordinary awards on Criminals in that execution proceeded Trial and the Malefactor suffered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without attending the formalities of Law Of this kind two Examples are by Mattathias cited 1 Macab ii one of Phinces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that zeal'd a zeal and in that run thorough Zimri and Cozbi and so as the Captain once answered for the killing the drowsie Sentinel reliquit quos invenit found them in unclean embraces and so left them And the variety of our interpretations in rendring of that passage in the Psalm Then stood up Phinehas and prayed in the Old and then stood up Phinehas and executed judgment in the New Translations may perhaps give some account of that action of his that upon Phinehas Prayer for God's direction what should be done in that matter God raised up him in an extraordinary manner to execute judgment on those offenders And the other of Elias in the Text and he with some addition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In zealing the zeal of the Law called fire from Heaven upon those that were sent out from Ahazia to bring him to him And this fact of his by God's answering his call and the coming down of the fire upon
them was demonstrated to come from God also as much as the prediction of the Kings death which was confirm'd by this means It may very probably be guest by Mattathias his words in that place that there were no precedents of the zelotick spirit in the Old Testament but those two for among all the Catalogue of examples mentioned to his sons to enflame their zeal to the Law he produceth no other and 't is observable that though there be practices of this nature mentioned in the story of the New Testament the stoning of St. Stephen of St. Paul at Iconium c. yet all of them practised by the Jews and not one that can seem to be blameless but that of Christ who sure had extraordinary power upon the buyers and sellers in the Temple upon which the Apostles remembred the Psamists Prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the zeal of Gods house carried him to that act of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of indignation and punishment upon the transgressors And what mischief was done among the Jews by those of that sect in Josephus that call'd themselves by that name of Zelots and withal took upon them to be the saviours and preservers of the City but as it prov'd the hastners and precipitators of the destruction of that Kingdom by casting out and killing the High-Priests first and then the Nobles and chief men of the Nation and so embasing and intimidating and dejecting the hearts of all the people that all was at length given up to their fury Josephus and any of the learned that have conversed with the Jewish Writers will instruct the enquirer And ever since no very honourable notion had of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament one of the fruits of the flesh Gal. v. of the Wisdom that comes not from Heaven Jam. iii. and in the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bitter zeal a gall that will imbitter all that come near it The short of it is the putting any man to death or inflicting other punishment upon any terms but that of legal perfectly legal process is the importance of a zelotick Spirit as I remember in Maimonides him that curses God in the name of an Idol the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that meet him kill him i. e. the zelots permitted it seems if not authorized to do so And this is the Spirit of Elias that is of all others most evidently reprehended and renounced by Christ. The Samaritans no very sacred persons added to their habitual constant guilts at that time to deny common civility of entertainment to Christ himself and the Disciples asked whether they might not do what Elias had done call for fire from Heaven upon them in that case and Christ tells them that the Gospel-Spirit was of another complexion from that of Elias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turn'd to them as he did to Peter when he said Get thee behind me Satan as to so many fiery Satanical-spirited men and checkt them for that their furious zeal with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The least I can conclude from hence is this that they that put any to death by any but perfectly legal process that draw the sword upon any but by the supream Magistrates command are far enough from the Gospel-Spirit whatever precedent they can produce to countenance them And so if they be really what they pretend Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are in a prodigious mistake or ignorance They know not what Spirit they are of Yet farther it is observable of Elias that he did execrate and curse call for judgments from Heaven upon mens persons and that temper of mind in the parallel you may distribute into two sorts First in passing judgments upon mens future estates the censorious reprobating Spirit which though we find it not in Elias at this time yet is a consequent of the Prophetick Office and part of the burthen received from the Lord and layed upon those guilty persons concerning whom it hath pleased Almighty God to reveal that secret of his Cabinet but then this rigor cannot without sin be pretended to by any else for in the blackest instances charity believes all things and hopes all things and even in this sense covers the multitudes of sins Now this so culpable an insolent humour rashly to pass a condemning sentence was discernible in the Pharisees this Publican whose profession and trade is forbidden by that Law and this people that know not that Law is cursed so likewise in the Montanists nos spirituales and all others animales and Psychici so in the Romanists who condemn all but themselves and in all those generally whose pride and malice conjoined most directly contrary to the gospel-Gospel-Spirit of humility and charity doth prepare them one and the other inflame them to triumph and glut themselves in this spiritual assassinacy this deepest dye of blood the murthering of Souls which because they cannot do it really they endeavour in effigie anathematize and slaughter them here in this other Calvary the place for the crucifying of reputations turning them out of the Communion of their charity though not of bliss and I am confident reject many whom the Angels entertain more hospitably Another part of this cursing Spirit there is more peculiarly Elias's that of praying and so calling for curses on mens persons and that being upon the enemies of God and those appearing to Elias a Prophet to be such might be then lawful to him and others like him David perhaps c. in the Old Testament but is wholly disliked and renounced by Christ under this state of higher Discipline to which Christians are designed by him in the New I say not only for that which concerns our own enemies for that is clear When thine enemy hungreth feed him and somewhat like that in the Old Testament When thine enemies Ox c. But I extend it even to the enemies of God himself and that I need not do upon other evidence than is afforded from the Text the Samaritans were enemies of Christ himself and were barbarous and inhumane to his person and they must not be curst by Disciples And he that can now curse even wicked men who are more distantly the enemies of God can call for I say not discomfiture upon their devices for that is charity to them to keep them from being such unhappy Creatures as they would be contrivers of so much mischief to the world but Plagues and Ruine upon their persons which is absolutely the voice of Revenge that sulphur-vapor of Hell he that delighteth in the misery of any part of Gods Image and so usurps upon that wretched quality of which we had thought the Devil had gotten the Monopoly that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joying in the Brother's misery but now see with horror is got loose out of that Pit to rave among us he that would mischief if it were in his power and now it is not by unprofitable
troubled about the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their prophaneness and uncleanness that they were not fit for an Apostle to defile himself about their Conversion And this was the general opinion of all the Jews they of the Circumcision were astonished at the news Act. x. 45 Nay this is it that the Angels wondred at so when they saw it wrought at the Church by Pauls Ministery never dreaming it possible till it was effected as may appear Eph. iii. 10 This was the Mystery which from the beginning of the World had been hid in God V. 9. One of God's Cabinet Counsels a Mercy decreed in secret that no Creature ever wish of till it was performed And in this behalf are we all being lineally descended from the Gentiles bound over to an infinite measure both of humiliation and gratitude for our deliverance from the guilt and reign of that second Original sin that Heathenism of our Ancestors and Catholick damnation that Sixteen hundred years ago we were all involv'd in Beloved we were long ago set right again and the obligation lies heavy upon us to shew this change to have been wrought in us to some purpose to prove our selves Christians in grain so fixed and established that all the Devils in Hell shall not be able to reduce us again to that abhorred condition If we that are thus called out shall fall back after so much Gospel to Heathen practices and set up Shrines and Altars in our hearts to every poor delight that our sottishness can call a God if we are not called out of their sins as well as out of their ignorance then have we advanced but the further toward Hell we are still but Heathen Gospellers our Christian Infidelity and practical Atheism will but help to charge their guilt upon us and damn us the deeper for being Christians Do but examine your selves on this one Interrogatory whether this calling the Gentiles hath found any effect in your hearts any influence on your lives whether your Conversations are not still as Heathenish as ever If you have no other grounds or motives to embrace the Gospel but only because you are borâ— within the pale of the Church no other evidences of your Discipleship but your livery then God is little beholding to you for your service The same motives would have served to have made you Turks if it had been your chance to have been born amongst them and now all that fair Christian outside is not thank-worthy 'T is but your good fortune that you are not now at the same work with the old Gentiles or present Indians a worshipping either Jupiter or the Sun 'T was a shrewd speech of Clemens that the life of every unregenerate Man is an Heathen-life and the sins of unsanctified Men are Heathen-sins and the estate of a Libertine Christian an Heathen-estate and unless our resolutions and practices are consonant to our profession of Christ we are all still Heathens and the Lord make us sensible of this our Condition The third and in summ the powerfullest Argument to prove God's willingness that we should live is that he hath bestowed his spirit upon us that as soon as he called up the Son he sent the Comforter This may seem to be the main business that Christ ascended to Heaven about so that a Man would guess from the xvi Chapter of St. John and Vers 7. that if it had not been for that Christ had tarried amongst us till this time but that it was more expedient to send the Spirit to speak those things powerfully to our hearts which often and in vain had been sounded in our ears 'T is a phancy of the Paracelsians that if we could suck out the lives and spirits of other Creatures as we feed on their flesh we should never die their lives would nourish and transubstantiate into our lives their spirit increase our spirits and so our lives grow with our years and the older we were by consequence the fuller of life and so no difficulty to become Immortal Thus hath God dealt with us first sent his Son his Incarnate Son his own Flesh to feed and nourish us and for all this we die daily he hath now given us his own very Life and incorporeous Essence a piece of pure God his very Spirit to feed upon and digest that if it be possible we might live There is not a vein in our Souls unless it be quite pin'd and shrivel'd up but hath some bloud produced in it by that holy nourishment every breath that ever we have breathed toward Heaven hath been thus inspired Besides those louder Voices of God either sounding in his Word or thundring in his Judgments there is his calm soft voice of Inspiration like the Night Vision of old which stole in upon the mind mingled with sleep and gentle slumber He draws not out into the Field or meets us as an Enemy but entraps us by surprize and disarms us in our quarters by a Spiritual Stratagem conquers at unawares and even betrays and circumvents and cheats us into Heaven That precept of Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To worship at the noise and whistling of the wind had sense and divinity in it that Jamblichus that cites it never dreamt of that every sound and whispering of this Spirit which râ—stles either about our ears or in our hearts as the Philosopher saith Tecum est intus est when it breaths and blows within us the stoutest faculty of our Souls the proudest piece of flesh about us should bow down and worship Concerning the manner of the Spirits working I am not I need not to dispute Thus far it will be seasonable and profitable for you to know that many other Illuminations and holy Graces are to he imputed to Gods Spirit besides that by which we are effectually converted God speaks to us many times when we answer him not and shines about our eyes when we either wink or sleep Our many sudden shortwinded Ejaculations toward Heaven our frequent but weak inclinations to good our ephemerous wishes that no man can distinguish from true piety but by their sudden death our every day resolutions of obedience whilest we continue in sin are arguments that God's Spirit hath shined on us though the warmth that it produced be soon chill'd with the damp it meets within us For example there is no doubt beloved but the Spirit of God accompanies his Word as at this time to your ears if you will but open at its knock and receive and entertain it in your hearts it shall prove unto you according to its most glorious attribute Rom. i. The power of God unto salvation But if you will refuse it your stubbornness may repel and frustrate God's Work but not annihilate it though you will not be saved by it it is God's still and so shall continue to witness against you as the day of doom Every word that was ever darted from that Spirit as a beam or javelin of
travail in the Spirit Be the brain never so soft and pliable never so waxy and capable of impressions yet if the heart be but carnal if it have any thing much of that lust of the flesh 1 John ii 15 in its composition it will be hard for the spiritual life to be conceived in that man For Faith the only means by which Christ lives and dwells in us Ephes iii. 17 is to be seated in the heart i. e. the will and affections according to the express words That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith So that be your brains never so swelled and puft up with perswasions of Christ our Saviour be they so big that they are ready to lye in and travail of Christ as Jove's did of Minerva in the Poem yet if the heart have not joyned in the conception if the seed sown have not taken root and drawn nourishment from the will it is but an aerial or phantastical birth or indeed rather a disease or tympany nay though it come to some proof and afterward extend and encrease in limbs and proportions never so speciously yet if it be only in the brain neither is this to be accounted solid nourishment and augmentation but such as a Camalion may be thought to have that feeds on air and it self is little better and in sum not growth but swellings So then if the will either by nature or custom of sinning by familiarity and acquaintance making them dote on sensual objects otherwise unamiable by business and worldly ambitious thoughts great enemies to faith or by pride and contentment both very incident to noble Personages and great Wits to Courtiers and Scholars In brief if this Will the stronger and more active part of the Soul remain carnal either in indulgence to many or which is the snare of judicious men in chief of some one prime sin then cannot all the faith in the world bring that man to Heaven It may work so much miracle as Simon Magus is said to have done who undertook to raise the dead give motion to the head make the eyes look up or the tongue speak but the lower part of the man and that the heaviest will by no charm or spell be brought to stir but weigh and sink even into Hell will still be carcass and corruption Damnation is his birth-right Ecclus xx 25 And it is impossible though not absolutely yet ex hypothesi the second Covenant being now sealed even for God himself to save him or give him life It is not David's Musick that exorcised and quieted Saul's evil spirit nor Pythagora's Spondees that tamed a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set him right in his wits for ever that can work any effect on a fleshy heart So that Chrysostom would not wonder at the voice that cryed O Altar Altar hear the voice of the Lord because Jeroboam's heart was harder than that nor will I find fault with Bonaventure that made a solemn prayer for a stony heart as if it were more likely to receive impression than that which he had already of flesh It were long to insist on the wilfulness of our fleshy hearts how they make a faction within themselves and bandy faculties for the Devil how when grace and life appear and make profer of themselves all the carnal affections like them in the Gospel Joyn all with one consent to make excuses nothing in our whole lives we are so sollicitous for as to get off fairly to have made a cleanly Apology to the invitations of God's Spirit and yet for a need rather than go we will venture to be unmannerly We have all married a Wife espoused our selves to some amiable delight or other we cannot we will not come The Devil is wiser in his generation than we he knows the price and value of a Soul and will pay any rate for it rather than lose his market he will give all the riches in the world rather than miss And we at how low a rate do we prize it it is the cheapest commodity we carry about us The beggarliest content under Heaven is fair is rich enough to be given in exchange for the Soul Spiritus non ponderat saith the Philosopher the Soul being a spirit when we put it into the balance weighs nothing nay more than so it is lighter than vanity lighter than nothing i. e. it doth not only weigh nothing but even lifts up the scale it is put into when nothing is weighed against it How many sins how many vanities how many idols i. e. in the Scripture phrase how many nothings be there in the world each of which will out-weigh and preponderate the Soul It were tedious to observe and describe the several ways that our devilish sagacity hath found out to speed our selves to damnation to make quicker dispatch in that unhappy rode than ever Elias his fiery Chariot could do toward Heaven Our daily practice is too fâ—ll of arguments almost every minute of our lives as it is an example so is it a proof of it Our pains will be employed to better purpose if we leave that as a worn beaten common place and betake our selves to a more necessary Theme a close of Exhortation And that shall be by way of Treaty as an Ambassador sent from God that you will lay down your arms that you will be content to be friends with God and accept of fair terms of composition which are That as you have thus long been enemies to God proclaiming hostility and perpetually opposing every merciful will of his by that wilfulness so now being likely to fall into his hands you will prevent that ruine you will come in and whilst it is not too late submit your selves that you may not be forced as Rebels and Outlaws but submit as Servants This perhaps may be your last parley for peace and if you stand out the battery will begin suddenly and with it the horrendum est Heb. x. 31 It is a fearful hideous thing to fall into the hands of the living God All that remains upon our wilful holding out may be the doom of Apostates from Christianity a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation that shall devour the adversaries Vers 27. And methinks the very emphasis in my Text notes as much Why will you die As if we were just now falling into the Pit and there were but one minute betwixt this time of our jollity and our everlasting hell Do but lay this one circumstance to your hearts do but suppose your selves on a Bed of sickness laid at with a violent burning Fever such a one as shall finally consume the whole world as it were battered with thundering and lightning and besieged with fire where the next throw or plunge of thy disease may possibly separate thy soul from thy body and the mouth of Hell just then open and yawning at thee and then suppose there were one only minute wherein a serious resigning up
