have read out of all the foure Evangelists The unlearned unconsiderat READER might think That the Evangelists agree not well in relating this Historie but if wee compare them together wee shall find a very sweet harmony and that the cause of the apparent disagreement is only that one hath that which another wanteth Now according to them all this is the Historie Our LORD being arraigned before Cajaphas and his Councell the night before his death S. Peter having followed him to the HALL of the high Priest and having twice denyed him there is now the third time assaulted First about the space of an houre after his second deniall one cometh to him and affirmeth confidently or strongly as S. Luke telleth us and confirmeth his saying with this argument That he was of Galilee where Christ for the greatest part conversed and whence the greatest part of his disciples were By occasion of this some others standing by as S. Matth. and S. Mark importeth urge him in like manner Of a truth say they this fellow was with him for he is a Galilean and his speech bewrayeth him to be such an one There was but one language in the land of Canaan to wit the Syriack at that time but there was a diversitie in the pronunciation and manner of speech betwixt the Galileans and others as there is in our own or any other country betwixt them that are of diverse provinces Notwithstanding of all this S. Peter standeth to his deniall In the meane time There cometh a servant of the high Priest a kinsman of his whose care Peter had cut off as we learn from S. Iohn and he pressed the Apostle more perempterly Did I not see thee in the garden with him saieth he as if he would have said How darest thou refuse how canest thou deny Did I not see thee with these eyes of mine with him in the garden Here the Apostle being brought to a perempter perceiving himself to be in great danger and fearing that he should be arreigned aswell as his Lord and exposed to the cruelty of the Jews aswell as he hee is not content simply to deny him but he doeth it with oaths execrations swearing and cursing that he knew not the man that he did not so much as know what they said Now immediatly while hee is yet speaking the Cock croweth the second time as S. Mark telleth us and Jesus turning him about looked upon S. Peter Whereupon he remembred and called to minde the words of Jesus How hee had said Before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice and thinking upon this he went out and wept bitterly This is the Historie in order In it there are two particulars chiefly considerable First his Fall or sin secondly his Rising or repentance For clearing the first Wee shall consider first his sin secondly the grievousnesse of it and Thirdly shall shew you what use should be made by us thereof But before we enter into these particulars yee are to understand that some have excused or extenuated this sin of Peter that either they thought it no sin or a very small one but this is well refuted by S Jerome If saieth he we affirme that Peter denied not Christ then we give Christ the lie who said Before the cock crow twice thou shalt deny mee thrice To this same purpose holy August in 66. Treatise upon Iohn If Christ spake trueth whereof to doubt is impietie then PETER indeed denied Christ Let us not accuse Christ saieth he to defend Peter let humane infirmitie acknowledge its sin for in him that was Trueth is self there could bee no lie S. Peter himself acknowledged both the sin and the grievousnesse thereof he refuteth his defenders his tears are witnesses against them Let us come now to the first point and consider his sin what it was First in that he denied the LORD he sinned against Trueth and that two wayes first because he denied that he knew him whom indeed he knew very well Secondly because hee break his promise to his Lord which was That he would not deny him though he should die for him 2. He sinned against faith For the commandement wherby we are tyed to beleeve bindeth us not only to beleeve inwardly but also outwardly to confesse For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnes and with the mouth coÌ„fession is made unto salvation 3. He sinned by perjurie calling 〈◊〉 God and desiring him to bear witnes to his lie 4. He sinned by cursing and wishing all kinde of mischief to himself if he spake not trueth All these wayes he sinned in this his third deniall Now let us consider the grievousnesse of his sin For clearing of this point consider first That he many wayes offended before his deniall First there was in him too great confidence of himself and over-weeâ—ing of his own strength Hence when our Lord. Joh. 13. 36. Said Thou canst not follow me now he answered Lord why cannot I follow thee now I am ready to go with thee both to prison and to death and againe Though all men should â—e offended at thee yet I will never be offended Secondly there was a kind of misbeleeving the words of our Lord for he forewarned him of his fall and yet he would not take heed unto it Thirdly he neglected that commandement Watâ—h and pray that ye enter not into temptation For the spirit indeed is readie but the flesb is weak He was sleeping sound when he should have been watching and praying Fourthly when he followed Christ he followed him coldly a far off did not cleave to him neatly ferveÌ„tly as his true follower should have done Fiftly by entering into the HAL of the High Priest amongst his enemies he did cast himself into danger without necessity or any calling Thus many waies he procureth his own Fall which aggravateth his sin Secondly There are many things concurring in his sinne which doth greatly aggravate it First he not only denied Christ but also he denied him with oaths againe and again and not content with this he cursed and anathematized himself if it was not so as he said The word used in the original signifieth that he wisheth himself to be an Anathema which is as much as one that is accursed execrable and unworthy of the communion of good men and that is devoted and appointed for â—ell The word which the Syrian Interpreter useth signifieth to destroy and abolish in the old Testament coÌ„monly signifieth A thing devoted to God which cannot be redeemed but must needs be abolished and destroyed So the Apostle by this anathematizing or cursing wished all mischiefs to himself both to his body and soule which is no lesse then eternal condemnation Neither did hee simply curse this way but hee did it vehemently as the word used by S. Matth. importeth Suppose there had been no more This cursing was a grievous sin God oftentimes even in this life hath
