to streame afterwards into all the Body For though the Vowes be two yet are they both resolued into the same parts there are in effect the same Contents in either votiue Prayer Let vs take them asunder and see it In that either is a vow you must find in either the parts of a vow they are a Desire and a Promise you may see them euidently in either Vow First in the Vow that King Dauid maketh for Himselfe hee doth expresse a desire to be restored vnto and preserued in the state of Grace and if he speede hee doth Promise a religious Seruice vnto God These two Poynts are enlarged in the seauenteene first verses in the personall Case of King Dauid and being contracted are repeated againe with a speciall Application to his kingdome in the two last You see the breife of the whole Psalme but it is too scant it will not yeeld you a full view let vs then goe backe againe and vnwrap these particulars that we may take more feeling notice of the spirituall riches that are contayned therein The first Vow is made for King Dauid the first branch of that Vow is his Desire and the first Petition in that Desire is That he may be restored vnto Grace In this Petition there are two remarkable things the Matter which hee presents vnto God and the Manner wherewith hee doth ingeminate the same Matter and presse God with it The Matter is contained in these two first verses which in effect sound onely this Miserable King Dauid desires reliefe from the effectuall Mercie of God in Iesus Christ. Where there is Sinne there is Miserie behold here varietie of Sinne Transgressions Iniquities Distortions all cleauing to Dauid for Mee and Mine confirme asmuch and make him a Wretch though hee were a King Now what is the Remedie of such Miserie but effectuall Mercie and this we finde here Mercy by Name in the entrance of the Prayer Haue Mercie But whereas there is Mercy in Affectu or in Effectu Mercy in God or Mercy from God King Dauid doth desire not onely that God would bee gratiously affected towards him but also that hee would worke powerfully vpon him 1. Vpon the Guilt of his Sinne Dele quit me thereof 2. vpon the Corruption of his Sinne Laua wash me therefrom Yea because Guilt is sooner remoued then Corruption clensed keeping correspondencie with Gods Course in working therein he adds Multùm laua Munda neuer giue ouer washing vntill thou hast made mee throughly cleane thus doth Miserie seeke vnto Mercy But where is Mercy to be found surely in God to Him he directs his Prayer Haue Mercy vpon me O God There is no remedie for a sinfull Man but in God whom he hath offended with his sinne and therefore hee saith Secundum Tuam Misericordiam according to Thy Mercy It is Gods propertie to haue Mercy but it is Gods in Christ so much is meant by the next words according to thy louing kindnesse according to thy tender Mercies God shines Graciously to none but in the Face of Iesus Christ and in him is God become a tender harted Father to all penitent Sinners To all I say for hee hath not onely tender Mercies but there is also in them to bee considered the Measure Rob is the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee translate it Multitude but it signifies also Magnitude and giueth vs to vnderstand that bee our sinfull Miserie neuer so great neuer so diuerse wee shall not want releife in Mercy which is more great and manifold Finally the Text doth tell vs that as our Miserie must seeke for Mercie in God onely in whom it may be found so we must not dreame that any thing without God can obtaine this at Gods hands therefore wee must pray Secundum according to thy louing kindnesse O Lord let that be not onely the Measure of the Mercy which I seeke but the inducement thereto also And so haue you the Contents of that portion of King Dauids Desire which I haue read vnto you I will now resume them and to your and my farther edification enlarge the exposition of them First then though Mercy stand formost in the Text yet I will begin with the Miserie for Miserie is first in Nature and were it not for that there were no neede of Mercie add hereunto that the sense of Miserie sets the best edge vpon the desire of Mercie and he wil more eagerly long after it that perceiueth throughly in what need hee stands of it I told you that Dauid was miserable though he were a King were there no other proofe there is enough implyed in the first word hee that cryeth Miserere haue mercy doth plainly confesse that he is in Miserie for one Correlatiue cānot subsist without the other But to put it out of al doubt here is enough exprest to proue him a Wretch Pro. 14. Peccatum facit populos miseros wheresoeuer there is Sinne there is Miserie yea and there only for sinne only is simply Euill Malum Paenae Calamitie and Woe though we call them Euills yet indeed they are not so simply but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Person is and as God intends for that otherwise they are good it is plaine by two vndoubted grounds the Efficient and the Finall Cause That which is Properly Euill hath onely Causam deficientem it springs from the fayling of a reasonable Creature but Woe hath Causam Efficientem it springs from the almighty Hand of God Hee is the Creator of this Darkenesse aswell as the opposite Light As it hath an Efficient so hath it a Final Cause that is the Recouerie of a sinner God iudgeth vs temporally that he may not iudge vs eternally therfore Dauid saith Pal. 119.71 Bonum est Domine quod humiliasti me it is good for me Lord that I haue bin in trouble but that which is truly Euill is destitute of a Finall cause aswel as it was of an Efficient as it comes from weak enes so it ends in vanitie It is true that God doth often times draw light out of darkenesse Good out of that which is simply Euill but that is don by his Transcendent Prouidence it will neuer proue that that which is truly Good truly Euill can haue any naturall habitude the one to the other or that they haue any Cognation betweene themselues Wherefore onely Sinne being simply Euill is that which properly maketh a Wretch And verily wee that beholding Beggers Lazars men any waies afflicted confesse them miserable si adspici possint lanitatus if we had eies to see the spirituall wounds and sores the wantes and the Woes of Adulterers Murderers Blasphemers any other wicked liuers wee would confesse them to be much more miserable My Text doth occasion me to giue you a tast thereof by opening the three words wherewith Dauid doth expresse his sinne The first is Peshang 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is well rendred a Transgression that is
Gods Word which is the first Branch of Iustice The second is Integritie Integritie I told you is Iustitia in facto when iust deeds are squared by iust wordes The Deed heere is Iudging and this word must lead vs to another Chapter the 12. of the 2. of Sam. Where the same Nathan commeth vnto Dauid with a second Message a Message that containeth a performance of that which God promised in the former Message hee promised that if he did sinne hee should smart and there hee maketh him smart hee promised that hee should not so smart but hee should haue good proofe of Gods greater Mercie and there he feeleth it in the Absolution from his sinne So that Gods Deeds in Iudging keepe good correspondencie with his Wordes therefore is Integritie ascribed vnto them for what is the integrity of a Iudge but the true temper of Seuerity and Mercy if God be Iudge the gracious mixture of the Law and the Gospel where both these are put in practice and put in practice as they ought there is Integrity so much is wanting of Integritie as is wanting of these if Seuerity bee administred without Mercy or if Mercy haue not the vpper hand of Seuerity there wanteth Integritie in the gouerment of the Common-weale because he is commanded of God so to temper his Iudgement And God may seeme to come short of his Integritie if hee did not mixe and mixe so his Law with his Gospell as he himselfe being otherwise free hath by promise laid a tie vpon himselfe Hee couenanted with Dauid to administer the Law vnto him and chastise his sinnes but citra condignum with the rod of a Man and not of God He couenanted with him to administer vnto him the Gospell but vltra condignum not after the manner of Men but after the manner of God Thus to administer both Law and Gospell so to dispence Mercy and Seuerity is Gods clearing himselfe in Iudgement I called it his Integritie Ioyne these now together Promissionem et Praestationem the 7. and the 12. of the 2. of Sam. whereof one containeth the promising Word the other the performing Iudgement and couple the Integrity of the Performance with the Fidelity of the Promise and you haue an excellent Picture or Representation of the Iustice wherewith God doth gouerne his Church Now this Iustice must haue its Praise As God is Iust in speaking so must hee bee Iustified as hee is cleare in Iudging so must hee be clarified that I may so say that is glorified These two Verbes doe not import that the Creature can infuse any perfection into the Creator will wee nill wee these things are in him Fidelitie is inseperable from his wordes and Integrity from his Iudgements all that can be done by vs is Cognitio Recognitio we are bound to take notice of them and not to smother our knowledge but yeeld God the glory that is due vnto them To this end doth God manifest his perfections vnto the reasonable Creature and in their owne Cases doe they feele and see in other Mens Cases the experience of them Saint Paul seemeth to read the latter part of the Text otherwise then here is exprest for hee hath Rom. 3.4 that thou mightest ouercome when thou art iudged whereas heere it is that thou mightest be cleare when thou iudgest They are not words of a contrary meaning but Saint Pauls Text which followeth the Septuagint doth adde an obseruation ouer and aboue that which you haue heard that is Though God be Iudge of all the world yet worldly men sticke not to take vpon them to iudge God yea and God is pleased to put his Iustice vpon tryall as wee read Esay 1. Micah 6. and elsewhere so carefull is hee that not onely his proceedings be iust but his Iustice euident also so euident as that whosoeuer shall contend with him in Iudgement shall bee driuen to yeeld The best haue oftentimes doubts and disputes they question Gods Integritie how the Gospell and the Law can stand together and God at the same time condemne and absolue and yet bee iust God would settle their consciences Vnbeleeuers not onely quarrell with but deny also Gods Integritie but the Mouthes of all gainsayers shall bee stopped they shall bee forced to subscribe to confesse that God is cleare in Iudging free from all drosse of contradiction that Mercy and Truth may kisse each other and the Law goe hand in hand with the Gospell as after appeares And so haue I declared vnto you the praise of Gods Iustice I come now to shew you the reference that it hath vnto K. Dauids sin which that I may the better do you must obserue that the former words Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight may be vnderstood either Materialiter or Formaliter as a Description of sinne or a Supplication of a sinner Some vnderstand them after the latter fashion and so King Dauid Non not at finem peccati sed precationis hee noteth not the end of his Sinning but the end of his Praying Non dicit quo fine fecerit Malum sed quo fine nunc faciat bonum hee doth not shew vs whereat he aymed when he sinned but what he desireth now heeprayeth Hee desireth that as in amplifying of his sinne hee doth by a Comparison amplifie Gods Iustice for Contraria iuxta posita magis elucescunt Vertue neuer shineth more gloriously then when vice is made a foile vnto it so his recouery may bee a Monument of Gods Mercy And we may well propose vnto our selues in our confession the setting forth of Gods glory and this may be the end of it yea comfortles were our Confession if it were not for this end God would not accept it neither should wee haue good of it the more we humble our selues to magnifie God the more wee doe our duty and the more wee shall tast of his Mercy To make good this sense some take in some of the former words I acknowledge my sinnes yea goe backe as farre as the beginning of the Psalme Haue Mercy vpon me O Lord. And indeed those two must concurre the humble Repentance of a sinner and the gracious Indulgence of a good God that God may be iustified in his sayings and cleare when he his iudged O Lord saith Gregorie if thou doe not forgiue the Penitent thou wilt haue none to whom thon mayst performe thy Couenant Ruffinus and diuers other Fathers doe amplifie this sense and restraine it to the particular Case of King Danid as if the gracious promise in the 7th of the the 2. of Sam must needs fall to the ground if the indulgence specified in the 12th of the 2. of Sam. had not released the forfeiture which God might haue taken for King Dauids sinne Though this be a religious and a true sense of the word yet hath Saint Paul taught vs another that doth better fit the Contexture Rom. 3.4 wherefore Saint Chrysostome and