represent to you your own Consciences if they be but called to cannot choose but reflect them to your sight Your outward profession and frequency in it for the general is acknowledged your Custom of the place requires it of you and the example of Piety that rules in your Eyes cannot but extort it Only let your lives witness the sincerity of your professions let not a dead Carcass walk under a living head and a nimble active Christian brain be supported with bed-rid mentionless Heathen â—imbs Let me see you move and walk as well as breath that I may hope to see you Saints as well as Christians And this shall be the summ not only of my advice to you but for you of my Prayers That the Spirit would sanctifie all our hearts as well as brains that he will subdue not only the pride and natural Atheism of our understandings but the rebellions and infidelity and heathenism of our lusts that being purged from any reliques or tincture or suspicion of irreligion in either power of our Souls we may live by Faith and move by Love and die in Hope and both in Life and Death glorifie God here and be glorified with him hereafter SERMON VIII LUKE XVIII 11 God I thank thee that I am not as other men extortioners c. or even as this Publican THAT we may set out at our best advantage and yet not go too far back to take our rise 't is but retiring to the end of the 8. Verse of this Chapter and there we shall meet with an abrupt speech hanging like one of Solomon's Proverbs without any seeming dependance on any thing before or after it which yet upon enquiry will appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faln down from Heaven in the posture it stands in In the beginning of the Eight verse he concludes the former Parable I tell you that he will avenge them speedily and then abruptly Nevertheless when the Son of man comes shall he find faith upon the earth And then immediately Verse 9. he spake another parable to certain that trusted in themselves where this speech in the midst when the Son of man comes c. stands there by it self like the Pharisee in my Text seorsim apart as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or intercalary day between two months which neither of them will own or more truly like one of Democritus his atomes the casual concurrence of which he accounted the principle and cause of all things That we may not think so vulgarly of Scripture as to dream that any title of it came by resultance or casually into the world that any speech dropt from his mouth unobserved that spake as man never spake both in respect of the matter of his speeches and the weight and secret energie of all accidents attending them it will appear on consideration that this speech of his which seems an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a supernumerary superfluous one is indeed the head of the corner and ground of the whole Parable or at least a fair hint or occasion of delivering it at that time Not to trouble you with its influence on the Parable going before concerning perseverance in prayer to which it is as an Isthmus or fibula to joyn it to what follows but to bring our eyes home to my present subject After the consideration of the prodigious defect of faith in this decrepit last age of the world in persons who made the greatest pretences to it and had arriv'd unto assurance and security in themselves he presently arraigns the Pharisee the highest instance of this confidence and brings his righteousness to the bar sub hac formâ There is like to be toward the second coming of Christ his particular visitation of the Jews and then its parallel his final coming to judgment such a specious pompous shew and yet such a small pittance of true faith in the world that as it is grown much less than a grain of mustard-seed it shall not be found when it is sought there will be such giantly shadows and pigmy substances so much and yet so little faith that no Hieroglyphick can sufficiently express it but an Egyptian temple gorgeously over-laid inhabited within by Crocodiles and Cats and carcasses instead of gods or an apple of Sodom that shews well till it be handled a painted Sepulchre or a specious nothing or which is the contraction and Tachygraphy of all these a Pharisee at his prayers And thereupon Christ spake the parable verse 9. there were two men went up into the temple to pray the one a Pharisee c. verse 10. Concerning the true nature of faith mistaken extreamly now adays by those which pretend most to it expuls'd almost out of mens brains as well as hearts so that now it is scarce to be found upon earth either in our lives or almost in our books there might be framed a seasonable complaint in this place were I not already otherwise imbarked By some prepossessions and prejudices infus'd into us as soon as we can conn a Catechism of that making it comes to pass that many men live and die resolv'd that faith is nothing but the assurance of the merits of Christ applied to every man particularly and consequently of his salvation that I must first be sure of Heaven or else I am not capable of it confident of my salvation or else necessarily damned Cornelius Agrippa being initiated in natural magick Paracelsus in mineral extractions Plato full of his Idea's will let nothing be done without the Pythagoreans brought up with numbers perpetually in their ears and the Physicians poring daily upon the temperaments of the body the one will define the soul an harmony the other a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Philoponus And so are many amongst us that take up fancies upon trust for truths never laying any contrary proposals to heart come at last to account this assurance as a principle without which they can do nothing the very soul that must animate all their obedience which is otherwise but a carcass or heathen vertue in a word the only thing by which we are justified or saved The confutation of this popular error I leave to some grave learned tongue that may enforce it on you with some authority for I conceive not any greater hindrance of Christian obedience and godly practice amongst us than this for as long as we are content with this assurance as sufficient stock to set up for Heaven there is like to be but little faith upon the earth Faith if it be truly so is like Christ himself when he was Emmanuel God upon the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incarnate faith cut out and squared into limbs and lineaments not only a spiritual invisible faith but even flesh and bloud to be seen and felt organiz'd for action 't is to speak and breath and walk and run the ways of God's Commandments An assent not only
this conceiving well of his estate is the foulest misconceit For if he be such a complete righteous person so accomplish't in all holy graces why should he thus betray his soul by depriving it of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the very Heathens could observe so absolutely necessary this humility and lowliness of mind this useful and most ingenuous vertue always to think vilely of himself not to acknowledge any excellence in himself though he were even put upon the rack The Philosophers that wrote against pride are censured to have spoil'd all by putting their names to their Books Modesty like Dina desiring never so little to be seen is ravished The sanctifying spirit that beautifies the soul is an humbling spirit also to make it unbeauteous in its own eyes And this is the first misconceit the first step of Pharisaical hypocrisie thinking well of ones self on what ground soever contrary to that virgin grace humility which is a vertue required not only of notorious infamous sinners for what thanks or commendation is it for him to be on the ground that hath faln and bruised himself in his race for him that is ready to starve to go a begging but chiefly and mainly of him that is most righteous when he that knows a great deal of good by himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great deal of good success in the spirit yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not advanced a whit at the fancy of all this The Pharisees second misconceit is a favourable overprizing of his own worth expecting a higher reward than it in proportion deserves When looking in the glass he sees all far more glorious in that reflect beam than it is in the direct all the deformities left in the glass and nothing but fair return'd to him a rough harsh unpleasing voice smoothed and softned and grown harmonious in the Echo there is no such cheating in the world as by reflexions A looking-glass by shewing some handsom persons their good faces and that truly hath often ruin'd them by that truth and betrayed that beauty to all the ugliness and rottenness in the world which had it not been known by them had been injoyed But then your false glasses what mischief and ruine have they been authors of how have they given authority to the deformed'st creatures to come confidently on the stage and befool'd them to that shame which a knowledge of their own wants had certainly prevented What difference their may be betwixt the direct species of a thing and the same reflected the original and the transcript the artificial famous Picture of Henry the Fourth of France will teach you where in a multitude of feign'd devices a heap of painted phantastical Chimaera's which being look'd on right resembled nothing being order'd to cast their species upon a pillar of polish't metal reflected to the spectators eye the most lively visage of that famous King He that hath not seen this piece of Art or hath not skill in Catoptricks enough to understand the demonstrable grounds and reasons of it may yet discern as much in nature by the appearance of a rainbow where you may see those colours reflected by the cloud which no Philosopher will assert to be existent there And all this brings more evidence to the Pharisees indictment and demonstrates his opinion of his own actions or meâ—its to be commonly deceiveable and false He sees another mans actions radio recto by a direct beam and if there be no humour in his eye if it be not glazed with contempt or envy or prejudice he may perhaps see them aright But his own he cannot see but by reflexion as a man comes not to see his own eyes but in the shadow and at the rebound whereupon Alcinous the Platonick calls this act of the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dialogue of the soul with it self and the knowledge that comes from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a resemblance by shadowing The soul understands and wills its object this act of it by its species is cast upon the fansie and from thence as even now from the column of brass or Bell-metal 't is reflected to the understanding and then you may guess what a fair report he is likely to receive when a Pharisees phancy hath the returning of it He that with his own clearest eyes could take a gnat for a taller unwieldier creature than a Camel and rhereupon strains at it Mat. xxiii 24 what would he do if he should come to his multiplying glass he that when he sees a mote and that radio recto in others eyes can mistake it for a beam how can he think you improve the least atome of good when he is to look on it in himself how will his phancy and he the one a cheat from the beginning the other full greedy of the bait fatten and puffe up a sacrifice that he himself hath offer'd O how fair shall it appear and ready to devour all the seven fat ones though it be the thinnest of Pharaoh's lean kine lank and very ill favoured how shall the reflexion of his beggarliest rags return to his eye the picture of a King and the ordinariest vapour or cloud of his exhaling be deckt over with all the beauty and variety of the Rainbow what Aristotle said of the Sophistâ— that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it be a puzling place for the Criticks this Censor or Aristarchus in my Text will interpret by his practice he blows up himself as theâ— were used to do their meat against a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tribunes or a Sheriffs feast that it may look the fairer and not deceive others only but himself forgets what he has done and now thinks 't is his natural complexion as the Carpenter in the thirteenth of Wisdom that piece of wood which himself had just now carved into an Idol he presently prays to and worships as a God or as lyars that by telling a tale often at last begin to believe themselves so hath he befool'd himself into a credulity the farthing Alms he hath given shall by a strange kind of usury yet not stranger perhaps than what he deals in daily be phansied into a mountain of gold and the bare calves of their lips become Hecatombs If he have abstained from flesh when the Market would yield none or forborn to eat a supper after a notorious feast he will call this fasting twice in the week verse 12. and avouch himself an obedient abstemious subject and Christian though good Friday be witness of his unchristian Epicurism If he afford the Minister the tenth of his house-rent and annual benevolence far below that that his dues would come to which by taking of a jolly Fine at first is for ever after pared into but a larger sort of quit-rents though his extortion bring in no revenue to any but the Devil and himself he will yet be confident with the Pharisee I pay
from off the earth what means have we left us but our prayers to prepare or mature this reconciliation Shall we then take heart also and bring in our action of trespass Shall we sit and pen our railing accusation in the form that Christ uses against the Pharisees Mat. xxiii 13 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men for you neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entring to go in This we might do upon better grounds were we so revengefully disposed but we fear to incur our Saviour's censure Luke ix 55 And he turn'd and rebuk't them saying Ye know not what manner of spirits ye are of We should much mistake our Christian spirit if we should not in return to their curses intercede with God in prayer for them First that he will bestow on them the grace of meekness or charity then sincerity and uprightness without wilful blindness and partiality and lastly to intercede for the salvation of all our souls together And this is the only way St. Paul hath left us Rom. xii 20 by returning them good to melt them hoping and praying in the words of Solomon that by long forbearing this great Prince of the West will be perswaded and that our soft tongues may in time break the bone But whilst we preach charity to them shall we not betray partiality in our selves by passing over that uncharitable fire that is breaking out in our own Chimnies 'T were to be wished that this Christian grace which is liberal enough of it self would be entertain'd as gratefully as it is preach't we should not then have so many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sons of fire amongst us as we have who being inflam'd some with faction others with ignorant prejudice others with doting on their own abilities fall out into all manner of intemperate censures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of the sword all sharp contumelious invectives against all persons or doctrines or lives that are not ordered or revised by them For what Photius out of Josephus observes among others to have been one main cause or prognostick of the destruction of Jerusalem the civil wars betwixt the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Zelots and the Cut-throats pray God we find not the same success amongst us Whilst the Zelots saith he fell on the Sicarii the whole body of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was bitterly and unmercifully butcher'd betwixt them and under one of those two names all the People were brought to suffer their part in the massacre I desire not to chill or damp you with unnecessary fears or to suspect that our sins shall be so unlimited as utterly to out-vie and over-reach God's mercies But beloved this ill bloud that is generally nourish't amongst us if it be not a Prognostick of our fate is yet an ill Symptome of our disease These convulsions and distortions of one member of the body from another as far as it can possibly be distended this burning heat and from thence raving and disquietness of the soul are certainly no very comfortable Symptomes When the Church and Kingdom must be dichotomiz'd precisely divided into two extreme parts and all moderate persons by each extreme tossed to the other with furious prejudice must brand all for Hereticks or carnal persons that will not undergo their razor And then the contrary extreme