declared his Wrath against it by dreadfull judgements In this kinde we have a notable example in Eusebius his ecclesiastick Hist 6. book and 8. chapter There he reporteth that three wicked men had conspired against Narcissus Bishop of IERUSALEM in the time of the Emperour Severus who was a man of singular holinesse but somwhat severe These wicked persons fearing to bee censured by him accuse him of Vncleannesse to perswade men to beleeve them did use fearfull curses and impreeaâ—ions against themselves if they spake not the truth The first of them wished that he might be burnt The second wished that his body might rot be consumed The third wished that he might be blinde if it was not true which they spake Notwithstanding of all this the people were so perswaded of the holinesse of their Pastor that they beleeved them not And in the meane time ere it was long the judgement of God came upon these three The house of the first took fire and in it hee and his familie was burnt The second fell into a grievous disease which consumed his bodie away The third considering the vengance of God that had come upon his fellowes is brought to repentance confesseth publickly the whole matter shed tears so aboundantly then and afterwards that he lossed the sight of his eyes So the curse of every one of them fell upon themselves Thus we may perceive that the Apostle his cursing did much aggravate his sin Secondly the matter which he denied with oathes execrations was most great and important It was no lesse then his LORD and SAVIOVR even he to whom before he had said Lord whether shall we go from thee for thou hast the words of eternall life and we know and are sure that thou art the Christ the son of the living God Thirdly he who denied this was no mean person but a great and prime Apostle which aggravateth the offence it was Peter whose name Christ had changed and whom he had called Peter to signifie that the strength and firmnes of a rocke should be in him It was Peter who had been so familiar with his Lord had seen him worke so many miracles and had wrought miracles himself in his Name Peter who had been with him in mount Tabor had tasted there the heavenly joyes had heard this voice from heaven Thou art my well beloved son c. Peter to whom the Father had revealed this That Jesus was the son of the living God Math. 16. And to whom our Saviour said To thee will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde upon earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth shall be loosed in heaven Fourthly In this his denial appeareth great pusillanimitie weaknes and distrust of God for at the first assault of a hand-maid and doore-keeper he denyed That he knew Christ Behold saieth holy AUGUSTINE The most firme pillartrembls whollie at one small blast of the aire Where now saieth he is thy former confidence and bold promises where now are these words I am ready to follow thee both to prison and to death Is this to follow thy Lord to deny that thou knowest him Is this to lay down thy life for him to deny him at the voice of a damsell for preserving thy life how strangely is thy voice changed now and yet thou art not brought unto publick thou art not presented yet before kings or governours thou art not yet put to the rocke or torture It is not a scribe or pharisee or priest or souldier or executioner that demandeth of thee but a woman a servant and a doore-keeper Thus we see there was in him exceeding great weaknes and feare Lastly There was a kinde of obstinacie in his sinne for he denyed and swore againe and againe and the third time There was betwixt his second and third deniall about the space of an houre wherein the had time to recollect his confounded thoughts and to call to minde what he hade done that he might have repented or at least might have eschewed a new sinne but notwithstanding of this he continued still unmindefull of Christ and what he had done Thus we see his sinne in many respects was grievous which we have discovered not for the reproach of that great and holy Apostle God forbid but that we may learne these uses from it Which the spirit of God would have us to learne which is the third point propounded by us The first use that we should make of this fall of the great Apostle is we may perceive clearly in it humane weaknes infirmitie how great it is and how little it should be trusted unto This great Apostle was by nature fervent and veâ—ement and had received many excellent graces and priviledges from Christ as we said before yet when he trusteth to much in himself and is for triall and humiliation left to himself he falleth and that most foullie He that assured himself of victory before the fight trembleth now before the sound of the trumpet he that should not have denied Christ although the sword had been at his throat denieth him now at the voice of a damsell The like we may see in DAVID who was a man according to the heart of God and yet fell both in adulterie murther This should teach us all humilitie feare and watch fulnes and to trust in nothing but in God and his Graceâ— S. Peter himself learned these things by his fall When our Lord after his resurrection asked him whether he did love him more then others did he did not preferre himself to any but was content to expresse his own sinceritie saying LORD thou knowest that I love thee So in his 1. epist 1. chap. He saieth That we are kept by the power of GOD through faith unto salvation and in the 5. chap. of that epist he giveth this exhortarion to all Be sober be vigilant for your enemie the devil goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devoure Let us in like manner learne to be humble and to feare and watch If the strong pillars and mighty cedares be so shaken and so soone what may become of us who have scarce grace rooted in our hearts in the day of our temptation What is man without the Grace of God saieth holy AUGUSTINE in his 124. Sermon of time But that which Peter was when he denied his LORD yea suppose thou had never so much grace yet thou hast this treasure in an earthen vessell thou art like to a rich ship full of precious wares that is tossed in the sea and in danger to be swallowed with the waves or to dash upon the rocks Be not therefore high minded but feare Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Remember that S. PAUL hath said Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling And that he himself did beat his body down and kept it in
hearing of the name of Peace incontinently cryed out What maketh you to cry said that holy Father I haue said nothing on these words I have not yet expounded them and yet ye cryed out at the mentioning of peace This shewes that ye loved it and love it yee could not unlesse some way ye did see it and see it with the eyes of the body yee cannot but it hath an invisible beautie which ravissieth the heart when it is presented to it and what shall I say of it saieth he I cannot I am not able to expresse the goodnesse and the beautie of it so writting on this psal he saith that every man albeit he could not reade had this verse by heart Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unitie Before we proceed Let us mark hence a lesson verie necessar for these times namlie that if all brethren should be so carefull to keep unitie as a thing most good and most pleasant then especiallie ought Christians so to do and Christians who are of the same religion They are called are most truly brethren they haue one Father to wit God they haue one mother the Church one Lord one faith one baptisme And therefore above all others should keep the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4. 3. Hence our Saviour before his death said to them A new coÌ„mandement I give unto you That ye love one another Hereby shall all men know that yea are my disciples if ye love one another Ioh. 13. 34. 35. and praying for them before his death he said Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Ioh. 17. 