from it so likewise his blotting out is not Gods hauing no record of our sinne but not to vse it as an indictment against vs in iudgement and so because in law Idem est non esse non apparere that whereof no vse is made is figuratiuely said to be blotted out so that the words are not to bee vnderstood absolutely but metonymically and Ruffinus doth well qualifie them with a quasi quasi abscondit faciem suam and quasi delet God so dealeth with a penitent as if his face were hid and as if his booke were razed in regard of the sinfulnesse of his person A second proofe of the possibilitie of King Dauids speeding in his petition may be taken from the ceremoniall Law of Moses wherein Gods presence was figured in the Cloud so Moses calleth it in Exodus now betweene that and the place where the Israelites did sacrifice vnto God there hung a double vaile Cap. 13.21 Cap. 16.10 c. whereby Gods countenance was hid from seeing their imperfections when they humbled themselues penitently at his altar Adde hereunto that the Propitiatorie was betweene Gods face and the Tables of the Couenant which the Israelites entred into with God and by which in iustice God might measure all the passages of their life These are types of greater things Saint Paul calleth Christs flesh a vaile and hee cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Propitiatorie Rom. 3.25 And indeed so it is Heb. 10.20 God doth not behold vs but in Christ through the vaile of that flesh that suffered for vs in him that hath cancelled the obligation that was against vs not with the eyes of a righteous Iudge but of a mercifull father And this sense must bee added to the former to make the defence compleate and a Penitent hopefull that hee shall speed of such a prayer I conclude all with a good note of Theodoret who layeth this verse to a former I know mine owne wickednesse my sinne is euer before me thereupon saith hee it followeth well Turnethy face away from my sinne c. if wee fixe our eyes feelingly vpon our sinnes God will turne his eyes from them and God will not keepe them in his booke if Wee record them penitently Wherefore that God may looke off let vs looke on our sinfull selues let vs booke all our misdeeds that God may blot them out so shall we finde him in Christ not a Iudge but a Father his loue shall not suffer him to see that whereof hee cannot be ignorant neither will hee euer indict vs though the Record bee neuer so faire and full that hee hath against vs whereupon wee may with King Dauid pray no lesse hopefully then humbly Turne thy face from our sinnes O Lord and blot out all our offences If thou Lord marke what is done amisse who is able to abide it PSAL. 51. VERS 10. Create in mee a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within mee OVr naturall corruption is cured by Grace and grace doth cure it partly by forgining and partly by regenerating of the forgiuenesse you haue heard on the former verse and on this verse you are to heare of the Regeneration And that which you shall heare is first What then Whence it is In opening What it is the Text will leade me to shew you first in what part wee must haue it and secondly of what guifts it consists the part is set downe first in generall it is our inwards wee must haue it within but within wee haue many inwards whereof here are two distinctly exprest and they are two principall ones the Heart and the Spirit whereof the one noteth the soueraigne and the other the actiue power of our soule these are the parts that are to bee regenerated Now the guifts whereof this Regeneration consists are Holinesse and Stayednesse Holinesse of the soueraigne power and of the actiue Stayednesse the first wee haue if our Heart be cleane and the other if our Spirit be right This is Regeneration But whence is it surely from God to him King Dauid seeketh for it Create in me a cleane heart O God As it is fom him so it is no ordinary guift of his it is a Worke of his great Might for it is a Creation Create in mee and of his great Mercy for it is a Renouation Renew in mee our forfeiture maketh vs indebted vnto Gods Mercy renewing not onely to his creating Power These be the particulars which this Text doth occasion me to consider in Regeneration what remaineth but that our Regeneration may be furthered by them wee listen vnto them with a religious eare as they shall be further vnfolded briefly and in their order The first point then is the part wherein wee must haue Regeneration the text saith wee must haue it within S. Ambrose lest we should grossly mistake our corporall inwards for our spirituall tels vs that the inwards here vnderstood are Intelligibilia viscera the reasonable powers of our soule and of them our Sauiour Christ saith in the Gospel â—â—at 15.11 Not that which goeth in but that which commeth out defileth a man now where sinne first began there must Regeneration begin also but sinne began in the inwards Psal 49.20 for Man being in honour had no vnderstanding yea were it not for the vnderstanding a man could not sinne for it is an vndoubted Maxime Bruta non peccant no creature that is deuoid of conscience can contract guilt and it is as true that in whom there is no Reason there can be no Vertue for Reason is the proper subiect of Vertue and because of Vertue therefore of Regeneration which is the roote of all heauenly Vertues see then why King Dauid desireth Regeneration within because there is the proper seate of it And indeed except it begin there well may a man bee an hypocrite Religious he cannot be Mat. 23 27. he will be but like a painted Sepulchre as Christ speaketh that within is full of dead mens bones Liuing Temples of the holy Ghost must bee like the materiall temple of Salomon whereof the the innermost part was the place of Gods residence and therefore was Sanctum Sanctorum the most holy place the next place was Sanctum holy and the rest Sanctuarium partaking of holines though in a lower degree so much lower as it was farther from the place of Gods residence euen so though Regeneration must sanctifie our bodies yet more our soules though it must sanctifie our Vnderstanding yet must it sanctifie our Will much more and that which is most inward must bee sanctified first I conclude this point with Christs admonition giuen to the Pharisees Mundate quod intus â—â—t 23 26. when we desire Regeneration let vs desire to haue it specially in the inward man to haue our reasonable inwards new moulded by grace But what inwards here are two mentioned the Heart and the Spirit these words are often vsed the one for the other
conuerted thereby and let vs each hasten other in our returne toward thee Let vs be carefull to saue not our selues onely but others also that each may bee the others ioy when we shall both be presented spotlesse and blamelesse at the appearing of Christ. PSAL. 51. VERSE 14. Deliuer me from bloud guiltinesse O God thou God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing aloude of thy righteousnesse THe religious seruice which King Dauid vowed is the Edifying of others and the gâ—â—rifying of God how he will edifie others you haue heard and are to heare how he will glosie God God may be glorified either in regard of the particular sauom hâ— sheweth vs or the generall worth that is in himselfe Dauid promiseth to glorifie God in both respects At this time my Text doth occasion me to speake of the former wherein I will obserue first a spirituall Pange haâ—ouer taketh his Deuotion and then the Deuotion it selfe In the Pange we shall see what he seeleth and to whom he slieth he feeleth a sting of Conscience a remorse of Bloud-guiltinesse and being pained herewith he seeketh for ease he crieth Deliuer But he seeketh discretly and ardently discretly for he seeketh to him that can Deliuer to the Lord who is interested in the consciences of his creatures and as he can so he will he is the God of his childrens saluation This is his discretion which he warmeth with Zeale hee is earnest in his petition which you may gather out of the doubling of the name of God Deus Deus salutis meae Hauing thus ouercome the spirituall Pange that interrupted him hee falleth to his Deuotion wherein you must marke first the argument that he insisteth vpon and that is God Righteousnesse Secondly the manner how he doth extoll it which is publike and cheerefull publike for hee will vtter it by his tongue cheerefull for his tongue shall sing aloude These bee the particulars which wee must now looke into farther and in their order And first of spirituall Pangs in generall King Dauid had a pardon of this sinne particularly besides a generall promise that God would neuer withdraw his grace from him and yet we find him here perplext and distrest in conscience Though I did on a former Verse touch at the reasons hereof yet will it not be amisse that I a little farther enlarge this point There can be no doubt but Gods truth is infallible he cannot denie himselfe hee will neuer recall his word but yet Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis the vertues wherewith we entertaine Gods promises are as wee are imperfect because we art partly flesh and partly spirit our faith is not without doubting if their be imperfection in our faith which is the foundation of our spirituall life our Hope will be answerable it will not be without distrusting neither will our Charitie be better we cannot so loue but we will feare And why Could we cast our eyes onely vpon God his goodnesse must needes appeare wonderfull and so leaue a kind of amazednesse in vs neither can we easily beleeue that he should vouchsafe such fauor vnto man but we more often cast our eyes vpon our selues vpon our wickednesse whereby we haue broken Gods lawes vpon our vnthankfulnesse which haue set light by Gods blessings and this is able to stagger our faith much more especially when the Serpent shall plie vs with the representation of Gods iustice thereby indeauouring to ouer-whelme our Meditations vpon his mercies and shall presse vnto our conscience the imperfection of our faith hope and charitie so farre as to perswade vs that they haue no truth at all Here-hence spring those spirituall pangs in so much that euen in those which by grace haue giuen sinne a deadly wound you shall perceiue many pangs as it were of spirituall death and as men that are recouered out of an Ague haue many troublesome grudgings thereof that disquiet them not a little euen so Penitents aster enormous sinnes must looke for many a smarting twitch of the worme of conscience But to leaue spirituall Pangs in generall and come to that which in particular is toucht here in my Text he feeles are morse of bloud-guilâ—inesse the euill he feeles is exprest by the name of blouds so the word is in the originall and is vsed to note either our originall corruption or actuall sinne King Dauid in the former part of this Psalme confesseth both that sinne that he inherited from his Parents and that which hee contracted himselfe therefore of the Interpreters some pitch vpon the former and some the later Saint Austin pitcheth vpon the originall sinne and supposeth that Dauid was moued with remorse of his corrupt nature which is the cause of all sinne and indeede they that are borne in Concupiscence are said to be borne of flesh and bloud 1. Cor. 15. and