censure and scoff at their preciseness that will not bear them company to every kind of riot These beloved are shrewd feaverish distempers pray God they break not forth into a flame When the boat that goes calmly with the stream in the midst of two impetuous rowers shall be assaulted by each of them for opposing or affronting each when the moderate Christian shall be branded on the one hand for preciseness on the other for intemperance on the one side for a Puritan on the other for a Papist or a Remonstrant when he that keeps himself from either extreme shall yet be intituled to both what shall we say is become of that ancient Primitive charity and moderation The use beloved that I desire to make of all this shall not be to declaim at either but only by this compass to find out the true point that we must sail by By this saith Aristotle you shall know the golden mediocrity that it is complained on both sides as if it were both extremes that may you define to be exact liberality which the covetous man censures for prodigality and the prodigal for covetousness And this shall be the summ not only of my advice to you but prayers for you that in the Apostles phrase your moderation may be known unto all men by this livery and cognizance that you are indited by both extreams And if there be any such Satanical art crept in amongst us of authorizing errors or sins on one side by pretending zeal and earnestness against their contraries as Photius observes that it was a trick of propagating heresies by writing books intitled to the confutation of some other heresie the Lord grant that this evil spirit may be either laid or cast out either fairly led or violently hurried out of our coasts I have done with the Pharisees censoriousness I come now in the last place to the ground or rather occasion of it his seeing the Publican comparing himself with notorious sinners I thank thee that c. That verse 1 Cor. xv 33 which St. Paul cites out of Menanders Thais that wicked communication corrupts good manners is grounded on this moral essay that nothing raiseth up so much to good and great designs as emulation that he that casts himself upon such low company that he hath nothing to imitate or aspire to in them is easily perswaded to give over any farther pursuit of virtue as believing that he hath enough already because none of his acquaintance hath any more thus have many good wits been cast away by falling unluckily into bad times which could yield them no hints for invention no examples of poetry nor encouragement for any thing that was extraordinary And this is the Pharisees fate in my Text that looking upon himself either in the deceivable glass of the sinful world or in comparison with notorious sinners extortioners adulterers Publicans sets himself off by these foils finds nothing wanting in himself so is solaced with a good comfortable opinion of his present estate and a slothful negligence of improving it And this beloved is the ordinary lenitive which the Devil administers to the sharp unquiet diseases of the conscience if at any time they begin to rage the only conserve that he folds his bitterest receipts in that they may go down undiscern'd that we are not worse than other men that we shall be sure to have companions to Hell nay that we need not neither at all fear that danger for if Heaven gates be so strait as not to
them upon condition of performance of moral precepts for all things being indifferently moved to the obtaining of their summum bonum all I say not only rational agents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Andronicus saith on the Ethicks which have nothing but nature to incite them to it the natural man may upon a sight and liking of an happiness proposed on severe conditions call himself into some degrees of moral temper as best suiting to the performance of the means and obtaining of the end he looks for and by this temper be said to be morally better than another who hath not taken this course to subdue his passions And this was evident enough among the Philosophers who were as far beyond the ordinary sort in severity of conversation as depth of learning and read them as profitable precepts in the example of their lives as ever the Schools breathed forth in their Lectures Their profession was incompatible with many vices and would not suffer them to be so rich in variety of sins as the vulgar and then whatsoever they thus did an unregenerate Christian may surely perform in a far higher measure as having more choice of ordinary restrainment from sin than ever had any heathen for it will be much to our purpose to take notice of those ordinary restraints by which unregenerate men may be and are curbed and kept back from sinning and these saith Austin God affords to the very reprobates Non continens in ira suas misericordias Much to this same purpose hath holy Maximus in those admirable Sections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where most of the restraints he speaks of are competible to the unregenerate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1. Fear of men 2. Denunciation of judgments from Heaven 3. Temperance and moral vertues nay sometimes other moral vices as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain glory or ostentation of integrity 4. Natural impressions to do to others as we would be done to 5. Clearness of judgment in discerning good from evil 6. An expectation of a reward for any thing well done Lastly some gripes and twinges of the conscience to all add a tender disposition a good Christian education common custom of the Country where one lives where some vices are out of fashion nay at last the word of God daily preached not a love but servile fear of it These I say and the like may outwardly restrain unregenerate men from riots may curb and keep them in and consequently preserve the soul from that weight of the multitude of sins which press down other men to a desperation of mercy Thus is one unregenerate man less ingaged in sin than another and consequently his soul less polluted and so in all likelihood more capable of the ordinary means of salvation than the more stubborn habituate sinner when every aversion every commission of every sin doth more harden against grace more alien and set at a greater distance from Heaven and this briefly we call a moral preparation of the soul and a purging of it though not absolutely from sin yet from some measure of reigning sin and disposing of it to a spiritual estate and this is no more than I learn from Bradwardine in his 16. de causa Dei. ch 37. A servile fear a sight of some inconvenience and moral habit of vertue and the like Multum retrahunt à peccato inclinant ad opera bona sic ad charitatem gratiam opera verè grata praeparant disponunt And so I come to my last part to shew of what use this preparation of the soul is in order to Christs birth in us the ways of the Lord. I take no great joy in presenting controversies to your ears out of this place yet seeing I am already fallen upon a piece of one I must now go through it and to quit it as soon as I can present the whole business unto you in some few propositions of which some I shall only recite as conceiving them evident enough by their own light the rest I shall a little insist on and then apply and drive home the profit of all to your affections And in this pardon me for certainly I should never have medled with it had not I resolved it a Theory that most nearly concerned your practice and a speculation that would instruct your wills as well as your understandings The propositions which contain the summ of the business are these 1. No preparation in the world can deserve or challenge Gods sanctifying grace the spirit bloweth where it listeth and cannot by any thing in us be predetermin'd to its object or its work 2. The Spirit is of power to work the conversation of any the greatest sinner at one minute to strike the most obdurate heart and soften it and out of the unnatural womb of stones infinitely more unfruitful than barrenness and age had made the womb of Sarah to raise up children unto Abraham According to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diseases are sometimes cur'd when the patient is at the extremity or height of danger in an ecstasie and almost quite gone 3. 'T is an ill Consequence that because God can and sometimes doth call unprepared sinners therefore 't is probable he will deal so with thee in particular or with unprepared men in general God doth not work in conversion as a physical agent to the extent of his power but according to the sweet disposition and counsel of his Will 4. In unprepared hearts there be many profest enemies to grace ill dispositions ambition Atheism pride of spirit and in chief an habit in a voluptuous setled course of sinning an indefatigable resolute walking after their own lusts And therefore there is very little hope that Christ will ever vouchsafe to be born in such polluted hardned souls For 't is Basil's observation that that speech of the fools heart there is no God was the cause that the Gentiles were given over to a reprobate sense and fell headlong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into all manner of abominations Hence it is that Jobius in Photius observes that in Scripture some are called Dogs Mat. xv 26 some unworthy to receive the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. xiii 11 that some hated the light and came not to it John iii. 20 as if all those had taken a course to make themselves uncapable of mercy and by a perfect hostility frighted Christ out of their coasts In the liberal dispensation of miracles in the Gospel you would wonder to see Christ a niggard in his own Country yet so in respect of other places he was and did not many miracles there because of their unbelief Mat. xiii 58 not that their incredulity had manacled him had shortned his hand or straitned his power but that miracles which when they met with a passive willingness a contentedness in the patient to receive and believe them were then the ordinary instruments of faith
his Faith Thus will it at Christs spiritual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be in an unprepared heart his reigning Herod-sins and all the Jerusalem and Democracy of affections a strange tumult of repining old habituate passions will struggle fiercely and shake the whole house before they leave it If a strong man be to be dispossessed of house or abode without warning a hundred to one he will do some mischief at his departure and draw at least some Pillar after him when as a prepared Simeon's soul lays hold as soon as he hears of him is already organiz'd as it were for the purpose holds out the arms and bosom of faith and at the first minute of his appearance takes him into his spiritual embraces This very preparation either had denied the strong man entrance or else binds his hands manacles that blind Sampson and turns him out in peace and then the spirit enters into that soul which it self or its harbingers have prepared in a soft still wind in a still voice and the soul shall feel its gale shall hear its whispering and shall scarce discern perhaps not at all observe the moment of its entrance Lastly by way of Corollary to all that hath been said though God can and sometimes doth call blasphemous sinners though nothing in us can facilitate Gods action to him though none of our performances or his lower works in us can merit or challenge his sanctifying grace though in brief all that we can do is in some respect enmity to grace yet certainly there is far more hope of the just careful moral man which hath used all those restraints which are given him that he shall be called and saved of such a one we are to judge far more comfortably and expect more confidently than of another more habituate sinner negligent of the commands of either God or nature And this I conceive I have in some measure proved through each part of the former discourse and so I should dismiss it and come to application but that I am stayed and thwarted by a contrary proposition maintained by a sort of our popular Preachers with more violence than discretion which I conceive to be of dangerous consequence and therefore worth opening to you In setting down the pitch that an unregenerate man may attain to and yet be damned some of our preaching writers are wont duly to conclude with this peremptory Doctrine That of a meer moral man though never so severe a censor of his own ways never so rigid an exactor of all the precepts of nature and morality in himself yet of this man there is less hope either that he shall be converted or saved than the most debauched ruffian under Heaven The charity and purity of this Doctrine you shall judge of if you will accompany me a while and first observe that they go so far with the meer moral man and drive him so high that at his depression again many a regenerate man falls with him under that title and in issue I fear all will prove meer moralists in their doom which do fall short of that degree of zeal which their either faction or violent heats pretend to and so as Tertullian objects to the Heathen expostulating with them why they did not deifie Themistocles and Cato as well as Jove and Hercules Quot potiores viros apud inferos reliquistis they leave many an honester man in Hell than some of those whom their favour or Faction hath befainted Secondly observe to what end or use this Doctrine may serve but as an allay to civil honesty in a Commonwealth and fair just dealing which forsooth of late is grown so luxuriant the world is like to languish and sink 't is so overburthened with it and on the other side an incouragement to the sinner in his course an ingagement in the pursuit of vice to the height and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the pitch and cue which God expects and waits for as they conclude on these grounds because he lookt upon Peter not till the third denial and then called Paul when he was most mad against the Christians as if the nearest way to Heaven were by Hell-gates and Devils most likely to become Saints as if there were merit in abominations and none in the right way to Christianity but whom Atheism would be ashamed of as if because the natural man understands not c. all reliques of natural purity were solemnly and pro formâ to be abandoned to make us capable of spiritual 'T is confessed that some have been and are thus Converted and by an ecstasie of the spirit snatched and caught like firebrands out of the fire and though some must needs find their spiritual joys infinitely increased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by that gall of bitterness from which they were delivered and are therefore more abundantly ingaged to God as being not the objects only but the miracle of his mercy but yet for all this shall one or two variations from the ordinary course from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be turned into a ruled case shall the rarer examples of Mary Magdalen or a Saul prescribe and set up shall we sin to the purpose as if we meant to threaten God that 't were his best and safest course to call us shall we abound in rebellions that grace may superabound God pardon and forbid Thirdly consider the reason of their proposition and you shall judge of the truth of it and beside their own phancies and resolution to maintain them they have none but this The meer moral man trusts in his own righteousness and this confidence in the arm of flesh is the greatest enemy to sanctifying grace which works by spiritual humility To which we answer distinctly that the foresaid pride trust or confidence is neither effect nor necessary adjunct of morality but an absolute defection from the rules thereof and therefore whatsoever proceeds either as an effect or consequent from pride or confidence cannot yet be imputed to morality at all or to the moral men per se no more than the Thundring or Lightning is to be imputed to my walking because it thunders whilst I walk or preaching to my standing still because whilst I stand still I preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle in the first Post c. 4. It doth not lighten because I walk but that is an accident proceeding from some other cause To strive against the motions of the spirit and so to render Conversion more difficult is an effect perhaps of pride or trust but yet is not to be imputed to morality though the moral man be proud or self-trusting because this pride or self-trusting is not an effect but an accident of morality and therefore their judgment should be able to distinguish and direct their zeal against the accidental vice not the essential innocent vertue against pride not morality Besides this pride is also as incident to him who is morally evil nay either supposes or makes its subject