20. 21. To this effect he said unto them My peace I giue unto you my peace I leave with you Ioh. 14. 27. yea for this end he dyed that he might gather together in one the children of God that were dispersed So the blessed Apostles recommended nothing more then unitie and peace S. PAUL saieth 1. cor 1. 10. Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that yee all speak the same thing and there be no divisions among you but that yee be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement 2. cor 13. be of one minde live in peace the God of love peace shal be with you So Philip. 2. If there he therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies Fulfill yee my joy that ye may be like minded having the same love being of â—ue accord of one minde Accordingly all good Christians have ever thought the unitie and Peace of the Church to be a thing most precious and oâ— the contrar Schisme division to be most pernitious Brotherly love saieth TERTULL is the treasure of Christianâ— And in the 39. of his Apolog. he saieth That Christians in his time called themselves brethren and did beare such love one toward another that the Pagans astonished therwith used to say Behold how the Christians love one another are ready to die one for another So S. August upon this psal saieth That the ordinar salutation of Christians in his time was Thanks be to God and when the Donatists did laugh at this S. August asked at them If a Christian had not good reason to thank God when he did see his brother well with whom he was one in Christ On the contrar Schism or breach of Vnitie in the Church they highly condemned It is an hudge Cryme saieth Optatus Milivitanus and yee your selves cannot deny that it is an evill in the highest degree saieth he to the Donatists against whom hee was reasoning S. August in his first book against the Epistle of Parmenian chap. 4. calleth it A sacriledge that exceedeth all crimes and in his 2. book of Baptisme against the Donatists chap. 6. he saieth That they did heall men indeed of Infidelity Idolatrie but did wound them more deadly with Schism The punishment of Shism saith he was greater then of idolatrie for Korah Dathan and Abiram who made Schism among the people of God were swallowed up quick by the earth opening her mouth to receive them to carry them down quick to the pit S. Cyprian in his book of the unitie of the Church saieth That the blood of Martyrdome cannot expiat the sinne of Schism which sentence Chrisost on the 4. of the Ephes citeth approveth and with great vehemencie in other words ther condemneth this sin Euseb in the 6. book of his historie and 37. chap. reporteth a letter of S. Denys of Alexandria wherin he writteth to Novatus who then perturbed the peace of the Church wherin he saith That all incommodities should be suffered rather then the peace of the Church should be rent Nay saith he the 〈◊〉 that is suffered for hendring the Division of the church is no lesse yea in my judgement is greater then that which is suffered for 〈◊〉 sacrificing to an idol for in this saieth he a man profiteth but himself but in that he profiteth the whole Church Hence S. August so much praised that blessed Martyre S. Cyprian in his 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 against Donatists chap. 18 and in many other places for that he would not separate himself from the societie of other good Christians notwithstanding he differed from them in judgement anent the rebaptising of them who wer baptised by hereticks God saith he permitted him to fall into â—n errour that his pious humilitie might be known and might serve for a medicine both for that age and for posteritie If Cyprian saieth he being a Bishope of so great a Church as Carthage was and being a man of soâ—great learning eloquence cowrage worth every way bad separated himself how many had followed him how glorious a name had he purchased to himself among men there had been more Cyprianists then Donatists but hee was not a Child of perdition but a Child of peace Hee did not see the Trueth in that point but God permitted that that we might see in him that which was better then that Trueth even Charitie for that Trueth without Charitie would not have saved him but Charitie without that Truth obtained to him through the Mercie of God the Crowne of Martyrdome and so the cloud of errour which creeped in his bright soule was banished away by the brightnesse of his blood as it were shade for the love of Christ I proceed now to the following words It is as the precious oyntment upon the head c. Here by two excellent similituds the PROPHET sheweth the beautie goodnes of brotherly unitie and love The first is taken from the sacred oyntment that was poured on the high Priest at his consecration which
back from evill Neither is this Wil-worship as some imagine For Wil-worship is to apply things vaine and frivolous and where with God cannot be pleased to the honouriâ—â— of God as the Jews did who placed Holinesse in manifold washings of themselves or as they against whom the Apostle reasoneth who abstained from some meats as uncleane of their own nature or by vertue of Moses Law Wil-worship also is to place necessitie in things not necessare when there is neither precept nor practise to be found in Gods Word or in his Church to enforce any such necessitie This is Wil-worship but no Wil-worship to promise to God a thing which being done may serve to good and profitable uses If any man say Are we not bound to do all the good that we can I An. By way of gratitude we ar but not by vertue of strict Commandement so that if we do not such or such a thing we commit not sin as was shewen before As for things necessare some Romanists affirme that they cannot be the matter of a vow but the best learned acknowledge that it may be and it is cleare from scripture For Jacob genesis 28. 20. 21. vowed that the Lord should be his God Which was a thing necessare although he had not vowed it Wee are tyed indeed to the doing of such things necessare and commanded by vertue of Gods Commandement although wee vow not but notwithstanding we may adde to that bond the bond obliedgment of a vow to stirre up and confirme the more in the obedience of God our languishing wils even as a man who is already bound to another man by his promise may bind himself also by his oath This kinde of vow was made by the people of God when turning back from their sinnes they renewed their covenant with him and promised to walk in his Commandements And this much of the nature of a vow I come to the second point which is how this duty belongeth to Thankfulnesse For clearing of this consider That when a man promiseth any thing to God he doeth not so that God may have any gaine or help therby but that he may give due honour to God More particularlie by vowing a man honoureth God in so far as hereby he acknowledgeth that God hath a care and providence of humane effaires and that it is he to whom we should have out recourse in troâ—ble who alone can help us and froÌ„ whom we receive whatsoever we haue 2. By vowing a man honoureth God in so far as he intendeth by the reverence and feare of God to confirme himself in weldoing 3. By vowing and performing of our vows wee honour