Saint Paul meaneth that wee must put off that before we can be fully blest when he saith that flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of heauen Finally it is that where at God pointeth Ezek. 16. when he speaketh thus to the Church When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud I said vnto thee in thy bloud Liue. The reason of the phrase is because Vitaest in sanguine as the law speaketh the animall life subsisteth in the bloud and the abundance of bloud is the fuell of concupiscence whereupon some coniecture not improbably that to note this the legall expiation of sinne was made by the effusion of bloud Some goe not so farre as originall sinne but vnderstand the word of actuall which is the fruit of originall and because of actuall sins some are by Diuines called spirituall some carnall spirituall such as mooue from and are transacted principally by the reasonable faculties of the soule and haue but sequelam a concomitancie of animall carnall those that are suggested from and acted by the animall soule principally and haue but a concomitancie of the rationall by blouds they vnderstand that later kind of sinne And indeede such were the sinnes whereof King Dauid had now remorse his Adulterie his Murder both sprang from bloud adulterie from bloud luxuriant which made him transgresse in his concupiscible facultie murder from bloud ebullient which made him transgresse in his Irascible facultie The word Sanguines being plurall is by the Fathers obserued to note plentie and varietie of sinne some in one word parallell it with the first verse of this Psalme where Dauid mencioneth all his Iniquities and then there is a Synecdoche in the word species progenere the carnall sinnes put for all kind of sinnes which some resolue into sinnes past present and to come But it is best to keepe our selues vnto the Argument of that storie whereunto this Psalme alludes and then Varietie shall note Adulterie and Murder and Plentie shall consist in the many murders that followed the adultery Vriah was treacherously slaine and that he might be slaine treacherously many others
in Baptisme which is a conformitie to Christ dying and rising from the dead In a word all Christs commandements are eyther affirmatiue or negatiue In regard of the affirmatiue wee must imitate Dauid a man after Gods owne heart Acts 13. who did facere omnes voluntates Dei doe all that which God would haue him doe And touching the negatiue wee must imitate the same Dauid who saith of himselfe that All wicked wayes he did vtterly abhorre Psal 119. If thus we liue we shall doe as we pray Gods will in earth as it is done in heauen But who can doe so it is more than is possible for this fraile life wherefore we may vnderstand All two manner of wayes secundum partes and secundum gradus According to the parts of our duety wee must omit no part but must exercise our selues in euery thing which Christ requires As for the degrees though we must striue to attaine the highest yet if we reach not so farre we must not despaire Austin Quisquis non potest implere quod iubet Christus amet eum qui impleuit in illo implet that which was impossible for the Law by reason of the weaknesse of our flesh Rom. 8. God sending his sonne in the similitude of our flesh for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might bee fulfilled in vs Cap. 19. which walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit Hitherto you haue seene how the Minister must praeire praecepto lead the people by good Instruction now see in a word how hee must lead them by good Example The commandements that Christ gaue he gaue to the Apostles meaning that they should make vse of them themselues as well as perswade the people to it St. Paul vnderstood it so who saith of himselfe 1 Cor. 9. I beate downe my body and bring it vnder lest when I preach vnto others my selfe become a Reprobate and biddeth Timothie bee an example to his flocke we must not be like Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. that bound heauie burdens and layd them vpon the peoples shoulders whereat they would not lift with one of their fingers It is too foule a reproach for a Minister so by his liuing to contradict his preaching as to deserue to be replyed vnto in that Prouerbe Medice cura teipsum and so destroy more than he can build This dishonour I wish you to auoyd And so at length I haue done with the Charge come we now to the Comfort That I told you standeth in the powerfull and perpetuall presence and assistance of Christ Christs presence is noted by Ego vobiscum I am with you which doth shew vs the truth of Christs name Immanuel God with vs Mat. 1. Esay 8. the Holy Land was called Terra Immanuel the Land of God is with vs and because that was but a Type look into the place where God put his name Ezekiel in the vision of the new Hierusalem telleth vs that the name of that Citie is Iehoua shamma Cap. 48. Dominus ibi the Lord is there both in the new Testament and in the old that saying of Wisedome in the Prouerbs cap. 8. is receiued My delight is to be with the sonnes of men But how can Christ which is ascended into heauen be with them vpon earth the name of Christ containeth the Manhood as well as the Godhead now the Manhood is finite therfore cannot be both in Heauen Earth True the Manhood cannot but the Man may No man saith Christ Iohn 3. ascendeth vnto heauen but hee that descended from heauen the sonne of man which is in heauen this Christ spake when he was vpon the earth If the sonne of man could bee in heauen while Christ was on the earth surely the sonne of man may bee on the earth while Christ is in heauen We must vnderstand it of the Person which is but one though two Natures subsist therein and both natures concurre in the production of the seuerall workes of the Mediator in a manner which wee cannot conceiue But we must take heede of the Lutherans racking of this conceipt who would make the Humanitie of Christ to haue a double existence one finite which they call Physicall the other infinite which they call Hyperphysicall which distinction is such as I thinke themselues doe not vnderstand I am sure they doe not expresse it so that it may bee conceiued no more doe Papists that to beare out Transubstantiation haue coined the like But to leaue them Christ that is man is present euery where though not in his Manhood yet in his Godhead If this bee too obscure take a plainer manner his Presence by his Holy Spirit Misit Vicarium spiritum sanctum as Tertullian speaketh If I go not away saith Christ the Comforter will not come Iohn 14. but if I goe I will send him to you from my Father and where the Spirit is there is Christ St. Iohn teacheth vs so By this wee know that he abideth in vs by the Spirit that he hath giuen vnto vs. 1 Epist 3. But it is not a bare presence that we haue to doe withall I told you it is a powerfull presence the word Ego I must bee vnderstood with an Emphasis I that haue all power giuen mee both in heauen and earth that haue ouercome the world in my owne person and in my own person cast out the Prince of this world that haue all iudgement giuen vnto me from the Father whom all the Angels doe worship And indeede the Presence of such a person was behoofefull whether you respect those to whom they were sent or that which they were to doe the Apostles though they carried heauenly treasures it was but in earthen vessels themselues were but plain men of no great parts nor parentage in outward shew likely not only to be scorned but also to be persecuted when they had deliuered their message the Dragon and all his Angels were like fiercely to oppose them ea Christ told them that he sent them as sheepe amongst wolues And how vnlikely might they thinke themselues to preuaile with all sorts of men and perswade them to forsake their Idolatry and turne to God to beleeue in Christ crucified take vp their crosse and follow him The vndergoing of such a danger the compassing of such a designe require a powerfull Presence without which the Apostles would neuer haue ventared to vndertake their charge When God bid Moses goe to Pharaoh and command him to let Israel goe out of Captiuitie how doth he excase himselfe dis-inable himselfe what adoe hath God with him nothing could put him in heart but Ero tecum I will be with thee Exod. 3.12 that so emboldned him that being but a single and a silly man at least the companie that hee tooke with him were of no great regard yet they ventured into Pharaohs Court into his presence and without feare of him or his greatnesse deliuered
Confession the Aduisers shew how little grace there is in that Sect how vnlikely they are vnto King Dauid and vnto Iames and Iohn Howsoeuer they did let vs be of the old Patriarke Iacobs minde and say of them as he sayd of his sonnes Simeon and Leui they were Brethren in iniquity My glory enter not into their secret and my honour be thou not vnited to their Assembly Let vs not auenge our selues but giue place vnto wrath knowing that vengeance belongeth vnto God and hee will repay But if wee haue bitter zeale let vs not boast Wee lie against the truth as Saint Iames speaketh Hoc nomine ijs à quibus iniurias accepimus sublimiores simus ostendamus quid illos daemones doceant quid Christus nos erudiat In a word Nazianâ—â—â— Let euery man be slow to wrath seeing the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnes of God And thus much of the Case of Conscience A second vse that we should all make of this Storie thus applied is to be stirred vp hereby vnto heartie thankfulnesse for our Deliuerance If wee did congratulate our first restitution to the Gospel by Queene Elizabeth how must we also our continuation thereof and preseruation therein in the dayes of King Iames that hee hath not suffered the Destroyer to haue his will against vs he hath saued our soules and saued our bodies the Destroyer aimed at the ruine of both Their first intent was to make vs drinke of their golden cup of poyson to make vs fall downe and worship their Idoll But not speeding of that because it pleased God to continue our Soueraigne a constant Defender of the Truth they attemped a second ruine the ruine of our bodies But Iesus hath Saued vs from both he hath saued vs from being corrupted with their Heresies he hath saued vs from being Destroyed by their malice So that wee may say Blessed be the Lord which hath not giuiug vs as a prey vnto their teeth Wee can neuer more feelingly receiue the Eucharist then vpon this occasion there is present our Iesus he inuiteth vs to partake of him And wee that haue Seene let vs also taste how good the Lord is and praise him because wee finde that all are so blest that put their trust in him I end The summe of all is The Church is subiect to the Crosse and Christians must looke to suffer and must not be ashamed to suffer for Christ But in suffering they must remember not to recompence euill for euill but to ouercome euill with good So did Christ so must Christians both in Word and Deed. O Lord that by thy Words and by thy Deeds hast taught vs to spend the heate of our zeale in the constant profession of thy Truth not in the bloody persecution of our foes giue vs grace to possesse our soules in patience and let the bloud of our deadliest enemies be precious in our sight So shall we beare the character not of the Destroyer but of the Deliuerer and hauing happily escaped all plots of our destruction in thy House with songs of prayse blesse thee O Iesu the only constant Author no lesse of our temporall then of our eternall Saluation A SERMON PREACHED AT St ANDREWES IN WELLES ONE DOING PENANCE FOR JNCEST PSALME 50. VERSE 21. These things hast thou done and J kept silence thou thoughtest that J was altogether such a one as thy selfe but J will reproue thee and set them in order before thine eyes THE Argument of this Psalme is an heauenly Assises whereof we haue here the Apparance and the Indictment the apparance made at it and the indictment read in it The Apparance is great whether we respect the Iudge or the iudged the Iudge GOD the iudged the Church of the Iewes both are set forth GOD in Maiesty whether you respect his owne Person or Attendants the Church with her