so being formerly a breach of morality For that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belonging to the understanding which is not to think more highly on ones own worth than he ought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. xii 3 Do we not find it commended and dilated on by Aristotle 4. Eth. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. not to overprize his own worth or to expect an higher reward than it in proportion deserves So that he that trusts in his morality for Heaven doth eo nomine offend against morality according to that of Salvian Hoc ipsum genus maximae injustitiae est si quis se justum praesumat and indeed Aristotle and Seneca could say as much and so then the accusation is unjust and contumelious for to a moral man if he be truly so this pride or confidence is incompatible for do we not find that treble humility 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the actions Ephes iv 2 handled also and prescribed by the Philosophers In summ that which in all moral precepts comes nearest pride or high-mindedness is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eth. 4.3 part of which is setting value on ones self But if you observe this goes no farther than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour or worldly pomp as for the immortal blessedness of the soul 't was a thing infinitely above the pitch of their hope or confidence the most perfect among them never pretended any jus meriti to it and if they did they had by so much the less hopes to attain to it Now if it be supposed as I fear is too true that our moral men fall far short of the antient Philosophers if they be now adays confident and trust in their works for salvation then they do not make good their name they are only so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abusively and notionally And yet even these equivocal moral men seem to me in as good if not better case than the other term of comparison the careless negligent debauch't men For upon their grounds is it not as easie for the Converting spirit to enter and subdue one Lucifer one proud Devil in the heart otherwise pretty well qualified as to deal with a whole Legion of blasphemous violent riotous railing ignorant Devils I have done all with the confutation of this loose groundless opinion which if 't were true would yet prove of dangerous consequence to be Preached in abating and turning our edge which is of it self blunt and dull enough toward goodness nay certainly it hath proved scandalous to those without as may appear by that boast and exultancy of Campian in his Eighth Reason where he upbraids us English-men of our abominable Lutheran licentious Doctrine as he calls it Quanto sceleratior es tanto vicinior gratiae and therefore I do not repent that I have been somewhat large in the refuting of it as also because it doth much import to the clearing of my discourse for if the meer moral men be farthest from Heaven then have I all this while busied my self and tormented you with an unprofitable nay injurious preparation whereas I should have prescribed you a shorter easier call by being extreamly sinful according to these two Aphorisms of Hippocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the strongest bodies are in greatest danger and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and height of a disease is the fittest opportunity for a miraculous cure But beloved let us more considerately bethink our selves let us study and learn and walk a more secure probable way to Heaven and for those of us which are yet unregenerate though we obtained no grace of God but that of nature and reason and our Christianity to govern us yet let us not contemn those ordinary restraints which these will afford us let us attend in patience sobriety and humility and prayers the good time and leisures of the spirit let us not make our reasonable soul our profession of men of Christians ashamed of us let not the heathen and beasts have cause to blush at us let us remain men till it may please him to call us into Saints lest being plunged in habitual confident sinning that Hell and Tophet on Earth the very omnipotent mercy of God be in a manner foiled to hale us out again let us improve rack and stretch our natural abilities to the highest that although according to our thirteenth Article we cannnot please God yet we may not mightily provoke him Let every man be in some proportion to his gifts Christs Baptist and forerunner and harbinger in himself that whensoever he shall appear or knock he may enter lodge and dwell without resistance Lastly after all thy preparations be not secure if the Bridegroom will not vouchsafe to rest with you all your provision is in vain all the morality and learning and gifts and common graces unless Christ at last be born in us are but embryo's nay abortives rude imperfect horrid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Philosopher dies in his nonage in whom Christ was never born the highest reach of years and learning is but infancy without the virility and manhood of the spirit by which we are made perfect men in Christ Jesus Wherefore above all things in the world let us labour for this perfection let us melt and dissolve every faculty and spirit about us in pursuit of it and at last seal and bless and crown our endeavours with our Prayers and with all the Rhetorick and means and humility and violence of our souls importune and lay hold on the sanctifying spirit and never leave till he hath blessed and breathed on us O thou mighty controuling holy hallowing Ghost be pleased with thine effectual working to suppress in us all resistance of the pride of nature and prepare us for thy Kingdom of Grace here and Glory hereafter Now to him which hath elected us hath Created and Redeemed us c. SERMON X. JOHN VII 48 Have any of the Pharisees believed on him IT is observable from History with what difficulty Religion attempts to propagate and establish it self with the many what Countenance and encouragement it hath required from those things which are most specious and pompous in the World how it hath been fain to keep its dependencies and correspondencies and submit to the poor condition of sustaining it self by those beggarly helps which the World and the flesh will afford it Two main Pillars which it relies on are Power and Learning the Camp and the Schools or in a word authority of great ones and countenance of Scholars the one to force and extort obedience the other to insinuate belief and assent the first to ravish the second to perswade One instance for all if we would plant Christianity in Turky we must first invade and conquer them and then convince them of their follies which about an hundred years ago
finding him in the state of damnation it sets him going suffers him not to lay hold on any thing that may stay him in his Precipice and in the midst of his Shipwrack when there be planks and refuges enough about him hath numm'd his hands depriv'd him of any power of taking hold of them In the second place in respect of Christ and his sufferings the objects of our Faith so Faith is in a manner the Soul of them giving them life and efficacy making things which are excellent in themselves prove so in effect to others Thus the whole splendor and beauty of the World the most accurate proportions and images of nature are beholding to the Eye though not for their absolute excellency yet for both the account and use that is made of them for if all men were blind the proudest workmanship of nature would not be worth the valuing Thus is a learned piece cast away upon the ignorant and the understanding of the Auditor is the best commendation of a Speech or Sermon In like manner those infinite unvaluable sufferings of Christ if they be not believed in are but as Aristotle saith of divine knowledge a most honourable thing but of no manner of use if they be not apprehended they are lost Christ's Blood if not caught up in our hearts by Faith but suffered to be poured out upon the Earth will prove no better than that of Abel Gen. iv 10. crying for judgment from the ground that which is spilt is clamorous and its Voice is toward Heaven for Vengeance only that which is gathered up as it falls from his side by Faith will prove a medicine to heal the Nations So that infidelity makes the death of Christ no more than the death of an ordinary man in which there is no remedy Wisd ii 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no cure no physick in it or as the same word is rendred Eccles xxviii 3 no pardon no remission wrought by it a bare going down into the Grave that no man is better for It doth even frustrate the sufferings of Christ and make him have paid a ransom to no purpose and purchased an Inheritance at an infinite rate and no man the better for it Again Christ is not only contemn'd but injur'd not only slighted but robb'd he loses not only his price and his thanks but his servant which he hath bought and purchased with his blood For redemption is not an absolute setting free but the buying out of an Usurpers hands that he may return to his proper Lord changing him from the condition of a Captive to a Subject He which is ransomed from the Gallies is not presently a King but only recovered to a free and tolerable service nay generally if he be redeemed he is eo nomine a servant by right and equity his Creature that redeemed him according to the express words Luke i. 74 That we being delivered might serve him Now a Servant is a Possession part of ones Estate as truly to be reckoned his as any part of his Inheritance So that every Vnbeliever is a Thief robs Christ not only of the honour of saving him but of one of the Members of his Family of part of his goods his Servant nay 't is not a bare theft but of the highest size a Sacriledge stealing an holy instrument a Vessel out of Gods Temple which he bought and delivered out of the common calamity to serve him in holiness Luke i. 74 to be put to holy special services In the third place Faith may be considered in reference to God the Father and that 1. as the Author or Fountain of this Theological grace 2. as the commander of this duty of believing and either of these will aggravate the Unbelievers guilt and adde more Articles to his indictment As God is the Author of Faith so the Infidel resists and abandons and flies from all those methods all those means by which God ordinarily produces Faith all the power of his Scriptures all the blessings of a Christian Education all the benefits of sacred knowledge in summ the Prayers the sweat the Lungs the Bowels of his Ministers in Christs stead beseeching you to be reconciled 1 Cor. v. 20 spending their dearest spirits and even praying and preaching out their Souls for you that you would be Friends with God through Christ All these I say the Infidel takes no notice of and by his contempt of these inferiour graces shews how he would carry himself even towards Gods very spirit if it should come in power to convert him he would hold out and bid defiance and repel the Omnipotent God with his omnipotent charms of mercy he that contemns Gods ordinary means would be likely to resist his extraordinary were there not more force in the means than forwardness in the man and thanks be to that controuling convincing constraining spirit if ever he be brought to be content to be saved He that will not now believe in Christ when he is preached would have gone very near if he had lived then to have given his consent and join'd his suffrage in Crucifying him A man may guess of his inclination by his present practices and if he will not now be his Disciple 't was not his innocence but his good fortune that he did not then betray him 'T was well he was born amongst Christians or else he might have been as sowre a profest Enemy of Christ as Pilate or the Pharisees an Unbelieving Christian is for all his livery and profession but a Jew or Heathen and the Lord make him sensible of his condition Lastly Consider this duty of Faith in respect of God the Father commanding it and then you shall find it the main precept of the Bible 'T were long to shew you the ground of it in the law of nature the obscure yet discernable mention of it in the moral law both transcendently in the main end of all and distinctly though not clearly in the first Commandment he that hath a mind to see may find it in Pet. Baro. de praest dignit div legis 'T were as toilsom to muster up all the commands of the Old Testament which exactly and determinately drive at belief in Christ as generally in those places where the Chaldee Paraphrase reads instead of God Gods Word as Fear not Abraham for I am thy shield say they my word is thy shield which speaks a plain command of Faith for not to fear is to trust not to fear on that ground because Gods Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word Joh. i. 1 i. e. Christ is ones shield is nothing in the World but to believe and rely and fasten and depend on Christ Many the like commands of Faith in Christ will the Old Testament afford and the new is nothing else but a perpetual inculcating of it upon us a driving and calling entreating and enforcing wooing and hastning us to believe In which respect the Schools call
of his fellow Gentiles If the book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were his own legitimate work a man might guess that he saw something though he denyed the particular providence of the Deity and that he acknowledged his omnipotence though he would not be so bold with him as to let him be busied in the producing of every particular sublunary effect The man might seem somewhat tender of God as if being but newly come acquainted with him he were afraid to put him to too much pains as judging it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. neither comely nor befitting the Majesty of a God to interest himself in every action upon earth It might seem a reverence and awe which made him provide the same course for God which he saw used in the Courts of Susa and Echatana where the King saith he lived invisible in his Palace and yet by his Officers as through prospectives and Otacousticks saw and heard all that was done in his Dominions But this book being not of the same complexion with the rest of his Philosophy is shrewdly guest to be a spurious issue of latter times entitled to Aristotle and translated by Apuleius but not owned by its brethren the rest of his books of Philosophy for even in the Metaphysicks where he is at his wisest he censures Zenophanes for a Clown for looking up to Heaven and affirming that there was one God there the cause of all things and rather than he will credit him he commends Parmenides for a subtle fellow who said nothing at all or I am sure to no purpose Concerning his knowledge of the soul 't is Philoponus his observation of him that he perswades only the more understanding laborious judicious sort to be his Auditors in that subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But dehorts men of meaner vulgar parts less intent to their study from medling at all with this science about the soul for he plainly tells them in his first de anima 't is too hard for any ordinary capacity and yet in the first of the Metaph. he defines the wise man to be one who besides his own accurate knowledge of hard things as the Causes of the soul c. is also able to teach any body else who hath such an habit of knowledge and such a command over it that he can make any Auditor understand the abstrusest mystery in it So then out of his own words he is convinced to have had no skill no wisdom in the business of the soul because he could not explain nor communicate this knowledge to any but choice Auditors The truth is these were but shifts of pride and ambitious pretences to cloak a palpable ignorance under the habit of mysterious deep speculation when alas poor man all that which he knew or wrote of the soul was scarce worth learning only enough to confute his fellow ignorant Philosophers to puzzle others to puffe himself but to profit instruct or edifie none In the third place concerning happiness he plainly bewrays himself to be a coward not daring to meddle with Divinity For 1 Eth. c. 9. being probably given to understand or rather indeed plainly convinced that if any thing in the world were then happiness must likely be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of God bestowed on men yet he there staggers at it speaks sceptically and not so magisterially as he is wont dares not be so bold as to define it and at last does not profess his ignorance but takes a more honourable course and puts it off to some other place to be discust Where Andronicus Rhodius his Greek Paraphrase tells us he meant his Tract 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about Providence but in all Laërtius his Catalogue of the multitude of his writings we find no such title and I much suspect by his other carriages that the man was not so valiant as to deal with any so unwieldy a subject as the Providence would have proved Sure I am he might if he had had a mind to it have quitted himself of his engagements and seasonably enough have defined the fountain of happiness there in Ethicks but in the 10. c. it appears that it was no pretermission but ignorance not a care of deferring it to a fitter place but a necessary silence where he was not able to speak For there mentioning happiness and miserableness after death where he might have shewed his skill if he had had any he plainly betrays himself an arrant naturalist in defining all the felicity and misery to be the good or ill proof of their friends and children left behind them which are to them being dead happiness or miseries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which they are not any way sensible But of what hath been spoken it is plain that the Heathen never looked after God of their own accord but as they were driven upon him by the necessity of their study which from the second causes necessarily lead them in a chain to some view of the first mover and then some of them either frighted with the light or despairing of their own abilities were terrified or discouraged from any farther search some few others sought after him but as Aristotle saith the Geometer doth after a right line only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a contemplator of truth but not as the knowledge of it is any way useful or conducible to the ordering or bettering of their lives they had an itching desire to know the Deity but neither to apply it as a rule to their actions nor to order their actions to his glory For generally whensoever any action drove them on any subject which intrenched on Divinity you shall find them more flat than ordinary not handling it according to any manner of accuracy or sharpness but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only as much use or as little as their study in the search of things constrained them to and then for most part they fly off abruptly as if they were glad to be quit of so cumbersom a subject Whence Aristotle observes that the whole Tract de causis was obscurely and inartificially handled by the Ancients and if sometimes they spake to the purpose 't was as unskilful unexercised fencers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lay on and sometimes strike a lucky blow or two but more by chance than skill sometimes letting fall from their pens those truths which never entred their understandings as Theophilus ad Auto. observes of Homer and Hesiod that being inspired by their Muses i. e. the devil spake according to that spirit lyes and fables and exact Atheism and yet sometimes would stumble upon a truth of Divinity as men possest with Devils did sometimes confess Christ and the evil spirits being adjured by his name came out and confest themselves to be devils Thus it is plain out of the Philosophers and Heathen discourses 1. Of God 2. The Soul 3 Happiness that they were also ignorant