our God in so far as wee direct the thing which we have vowed to the service of God or to the enabling of us to serve him more acceptablie then otherwayes we would do From this which hath been said appeareth first That vowing may be now lawfully performed though the legal and ceremonial vows hath ceased yet all vows are not therefore abolished Vowing is no lewish ceremonie Our vows prefigure not Christ And Jacob vowed long before Moses was yea vowing is not a ceremony at all A Ceremonie is a thing outward sensible but vowing may be accomplished in the minde I say more though men should not be rash to vow yet somtimes some things when done out of a vow ar better then if they wer done without any vow because beside all the goodnesse which they should have otherwayes they are done out of a religious affection towards God and done out of a more firme and unchangeable purpose then otherwayes they should and with a more full resignation of our selves both the work and the will the fruit and the tree being given to God and therefore the scripture recommendeth this duty to us and in the 19. 21. of Isaiah speaking of Christians saieth That they shall vow and performe their vows Secondly We learn that we should be carefull to performe the good vows that we have made mans particular vows I know not This I know that we all have vowed to obey God by doing good and eschewing evill This vow we have often renewed Let vs performe it to the Lord otherwayes we are not only unthankfull but also sacrilegiously perfidious Thou hast vowed to eschew whooredom drunkennes malice c. will thou look back againe remember Lots wife who looking back to Sodome was stricken in a pillar of salâ— to season thee by considering her dolefull example It is true we cannot perform what we have vowed by our own strength but the grace of God is sufficient for us and he is ready to 〈◊〉 his grace to all them that call upon him in trueth As shall clearly appeare by the following words which are O Thou that hearest prayer c. Here is set down a reason why praise waiteth for God and why the vow should bee performed to him It is he that heareth prayer Many most excelleÌ„t things there are in God Infinite Wisdom Infinite Power Infinite Iustice but if we consider them with reference to us compare Gods Riches Glory and Majesty with our misery vnworthines and sinne nothing deserveth greater thanksgiving then His Goodnes and Mercie kything in hearing our prayers and in the gracious reliefe and supplie of our necessities It is a thing most wonderfull that He who is so High should so regard vs miserable wormes creeping upon the earth that He who is most Blessed in Himselfe should care for our miserie that we who are deâ—â—ed with sinne should come in His Presence who is a consuming fire to seek any thing from Him and yet His eares are open to our cryes he invites us to pray Trust in him ye people at all times poure out your hearts before him for he is our refuge He hath promised when we call upon him in trouble to hear and deliver us and to strengthen our confidence he taketh to himself this sweet style of the Hearer of prayer what an unspeakable benefit is this that we have the eare of God open to us and his hand ready to help what can they want who have this therefore our Blessed Saviour before his departure promised his disciples for the making of their joy full that their prayers should be heard The consideration of this made David to break out in these words blessed be the Lord who hath not put back my prayer nor turned away his mercie from me But whose prayer doeth he heare To thee shall all flesh come saieth the PROPHET See how ample the benefit is As many as there are in the earth as distant as the places are and as diverse as their troubles ar he can hear all hath made the doore patent to all especially now under the gospell and Christian Church of the amplitude wherof David here prophecieth All flesh he uses the name of flesh not without cause which in scripture importeth calamitie miserie
petitions and yet be againe and againe importunated this is the way to offend them and make them more difficult But a restles importunitie and a kinde of violent urgeing of our desires is most acceptable to God which if we use rightly we are sure to obtaine that which we seek or that which is better Now let us proceed to the second temptation wherewith the faith of this woman was assaulted The disciples of our Lord moved either with pitty or impatience at the hearing of the frequent cryes of this woman desire him that he would dismisse her send her away say they for she cryeth after us Her cryes troubled them and it may be caused the people to gather about them To this our Lord answereth I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of Israel Strange and as it would seeme very uncomfortable words for this woman The meaning of the words is not that he came not to redeeme any but the Jews The scripture clearly telleth us That he is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son to the death that whosoever should beleeve on him should not-perish but have eternal life In the 1. of Mal. it is promised by God that through the Messias his Name should be great among the gentiles from the rising of the sunne to the going down of it In the 2. of Haggai he is called The desire of all nations Isai chap. 11. foretold that the root of Jesse should be an ensigne to the people and that to it the gentiles should seek Before him DAVID prophecied Psal 2. That the heathen should be his inheritance and that the outmost ends of the earth should be his possession And long before him Jacob said That when Shilo came or the Messias to him should be the gathering of the nationes What then ye will say doth our Saviour meane by this that he was not sent but unto the lost sheep of Israel I answer he meaneth that he was sent to be Borne among them to worke his miracles among them to be visibly conversant with them whence he is called The Minister of the circumcision Rom. 15. God carried that respect to the Jews because of the covenant made with their fathers that the Messias was both to come of them and to do his wonderfull works among them not going nor sending to others til they had made themselves unworthie of his presence This is the true sense of his words yet the woman might have easily conceived them so as if they hide simply excluded her from his favour as not belonging to his care This was a mighty assault yet is she not dashed for all that On the contrary the strength of her faith doeth kyth the more in greater servencie and greater devotion for now she runes before him and falleth down at his feet worshippeh him acknowledgeth her own unworthinesse and his infinite excellencie and withall reneweth her petition saying LORD help me Her faith wisly passeth by the words of our Saviour she giveth not a direct answer to theÌ„ but still inforceth her suit as if she would have said O LORD I cannot reason with thee I cannot answer thee one of a thousand thy Words are above my reach Yet one thing I know beleeve that thou art the Saviour of the world who came for them that are miserable and lost and such an one I am therefore LORD help me Let them be affraied of these thy Words who seek the not but as for me I seek