prerogatiues as she is consecrated to GOD and hath couenanted with him And the conclusion is that this Church notwithstanding yea the rather for her prerogatiues shall be arraigned before that Iudge But what is her Arraignment Surely the transgression of the Law so much of the Law as containeth GODS seruice for this she shall be arraigned and receiue iudgement also as we are taught in my Text. In my Text then we are to obserue two things First how farre the Iewes are guiltie Secondly how GOD proceedeth against them How farre they are guilty appeares in the first words These things c. which are relatiue and repeat the enormous sinnes that are distinctly specified in the words that goe before For these sinnes GOD proceeds against them after much Patience which the Iewes abused vnto such Vengance as against which they shall haue nothing to except GODS Patience is gathered out of his silence I held my tongue the Iewes abuse hereof GOD testifieth to their face thou thoughtest that I am altogether such a one as thou art This abuse is insufferable therefore GOD threatneth Vengance I will reproue thee such Vengance as against which they shall not be able to except I will set thy sinnes in order before thine eyes You haue heard the substance of these words which I must now enlarge and apply as this present occasion doth require The first point then is the Indictment which sheweth how farre the Iewes were guiltie it is expressed in the first words These things hast thou done whereof euerie one is remarkable These things are relative words and repeat the Challenge that is made vnto the Iewes in sundry former verses the summe whereof is That they were guiltie of transgressing the Law The Law so farre as we haue to doe with it is partly Ceremoniall and partly Morall within these two is concluded the seruice of GOD. The Ceremoniall cherisheth the Morall and the Morall quickneth the Ceremoniall yea the Ceremoniall is a sensible description of the Morall and the Morall is a discreet limitation of the Ceremoniall when they goe together they worke both a sincere and a sober seruice of GOD sober in regard of the Ceremonie sincere in regard of the Moralitie But we must marke that the Ceremoniall and the Morall Law differ as the Soule and Body of man the body is of small vse if it be seuered from the Soule so is the Ceremoniall Law if it be seuered from the Morall Secondly the body is inferiour to the Soule euen so is the Ceremoniall Law inferiour to the Morall so that if it be a fault to neglect the Ceremoniall it is a much greater to breake the Morall Law Lo then the Indictment stands vpon two Branches a Seperation and a Transgression a Seperation of the Ceremoniall Law from the Morall and which is worse a manifold Transgression of the Morall with these two sinnes GOD chargeth the Iewes Both are great sinnes The Seperation is for GOD in his seruice commanded that our Soules should concurre with our bodies that our Affections should speake vnto him as well as our tongue
one hath occasioned many a wholsome Law to hold in others that would sall into the like sinne And GOD by MOSES giues an excellent patterne to all good Gouernours of making such occasionall Lawes in cases Ecclesiasticall Ciuill and Criminall Ecclesiasticall Numb 9. Ciuill Numb 27.36 Criminall Numb 15. and in this Chapter We haue now to doe with a criminall case the case of Blasphemie concerning which we find reported in this Chapter an haynous fact seuerely punished by GODS Commandement and an excellent prouisionall Law grounded thereupon to preuent the like sinne The fact with the punishment thereof you may read in the verses that goe immediately before the Law is set downe in these that now I haue read vnto you Wherein we will consider two things first what this Law contayneth secondly to whom it was giuen It contaynes the two maine parts of a Law for it opens the sinne and prouides a punishment In opening the sinne it sheweth vs against whom and how it is committed The person against whom is GOD. But the name of GOD is taken either for one that though he be not yet is reputed to be such or for him which is GOD indeed which is the true GOD. Both are here mentioned the reputed GOD in these words his God the true in those other the Name of the Lord. The sinne against either of these persons is committed by mentioning and vilifying them those two things must be vnderstood in either of these words curse and blaspheme If this sinne be committed here is a punishment prouided for it the Text will teach vs what it is and vpon whom it must be inflicted What it is we learne here first in generall he must beare his sinne by sinne is meant punishment the offender must beare it the Gouernour must put it vpon him least the State suffer for him In speciall the punishment is here set downe that it must be Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill Ecclesiasticall for he must be cast out of the Tents which was a kind of Excommunication Ciuill it must be vltimum and ignominiosissimum it must be no lesse then death he shall dye and that death must be most ignominious two wayes ignominious first for that he was stoned to death which is mors eminùs illata they that executed him stood a sarre off as if they did abhorre him Secondly he was to haue no eye to pittie him for euery one was to be his Executioner All the Congregation shall stone him This is the punishment And this punishment must be inflicted vpon all without any indulgence no person must be excepted quicunque whosoeuer doth blaspheme must suffer And because amongst the Israelites there were natiues and aliens both are giuen to vnderstand as well he that is borne in the Land as the stranger that the Law concernes them if they presume to blaspheme they must suffer yea and suffer so they must surely dye certainly be stoned they must looke for no commutation no mitigation of their punishment This is the Law And this Law was giuen to the children of Israel so saith the entrance into my Text Thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israel Israel was GODS peculiar people and it beseemed them to be the more zealous for his glorie I haue broken vp the Text that this Penitent may be made sensible of his grieuous sinne and we may be warned to take heed of the like man reaped where he did not sowe gathered where he did not scatter These are affirmatiue blasphemies And vnto these you may referre false Prophets false Apostles Hereticks yea and Schismaticks too which come vnsent speake vnwarranted make GOD the Author of their owne deuices these are all more or lesse affirmatiue blasphemers yea and they also that without warrant curse in the Name of GOD or by GOD any other person or thing Besides these there are negatiue and they are those which either wholy deny or much lessen the perfections of GOD. Ps 94. Some put out the eye of his Wisedome they say Tush the Lord doth not see and is there any vnderstanding in the Highest Some bridle his Power 2 Kings â—â— What God is he that can deliuer out of my hand saith the proud Sennacherib God is the God onely of the Hils say the King of Syria's Captaines Epicures strip him of his Prouidence Scilicet is superis labor est ca cura quietos Sollicitat God will doe neither good nor euill These and such like Chryfoct we may call negatiue Blasphemers and the rule is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that would be bad would haue nothing good in GOD. Vnto these you may referre them that giue to the creature that which is proper to the Creator that implyes a denyall for if they be common to others they are not onely his it is blasphemie to auer it And such Blasphemers are all that make and worship false Gods yea and Christs also Finally by reason of Reference vnto GOD sacred Persons and Things are exposed to both kinds of blasphemie the affirmatiue and the negatiue Wherefore the Dragon is said to blaspheme not onely the Name of GOD but also his Tabernacle that is his CHVRCH and the Inhabitants of Heauen Well whether the blasphemie be affirmatiue or negatiue by this time I thinke you conceiue that it is a fearfull thing and if you doe not certainly you will if you take notice of these three points which issue all of them out of that which you haue heard First Whereas sinne may be committed either onely against the Law or also against the Law-giuer this is committed immediately against the Law-giuer and you know that though he make bold which breaketh the Law of the Prince yet his presumption is most intolerable that layeth hands vpon his Person And what thinke you then of him that dares set himselfe against him that is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Secondly A mans tongue was made to glorifie GOD therefore DAVID cals it his glorie and the best member that he hath And how intolerable is it for a man to abuse that to GODS dishonor which was giuen him to set forth his prayse Not his tongue onely but any part of his body for a man may blaspheme by writing by painting by caruing sundry other wayes whereas man whole man and onely man of all creatures in this visible world was made to vnderstand GODS Word and his Workes that as he had the benefit of them so he might giue him the glorie of them both Thirdly the mischiefe that man doth himselfe by this spirituall folly Cap. 27. He that casts a stone vp saith the sonne of Sirach it will fall downe vpon his owne head Cap 35 Our sinnes our righteousnesse neither helpe nor hurt GOD as speaketh Elihu in Iob if we reuerence GOD the comfort is not his but ours as the discomfort is not his but ours if we dishonour him Doe we blaspheme affirmatiuely GOD will vindicate his owne glorie Ps 50. and
man dyed innocently not the whole Congregation which followed but they which led the Congregation were to be guiltie of his death Secondly The imposing of hands vpon the Malefactor was the making of him as it were a politicke Sacrifice for mundi expiatio est malorum occisio as the Priest so the Prince hath his Sacrifice to offer as the CHVRCH so the Common weale the execution of Malefactors is a propitiating of GOD. And GOD in the Common-weale of Israel in cases wherein he refused the Ceremoniall was well pleased to haue this Sacrifice and to admit it as expiatorie of the Common-weale I told you of the thing before but of the deuoting of the person to pacifie GOD I could not speake till I came to this place You the Penitent may hereby see how zealously the State should be bent against you and how much it concernes vs to see Iustice done vpon you Hauing thus sufficiently opened the punishment I come now to shew you vpon whom it must be executed Quicunque vpon him whosoeuer he be that curseth or blasphemeth here must be no respect of persons high or low rich or poore be he what he may be he is liable to punishment if he curse his God Though it be a false-one yet if it be his the Law saith plainly he shall beare his sinne The words may be vnderstood either as a relation or as a commandement As a relation what other Nations doe how zealous they are for the honour of their Gods In the Storie of the wonders which GOD wrought in deliuering the children of Israel out of Aegypt we find that when Pharaoh would haue the Israelites sacrifice to their GOD in the Land of Aegypt Exod. 8. Loe said Moses shall we sacrifice the abhomination of the Aegyptians before their eyes and will they not stone vs How did Nebuchadnezzar cause the Furnace to be heated to consume those that would not worship his golden Image What a doe kept Demetrius the Siluer-Smith when St Paul was thought to blaspheme Diana Protagoras was banished Socrates was put to death for disgracing the gods of Athens The Mahumetans lay on many stripes vpon them that disgrace their Alearon I will omit the solemne Bellum sacrum of the Graecians Thus the words may be conceiued by way of relation and then see how GOD argues Doe the Heathen punish those who dishonour or curse those that are onely gods in their erroneous reputation Much more then ought he to be punished that blasphemes the true GOD. Thus doth GOD oftentimes shame his owne people for their Impieties by setting before their face the Pietie that is in Infidels Hath a Nation changed their