that we again in the Gentilism of our Fathers were all deeply plunged in a double common damnation how are we to humble our selves infinitely above measure to stretch and rack and torture every power of our souls to its extent thereby to enlarge and aggravate the measure of this guilt against our selves which hitherto perhaps we have not taken notice of There is not a better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the world no more powerful medicine for the softning of the soul and keeping it in a Christian tenderness than this lading it with all the burdens that its common or private condition can make it capable of this tiring of it out and bringing it down into the dust in the sense of its spiritual engagements For 't is impossible for him who hath fully valued the weight of his general guilts each of which hath lead enough to sink the most corky vain fluctuating proud stubborn heart in the world 't is impossible I say for him either wilfully to run into any actual sins or insolently to hold up his head in the pride of his integrity This very one meditation that we all hear might justly have been left in heathenism and that the sins of the Heathens shall be imputed to us their children if we do not repent is enough to loosen the toughest strongest spirit to melt the flintiest heart to humble the most elevated soul to habituate it with such a sense of its common miseries that it shall never have courage or confidence to venter on the danger of particular Rebellions 2. From the view of their ignorance or impiety which was of so hainous importance to examine our selves by their indictment 1. For our learning 2. For our lives 3. For the life of grace in us 1. For our learning Whether that be not mixed with a great deal of Atheistical ignorance with a delight and aquiescence and contentation in those lower Elements which have nothing of God in them whether we have not sacrificed the liveliest and spritefullest part of our age and souls in these Philological and Physical disquisitions which if they have not a perpetual aspect and aim at Divinity if they be not set upon in that respect and made use of to that purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Clement their best friend they are very hurtful and of dangerous issue Whether out of our circle of humane heathen learning whence the Fathers produced precious antidotes we have not suckt the poyson of unhallowed vanity and been fed either to a pride and ostentation of our secular or a satiety or loathing of our Theological learning as being too coarse and homely for our quainter palates Whether our studies have not been guilty of those faults which cursed the Heathen knowledge as trusting to our selves or wit and good parts like the Philosophers in Athenagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. not vouchsafing to be taught by God even in matters of religion but every man consulting and believing and relying on his own reason Again in making our study an instrument only to satisfie our curiosity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only as speculators of some unknown truths not intending or desiring thereby either to promote vertue good works or the Kingdom of God in our selves or which is the ultimate end which only commends and blesses our study or knowledge the glory of God in others 2. In our lives to examine whether there are not also many relicks of heathenism altars erected to Baalim to Ceres to Venus and the like Whether there be not many amongst us whose God is their belly their back their lust their treasure or that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that earthly unknown God whom we have no one name for and therefore is called at large the God of the world Whether we do not with as much zeal and earnestness and cost serve and worship many earthy vanities which our own phansies deifie for us as ever the Heathen did their multitude and shole of gods And in brief whether we have not found in our selves the sins as well as the blood of the Gentiles and acted over some or all the abominations set down to judge our selves by Rom. i. from the 21 verse to the end Lastly for the life of grace in us Whether many of us are not as arrant heathens as mere strangers from spiritual illumination and so from the mystical Commonwealth of Israel as any of them Clem. Strom. 2. calls the life of your unregenerate man a Heathen life and the first life we have by which we live and move and grow and see but understand nothing and 't is our regeneration by which we raise our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from being still mere Gentiles and Tatianus farther that without the spirit we differ from beasts only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the articulation of our voice So that in fine neither our reason nor Christian profession distinguisheth us either from beasts or Gentiles only the spirit in the formalis ratio by which we excel and differ from the Heathen sons of darkness Wherefore I say to conclude we must in the clearest calm and serenity of our souls make a most earnest search and inquest on our selves whether we are yet raised out of this heathenism this ignorance this unregeneracy of nature and elevated any degree in the estate of grace and if we find our selves still Gentiles and which is worse than that still senseless of that our condition we must strive and work and pray our selves out of it and not suffer the temptations of the flesh the temptations of our nature the temptations of the world nay the temptations of our secular proud learning lull us one minute longer in that carnal security lest after a careless unregenerate natural life we die the death of those bold not vigilant but stupid Philosophers And for those of us who are yet any way Heathenish either in our learning or lives which have nothing but the name of Christians to exempt us from the judgment of their ignorance O Lord make us in time sensible of this our condition and whensoever we shall humble our selves before thee and confess unto thee the sinfulness of our nature the ignorance of our Ancestors and every man the plague of his own heart and repent and turn and pray toward thy house then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place and when thou hearest forgive remember not our offences nor the offences of our Heathen Fathers neither take thou vengeance of our sins but spare us O Lord spare thy people whom thy Son hath redeemed and thy spirit shall sanctifie from the guilt and practice of their rebellions Now to God who hath elected us hath c. Pars Secunda SERMON XIII ACTS XVII 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men every where to repent THey which come from either mean or dishonoured Progenitors will desire to make up their Fathers defect by
have lost their reason as it moves per modum deliberationis yet not as per modum naturae their reason which moves them by deliberation and choice to that which is good is perhaps quite put out or suspended but their reason which is an instinct of nature a natural motion of the Soul to the end of its creation remains in them though it move not like a Ship at hull and becalmed is very still and quiet and though it stir not evidently yet it hath its secret heaves and plunges within us Now that the most ignorant clouded unnurtured brain amongst you may reap some profit from this Discourse let him but one minute of his life be at so much leisure as to look into his own heart and he shall certainly find within him that which we have hitherto talkt of his own Soul shall yield him a comment to my Sermon and if he dare but once to open his Eyes shall shew him the law and light of nature in himself which before he never dreamt of Of those of you that ever spared one minute from your Worldly affairs to think of your spiritual there is one thought that suddenly comes upon you and makes short work of all that spiritual care of your selves You conceive that you are of your selves utterly unable to understand or think or do any thing that is good and therefore you resolve it a great pain to no purpose ever to go about so impossible a project God must work the whole business in you you are not able of your selves so much as either to see or move and that is the business which by chance you fell upon as soon as shook off again and being resolved you never had any Eyes you are content to be for ever blind unless as it was wont to be in the old Tragedies some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some new supernatural power come down and bore your Foreheads and thrust and force Eyes into your Heads 'T is a blessed desire and gracious humility in any one to invoke God to every thought they venture on and not to dare to pretend to the least sufficiency in themselves but to acknowledge and desire to receive all from God but shall we therefore be so ungratefully religious as for ever to be a craving new helps and succours and never observe or make use of what we have already obtained as 't is observed of covetous men who are always busied about their Incomes are little troubled with disbursements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any proportion betwixt their receipts and expences Shall we be so senseless as to hope that the contempt of one blessing will be a means to procure as many I told you that God had written a law in the hearts of every one of you which once was able and is not now quite deprived of its power to furnish with knowledge of good and evil and although by original and actual and habitual sin this inheritance be much impaired this stock of precepts drawn low yet if you would but observe those directions which it would yet afford you if you would but practise whatever that divine light in your Souls should present and commend to you you might with some Face Petition God for richer abilities and with better confidence approach and beg and expect the grace that should perfect you to all righteousness In the mean time bethink your selves how unreasonable a thing it is that God should be perpetually casting away of Alms on those who are resolved to be perpetually Bankrupts how it would be reckoned prodigality of mercies to purchase new lands for him that scorns to make use of his inheritance As ever you expect any boon from God look I conjure you what you have already received call in your Eyes into your Brains and see whether your natural reason there will not furnish you with some kind of profitable though not sufficient directions to order your whole lives by bring your selves up to that staidness of temper as never to venture on any thing till you have askt your own Souls advice whether it be to be done or no and if you can but observe its dictates and keep your hands to obey your head if you can be content to abstain when the Soul within you bids you hold you shall have no cause to complain that God hath sent you impotent into the World but rather acknowledge it an unvaluable mercy of his that hath provided such an Eye within you to direct you if you will but have patience to see such a curb to restrain and prevent you if thou wilt only take notice of its checks 'T is a thing that would infinitely please the Reader to observe what a price the Heathens themselves set upon this light within them which yet certainly was much more dimmed and obscured in them by their Idolatry and superstition than I hope it can be in any Christian Soul by the unruliest passion Could ever any one speak more plainly and distinctly of it than the Pythagoreans and Stoicks have done who represent Conscience not only as a guide and moderator of our actions but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tutelary spirit or Angel or genius which never sleeps or dotes but is still present and employed in our behalf And this Arrian specifies to be the reasonable Soul which he therefore accounts of as a part of God sent out of his own Essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a piece or shread or as others more according to modest truth call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ray or beam of that invisible Sun by which our dull unactive frozen Bodies after the fall were warmed and re-inlivened Now if any one shall make a diligent inquisition in himself shall as the Philosopher in his Cynical humour light a Candle to no purpose or as the Prophet Jeremy seek and make huy and cry after a man through all Jerusalem and yet not meet with him if I say any body shall search for this light in himself and find all darkness within then will you say I have all this while possest you with some phansies and Ideas without any real profit to be received from them you will make that complaint as the Women for our Saviour We went to seek for him and when we went down all was dark and emptiness They have taken him away and I know not where they have laid him Nay but the error is in the seeker not in my directions he that would behold the Sun must stay till the Cloud be over he that would receive from the fire either light or warmth must take the pains to remove the ashes There be some encumbrances which may hinder the most active qualities in the World from working and abate the edge of the keenest metal In summ there is a cloud and gloom and vail within thee like that darkness on the face of the deep when the Earth was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without form
is in its working not at its entring I may know that now I have the spirit better than at what time I came to it Vndiscernibly Gods supernatural agency interposes sometimes in the Mothers Womb as in John Baptist springing in Elizabeth at Maryes salutation Luke i. 41 and perhaps in Jeremy Jer. i. 5 Before thou camest out of the womb I sanctifyed thee and in Isaiah Isa xlix 5 The Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant But this divine address attends most ordinarily till the time of our Baptism when the spirit accompanying the outward sign infuses it self into their hearts and there seats and plants it self and grows up with the reasonable Soul keeping even their most luxuriant years within bounds and as they come to an use of their reason to a more and more multiplying this habit of grace into holy spiritual acts of Faith and Obedience from which 't is ordinarily said that Infants baptized have habitual Faith as they may be also said to have habitual repentance and the habits of all other graces because they have the root and seed of those beauteous healthful Flowers which will actually flourish then when they come to years And this I say is so frequent to be performed at Baptism that ordinarily 't is not wrought without that means and in those means we may expect it as our Church doth in our Liturgy where she presumes at every Baptism that it hath pleased God to regenerate the infant by his holy Spirit And this may prove a solemn piece of comfort to some who suspect their state more than they need and think 't is impossible that they should be in a regenerate condition because they have not as yet found any such notable change in themselves as they see and observe in others These men may as well be jealous they are not men because they cannot remember when their Soul came to them if they can find the effects of spiritual life in themselves let them call it what they will a religious Education or a custom of well doing or an unacquaintedness with sin let them comfort themselves in their estate and be thankful to God who visited them thus betimes let it never trouble them that they were not once as bad as other men but rather acknowledge Gods mercy who hath prevented such a change and by uniting them to him in the Cradle hath educated and nursed them up in familiarity with the Spirit Lastly The spirit sometimes enters into our hearts upon occasional emergencies the sense of Gods judgments on our selves or others the reflexion on his mercies the reading good books falling into virtuous acquaintance but most eminently at and with the preaching of the Word and this by degrees as it seems to us but indeed at some one especial season or other which yet perhaps we are not able to discern and here indeed are we ordinarily to expect this guest if we have not yet found him here doth it love to be cherished and refreshed and warm'd within us if we have it for even it is the power of God unto salvation Rom. i. 16 The third condition in which this spirit comes into our hearts is as an inhabitant or House-Keeper The spirit saith Austin first is in us then dwells in us before it dwells it helps us to believe when it dwells it helps and perfects and improves our faith and accomplishes it with all other concomitant graces So I say here the Spirit is then said to inhabit and keep House in us not as soon as it is entertained and received but when it breaks forth into acts and declares it self before all men When men see our good works and glorify our Father Matth. v. 16 Before we were said to live in the spirit now to walk as you shall see the phrases used distinctly Gal. v. 25 To walk that is to go about conspicuously in the sight of all men breaking forth into works as the Sun after the dispersions of a mist or Cloud whereby all men see and acknowledge his Faith and Obedience and find their own evil ways reprehended and made manifest by his good as is noted in 13. verse All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light Semblable to which is that of the Atheists repining at the godly man Wisd ii 14 He is made to reprove our thoughts Thus is the third Quaere resolved also when this inward principle enters 1. It comes as an Harbenger in every outward restraint by which God keeps us from sinning 2. It enters as a guest in some season or other once for all In the Womb at Baptism at some Sermon sometimes at a notable tempest shaking and stirring us violently ordinarily and for the most part not to be discerned by us and lastly it comes and dwells with us and shews it self in its works yet that not at any set time after his Entrance not constantly without ever covering his Face but when and as often as it pleases and the flesh resisteth not To the last Quaere What works it performs the answer shall be brief every thing that may be called spiritual Faith Repentance Charity Hope Self-denial and the rest but these not promiscuously or in an heap altogether but by a wise dispensation in time and by degrees The Soul being enabled by this inward principle is equally disposed to the producing of all these and as occasions do occur doth actually perform and produce them so that in my conceit that question concerning the priority of Repentance or Faith is not either of such moment or difficulty as is by some Disputers pretended The Seeds of them both are at one time planted in the Soul and then there is no Faith in any Subject but there is Repentance also nor Repentance without Faith So that where it is said Without Faith 't is impossible to please God in any thing else 't is true but argues no necessary precedence of it before other graces for the habits of them all are of the same age in us and then also will it be as true that without Repentance or without Love Faith it self cannot please God for if it be truly acceptable â—aith there is both Repentance and Love in the same Womb to keep it Company Thus are we wont to say that only Faith justifieth but not Faith alone and the reason these promises in Scripture are made sometimes to one grace precisely sometimes to another is because they are all at once rooted in the man and in their habits chain'd together inseparably Faith saves every man that hath it and yet the believing'st man under Heaven shall not be saved without Charity Charity hides a multitude of sins and yet the charitablest man in the World shall never have his score cross't without Repentance A Catalogue of these fruits of the spirit you may at your leisure make up to your selves for your tryal out of the fifth to the Gal.