thee and will not leave thee untill thou have mercy upon me and sure I am thou not only may but will do it howsoever thou hide thy Love for the time Here we may learne how to incounter with a dangerous temptation which sometimes is suggested unto men namely that they are none of those whom God hath chosen or upon whom he hath set his LOVE and to whom his speciall Care belongeth If Sathan assault thee this way do as this woman did go thou and fall down at the Feet of Christ to worship him lay LORD help me Search not into the deep misâ—ery of Gods Predestination which thou art not able to wade through secret things belong to God and things that are revealed to us say thou therefore to him O LORD thou hast revealed that thou came To seek and save that which is lost and that thou willest not the death of sinners I am a sinner and I am lost O LORD therefore have mercy upon me and help me Say or do what thou will I will never depart from thee till thou blesse me Now let us here the answer of our Saviour to the womans renewed petition Suffer The children to be first satisfied said our Saviour unto her as it is in S. Mark For it is not good to take the bread of the children and to cast it unto dogs What I pray you could seeme more harsk then this he represents her unworhines unto her in respect of the Jews to whom he said before he was sent He calleth them children and her a dog and insinuateth that suppose she wer to get any help from him yet was it not to be expected at this time since the children were not yet satisfied whose bread ought not to be casten unto the dogs This was the third comptation a mighty one She looked for a gracious acceptance at the first and yet findeth herself still rejected and that with a reproach in end yet her faith is so farre from being broken with this that the vigor and strength of it still increased A little flame is soon quenched but a great fire the more it is opposed becometh the more violent so a strong lively faith overcometh al impediments and maketh a man to say with Job although the LORD should slay me yet I will trust in him Hence this woman claspeth yet faster to her Saviour and his Mercies Trueth LORD said she yet the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their masters table Strange and wonderfull words full of humilitie modestie faith and wisdome Humilitie for she acknowledgeth herself to be a dog as she was called Modestie for she expresseth only what is due to dogs not inferring what was due to herself but leaving that to be inferred by our LORD Her faith also shineth in these words for she professeth that she beleeved the miraculous deliverance of her daughter to be but as it wer a crumbe in respect of these great things which his Mercy could give Her wisdom also appeareth greatly in these words for she taketh advantage of our Saviour his own words useth that as a most pregnant argument to perswade him which he used as an argument to repell her as if she would have said O LORD thou callest me a dog and I confesse that in truth it is so but in the mean time even dogs have liberty to eat of the
They murmured because he said I am the bread that came down from heaven They said is not this the son of Ioseph whose father and mother we know how then is it that he sayeth I came down from heaven They were so farre from beleeving and receiving thankfully his heavenly Words that they murmured at them and condemned them within themsolves Beside they had heard seen his great Miracles which he wrought to confirme his Word He had fed five thousand with five loaves as ye may reade in the beginning of this chap. He had healed many sick and had raised the dead These things might have perswaded them that he was more then a man that he had a divine Nature since for confirming of his Deiety these Miracles wet wrought by him◠at least by these wonders they might have been induced to think that he was such an One who would not speak but Truth and that therefore they should have humbly received his Words though not understood by them and that they should have devotly searched after the true meaning of them Yet misregarding both his divine Words and wonderfull Works they turne to culumnies murmuring The reason is clear from the text which our Saviour openeth up more fully hereafter They were carnall and savored only the things of the flesh Their hearts were upon their bodily food whereof while they had expectation they received him as the promised Messias and would have made him a King as ye may reade before but this hope being gone when they heard him speak of an heavenly bread which came down from heaven they despise himself as vile and murmure at his Words as false Such is the corruption of our blinde and perverse nature that we reject and condemne whatsoever savoureth not to our carnall sense judgement by which we presume to measure things divine which when understood should he beleeved and when not understood should be reverenced adored But of this by GODS Grace we shall have occasion to speak more fully hereafter Therefore we come now to the second point No man can come to me except the Father which hath sont me draw him Here is the instruction given by our Saviour to them whereby also he confoteth their murmuring as if he would say yee murmure unjustly there is no falshood in my doctrine but yee do not understand nor beleeve it because none can do this But he which is drawn and enlightned by the Father that hath sent me which yee are not through your own default Put the case a man of great learning were teaching in schools of high and sublime mysteries which cannot be understood by them who are unlearned if rude and unlettered men should come in and heare him and condemne what he said as false and untrue he might justly say to them it is not the falshood or absurdity of my doctrine which maketh you to disassent from it but it is your want of learning without which this doctrine cannot be understood So our Saviour telleth these carnall hearers that there was no default in that which he had said but that they wanted that preparation without which they could not embrace his Words He might have said ye beleev◠not what I shy because ye are blinde carnall and perverse but he choiseth rather to tell them of the necessity being drawn by the Father who sent him for this end that he might be understood and beleeved This he doeth first to show that his doctrine was not false nor contrary to God but a true and divine doctrine to the beliefe wherof the Father himself draweth 2. to shew that it is not in the power of man to understand and receive so high mysteries but that the speciall aide and assistance of GOD is necessary thereunto 3. He speaketh this to strick them with a just terrour by considering that they were not enlightned and drawn by GOD and to stirre them up humbly to beg this heavenly Favour at the Hands of GOD. This much for these words in generall For the more full understanding of them wee shall by GODS Grace open up more particularly what this drawing of the Father is Without which no man can come to the Son Many things may bee and are curiously disputed here-anent but we shall of purpose forbeare them and insist upon these things which may serve more for your edification first then yee are to understand that this drawing of GOD is the Calling of GOD as our Saviour himself expoundeth it in the verses immediatly following But every calling is not this Calling whereof chiefly he intendeth to speak here There is a generall Calling of men by God common both to the reprobate and elect and there is a calling peculiar to the Elect. 