Gods which yet are no Gods Ier. 2. But my people hath changed their glorie for that which doth not profit And againe Mal. 3. Will a man rob God Yet ye haue robbed me So that the punishment cannot be denied to be iust by true Religion which is held most iust by the glimmering light of Reason But the words may haue in them more then a bare Relation they may containe a commandement also a commandement that whosoeuer curseth God though it be but his God that is a false God shall be punished for conscientia erronea ligat so long as any man in his conscience is perswaded that he is the true God he must worship him as if he were such It is true that when he commeth to the knowledge of his error Esay 8. Esay 2. he may then curse his false gods he may cast them to the Bats and to the Moles But so long as his vnderstanding is clouded with error his Reuerence must follow the Rule of his Conscience It is good Diuinitie that is deliuered in the Booke of Wisdome touching Idolatrous periured persons They shall be iustly punished Cap. 14. both because they thought not well of God giuing heed vnto Idols and also vniustly swore in deceit despising holinesse â—or it is not the power of them by whom they sweare but it is the iust vengeance of sinners that punisheth alwayes the offence of the vngodly And no maruell for were it a true GOD they would vse him so their ignorance is not antecedent but concomitant and such ignorance doth not excuse the quantitie much lesse doth it excuse the qualitie of sinne But to leaue his God and come to the Name of the Lord. Here Quicunque must be repeated againe we may lesse admit exception of persons amongst them that blaspheme the Name of the Lord then amongst them that curse their God But here we meet with a markable distribution of quicunque whosoeuer Whether saith the Text he be a Stranger or borne in the Land Though morally all men are bound and may be perswaded by Ministers and others to acknowledge and worship the true GOD yet politickly Infidels cannot be compeld And why It is a worke that needeth the assistance of supernaturall grace which is not annext vnto the Sword Notwithstanding the Ciuill Sword may take vengeance vpon all euen Strangers Infidels that openly blaspheme the Name of the Lord though they may be tollerated in their false yet may they not open their mouthes against the true Religion Quicunque whatsoeuer Stranger doth so he must be stoned And if a Stranger much more he that is borne in the Land for he is tyed to honour GOD by a double obligation a natiue a votiue as a man as a member of the Church Now the more obligations the more guilt the more guilt the more iust the punishment therefore Quicunque whosoeuer borne in the Land blasphemeth the Name of the Lord he must be stoned to death I must carrie Quicunque a little farther the root of Blasphemie may be without vs or within vs Without vs the Diuel who may suggest it and then it is no sinne of ours though a sinne except we consent vnto it and delight in it Within vs it may be three-fold First Ignorance Secondly Infirmitie Thirdly Malice There is great odds betweene these to GOD-ward St Paul blasphemed but he did it ignorantly he did not beleeue that IESVS was the CHRIST St Peter blasphemed but he did it of infirmie he did it being ouertaken with feare of death The Pharisees they also blasphemed but they did it out of malice they did it against their owne conscience Now of these three Rootes the two first leaue place for repentance St Peter and St Paul are ensamples thereof Math. 12. Not so the third it is the sinne against the Holy Ghost not to be forgiuen in this world nor in that which is to come But howsoeuer there is this odds to GOD-ward yet in regard of the Magistrates sword there is no difference Quicunque be the root ignorance be it infirmitie be it malice he must be stoned to death his body must be made an expiatorie Anathema or Sacrifice by the State whose Soule notwithstanding vpon repentance may be saued in the day of the Lord. And verily the Blasphemer
filio Dei hominis the same title belongeth vnto him euen as hee was incarnate whereof the ground is the personall vnion the man-hood being assumed into one person with the God-head In regard of the first consideration is hee called vnigenitus the onely begotten of his Father in regard of the second he is called Primogenitus the first borne of many Brethren both wayes is CHRIST neere vnto GOD but our comfort standeth in the latter that Emanuel God with vs or in our Nature is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sonne of God for that is fons origo Adoptionis nostrae it is that which layeth the soundation of being the sonnes of GOD. As CHRIST was neere so was hee deere vnto GOD. And indeed the words that note the neerenesse containe the grounds of the deerenesâ—e also and they were vnigenitus the onely begotten and primogenitus the first borne vnigenitus ergo vnicè dilectus the onely begotten therefore onely beloued primegenitus ergo praecipuè dilectus the first begotten therefore the especially beloued of GOD for this is a principle Euery man loneth himselfe the more of himselfe hee findeth any where the more he affecteth if he bee not degenerate A father loueth his onely sonne intirely because he hath no more and his eldest chiefely because hee is Principium praecipuum roboris the first and chiefe of his strength But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or naturall affection of men is but a sparkle and that much allaied of that which is in GOD originally and but deriuatiuely in vs. Therefore we may easily conceiue that CHRIST that is so neere in nature and grace must needes bee most deere vnto GOD that indeed he is Vir desidertorum a man after Gods owne Heart and the true Dauid that is beloued as the Prophets call him Adde hereunto that setled loue where it is iudicious is more feruent Now Christus is dilectus not recenti impulsu sed inolito probato it is as ancient as GOD euen coeternall that CHRIST is the Sonne of GOD onely it is in time delated to the man-hood but the length of it is Aeternitie See then how GOD expresseth his loue to vs when he so describeth the person that hee bestoweth vpon vs. And haue we then any thing which we should thinke too good to render vnto GOD Abraham will teach vs better who spared not Vnicum and dilectum silium his onely beloued Sonne when GOD called for him and we see how his thank fulnesse prospered Certainely we would prosper much better if in this kindnesse we would striue to bee answerable vnto GOD. I. pray GOD we may sure I am wee haue good cause if there were no other motiue then is contained in filius and Dilectus if we doe consider onely what the second Person in Trinity is to the first How much more if wee consider what hee doeth for vs In him is the Father well pleased Wee will resolue this Note into two first wee will see in whom and then how the FATHER is pleased Hee is pleased in his beloued Sonne This opens a Mystery Thou shalt make a plate of pure gold Exod. 28. said GOD to Moses and graue vpon it like the ingrauing of a signet Holinesse to the Lord and thou shalt put it vpon a blew lace that it may bee vpon the Miter vpon the forefront of the Miter it shall be and it shall bee vpon Aarons fâ—rehead that Aaron may beare the iniquitie of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their hory guifts and it shall be alwayes vpon his forehead that they may bee accepted before the Lord Euen so CHRIST being to bee consecrated now High Priest hath the Holy Ghost descending vpon him that so the Church may bee made acceptable in GODS beloued SONNE Neither was hee the Trueth onely of the High Priest but of the Sacrifices also St. Paul Hebr. 10. applieth to this purpose that place in the Psalme Psal 40. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast then prepared me in burnt offerings and Sacrifices for sinne thou hast no pleasure then said I loe I come In the volume of thy Booke it is written of me to ave thy will O God In this sense doth the Law vse the word Ratza when it is applied to Sacrifices â—enit 1. and saith that they shall be accepted for the offerer and make an attonement for him Vntill CHRIST came there was no remedy against the curse of the Law but Typicall within the Church and without fruitlesse Colos 1. but CHRIST incarnate brought a soueraigne remedy Ephes 2. when hee became the true Propitiatory in him it pleased God that all fulnesse should dwell and by him to reconcile all things both in Heauen and earth De Censensu Ruangelact lib. 2. cap. 4. St. Austin speaketh briefely but fully In te complacui is as much as Per te constitui gerere quod mihi placuit In thee am I well pleased not onely taking delight in that which thou art but also by thee accomplishing all the good that I meane to the sonnes of men But what did CHRIST Surely he did propitiate GODS wrath and giue man grace in GODS eyes these two workes are contained in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are the blessings that flow from GODS good will towards men Reconciliation is composed of both of GODS Indulgence and Beneficence Indulgence is not enough without Beneficence â— Sam. 14. Absalon shewed this to Ioab when hee was restored from his banishment but not admitted into the King his fathers presence A good patterne to bee imitated by men is GOD who dealeth so in his reconciliation with men whereas men vse some times to forgiue but seldome to forget also they thinke it too much to deserue well and enough that they doe not deserue ill I would it were no more But let vs touch at these points a sunder first at the propitiating of GODS wrath The latter Chronologers will haue this Sacring of IESVS to haue beene performed vpon the day of Expiation in September which if it bee true then the Holy Ghost doeth fairely insinuate that CHRIST came as the Lambe of God to take away the sinnes of the world How soeuer this is true that hee bare our sinnes in his body and by his stripes we are made whole that he cancelled our obligation and slew hatred when hee suffered â—pon the Crosse Neither did CHRIST onely propitiate GODS wrath but also gaue man grace in GODS eyes CHRIST teacheth it in three Parables of the lost Sheepe the lost Groat and the Prodigall Childe The Fathers obserue the Allegory that St. Peter maketh in comparing Noahs Arke vnto the Church and obserue moreouer that as the Doue brought the Oliue branch into the Arke in token that the deluge was ceased and the world was become habitable againe Euen so the Doue that lighted vpon CHRIST brought the glad tidings of the Gospel it