from the 22. verse and 1 Peter i. 5 All these graces together though some belonging to one some to another faculty of the Soul are yet all at once conceived in it at once begin their life in the heart though one be perhaps sooner ready to walk abroad and shew it self in the World than another As in the 2 of Kings iv 34 Elisha went up on the bed and lay on the child and put his mouth on his mouth and eyes upon his eyes and hands upon his hands and stretched himself upon the child and the flesh of the child waxed warm and verse 35. the Child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes Thus I say doth the spirit apply it self unto the Soul and measure it self out to every part of it and then the spiritual life comes at once into the Soul as motion beginning in the centre diffuses it self equally through the whole sphere and affecteth every part of the Circumference and the flesh of the child waxed warm where the flesh indefinitely signifieth every part of it together and in the spiritual sense the whole Soul and this is when the inward principle when the habit enters Then for acts of life one perhaps shews it self before another as the Child first sneezed seven times a violent disburthening it self of some troublesome humours that tickle in the head to which may be answerable our spiritual clearing and purging our selves by Self-denyal the laying aside every weight Heb. xii 1 then opened his eyes which in our spiritual Creature is spiritual illumination or the eye of Faith these I say may first shew themselves as acts and yet sometimes others before them yet all alike in the habit all of one standing one Conception one plantation in the heart though indeed ordinarily like Esau and Jacob the rougher come out first We begin our spiritual life in Repentance and contrition and with many harsh twinges of the spirit and then comes Faith like Jacob at the Heels smooth and soft applying all the cordial promises to our penitent Souls In brief if any judgment be to be made which of these graces is first in the regenerate man and which rules in chief I conceive Self-denial and Faith to be there first and most eminent according to that notable place Matth. xvi 24 where Christ seems to set down the order of graces in true Disciples Let him deny himself and take up his Cross that is forgo all his carnal delights and embrace all manner of punishments and miseries prepare himself even to go and be Crucified and then follow me that is by a lively Faith believe in Christ and prize him before all the World besides and indeed in effect these two are but one though they appear to us in several shapes for Faith is nothing without Self-denial it cannot work till our carnal affections be subjected to it Believe a man may and have flesh and fleshly lust in him but unless Faith have the pre-eminence Faith is no Faith The man may be divided betwixt the law of his members and the law of his mind so many degrees of flesh so many of spirit but if there be constantly but an even balance or more of flesh than spirit if three degrees of spirit and five of flesh then can there not be said to be any true Self-denyal and consequently any Faith no more than that can be said to be hot which hath more degrees of cold than heat in it In brief 't is a good measure of Self-denyal that sets his Faith in his Throne and when by it Faith hath conquered though not without continual resistance when it hath once got the upper hand then is the man said to be regenerate whereupon it is that the regenerate state is called the life of Faith Faith is become a principle of the greatest power and activity in the Soul And so much for these four Queries from which I conceive every thing that is material and directly pertinent to instruct you and open the estate of a new Creature may be resolved And for other niceties how far we may prepare our selves how cooperate and join issue with the spirit whether it work irresistibly by way of physical influence or moral perswasion whether being once had it may totally or finally be lost again and the like these I say if they are fit for any I am resolved are not necessary for a Countrey Auditory to be instructed in 'T will be more for your profit to have your hearts raised than your brains puft up to have your spirits and souls inwardly affected to an earnest desire and longing after it which will perhaps be somewhat performed if we proceed to shew you the necessity of it and unavailableness of all things else and that by way of use and application And for the necessity of renewedness of heart to demonstrate that I will only crave of you to grant me that the performance of any one duty towards God is necessary and then it will prove it self for it is certain no duty to God can be performed without it For 't is not a fair outside a slight performance a bare work done that is accepted by God if it were Cain would deserve as much thanks for his Sacrifice as his Brother Abel for in the outside of them there was no difference unless perhaps on Cain's side that he was forwardest in the duty and offered first Gen. iv 3 But it is the inside of the action the marrow and bowels of it that God judges by If a summ in gross or a bag sealed up would pass for payment in Gods audit every man would come and make his accounts duly enough with him and what he wanted in gold for his payment should be made up in Counters But God goes more exactly to work when he comes to call thee to an account of thy Stewardship he is a God of thoughts and a searcher of the hearts and reins and 't will then be a harder business to be found just when he examines or clear when he will judge The least spot and blemish in the Face of it the least maim or imperfection in the Offering the least negligence or coldness in the performance nay the least corruption in the heart of him that doth it hath utterly spoiled the Sacrifice Be the bulk and skin of the work never so large and beautiful to the Eye if it come not from a sanctified renewed gracious heart it will find no acceptance but that in the Prophet Who hath required it at your hands This is not it that God is taken with or such as he commanded it may pass for a complement or a work of course but never be valued as a duty or real service Resolve thy self to dwell no where but in the Church and there like Simeon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Euseb plant thy self continually in a Pillar with thy Eyes and words fixt and shot up perpetually towards
Heaven If there be not a spirit within thee to give light to the Eyes to adde sighs and groans to the Voice all this that thou hast done is nothing but as a blind mans pretensions to sight and a dumb mans claim to Speech and so in like manner in all our duties which the World and carnal men se◠a price on And the reason is because every spiritual seeming work done by a natural man is not truly so 't is nothing less than that which it is said to be his Prayers are not Prayers Lip-labour perhaps but not devotion his serving of God is formality not obedience his hope of Heaven not a hope but a phancy If God or Satan a Judge or a Tempter should come to reason with him about it he would soon be worsted never be able to maintain his title to it In brief the fairest part of a natural man that which is lest counterfeit his desire and good affections to spiritual things which we call favourably natural desires of spiritual obedience these I say are but false desires false affections 1. They have no solidity or permanency in the will only fluid and transitory some slight sudden wishes tempests and storms of a troubled mind soon blown over the least temptation will be sure to do it They are like those wavering Prayers without any stay of Faith Jam. i. 6 like a wave of the Sea driven by the wind and tost 2. That being which they have is counterfeit they are not that which they are taken for We are wont to say that acts are distinguished by their objects he sees truly which judges the thing to be that that it is 't is true indeed that another man sees he that takes blew for green but he does not see truly so also he only willeth a good thing that wills that in it which is truly good Now the natural man when he is said to chuse spiritual things as Heaven happiness and the like he desires not a spiritual but a carnal thing in desiring Heaven he desires somewhat that would free him from misery in happiness a natural or moral good that would be acceptable to any Creature under Heaven and so a Turk will desire Paradise and that very impatiently in hope that he shall have his fill of lust there Generally you may mark that in such desires of spiritual things 't is some carnality that moves unregenerate men somewhat it is that may please the flesh and then 't is not the spiritual but the carnal part of it that is their object which they woo and make love to which you may judge of by this that they are frequent and importunate in their wishes for glory seldom or never for grace though that also may be wished for carnally to make us more renowned and better esteemed in the World For the most part I say they desire glory for that will make them happy and out of danger of Worldly misfortunes remission of sins for these lie heavy on their Consciencies and give them many a twinge that they would fain be eased of but seldom petition for grace as if holiness without other conveniencies or gains were not worth the having And this arises from hence that our love of Christ grows by sending out and fastning our affections on him as an object fittest for our turns that will advantage us most but not by receiving in his Image and shape into our Souls this indeed would make us not only love but imitate him and having once tasted long after him this would sanctify our Souls whereas the other doth but only satisfy our greedy affections By what hath been said 't is plain enough though it might be much more amplified that grace is of absolute necessity to performance of any holy work acceptable to God that without it whatsoever is done in spiritual matters is carnal not indeed spiritual but equivocally and absurdly so called The natural mans desires of Heaven are not desires of Heaven his Faith no Faith his believing of the Scripture infidelity because he doth not apply them particularly to himself to obey them In summ when he prays hopes or gives alms he does somewhat indeed and 't is well done of him but he doth not truly either pray or hope or give alms there is some carnality in them that hath poisoned them and quite altered the complexion the constitution and inward qualities of the work And then indeed how impatient should every Christian be of this Coloquintida within him There 's mors in ollâ as the Prophet once spake that 's Death in the pot that so infects and kills every thing that comes out of it How should we abhor and loath and detest this old leaven that so besowres all our actions this Heathenism of unregenerate carnal nature which makes our best works so Unchristian To insist longer upon this were but to encrease your thirst not to satisfy it to make you sensible of that marasmus and desperate drought that hath gone over your Souls but not to help you to any waters for the cure that shall come next as the last work of this exercise to be performed in a word Having learnt what this new creature is and how absolutely necessary to a Christian O let us not defer one minute longer to examine our estates whether we are yet renewed or no and by the acts which we daily perform observe whether the sanctifying habit be as yet infused into our Souls If the grounds of our best duties that which moves us in our holiest actions be found upon search to be but carnal if a careful religious Education custom of the place which we live in fear of humane Laws nay perhaps a good soft tender disposition and the like be the things that make thee love God and perform holy duties and not any inward principle of sanctity within thee I counsel thee to think better of thine estate and consider whether the like motives had it so hapned that thou hadst been born and brought up in Turky might not have made thee worship Mahumet I would be sorry to be rigid I fear thou wilt find they might well then a new course must be taken all thy former heathen carnal or at best good moral life all thy formal performances the best of thy natural desires must be content to be rank't here with circumcision and uncircumcision availing nothing there is no trust or confidence to be placed on these Aegyptian staves of reed Es xxxvi 6 And then if thou wilt not live heartless for ever if ever thou meanst to move or walk or do any thing you must to that Creator of Spirits and Lover of Souls and never leave solliciting till he hath breathed another breath into your nostrils another Soul into your Soul you must lay your self at his feet and with all the violence and Rhetorick and humility that these wants will prompt thee too and woo and importune the Holy spirit to overshadow thee
abroad in Tents we have seen or heard of him but have not yet brought him home into our hearts there to possess and rectify and instruct our wills as well as our understandings Thirdly The whole mystery of Christ articulately set down in our Creed we as punctually believe and to make good our names that we are Christians in earnest we will challenge and defie the Fire and Faggot to perswade us out of it and these are good resolutions if our practices did not give our Faith the lye and utterly renounce at the Church Door whatsoever we profest in our Pews This very one thing that he which is our Saviour shall be our Judge that he which was crucified dead and buried sits now at the right hand of God and from thence shall come to judge the world this main part yea summ of our belief we deny and bandy against all our lives long If the story of Christ coming to judgment set down in the xxv of Matthew after the 30. Verse had ever entred through the doors of our Ears to the inward Closets of our hearts 't is impossible but we should observe and practise that one single duty there required of us Christ there as a Judge exacts and calls us to account for nothing in the World but only works of mercy and according to the satisfaction which we are able to give him in that one point he either entertains or repels us and therefore our care and negligence in this one business will prove us either Christians or Infidels But alas 't is too plain that in our actions we never dream either of the Judgment or the Arraignment our stupid neglect of this one duty argues us not only unchristian but unnatural Besides our Alms-deeds which concern only the outside of our neighbour and are but a kind of worldly mercy there are many more important but cheaper works of mercy as good counsel spiritual instructions holy education of them that are come out of our loyns or are committed to our care seasonable reproof according to that excellent place Lev. xix 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but in any wise reprove him a care of carrying our selves that we may not scandal or injure or offer violence to the Soul and tender Conscience of him that is flexible to follow us into any riot These and many other works of mercy in the highest degree as concerning the welfare of other mens Souls and the chief thing required of us at the day of Judgment are yet so out-dated in our thoughts so utterly defaced and blotted out in the whole course of our lives that it seems we never expect that Christ in his Majesty as a Judge whom we apprehend and embrace and hug in his humility as a Saviour Beloved till by some severe hand held over our lives and particularly by the daily study and exercise of some work of mercy or other we demonstrate the sincerity of our belief the Saints on Earth and Angels in Heaven will shrewdly suspect that we do only say over that part of our Creed that we believe only that which is for our turn the sufferings and satisfactions of Christ which cost us nothing but do not proceed to his office of a Judge do not either fear his Judgments or desire to make our selves capable of his mercies Briefly whosoever neglects or takes no notice of this duty of exercising works of mercy whatsoever he brags of in his theory or speculation in his heart either denies or contemns Christ as Judge and so destroys the summ of his Faith and this is another kind of secret Atheism Fourthly Our Creed leads us on to a belief and acknowledgment of the Holy Ghost and 't is well we have all conn'd his name there for otherwise I should much fear that it would be said of many nominal Christians what is reported of the Ephesian Disciples Acts xix 2 They have not so much as heard whether there be an Holy Ghost or no. But not to suspect so much ignorance in any Christian we will suppose indeed men to know whatsoever they profess and enquire only whether our lives second our professions or whether indeed they are mere Infidels and Atheistical in this business concerning the Holy Ghost How many of the ignorant sort which have learnt this name in their Catechism or Creed have not yet any further use to put it to but only to make up the number of the Trinity have no special office to appoint for him no special mercy or gift or ability to beg of him in the business of their Salvation but mention him only for fashion sake not that they ever think of preparing their Bodies or Souls to be Temples worthy to entertain him not that they ever look after the earnest of the spirit in their hearts 2 Cor. i. 22 Further yet how many better learned amongst us do not yet in our lives acknowledge him in that Epithet annext to his title the Holy Ghost i. e. not only eminently in himself holy but causally producing the same quality in us from thence called the sanctifying and renewing spirit How do we for the most part fly from and abandon and resist and so violently deny him when he once appears to us in this Attribute When he comes to sanctifie us we are not patient of so much sowreness so much humility so much non-conformity with the world as he begins to exact of us we shake off many blessed motions of the spirit and keep our selves within garrison as far as we can out of his reach lest at any turn he should meet with and we should be converted Lastly The most ordinary morally qualified tame Christians amongst us who are not so violent as to profess open arms against this Spirit how do they yet reject him out of all their thoughts How seldom do many peaceable orderly men amongst us ever observe their wants or importune the assistance of this Spirit In summ 't was a shrewd Speech of the Fathers which will cast many fair out-sides at the bar for Atheists That the life of an unregenerate man is but the life of an Heathen and that 't is our Regeneration only that raises us up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from being still mere Gentiles He that believes in his Creed the Person nay understands in the Schools the Attributes and gifts of the Holy Ghost and yet sees them only in the fountain neither finds nor seeks for any effects of them in his own Soul he that is still unregenerate and continues still gaping and yawning stupid and senseless in this his condition is still for all his Creed and Learning in effect an Atheist And the Lord of Heaven give him to see and endeavours to work and an heart to pray and his spirit to draw and force him out of this condition Fifthly Not to cramp in every Article of our Creed into this Discourse we will only insist on two