1. There is a calling cōmon to both by which God calleth men both outwardly and inwardly He calleth all that are within the Church by his Word heard and read publickly and privatly He calleth by prosperity and adversity by allurements and by scourges Somtimes he hedgeth up the wayes of men with thornes of affliction That they may turne back from their evil way to their God whom they have forsaken Hos 2. 6. Somtimes He loadneth them with blessings that thereby he may draw them as it were with cords and hands of love Hos 11. 4. So also inwardly his divine illustrations and inspirations are in some measure communicated both to the good and to the bade They taste of the good Word of GOD of the heavenly gift and of the powers of the world to come Heb. 6. 5. They are brought to some beliefe and consideration somtimes of death and judgement of the pains of hell and joyes of Heaven and by all these meanes GOD calleth and knocketh as it were at their hearts that they may open yea not once but often doeth he this as all may find by their own experience This calling in some sort may be called a drawing it is not excluded here yet is it not that wherof our Saviour chiefly speaks for he speaketh of that calling which maketh men effectually to follow it as appeareth by the next verses Therefore I said there is another calling proper to the Elect whereby God so concurreth with the means used by him that he effectually enlighteneth the minde changeth the heart and draweth it after him by his Grace preveening exciting assisting and accompanying them powerfully till they attaine unto the end of their faith which is the salvation of their soules Hence our Saviont sayeth a little before All that the Father giveth unto me cometh unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wayes cast out So they that are thus drawn are given by the Father Of him they hear and learne as he sayeth in the next words and therefore undoubtedly come to Christ This is that Gift and Grace of effectuall Calling which overcometh the hardest heart that it meeteth with and is rejected by none as holy AUGUSTINE
speaketh This is that which the devote soule desireth in the first of the Canticles 4. Draw me and wee will rune after thee Of this drawing chiefly as I said these words are to be understood It hath sundry excellent properties whereof I shall touch but some 1. It is so necessar unto us That without it none can come to Christ as our Saviour saith here which he also mainly intends in this place If out Saviour had not called upon Lazarus when he was in his grave with a mighty Voice saying Lazarus come forth he should have remained there still untill he had returned into the dust Even so except the Voice of GOD Call and Draw us out of our corruption we can never come out of it Without me sayeth our LORD Yee can do nothing We are not sufficient of our selves as of our selves to thinke a good thought but all our sufficiency is of GOD. 2. Cor. 3. 5. Our minds are full of blindnes vanity and forgetfulnes our wills are perverse and bent to evil and our spirituall enemies are mighty Yea beside that these actions whereby we must follow GOD are sublime heavenly and supernaturall which nature of it self can never reach unto If the body of a man be able and found he may indeed walke and rune yet can he not slie because that is above the reach and power of nature even so although there were not that corruptions in us which is indeed in us yet without the speciall Assistance of GOD we could never mount up to these high heavenly actions whereby we follow Christ by believing his Truth by loving his Goodnes and hoping in his Mercy It is necessary therefore that we be furnished by him with new Strength whereby he draweth us and inableth us to follow after him He giveth us the eye of Faith whereby we may beleeve meditate contemplate these mysteries which are necessary to be known for our salvation God saieth S. PAUL 2. Cor. 4. who commanded light to shine out of darknes hath made his Light to shine in our hearts He giveth to our soules the spirituall feet or rather wings of Hope and Love by which we may follow after him They that wait upon the LORD Isa 40. 31. shall renew their strength they shall mount up as the â—agels they shall run and not be weary they shall walk not be faine Love and Hope which are the affections of the soul are as it were the feet of it whereby it moveth toward that which it apprehendeth as Good Love is the chief affection and as it were the right foot Thence ariseth desire of Good when it is absent joy of Good when it is present hatred of the contrary evill feare of that evil when it approacheth and sorrow for it when it seizeth on us Hope is as it were the least foot of the soule whereby we move toward that Good which is hard to be obtained From it ariseth boldnes courage magnanimity constancie to endure travails and troubles anger zeale to resist impediments But this Love and Hope simply considered will never leade us in the way to Christ and therefore as God giveth us Faith to be a spirituall eye so he giveth us supernaturall Love and Hope to be the feet of our soule whereby we may move and runne after Christ in the way of the obedience of these commandements which by the light of faith are manifested to us yet so as we chiefly leane to the Love of GOD and our neighbour which is as I said the right and chief foot whereby our hope is strengthened and confirmed For hope maketh us not ashamed because the Love of GOD is shed abroad iâ— our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given us Rom. 5. 5. To conclude this point then This drawing is so necessary that without It noné did ever come or shall ever come to Christ Of our selves we can with these Jews murmure at his Words disassent from them but cannot beleeve them farrelesse can we love him and trust in his mercy Without common calling spoken of before none can come at all in any measure and without this effectuall drawing none can come as he ought Secondly This drawing of the Father is not necessary only for one moment but is a continued and perpetuall assistance We cannot begin without it nor without it can wee end It is GOD that worketh in us both to will and to do Some thought that the beginning of our conversion is from our solves but most falsly There is no good thought nor good affection in us but from God till he preveene and excite us we can neither seek nor desire as we ought The devote soule had never said Draw me and we will ran after thee except in some measure before she had been drawn and excited to seek and to desire to run after Christ Therefore our LORD saieth Behold I stand at the doore I knock He knocketh before we open yea he softneth he openeth it as he did the heart of Lydia Our endevours are none at all saieth S. BERNARD except they be excited He saith Seek my Face before we answer Thy Face LORD I will seek hide not thy Face from me neither cast away thy servant