Couenant stands in their mutuall stipulation Man vowes a Duetie God promiseth a Reward Touching the first partie to the Couenant and his Vow wee must more distinctly obserue Who this partie is and what he vowes The Partie is Haâ—ish Vir ille That man each word will yeeld his note First that the Partie to the Couenant is man and secondly that he is more than an ordinarie man As for his vow it consists of two parts an Abrenunciation of that corrupt state wherein he liues by nature and a dedication of himselfe to a better state whereunto he is called by Grace But these parts must bee considered first ioyntly in regard of their number and order we must see why they are in number two and then how those two are digested hauing thus considered them ioyntly wee must looke into them seuerally we must looke into the nature of each of them apart and then in the Abrenunciation we shall finde From what and How farre we must be seuered will you know From what the text will tell you that wheras there are Sinners and Sinnes we must be seuered not from the Sinners but the Sinnes not from the vngodly sinners and scorners but from their counsell way and chaire Secondly of sinne you shall finde here the seed and the fruit from which you must be seuered the seed is the counsell of the vngodly that is it which is sowen in our inward man and comprehends the solicitation vnto sinne from which spring two euill fruits which shoot forth in our outward man The way of sinners is the first which is our falling to an ill course of life the second which is worst is the Chaire of the Scorner our becomming ring-leaders vnto others both to doe ill and also to vilifie what is good This is that from which we must be seuered But how farre our first care must be to withstand the first offer of sin we must not meddle with the seed thereof Not walke in the counsell of the wicked We should estrange our selues so farre but if haply we haue not beene so watchfull as to auoyd the seed yet we must be carefull not to bring forth the fruit thereof not the first fruit wee may not apply our selues to a wicked course stand in the way of sinners at least take heed of the second Fruit of professing the art of sinning to the reproach of vertue which is a sitting in the seat of the scorners this is the Serpents method to draw vs to the height of sinne from whence wee must take the measure of our care in preseruing our selues therefrom And this is the first branch of that Vow which we made in Baptisme and I called it Abrenunciation according to the ancient phrase of the Church The second part of our Vow is our Dedication when we haue really shaken off this corrupt course we must betake our selues vnto a better We are taught here what it is and How long it must continue It stands in two points the first of which is the entertainment that we must giue vnto Gods Law that must be acceptable to our inward man Our delight must be in the Law of the Lord the second is our employment answerable thereunto the benefit thereof must redound to the whole man the whole must meditate vpon that Law But how long surely God will not be serued by fits we must perseuere in this deuotion Day and Night that must be the terme of our Meditation neither onely of our Meditation but of our Delight also yea this continuance of time though annext vnto the last must be vnderstood in all the former clauses for the latter doth alwayes presuppose the former we cannot meditate except we delight neither can wee delight as we ought in the Law except we seuer our selues so farre as is required from Communion with sinners therefore wee must be constant in all To begin then wee are first to see the first Partie to the Couenant which is set downe in two words Vir ille That man it is a Man and yet such an one as is more than ordinarie Man is a terme which though it properly note one sex yet vsually it includes both and why Man is the Head of the woman therfore vsually where he is mentioned shee is included the Cinilians obserue it in the Law and so doe the Diuines on the Scripture Certainely the Fathers thought it worth their noting vpon this place And it is well they did note it for some Schoole Diuines haue beene so ill catechized Aâ—uâ—enâ—â—s in c. p 5. Matthaâ— as that they haue questioned the womans interest in this Couenant forgetting the Text of Saint Paul that In Iesus Christ there is neither male nor female Gal. 3.28 what therefore is spoken to man the woman also must take vnto her selfe Secondly as there is no sex excluded no more is there any kindred for in Christ there is neither Iew nor Greeke therefore is the Partie set downe in a name that signifies all mankinde to signifie that all mankinde are included in this Couenant And indeed it was entred into with Adam in Paradise therefore it concernes all his posteritie As the Sun in the firmament so the Sonne of righteousnesse is common vnto all I say hath made a whole Chapter of it Cap. 56. Let not the sonne of the stranger that hath ioyned himselfe vnto the Lord speake saying The Lord hath vtterly separated me from his people Neither let the Eunuch say behold I am a dry tree the Prophet goeth on and reports the interest which God giues to each of them in his Couenant Saint Peter Acts 10. Vos 3â— hauing first receiued it in a vision deliuers it afterwards in a Maxime Of a truth I perceiue that there is no respect of persons with God wherefore then if any man be excluded it is because he excludes himselfe And indeed there are too many which exclude themselues and though all may yet few doe partake of this Couenant and therefore the Psalmist doth not onely name a Man but that Man is Ish which vsually notes some great man especially with this Emphasis Ha-ish if the person be so noted sure it is some extraordinarie Man And verily whereas all the world lyeth drowned as it were in wickednesse Psal 14.2 3 so that The Lord lookes downe from heauen and cannot see any one that doth good no not one Gen. 6.17 Psal 12. Miâ— 7.2 and all flesh hath corrupted his way so that the Psalmist cryes out Helpe Lord for there is not one godly man left there must needs bee somewhat more than ordinarie in him which is not led away with the errour of the wicked seeing they are so many but striues to enter in at the straight gate and to goe a way that is so narrow to be as Noah in the old world as Lot in Sodom as Eliah in Israel is a rare thing and therefore deserues a marke of raritie the Person deserues not onely to bee called
our choyce that we pitch vpon a good guide wherein the Scripture bids vs take heed of two Rockes the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must neither our selues forge a Religion neither receiue any that is forged by others for guiding of our conscience as we must not be without Law so must we take heed what Law we vse And indeed we may vse none safely but The Law of God in such cases Lanes 4.12 that of the Apostle is true There is but one Lawgiuer no Law but his bindes vnto that for performance whereof we may securely expect that he will performe what in the Couenant for his part hee hath promised vnto vs. Many commendations wee read in prophane Writers of the the Lawes of Solon Lycurgus Zaleuchus and others but these must all be as imperfect as the Law-giuers whether we respect the Precepts or the Sanctions none comprehending exactly the Dutie of Man and therefore not being able to set Man in the way to the attaining of his Soueraigne Good This is peculiar to the Law of God But what is meant by the Law of God Surely the Law deliuered by Moses whereof the Prophets were but Interpreters and their Interpretation shewes the largenesse of the Text namely That the Gospell is included in the Law for the Decalogue cloathed with the Ceremonies what is it but Implicitum Euangelium The substance of the Gospell which is Saluation by Repentance and Faith in Christ And so must we vnderstand not onely Moses his commendations of the Law Deut. 4. but King Dauids also Psal 19. and 119 the truth whereof cannot be acknowledged if the Law and the Gospell be taken Oppositè and not Compositè if we oppose the one to the other and doe not by the one put comfort into the other Certainely in this place we must so vnderstand the Law because it is made the Way to Blisse And marke that here One Law of God is opposed vnto the three degrees of Sinne The Counsell of the wicked The way of Sinners and The Seat of the Scorners one to three to giue vs to vnderstand that what those three promise is performed in this One no true Counsell but in this Law no good Course but that whereinto wee are set by this Law and if we will be Doctors and despise the folly of others we must sit in Moses Chaire we must professe no other but the Law of God And thus much of that Whereunto we must be dedicated Let vs uow see How Wee must first receiue it in the Inward Man the word vsed by the Psalmist is Chephetz which signifies Voluntatem and Voluptatem and notes where and what entertainment wee must first giue vnto The Law Where in our Will so we finde in the tenour of the Couenant This shall be my Couenant Iere. 31.33 which I will make with the House of Israel saith the Lord I will write my Lawes in their Hearts c. God will not haue a seruile Dedication hee will not bee serued by compulsion and therefore those that serue him are called Psal 110. A willing People Neither can the seruice be reasonable wherein the Will is wanting for the Actions are not counted ours wherein the Will hath no part seeing it is by vertue of the Will that a Man is Dominus actionum suarum a free Agent neither is any Action free but that which is done willingly though we cannot partake of the Law but by our Vnderstanding yet is the principall obiect of the Law our Will for Theologia is Scientia not Theoretica but Practica wee learne not the Law for to know it but to doe it Adde hereunto that Inclinatio voluntatis is Inclinatio totius suppositi it is not without cause that God requires the Will seeing the Will hath power to sway the whole Man especially if the Will be Chephetz ioyned with Delight for so God doth require the Heart hee will haue it seasoned with Loue Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and Loue is the fulfilling of the Law King Dauid opens this Delight 1. Tim. 1.5 Psal 19. when he tels vs that the Law was sweeter than Honey and the Honey-combe the meaning of it is we must not be mercenarie but the pleasure we take in it must-be the cause why we entertaine it And marke the phrase His delight is in the Law Multi habent Legem in Corde sed non Cor in Lege saith Hugo de S. Victore Many treasure vp the Law in their hearts that doe not solace their hearts in the Law they only know it these also delight in it Saint Austin obserues a Distinction betweene In Lege and Sub Lege Qui est in Lege secundum Legem agit He whose heart is in the Law followes the direction of the Law Qui est sub Lege à Lege agitur he whose heart is vnder the Law Rom. 7.22 entertaines it rather of constraint then with a willing minde but wee must Delight in the Law of God in the Inward man as the Apostle speaketh For as ground is fruitfull not by receiuing but by liking of the seed Euen so man becomes not Religious by knowing but by affecting of the Law Amor est virtus Vniens by Loue doth a man become one with the Law yea himselfe is turned into a liuing Law for men are alwayes busie about that wherein they take Delight and the Law being receiued into the inwaâ—d man will ouer-spread the whole man which is implyed in the next branch He meditates on that Law To Meditate on the Law is First to ruminate on the Scripture and sound the depth of it for the Law is deliuered in few words wherein there are contained great Riches of sense which by Meditation we must worke out Christ hath giuen vs a patterne Mat. 5. Where he vnwraps the sense of seuerall Commandements of Murder of Adulterie of Diuorce In the sixth of Saint Iohn how much matter doth he draw out of the Storie of Manna And what mysteries doth Saint Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrewes find in the Ceremonies of Moses This is the first branch of Meditating the vnfolding of the Riches of that sense which God hath treasured vp in his Law This is the worke of our vnderstanding But the vnderstanding doth but prepare matter for the Affections There is a second branch therefore of Meditating which is the seasoning of our Affections with that which we know And as the vnderstanding prepares matter for the Affections so what vse of our Affections but to quicken our Actions Therfore as a man which takes into his mouth a morsell of good meate chewes it and by chewing doth discouer the sweetnesse and kindly nourishment that is in it and hauing rellisht it swallowes it downe and by meane conueiances disperseth it into euerie part of his body that euery part may be made more vigorous and Actiue thereby So