more We say therefore that we believe the forgiveness of sins and 't is a blessed confidence that all the treasures in the World cannot equal But do our selves keep equipage and hand in hand accompany this profession Let me Catechize you a while You believe the forgiveness of sins but I hope not absolutely that the sufferings of Christ shall effectually clear every mans score at the day of Judgment well then it must be meant only of those that by repentance and faith are grafted into Christ and shall appear at that great Marriage in a wedding garment which shall be acknowledged the livery and colours of the Lamb. But do our lives ever stand to this explication and restriction of the Article Do they ever expect this beloved remission by performing the condition of repentance Do we ever go about to make our selves capable of receiving this mercy conditionally offer'd us Nay do we not by our wilful stupidity and pertinacious continuing in sin nullify in respect of us all that satisfaction of Christ and utterly abandon those means which must bring home this remission to us The truth is our Faith runs only on general terms we are willing to lay all our sins on Christs shoulders and perswade our selves somewhat slightly and coldly that he will bear them in the root and in the fruit in the bullion and in the coyn in the gross and in the retail i. e. both our original and our actual transgressions but we never take any course to rest satisfied that we in particular shall participate of this happiness This requires the humiliation of the whole man the spirit of bondage for a while afterwards a second purity and virginity of the Soul recovered by repentance and then a soberly grounded faith and confidence and an expressing of it by our own forgiving of others And till this piece of our Creed be thus explained and interpreted in our conversation we remain but confident Atheists not able to perswade any body that hears us that indeed we believe what we profess Sixthly and lastly The resurrection of the body and its consequent everlasting life is the close of our Faith and end and prop and encouragement and consummation of our hope and yet we take most pains of all to prove our selves Infidels in this our whole carriage both in the choice and observance of our Religion shew that we do not depend on it that we put no confidence in the Resurrection If we went on this assurance we should contemn any worldly encouragement and make the same thing both the object and end of our service We should scorn to take notice of so poor a thing as profit or convenience is in a matter of so high importance knowing and expecting that our reward shall be great in Heaven This one thought of a Resurrection and an infinite reward of any faithful undertaking of ours would make us disdain and almost be afraid of any temporal recompence for our worship of God for fear it should by paying us before-hand deprive us of that everlasting one We should catch and be ambitious of that expression of devotion which were most painful and least profitable as to worldly advantage and yet we in the stupidity of Atheistical hearts are so improvidently covetous so hasty and impatient in our Religion that unless some present gain allure and draw us we have no manner of life or spirit or alacrity to this as we count it unprofitable service of God The least incumbrance in the world will fright us from the greatest forwardness and nimbleness and activity in Religion and the least appearance of promotion or other like encouragement will produce and raise in us these affections and expressions of zeal which the expectation of the resurrection could never work in us Our religion is somewhat like that of the Samaritans before Christs time either Jews or Heathens according as their King Antiochus would have them after Christs time were perpetually either Jews or Christians according as the Romans their new Lords and Masters either threatned or granted priviledge to the Jews If there were any thing to be gotten by the profession they would be as solemn Christians as any So when the Goths and Vandals over-run Italy and whether upon good affection or compulsion from God I know not spared them that fled to the Basilica in Rome the place where the Christians exercised then I say they which formerly persecuted the Christians now bore them Company very friendly to their Churches and to save their lives fled to the Temple for a refuge which before they abomin'd and made use of Christianity for their safe-guard which they would not own for their religion and hurried to that Sanctuary for their lives which they would not visit for their Souls The condition of our Religion is like that which is upbraided to Ephraim Hos x. 11 Ephraim is like an Heifer that loveth to tread out the Corn. 'T was prohibited by the Law to muzzle the Ox or Heifer that treadeth out the Corn 't was allowed them to feed as long as they did the work and that made Ephraim love the toil so well because that at the very time he performed the labour he enjoy'd the fruit of it had as we say his wages in his hand had some present emolument that would ingratiate his work to him was not left to such a tedious expectation to so long a date as to wait for his reward till the Resurrection those were too hard terms for him he could not endure to be ty'd so long up to the empty rack or feed upon the bit And thus hasty are we in the exacting of our reward for our service of God we will never set our hands to it unless we may make our conditions we are resolved not to be such Fools as to serve God for nought to spend the quickest of our spirits in a sowre crabbed profession and expect our thanks at Dooms-day This plainly demonstrates that however our theory be possest our practice places no trust no confidence no assurance in that part of our Creed the resurrection Again 't was an excellent argument to perswade doubtful Christians in the youth and non-age of the Church of the certainty of the Resurrection that religious men and those whom undoubtedly God loved were full of sufferings in this World and lived and died many of them without any expression of Gods favour to them which made them certainly to conclude that no doubt God hath some other course to exhibit himself in the riches of his mercy to them and seeing there was no hope but in another World Verily there should be a reward for the righteous doubtless there is a God that judgeth the Earth and by this argument we may try our selves for the sincerity of our Faith in this business If we can be patient to endure afflictions here and not complain or grumble for a respite and deliverance but keep all our hopes to be
and religion but that this is not the business of the Text but a praecognoscendum or passage to the clearing of it Briefly therefore to conclude this note Paul is the chief example mentioned in Scripture and there be not many though some more that were called from the height of impiety from the gall of bitterness to this mystical third Heaven or so high degree of Saint and Apostle The more ordinary course of Gods proceeding if we may possibly judge of the Decree by events and examples is to call such to the state of grace and so consequently of glory who have passed their unregeneracy most innocently and kept themselves least polluted from the stains of habituate wickedness that is have lived as much as natural men can do in the plainest honestest course of morality it being presupposed that among all other moral vertues they have purchased humility the best if there be any preparative for the receiving of grace Mean while we are not to be mistaken as if we thought Gods purposes tyed to mans good behaviour or mans moral goodness to woo and allure Gods spirit as that the Almighty is not equally able to sanctify the foulest Soul by his converting grace and the less polluted or that he requires mans preparation but our position is that in ordinary charitable reason we ought to judge more comfortably and hope more confidently of a meer moral man naturally more careful of his ways that he shall be both called and saved that God will with his spirit perfect and crown his morally good though imperfect endeavours than of another more debauch't Sinner utterly negligent of the commands of either God or nature Which position I have in brief proved though nothing so largely as I might in confutation of them who do utterly condemn unregenerate morality and deject it below the lowest degree of prophaneness as if they would teach a man his way to Heaven by boasting arrogantly what Paul converted confesses humbly I am the nearer to Christs Salvation because of all sinners I am the chief The Vse in brief of this Thesis shall be for those who not as yet find the power of the regenerating spirit in them for I am to fear many of my auditors may be in this case and I pray God they feel and work and pray themselves out of it the Use I say is for those who are not yet full possessors of the spirit to labour to keep their unregeneracy spotless from the greater offence that if they are not yet called to the preferment of Convâ—rts and Saints the second part of Heaven that Earthly City of God that yet they will live orderly in that lower Regiment wherein they yet remain and be subject to the law of nature till it shall please God to take them into a new Common-wealth under the law of grace to improve their natural abilities to the height and bind their hands and hearts from the practice and study of outragious sins by those ordinary restraints which nature will afford us such as are a good disposition education and the like not to leave and refer all to the miraculous working of God and to encrease our sins for the magnifying of the vertue in recalling us God requires not this glory at our hands that we should peremptorily over-damn our selves that he may be the more honoured in saving us His mercy is more known to the World than to need this woful foil to illustrate it God is not wont to rake Hell for Converts to gather Devils to make Saints of the Kingdom of Heaven would suffer great violence if only such should take it If Saul were infinitely sinful before he proved an Apostle though by the way we hear him profess he had lived in all good Conscience yet expect not thou the same Miracle nor think that the excess of sins is the cue that God ordinarily takes to convert us The Fathers in an obedience to the discipline and pedagogy of the old Law possest their Souls in patience expecting the prophesied approach of the new did not by a contempt of Moses precipitate and hasten the coming of the Messias Cornclius liv'd a long while devoutly and gave much alms till at last God call'd him and put him in a course to become a Christian and do thou if thou art not yet called wait the Lords leisure in a sober moral conversation and fright not him from thee with unnatural abominations God is not likely to be woed by those courses which nature loaths or to accept them whom the World is ashamed of In brief remember Saul and Cornelius Saul that he not many were called from a profest Blasphemer Cornelius that before he was called he prayed to God alway and do thou endeavour to deserve the like mercy and then in thy Prayer confess thine undeserving and petition grace as grace that is not as our merit but as his free-will favour not as the desert of our morality but a stream from the bounty of his mercy who we may hope will crown his common graces with the fulness of his spirit And now O powerful God on those of us which are yet unregenerate bestow thy restraining grace which may curb and stop our natural inordinacy and by a sober careful continent life prepare us to a better capability of thy sanctifying spirit wherewith in good time thou shalt establish and seal us up to the day of redemption And thus much concerning Saul unconverted how of all Sinners he was the chief not absolutely that he surpassed the whole World in rankness of sin but respectively to his later state that few or none are read to have been translated from such a pitch of sin to Saint-ship Now follows the second consideration of him being proceeded Paul i. e. converted and then the question is Whether and how Paul converted may be said the chief of all Sinners 'T were too speculative a depth for a popular Sermon to discuss the inherence and condition of sin in the regenerate the business will be brought home more profitably to our practice if we drive it to this issue That Paul in this place intending by his own example to direct others how to believe the truth and embrace and fasten on the efficacy of Christs Incarnation hath no better motive to incite himself and others toward it than a recognition of his sins that is a survey of the power of sin in him before and a sense of the relicks of sin in him since his Conversion Whence the note is That the greatness of ones sins makes the regenerate man apply himself more fiercely to Christ This faithful saying was therefore to Paul worthy of all acceptation because of all Sinners he was the chief S. Paul as every regenerate man is to be observed in a treble posture either casting his Eyes backward or calling them in upon himself or else looking forward and aloof and accordingly is to be conceived in a trebâ—e meditation either of
in this world parallel to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10. humane temptation or such as frequently befalls men in this world V. 6. Compasseth From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gold chain or neck-lace or chain of the neck Cant. 4.9 is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and must signifie putting on this chain upon them by way of ornament The Chaldee renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crowneth them or incompasseth their neck as a crown is wont to do the head This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pride or elation of mind is here said to do the consequent of their uninterrupted prosperity as Aristotle saith of wealth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it makes men proud and insolent setting them out in the greatest lustre and the most costly ornaments And then it follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 violence or unjust oppression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putteth or shall put or bind or fasten on from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put on raiment the ornament upon them So the Chaldee understood it and render it by way of paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the crown which they put on their head is from their rapine which also the LXXII their rendring will bear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were cloathed with their injustice and impiety V. 8. Corrupt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not elsewhere to be met with in these books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have Lev. 26.39 which is duly rendred by the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be consumed but that is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dissolve or melt The notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may best be fetcht from the use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Chaldee and Syriack So Luk. 16.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signifie deriding being there set to express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Psal 1.1 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scorners the Chaldee reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the learned Schindler corrects into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deriders So Psal 119.51 in the same manner the Hebrew hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have had me in derision which being there spoken of the proud maâ—â—ell give us the notion of it here where it is set in the character of the prosperous wicked man whose prosperity makes him proud v. 6. and his pride scornful and contumelious And thus hath St. Hierome rendred it irriserunt they have derided or scoffed Abu Walid thus renders the verse They prate foolishly in their speech and the violence of their insultations or insolencies And thus it hath affinity with the Arabick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath the notion of foolish rudeness such as is oft in the words of insolent rich men which think they may speak what they will The Arabick Jewish interpreter reads They may multiply words and speak oppression wickedly and as if they spake from aloft To this agrees what follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they speak maliciously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the LXXII they speak in mischief or mischievously the Latine loquuti sunt nequitiam they speak mischief and so the Syriack but the Chaldee more fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they speak that they may hurt All of them leaving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that follows to be joyned with the end of the verse thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from on high they speak oppression by from on high meaning say the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the height of their heart and by speaking oppression the open professing of it as the same phrase is used Isa 59.13 V. 10. Waters For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 waters as St. Jerome reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who so the LXXII appear to have read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dayes and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be wrung out from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expressit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be found from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invenit See Schindler Pentaglot p. 1029. B. Accordingly they interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full days shall be found among them This reading the Syriack as well as the Latine c. seem to follow but convert it to a very distant sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they i. e. the people of God precedent shall find to themselves abundantly The most probable way of interpreting the verse will be with Castellio by setting it as a consequent inferred as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore imports from the former verse Before the wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 3. were spoken of and so the subject of the speech continued in the plural and so it follows again v. 11. but here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his people that must be the people of God my people say the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods people say the Chaldee as Ps 125.3 the Lord is round about his people so Abu Walid his i. e. Gods people contrary to the wicked Of this people of God it is said in the beginning of the verse that because of the prosperity of wicked men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall turn hither so the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my people shall turn hither and so the Syriack and Latine c. What that means must be taken from one of the many special acceptions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to turn for considering or thinking on any thing so Kimchi his people return to this consideration again and again So Isa 44.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the LXXII render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he considered not in his mind and so here to turn hither is to turn the mind hither and so consider or to turn the eyes and so look so Malac. 3.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ye shall turn and see or discern And then follows in reference peculiarly to the eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and full or plentiful waters or waters able to fill a vessel shall be wrung out from them thus Abu Walid and thus the Chaldee renders this part expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and many tears shall flow from them though in the former part they vary much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are turned against the people of the Lord to strike them c. and many tears shall flow from them The Jewish Arab hath a rendring by himself Therefore some of his people turn to their way i. e. to their opinion there is drank of by them of the water of boldness or rebellion against him i. e. Upon this divers of Gods people grow bold or insolent against him And Abu Walid hath a peculiar way of rendering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the infinitive with breaking of spirit for broken in spirit discomfited