in displeasure So on the other part our endevours are but in vaine if they be not still assisted accompanied by the powerfull Grace of GOD. Hence David sayeth in that same place before cited Thou hast been my help leave me not neither forsake me O GOD of my salvation I have laboured more abundantly then all the Apostles sayeth S. PAUL yet not I but the Grace of God that is within me Albeit we be set in the right way yet can wee not go a foot except Christ bee with us Except thy Presence go with us take us not hence said MOSES to the LORD Exod. 33. who answered him My Presence shall go before thee and give thee rest Whence is it that Godly men do not only follow Christ but think his yoake easie and his burden light because Christ his Grace is alwayes with them supporting strengthening comforting them Hence the deniall of themselves seemeth easie their patience sweet their humility glorious their prayers and devetion pleasant and joyfull Christ going before them also as it were from whose precious oyntments so sweet a smell proceedeth as allureth and draweth after him those that do perceive them His divine Perfections are as it were these precious oyntments especally his Mercy Wisdome and Holines all which send forth a sweet flagrant smell which is most powerfull to draw after him what are his gracious Promises and manifold Blessings his heavenly Illustrations his divine Consolations and most sweet affections of devotion but as it were the sweet and flagrant smell of his Mercy What is his word which is the word of life that discovereth to us the way of salvation but as it were the sweet savour of his Wisdome So all
is not from the earth but from heaven and if he give life to them that are dead he may be justly called The bread of life 3. He addeth these words to comfort Beleevers and to terrifie unbeleevers For no greater comfort can be to them that receive him by a true and lively faith then the assured hope that they shall be raised up by him from death to a glorious and immortall life and on the other part it is matter of exceeding terror to the unbelieving and wicked that they shall not be partakers of this blessed resurrection but they shall be raised up to shame and confusion This point is urged diverse times hereafter by our LORD and therefore it may be we shall have occasion to speak of it more fully Only now consider that this is a point which we should at this time deeply meditate upon He who calleth us and offereth himself unto us is no lesse then he who hath power of life and death even of eternall life and of eternall death If wee answer him and embrace his Calling we may look to have confidence joy and glory at our death and resurrection but if we do otherwayes we can expect nothing but terrour sorrow and confusion Though we think little now of death and resurrection yet they wil come It is appointed for all men once to die and after death cometh judgement The soul will be called out of the body the body will be called out of the grave and both will be called before the Tribunall of GOD. If thou hearkned devotly and obediently to his Calling here Thou shalt lift up thine head then being confident that thy redemption draweth near When GOD sayeth to thy soul at death Come out thou shalt encourage it and say Go 〈◊〉 my soule fear nâ—t it is the Voice of my Beloved calling not to destroy but to save thee It is the voice of him who hath often called me before and whom I have answered by his Grace It is the Voice of him that I was longing for He said to me before Behold I come I have answered even so Amen LORD Iesus come But on the contrary if thou hast despised his gracious and mercifull Calling here thy terrour shall be unspeakable at death and at the resurrection He shall call when thy Lamp is not prepared and albeit thou would not be drawn by his Mercy his Justice shall draw thy soule out of thy body at death and thy body out of the grave at the resurrection although thou call then he will not heare but will say Depart from me I know thee not Long have I cast open the doore of my Mercy unto thee but thou would not enter and now it is shute O how terrible shall this Calling or rather Drawing of iustice be to the disobedient soule body Faine would they draw back into that very nothing out of which they were brought Therefore the wicked shall say then unto the hills and to the mountains fall upon us and cover us from the Face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the Face of the Lamb. Let us therefore while we have time thinke both upon his Mercy Justice These are the two armes of his Providence whereby he draweth to good and from evil MERCY is as it were his Right-Hand which is alluring and comfortable justice his Left-Hand which is terrifying and dreadfull Let us labour That his left hand may be vnder our head as the Spouse speaketh and that his right hand may embrace us that is let us thinke upon his gracious Promises that we may be allured to obey him and withall consider his dreadfull terrours that we may stand in awe to despise his invitations I will speake no more of this Now I proceed It is written in the prophets And they shall be all taught of GOD c. Here he confirmeth and cleareth what he said of the drawing of men to him by the Father He confirmeth it by the testimony of scripture It is written sayeth he in the prophets they shall be all taught of GOD. This testimony is expresly set down Isaiah 54. 13. Where the PROPHET speaking of the happy estate of the Church of the new Testament sayeth to her All thy children shall be taught of the LORD and great shall be their peace According to the sense it is also to be found else-where especially in the 31. 33. of Iâ—r where the LORD speaking of the Church of the new Testament sayeth After those dayes it shall come to passe that I will put my law in their hearts writ it in their inward parts and they shall be my people and I will be their GOD and they shall not teach every man his brother and every man his neighbour but they shall know me from the highest to the least sayeth the LORD For clearing of this yee are to understand that to be taught of God is nothing else but to have our minds enlightned by the knowledge of him and to have his love â—â—â—ed abroad in our hearts so that we obey him and that not out of the fear of punishment but out of the love of righteousnes Of this teaching the Prophet spake when he said Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest and teachest out of thy law and when he said againe Teach me to do thy Will O GOD for it is good This our Saviour manifesteth in the next words wherein he explaineth what it is To be taught by GOD saying That such an one heareth and learneth of the Father and cometh to him that is he that is so taught understandeth and beleeveth that which the Father revealeth and embraceth it by sincere love and affection and so cometh to Christ by faith by hope by love and obedience Hence S. AUGUSTINE in his book of the Grace of Christ 12. and 13. chapters inferreth That this doctrine of the Father is nothing else but his heavenly Grace communicated to us whereby he maketh us not only to know what we should do but also to do what we know whereby he maketh us not only to beleeve that which should be loved but also to love that which we beleeve This is the doctrine of the Father whereby from on hye by his unspeakable Power inwardly he manifesteth his truth and communicateth to us the love of himself This also is manifest as S. AUGUSTINE observeth there from the 1. Thess 4. 9. where S. PAUL sayeth As for brotherly love yee have not need that I should write unto you for yee are taught of GOD to love one another So the Teaching of GOD maketh us not only to know what should be done but also to do that which we know And he that knowes and doeth not is not caught by God He is not taught according to grace but according to the law he is not taught according to the spirit but according to the letter Secondly Yee are to consider that our Saviour by urging