a man which takes into his thoughts the Law of God must by his Meditation chew vpon it and when hee hath found out the sweete matter that is in it his Affections must swallow it greedily and he must not cease to worke vpon it till hee hath made the power thereof appeare in his liberall hands in his godly lips and in a word euen in his whole outward man for the Law is giuen to the whole man Mat. 5. the Commandement Thou shalt not kill by the Glosse of the Pharisees was restrained to the hand as if Thou were nothing but thy Hand and to Kill were nothing but to shed bloud It is true that what a man doth by a part the whole becomes guiltie of it but then he must know that there iâ— no part but may contract his guilt a man may commit Murder with his tongue and he may commit it with his Affections this the Pharisee knew not and because he knew not he taught not and his Disciples practised not and so both of them for want of Meditation scanted the entertainement which they were to giue vnto the Law And so shall we if we tread in their steps and learne not how to Dedicate our selues to God whose Law we must Delight in Meditate vpon and Affect that so wee may occasionally set on worke the tongue and the hand and may vtter and Act with the outward man those things which wee conceiue and loue in the inward man Thus you see How we must be Dedicated But how long Day and Night saith the Psalme For first we must Meditate Day and Night Which words some take properly some improperly improperly the Day notes Prosperitie and the Night Aduersitie these significations are frequent in the Scripture and then the meaning is that be we as happie as Solomon or brought as low as Iob neither condition must make vs forget our Meditation this is a worke for all times for hereunto shall we bee beholding for our temperate vsing of Prosperitie and resolute bearing of Aduersitie But take the words properly and then because the Proposition is Affirmatiue some thinke that it holds Semper but not Ad semper that though habituall Meditation must neuer bee wanting in vs yet the Actuall neede not be exercised but as occasion is offered vnto vs but if we take Meditation together with the fore mentioned Actions which must goe with it we neede not doubt but the Proposition will hold semper and Adsemper for when are we not doing speaking or thinking and which of these can be perfect without Meditation And how then should not our life be a perpetuall Meditation and why may it not be said that we should Meditate on Gods Law Day and Night Sure I am Deut. 6. that Moses speakes thus vnto Israel These words which I command thee this Day shall bee in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently vnto thy Children and shalt talke of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand and they shall be as Frontlets betweene thine eyes and thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine House and on thy Gates And the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer yee doe doe all to the glorie of God The enuious man will alwayes bee sowing Tares therefore we must neuer sleepe the enemie will bee alwayes giuing an assault therefore we must alwayes stand vpon our gard No man putting his hand to the Plow and looking backe is fit for the Kingdome of God Luke 9 Secondly as we must Meditate vpon the Law so we must Delight in it Day and Night This circumstance of time must not be restrained onely vnto Meditation but enlarged also vnto Delight neither must it onely belong to our Dedication but to our Abrenuntiation also For Meditation when it goeth so far as to season the Affections with that which is knowne as I expounded it presupposeth Delight in the will and the Dedication presupposeth the Abrenunciation it is impossible the later should subsist without the former therefore as long as wee are bound to obserue this last wee must continue all the rest which must needes goe before it Whereupon it followes that except this Text be vnderstood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who onely hath performed this Vow which is vndertaken by vs it rather shewes vs what we should then what wee can doe and sets vs vp a marke whereat all our endeauours must bee ayming in this world in hope that we shall hit it in the world to come I conclulde The summe of the Christian mans Vow is Psal 37.27 We must Decline from euill and doe good from all euill must we decline whereunto we are prone by nature and we must doe all good which is recommended vnto vs in Gods Law That must rellish pleasantly vnto vs and therein must we continually exercise our selues our inward our outward man fully constantly fare we well or fare we ill PSAL. 1. VERS 2. Blessed is the man THis Psalme containes the Couenant betweene God and Man so that we are therein to obserue the Parties to the Couenant and Articles whereon they are agreed the Parties are God and Man the Articles man vowes his Duetie God promiseth a Reward of the first Partie and his Article I haue alreadie spoken It followes that I now come on to the second Partie and his Article The second Partie is God God is a partie to a Couenant with man A Mercie to be wondred at for God is a Creator man his creature therefore God may require whatsoeuer man can doe a man is bound to doe it were there no other inducement but this that hee is Gods creature for he cannot owe his being but hee must with all owe his seruice and to whom he oweth the one to him hee oweth the other also And yet see how gracious God is vnto man hee will not haue man serue him for nought This is signified in that he vouchsafeth to enter into a Couenant If a man haue a bond-seruant and make him his Farmer the Law saith of bond he makes him free and inables him as well to implead his Master as to be impleaded by him And doth not God in a maner doe vs the like fauour when hee doth contract to giue a Reward vnto our seruice whereby he becomes bound to performe and we may bee bold to challenge it It were honour enough done vnto our Nature if onely it were vouchsafed some neere attendance vnto God and it caries with it a great Reward to haue our person so imployed how much more honour then is done vnto vs when God not onely yeelds that but a much higher aduancement also for that It is a question whether a man may serue God for a Reward The nature of a Couenant doth cleare this doubt For seeing God puts on the person
vnto vs confusion of faces to our God also belonge Mercies and forgiuenesse though we bee plunged deepe in Miserte and Sinnes Cause thy face O Lord to shine vpon vs thy seruants and let not our sinnes seperate betweene thee and vs remit the Guilt purge the Corruption of vs miserable sinners which doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne Righteousnesse but for thy great Mercies though our sinnes witnesse against vs yet deale with vs according to thy Name for great are thy Mercies AMEN PSAL. 51. ver 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sinne is euer before mee THis Psalme as heretofore you haue heard consists of two Vowes both were made by King Dauid one for himselfe another for his Kingdome the first doth expresse his Desire and his Promise his Desire to bee restored vnto and preserued in the state of Grace his Promise if hee speede hereof to performe religious seruice vnto God In the former Petition of his Desire there are two remarkeable things the Matter contained in it and the Manner of King Dauids redoubling it of the Matter I haue already spoken wherefore I now come on vnto the Manner And herein we must obserue first the Inference then the Amplification that is how that which followeth is brought in vpon that which goeth before and how King Dauid enlargeth himselfe in vnfolding the Confession of his owne Miserie and Petition for Gods Mercy In the Inference we shall learne that as God hath Mercy so it is for such as are sensible of their Miserie in the Amplification we shall learne that hee which is sensible must shew himselfe not onely ingenious in displaying his owne wretchednesse but bee assured also of the Remedie which is prouided by Gods Goodnesse But to looke more particularly into the former branch of the Amplification behold therein how King Dauid doth rip vp his sinnes the Branches the Root thereof the sinne which himselfe hath committed and the sinne which hee hath deriued from his Parents hee layeth open both both the Debt and the Vsury so Saint Chrysostom calls them Homil. ad Neophytos Hee beginneth at the sinne which himselfe hath committed he vseth not the querulous Prouerbe of the Iewes the fathers haue eaten sowre Grapes Ier. 34.29 and the Childrens teeth are set onedge the remembrance of his wofull Inheritance doth not make him forget his owne graceles Purchase no hee mindes this first hee first amplifieth the Debt which himselfe hath contracted In laying open this he obserueth two things the naturall Properties thereof and the supernaturall Euent which followeth thereupon the naturall Properties are two a Malignity and an Impiety he handles the Impietie in the next verse the Malignitie in this that I haue now read vnto you Malignity is a vexing euill first there is euill in his sinne hee toucheth a double euill euill of the Heart and euill of the Head of the Heart noted by the word Peshang which signifieth a rebellious inordinatnes of the will of the Head noted by Chata which noteth an erring Iudgement or misleading aduise these two euills are in sinne enormous sinne and where they are there they vexe for they are Coram or Contra before vs or Against vs the word beareth both significations and therefore it is translated both wayes and if we couple them as well we may then you shall finde that enormous sinne committed doth haunt our thoughts and afflict our wills Neither onely doe they so but they doe so incessantly so saith the Text they are Semper Coram Semper Contra Alwaies before vs and Against vs alwaies vexing both our Head and our Heart Of this King Dauid is ingeniously feeling and testifieth the truth of it in his owne Case in his owne Case I say for the sinne which he remembreth is his owne My transgressions My sinnes the disease of mine owne Head and mine owne Heart therefore saith King Dauid I am feeling feeling in my Head and feeling in my Heart for Agnosco I Acknowledge it Acknowledging importeth a worke of the Head which is Noscere to know and a worke of the Heart which is Agnoscere to Acknowledge the vse of knowledge the applying of it to our Liues Neither is King Dauid only feeling hereof but ingenious also in publishing the same for he did Acknowledge it in this Psalme These bee the particulars which offer themselues in this Text and whereunto God willing I shall now speake more fully and answerably vnto this * The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 of Welles Occasion But I must first touch at the Inference and shew you how these and the following words are brought in vpon those that goe before Haue mercy vpon me O Lord c. saith King Dauid for I acknowledge my transgressions c. Obserue then Mans deuotion must follow Gods direction neither may we hope otherwise to speede then we are waranted by his Promise Now God doth not promise Mercy but to those that are feeling of their Miserie in the beginning of the Leiturgie we heare daily out of Ezek. Eâ—c 18.21.22 At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his Heart I will put al His wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord Ioel. 2.13 and therefore out of Ioel we are called vpon to Rent our Hearts and not our Garments and turne vnto the Lord our God because hee is gentle and mercifull patient and of much mercy and such an one as is sorric for our Afflictions Mâ—t. 5.6 to this purpose doth our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell pronounce them Blessed that hunger and thirst after righteousnes saying Mâ—â— 11. â— they shall be satisfied and inuiteth those that Labour and are heauie laden saying he will refresh them Although then wee doe yeeld that the Mercy of God is infinite and that it is readie to releiue all wretches yet wee may not forget that in obtayning it there are Partes nostrae as Chrysostom speaketh there is some thing that God requires on our part hee requires that we approue vnto him our Repentance Saint Austin sets it forth in a prettie Dialogue betweene God and King Dauid Quidergo quaeris miserecordiam pecatum impunitum remanebit what saith God vnto King Dauid doest thou seeke for mercy so that thy sinne may remaine vnpunished Respondet Dauid respondeant Lapsi King Dauid replied and all sinners must ioyne in this answer with King Dauid Non Domine Nay Lord my sinne shall not bee vnpunished I know his Iustice whose mercy I implore my sinne shall not passe vnpunished but therefore would not I haue thee punish it because I doe punish it my selfe and so Chrysostome I see my sinne O Lord therefore doe not thou see it I register it in this Psalme therefore doe thou blot it out of thy Booke Agnosco ignoscas therefore pardon because I am penitent 1. Cor. 11. And indeed it is the Apostles Rule That if we would