in soul as concerning the wayes of godliness wavering and saying how doth God know c. Behold c. and then there flow from them abundant waters viz. of tears connects very well with it This interpretation Kimchi in his Roots recites without censure though he seem to prefer this other His people return hither i. e. to this consideration why the wicked should so prosper c. and why the waters of a full cup of prosperity should be wrung out to them i. e. they should have their fill of all good things in this world V. 15. Offend The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies perfidiousness breaking of Covenant of faith and is accordingly here rendred by the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same notion that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.31 signifies Covenant-Breakers And thus it will best accord here being applied to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the generation of Gods children What that phrase signifies appears by the parallel phrases the generation of the righteous Psal 14.5 the generation of them that seek thee Psal 24.16 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generation oft signifies a set and sort of men see Prov. 30.11 12 13 14. Psal 78.8 and so the generation of Gods children signifies all the whole set and sort of pious men those who have undertaken the service of God entred into covenant with him part of which covenant and profession it is to believe in Gods Providence which therefore to deny or question or doubt of is to break the covenant to prevaricate to deal perfidiously to apostatize and do quite contrary to their profession And this seems to be the fullest importance of the phrase here to fall off apostatize from all professors of piety to be in the Talmudical dialect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epicurus or Epicurean so they call all who deny or blaspheme Gods providence see Maimoni in his tract of Idolatry This is not charged upon him that only had those apprehensions suggested to him was under the temptation his feet were but almost gone his treadings were but well nigh slipt v. 2. But if I say I will speak thus utter it with the mouth it is resolved by the Jews themselves to be Apostacy and it will not avail the speaker to recall or renounce them saith Maimoni in that tract of Idolatry V. 18. Destructions For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into destructions from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vastavit or as Abu Walid and Kimchi will have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the same the LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in being exalted as from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to elevate from the affinity of the words as their manner oft is expressing the Psalmists meaning the elevation being that which ascertains their destruction when they chance to fall from it V. 20. Image 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an image or a shadow the image of a body and so seems to be taken here for that which hath a fantastical only in opposition to a real substantial being So Psal 39.6 In an image man walketh his life is but an image of life And then thus lies the comparison in this verse betwixt the prosperity that wicked men enjoy and that which is fansied and by fansie only injoyed in a sleep or dream That which one dreams of is not really enjoyed by him and whensoever he awakes the very appearance or fantastical being which was all it had perisheth and just so the prosperity which wicked men for a time enjoy is at that very time but an image or shadow of prosperity and that such as within a while ceaseth to be so much as a shadow it absolutely vanisheth and comes to nothing God doth as it were awake them out of this their dream remove them out of this imaginary prosperity or they of themselves awake their prosperity leaves them or else they leave their prosperity And then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in or by this awaking so it signifies from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evigilare and not as the LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in thy city as if it were from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 city or when they thus awake thou O God shalt illude or mock or make to vanish or bring to nothing so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illusit the LXXII aptly render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalt bring to nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their image or shadow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the LXXII and so the Chaldee and Syriack c. that imaginary prosperity which for a time they had The Chaldee in their paraphrase refer it to the day of judgment when wicked men shall rise out of their graves and God proceed in wrath against them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in fury shalt thou scorn or despise them according to that expression of Dan. 12.2 Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to shame and everlasting contempt But it may also fitly be referred to their imaginary prosperity here v. 18. V. 24. With glory The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may best be rendred and after glory So the Chaldee understood it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and after that the glory shall have been completed which thou hast said thou wilt bring upon me it then follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive or thou shalt receive me the LXXII reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I suppose it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive me to thy self Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take or receive signifies Gen. 5.24 where of Enoch 't is said God took him which Eccl. 44.16 and Heb. 11.5 is exprest to be his translation To this rendring the Jewish Arab accords And after this honour thou shalt meet me so his word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usually signifies but here more probably receive me to thee or perhaps raise me up for the day of Resurrection is in Arabick called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of meeting God The Seventy Fourth PSALM MAschil of Asaph Paraphrase The Seventy Fourth Psalm composed by Asaph see note on Psalm 73. a and set to the tune known by the name of Maschil or intelligent see note on Psal 32. a. is a prayer for deliverance and safeguard of Gods Church and people from their enemies and seems to have been endited under the captivity and describes the sacking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadonosor and their state of sadness under the deportation 1. O God why hast thou cast us off for ever Why doth thy anger smoak against the sheep of thy pasture Paraphrase 1. O God return to us in mercy we beseech thee and let us not alwyas lye under thy displeasure and the sharp expressions of it who are thine own chosen peculiar people 2. Remember thy congregation which thou hast purchased of old the rod of thine inheritance which
daily on our souls in blessing in turning every one c. and that is the first thing 2. Christs resurrection hath a hand in blessing in turning from iniquity in respect to that solemn mission of the Holy Ghost promised before and performed immediately after his ascension This not person I mean but office of the Holy Ghost in setling a Pastorage in the Church and to it the consequent power and necessity of preaching administring Sacraments governing censuring all which were the effects of the Holy Ghosts descending and the direct interpretation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then and ever since then To which if you please to add the promise of the annexion of the Spirit and the invisible grace of God to the orderly use of these so far that the preaching of the Gospel not only that manner of preaching among us that hath gotten the monopoly of all the service of God into its Patent the only thing that many of us pay all our devotion to but any other way of making known the Gospel of Christ the doctrine of the second Covenant is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 3.8 the adminstration or means of dispensing the Spirit to us and the Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the communication of the bloud of Christ yea and the censures no carnal weak blunt weapons of our warfare 2 Cor. 10.4 but mighty through God c. you have then a second energy of his resurrection toward our turning so great that he that holds out against this method of power and grace and will not turn nor understand after all this shall never be capable of any other means of blessing of working that great work for him and so you see the second ground of dependence between the resurrection and blessing or turning O that it might work its design upon us that to day we would hear the voice that cries so loud to us out of heaven the last perhaps numerically I am sure the last in specie or kind the last artifice this of the Word and Sacraments that is ever to be hoped for to this end to bless us to turn us every one from our c. 3. The Resurrection hath to do in blessing and turning in respect of Christs Intercession that prime act of his Melchisedech-priesthood his powerful intercession i. e. in effect conferring of grace on us thus Rom. 8 34. where that weighty business of justifying is laid more on the Resurrection than Death of Christ It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again 'T is thus enlarged in the next words who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us his intercession powerful intercession at the right hand of God a consequent of Gods raising up his Son Jesus hath a main influence on turning first and then justifying the ungodly and so Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save them for good and all deliver them from all kind of assailants from sin from themselves from wrath from hell though not absolutely all yet those that come unto God by him those that turn when he will have them turn seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Will you see this more clearly Why then thus There are three degrees of grace preventing exciting assisting the first for conversion the second for sanctifying the third for perseverance And two acts of turning being already premised for the beginning of that blessing work 1. By the power of that Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead Then 2. By the descent of the holy Ghost the first as the seed sown the second as the rain and Sun-shine to bring it up there is yet a third required for the earing and hardning of the corn that of Gods giving increase for the consummating this weighty affair for the confirming and establishing those that are initially blest and turned into a kind of Angelical state of perseverance And to this it is that Christs continual intercession belongs for that is peculiarly for Disciples for those that are Believers Christians already that they may be preserved and kept in that state as for Saint Peter in the time of shock of tempest when Satan is at his expetivit that if we be permitted to be tempted yet our faith may not fail Luke 22.32 Another copy of this intercession you have John 17. the whole chapter is a prescript form of it a platform of what he now daily performs in heaven Look in the 11. verse Holy Father keep through thine own name own power those whom thou hast given me those that are believers already and in the 15. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one not for immunity from temptations for an impeccable state but for a sufficiency of grace to keep to sustain them in time of temptation that they may be able to stand So that this Intercession of Christ is apportion'd and adequate to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proficients those that are Believers already Disciples or others to come that shall be such and when they are pray'd for are considered under that notion as 't is clear ver 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also that shall believe on me through their word a direct notation who they are that this daily intercession for keeping for perseverance belongs to the believers faithful disciples and none others I pray for them I pray not for the world ver 9. Other prayers he can allow for the world the veriest incarnate devils in it the very crucifiers Father forgive them but this prayer for perseverance for keeping is only for the them the believers there The impenitent unbeliever cannot have his portion in that unless he would have Christ pray to damn him irreversibly to keep him in his impenitence to seal him up unto the day of perdition You see from hence by way of result or corollary what 't is that our perseverance in the faith and favour of God is imputable to not any fatal contrivance for some special confidents that their sins shall not be able to separate them not any such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Marcus his Scholars in Irenaeus pretended to that by it they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturally spiritual that all the debaucheries in the world could no more vitiate them than the â—un-beams are profan'd by the dunghill which they shine on or the gold by the â—luttery it may be mixt with that by the shield of the mother of heaven what ever they did they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invisible to the Judge No such comforts and hopes as these of perseverance in sin and favour with God at once of making good our union with God when we are in the gall of bitterness of being justified when we are not sanctified that magical spell that fastens us in a circle
that piercing Sun every atoâ—e of that flaming Sword as the word is phrased shall not though it be rebated vanish the day of Vengeance shall instruct your Souls that it was sent from God and since it was once refused hath been kept in store not to upbraid but damn you Many other petty occasions the Spirit ordinarily takes to put off the Cloud and open his Face toward us nay it were not a groundless doubt whether he do not always shine and the cloud be only in our hearts which makes us think the Sun is gone down or quite extinct if at any time we feel not his rays within us Beloved there be many things amongst us that single fire can do nothing upon they are of such a stubborn frozen nature there must be some material thing for the fire to consist in a sharp iron red hot that may bore as well as burn or else there is small hopes of conquering them Many men are so hardned and congealed in sin that the ordinary beam of the Spirit cannot hope to melt them the fire must come consubstantiate with some solid instrument some sound corpulent piercing judgment or else it will be very unlikely to thrive True it is the Spirit is an omnipotent Agent which can so invisibly infuse and insinuate its virtue through the inward man that the whole most enraged adversary shall presently fall to the earth Act. ix the whole carnal man lie prostrate and the sinner be without delay converted and this is a Miracle which I desire from my heart might be presently shewed upon every Soul here present But that which is to my present purpose is only this That God hath also other manners and ways of working which are truly to be said to have descended from Heaven though they are not so successful as to bring us thither other more calm and less boysterous influences which if they were received into an honest heart might prove semen immortalitatis and in time encrease and grow up to immortality There is no such encumbrance to trash us in our Christian Progress as a phansie that some men get possessed with that if they are elected they shall be called and saved in spight of their teeth every man expecting an extraordinary call because Saul met with one and perhaps running the more fiercely because Saul was then called when he was most violent in his full speed of malice against Christians In this behalf all that I desire of you is First to consider that though our regeneration be a miracle yet there are degrees of miracles and thou hast no reason to expect that the greatest and strongest miracle in the world shall in the highest degree be shewed in thy Salvation Who art thou that Gâ—â— should take such extraordinary pains with thee Secondly To resolve that many precious rays and beams of the Spirit though when they enter they come with power yet through our neglect may prove transitory pass by that heart which is not open for them And then thirdly You will easily be convinced that no duty concerns us all so strictly as to observe as near as we can when thus the Spirit appears to us to collect and muster up the most lively quick-sighted sprightfullest of our faculties and with all the perspectives that spiritual Opticks can furnish us with to lay wait for every glance and glimpse of its fire or light We have ways in nature to apprehend the beams of the Sun be they never so weak and languishing and by uniting them into a Burning-Glass to turn them into a fire Oh that we were as witty and sagacious in our spiritual estate then it were easie for those sparks which we so often either contemn or stifle to thrive within us and at least break forth into a flame In brief Incogitancy and inobservance of Gods seasons supine numbness and negligence in spiritual affairs may on good grounds be resolved on as the main or sole cause of our final impenitence and condemnation it being just with God to take those away in a sleep who thus walked in a dream and at last to refuse them whom he hath so long sollicited He that hath scorned or wasted his inheritance cannot complain if he dies a bankrupt nor he that hath spent his candle at play count it hard usage that he is fain to go to bed darkling It were easie to multiply arguments on this theme and from every minute of our lives to discern some pawn and evidence of Gods fatherly will and desire that we should live Let it suffice that we have been large if not abundant in these three chief ones First The giving of his Son to the World Secondly Dispatching the Gospel to the Gentiles And lastly The sending of his Spirit We come now to a view of the opposite trenches which lie pitched at the Gates of Hell obstinate and peremptory to besiege and take it Mans resolvedness and wilfulness to die my second part Why will you die There is no one conceit that engages us so deep to continue in sin that keeps us from repentance and hinders any seasonable Reformation of our wicked lives as a perswasion that God's will is a cause of all events Though we are not so blasphemous as to venture to define God the Author of sin yet we are generally inclined for a phansie that because all things depend on God's decree whatsoever we have done could not be otherwise all our care could not have cut off one sin from the Catalogue And so being resolved that when we thus sinned we could not chuse we can scarce tell how to repent for such necessary fatal misdemeanors the same excuses which we have for having sinned formerly we have for continuing still and so are generally better prepared for Apologies than Reformation Beloved it will certainly much conduce to our edification instead of this speculation whose grounds or truth I will not now examine to fix this practical theorem in our hearts that the will of man is the principal cause of all our evil that death either as it is the punishment of sin eternal death or as it is the sin it self a privation of the life of grace spiritual death is wholly to be imputed to our wilful will It is a Probleme in Aristotle why some Creatures are longer in conceiving bringing forth than others and the sensiblest reason he gives for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hardness of the Womb which is like dry earth that will not presently give any nourishment to either seed or plant and so is it in the spiritual conception and production of Christ that is of life in us The hardness and toughness of the heart the womb where he is to be born that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that dry Earth in the Philosophers or that way-side or at best stony ground in Christ's phrase is the only stop and delay in begetting of life within us the only cause of either barrenness or hard