for ought I know hath had so great peace and prosperity joyned with the profession of it The second thing which I would have you to observe is that albeit the outward means are much to be esteemed yet we are to depend chiefly upon the Instruction of GOD. He is the chief Master and in respect of him none is worthy of that name call no man your master sayeth our Saviour upon earth First there is no master which hath such Wisdome and Knowledge GOD is essentially and of himself Wise He hath not had nor could not have any Teacher Counseller or Book of which he might learne His Wisdome is of himself and in himself he seeth all things that are to be done Therefore his Knowledge is unbounded and He is only Wise as the Apostle calleth him All others of themselves are ignorant their knowledge is from him hath narrow limites and hath much errour and ignorance joyned with it Whence often the doctrine of others is pernicious to them that learne of them but that which GOD teacheth is alwayes true and saving and such as may leade us to deliverance from the greatest evils and to the obtaining of our soveraigne good Secondly As God infinitely excelleth others in Wisdome so in his Ability of communicating it Put the case the knowledge of a man were never so great yet can he not make others learned except they have ingine and take paines but our heavenly Master is able to make the most rude to learne every truth that he pleaseth He is absolute LORD of our spirits and can speak in them what he pleaseth Again suppose we understand the truth yet it may be we are not moved not can be moved by the doctrine of our Master to love it but God is able to make us love what we know without force constraint yea with exceeding joy delight In a word the knowledge which we have by man iâ— dry and puffed up but that which is from God doth satiate the SOUL knowledge obtained by man reacheth to the understanding but that which is by God reacheth to the affections also That is â—peculative this is practicall effectuall That is as it were a shyning light this both shineth burneth That maketh learned but this markeâ— SAINTS It is the knowledge of salvation or the saving knowledge 〈◊〉 1. 97. And therefore should be chiefly desired Thirdly Observe that he 〈◊〉 hearing to the SOUL every one that heareth and learneth of the Father As the body hath five senses whereby it perceiveth things profitable and pleasant so the soul hath actions answerable to these senses whereby it perceiveth the things that are spirituall in scripture are called by the name of SENSES seeing hearing smelling c. We hear God inwardly when we receive his Inspirations which are words as it were whereby he speaketh inwardly to our heart This is that hearing without which the outward availeth nothing It is the Voice of God as we said that changeth the heart which softeneth the hard heart and maketh it to melt which inflameth the cold heart maketh it to burne as we reade of the two disciples going to Emaus which pacifieth the troubled heart and secleth it in tranquillity Thus God speakes somtimes to SINNERS He maketh them to hear a voice as it were behinde them saying this is the good way walk in it and yee shall find rest unto your soules but most commonly this way he speaketh to the Godly instructing comforting and exhorting them to a continuall progresse in piety 2. There is a spirituall sight while as God infuseth a clear light in our minds whereby with Moses We see him that is invisible apprehending divine mysteries more firmely clearly then we did before and in such a manner as is fit to raise up love desire and joy in our hearts for this fight the holy Apostle did pray Ephes 1. 17. 18. When he desired That GOD would give them the spirit of Wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him that the eyes of their minde being enlightned they might see what was the hope of his Calling and the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the saints So there is a spirituall SMELL Christ is anoynted with the oyle of gladnes above his fellowes His name is as oyntmenâ— poured forth The good oyntments of his divine Perfections and heavenly vertues send forth so sweet a savour as maketh the Spouse in the Gant to say Draw us and we will run after thee This the soul perceiveth by a spirituall kinde of smell and the feeling of it raiseth up most ardent desires and stirreth up to most earnest endevours of the things that are heavenly Like wise the soul hath a spirituall taste There is an unspeakable Sweetnet in GOD in his divine Mysteries and Obedience which may be tasted by the soul of a spirituall man O taste and see how sweet the LORD is sayeth David as if he would say If yee taste yee will know the sweetnes of his Goodnes Mercy Liberality and Power So we may say of every divine mystery Taste and see how sweet it is and of every vertue Taste see how sweet is obedience patience humility chastiry charity c. Lastly There is also a spirituall touch Hence the devote soule Cant. 2. 6. sayeth His left hand is under mine head and his right hand doeth embrace me and againe I have found him whom my soul loved I held him and would not let him go But why do I insist so much upon this first To shew the admirable Goodnes of GOD who vouchsafeth so many wayes to communicate himself to us and maketh us so many wayes able to receive him All this proceedeth meerly froÌ„ his infinite Goodnes There should be no losse to him although we should never SER his Beauty HEART his Voice SMELL the sweet Savour of his Precious Oyntments TASTE his Sweetnes or EMBRACE him in the armes of our love this should nothing impaire his Felicity which from eternity he perfectly enjoyed and might unto all eternity enjoy without our injoying of him but all this proceedeth from his admirable Goodnes which delighteth to commucat it self to his unworthy creatures Secondly I have insisted upon this at this time to move you to stirre up all the powers and faculties of your fouls to receive him who offereth himself at this time most abundantly to bee participated by us first Christ offereth himself to be seen by us in these sacred mysteries both as GOD and man Here we may see him by the eye of faith as GOD not simply as GOD but as GOD made man and as made a man of sorrowes for us and as made the bread of life unto us What a wonderfull sight is this how can the Angels of heaven but admire to see the only begotten Son of God who is in the bosome of the Father The brightnes of his Glory and the expresse Image of his person eternall and