Diuines call them Peccata Vastantia Conscientiam they argue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is fallen asleepe and so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too when wee vse neither the directiue Principles before hand nor the correctiue after hand but as wee shewed our selues gracelesse in committing sinne so shew we our selues senslesse in not iudging our selues for sinne King Dauid seemed not to be farre from such a case and therefore hee had good reason to exaggerate his contempt by calling his sinne not onely Malum but Hoc Malum not only Euill but this Euill so exasperating Euill before so sacred Eyes And indeed the lesse excuse wee haue for sinne the more we should deplore it deplore that we make that the Obiect of Gods Eyes which hee so much detesteth especially seeing hee hath vouchsafed to bee so gracious vnto vs as to make vs the delightsome Obiect of his Eyes for his Children are as the Apple of his Eye 〈◊〉 2. ◠though all the World bee before him yet his contenting Obiect is his Church the walles of Ierusalem are euer in his sight and hee beholds his Israel as the Seale on his Arme and Signet on his right Hand Certainly the delight that God desireth to take in beholding vs when wee doe well doth much aggrauate our contempt when wee are not respectiue of his priuitie to our couersation whensoeuer we offend him But I conclude Out of all that which you haue heard the Lesson that we must learne is Religiously to amplifie our sinnes from the circumstance of the person against whom they are bent Secondly wee must obserue how many wayes the Euill done on Earth reflecteth vpon Heauen Thirdly how much the presence of Heauen on Earth adds vnto sinne especially if it bee a crying sinne Fourthly we must learne that our sinnes offend the more the more neere wee are ioyned vnto God Finally none should more insist vpon these points then they that taste deeply of the Mercie of God the more they are indebted for his fauours the more should they bee afflicted with Godly Sorrow when wittingly and willingly they offend before his Eyes GOd grant that the reference that we and those with whom wee liue haue to God and the presence that God hath continually with vs both may make vs as sensible as wee ought to be of the impietie that is so naturall to all sinne making it reach as high as from Earth to Heauen and arguing the small regard that sinfull man hath of his Righteous God So may this sense worke in vs such Repentance as may finde Mercie with him who onely can forgiue sinne and with-hold that stroke of Iustice which for the wrong done to him and the contempt of him whom wee offend besides and aboue our Neighbours may iustly bee feared by vs and may wofully destroy vs. AMEN PSAL. 51. The latter part of the 4. VERS That thou mightest bee iustified when thou speakest and bee cleare when thou iudgest KIng Dauid confessing the sinne which himselfe committed openeth vnto vs the naturall Properties that are therein and the supernaturall Euent that followed thereupon Of the naturall Properties you haue heard heretofore I come now vnto the supernaturall Euent The supernaturall Euent then is the Praise of the Iustice of God The Iustice of God here touched is twofold Fidelity and Integrity Fidelity is Iustitia in verbo a persons being as good as his word Integritie is Iustitia in facto the vprightnes of his doome God hath the praise of both of Fidelity for he is iustified when he speaketh of Integritie for he is cleare when he iudgeth This is the praise of Gods Iustice and this praise in reference to King Dauids sinne I call a supernaturall Euent An Euent because it floweth not from and yet it followeth vpon the sinne but this Euent is supernaturall because it must be a Diuine Prouidence that must make these figs to grow from those thistles and so cleare light to shine out of so grosse darknesse These are the Contents whereof I shall now entreat wherefore I will now resume them that I may open them more fully and you more profitably heare them Iustice then is the Argument of these words God that is Soueraigne aboue all dealeth with all according to an euen Rule the Rule is well squared and being well squared is applied well also Fortune or Chance haue no place in his Gouerment whether hee contract with or take an accompt of the sonnes of men vpright reason and euennesse are the properties of his Actions and all things serue to commend them they are the vpshot of all his Prouidence as will appeare in the more distinct vnfolding of these words The first Branch then of Iustice here remembred is Fidelitie Fidelitie as I told you is Iustitia in verbo Gods being as good as his word we must then find out first what Word is heere meant And you shall read it 2. Sam. 7. where God sendeth by Nathan a comfortable Message a Message that containes manifold and those gracious promises for it concerneth a Crowne and the entaile thereof read it at your leasure but in your reading marke that the Message is Verbum Mysticum Mixtum It is a Mysticall Word for it consisteth of a Type and a Truth the Type was Dauid and his posterity the Truth was Christ and his Church Saint Paul hath taught vs so to vnderstand it Heb. 1. where he applieth the very words of Nathan vnto our Sauiour Christ As it is Verbum Mysticum so is it Verbum Mixtum also the Message is a temper of the Law and the Gospel yet so that the Gospell hath the vpper hand of the Law God will not haue his presume and therefore hee vseth the Law as a Curbe to hold them in but hee will lesse haue them to despaire the Gospell serueth to keepe them in heart This is the Word and God will euer be as good as his Word his Fidelitie warranteth as much Fidelitie is a compound Vertue it consisteth of Veritie and Constancie First there is Verity in it no word in the Tongue that commeth not from the Heart and the Tongue is a true looking Glasse of the Heart for God speaketh in Veritate Mentis without all simulation or dissimulation without all equiuocation or mentall reseruation whensoeuer God speaketh his speech is true And as he speaketh in Veritate Mentis so doth he in certitudine Veritatis also 2. Cor. 1.22 Numb 23.19 his Word is as stable as it is true his Promises are not Nay and Amen all are Amen that come from him God is not like Man that he should lie Rom. 11. Math. 24.35 Psal 89. nor the Son of Man that he should repent but his Promisses are without repentance Heauen and Earth shall passe but his Word shall neuer passe he will neuer lye against his owne Truth and therefore is he in the Reuelation stiled Cap. 3. the faithfull and true witnesse Fidelitie then there is in
other was but a shadow Which must the rather be noted because the Holy Ghost doth often times taxe the Iewes for either wholy diuorcing the Morals from the Ceremonialls or for that they were at least preposterously zealous preferring the Ceremonials before the Morals but our rule must bee to obserue whatsoeuer God commands but so that we value euery thing according to the rate which God sets vpon it we are freed from the Ceremoniall Law of Moses yet are we not left altogether without Ceremonies for we haue Sacraments in participating whereof we must obserue Saint Ambrose his rule We must not neglect the visible Signes wherewith God sustaynes our Faith yet must we pierce farther into the inuisible grace and that must be the principall comfort of our Soules So likewise in prayer we must fall low with our bodies but much lower with our Hearts lift vp our eyes but soare higher with our Affections in a word Hoc oportet facere illud non omittere neglect not Ceremonies but intend Moralities chiefly in all the seruice of God But whereas I told you that the sense of these words is double Ceremoniall and Morall before I can informe you in the Morall I must first resolue you what is the Ceremoniall sense And here wee find not all agreed some finde the Ceremonie in the booke of Exodus some in Leuiticus C. 12.22 some in Numbers In Exodus we read that the Children of Israel were commanded to sprinkle their dore-posts with the blood of the Paschall Lambe that so when the punishing Angel came to destroy the first borne of Egypt he might passe by them Chrysostome apprehends that King Dauid in these words prayeth against Gods wrath and desireth by such a sprinkling to bee sheltered from that And indeed though God forgaue Dauids sinne yet did hee by Nathan foretell That the sword should neuer depart from his House 2. Sam. 12.10 therefore well might he deprecate plagues But though wee find mention of Hysope in that Law yet none of sprinckling the person but the dore-postes nor finally any mention of purifying but of preseruing Therefore other of the Fathers find this Ceremony in Leuiticus 14.4 in the Law of clensing the Leper And surely the words of my Text speaking rather de malo culpae then poenae as appeareth by those Phrases I shall bee cleane I shall be whiter then snow may haue good cognation with that Ceremony the rather because the Fathers not vnfitly make Leprosie a liuely representation of the nature of sin But in that Ceremony though Hysop were vsed for clensing of the Leper yet the clensing of the Leper there was declaratory rather then operatory wherupon S. Hierome doth parallel it with the absolution of the Priest who doth not remit sin but declare that it is remitted of God As the Priest saith he did not make the Leper cleane but vpon examination pronounce him to be cleane But my Text speaketh not of a Declaratorie onely but an operatorie Purification Ciâ—â—l 〈◊〉 wherfore we must seeke farther into the booke of Numbers in the 19. thereof wee shall sinde a Ceremonie that exactly sitteth my Text sitteth it in the phrase as they that are skild in the Originall doe know and sitteth it in the matter as you may perceiue if you reade the Chapter there God commandeth the burning of a red Cow slaine by the Priest Vâ—â— 6. with which was to be burnt Scarlet Cedar wood and Hysop and of the ashes which came hereof and running water was to be made a holy water wherewith hee was to be purisied that touched the dead Vâ—â— 18. a clean person taking Hysop dipping it in the water and sprinkling it vpon the vncleane C. 9.13 Saint Paule to the Hebrewes moralizing that Ceremonie speaketh thus if the bloud of bulls and goates and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the vnclean sanctified to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the Eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God Out of which words we may learne to giue a true Commentary vnto this Text and obserue a good correspondency betweene the Ceremoniall and the Morall part thereof Which that we may the better do obserue that the whole Text is a Petition wherein wee must obserue first seuerally what King Dauid beggeth and of whom then ioyntly how confident hee is of the successe of his Petition which he maketh to that person That which he beggeth is Purge Wash the person to whom he directeth this Petition is God for to him he praieth but he would haue him doe this through Christ for Christ is meant by Hysop If God grant this request as he doubteth not but that hee will grant it for it is Prophetica or atio he prophesieth in praying he then vndoubtedly assures himselfe of a double effect that shall be wrought vpon him Innocencie I shall be cleane and Beautie incomparable Beautie I shall bee whiter then Snow Let vs looke into these particulars and carrie along the Ceremoniall with the Morall First then see what he beggeth purge wash but these words presuppose some thing that is not here exprest and that is from what he would be purged and cleansed Read the 19. of Numbers there you shall see the Ceremonie it was from the impuritie that was contracted from touching the dead and this impurity did exclude them from accesse vnto the Tabernacle Saint Paul Heb. 9. teacheth vs the Moral of this Ceremonie Vers 14. and that the touching of the dead did figure our intermedling with dead workes that is sinnes for they that are infected with them are sayd Ephesians 2.5 to bee dead in them and our Sauiour meaneth as much by the Prouerbe Let the dead burie their dead Mat. 8.22 And indeed Sinnes are fitly termed dead workes Iâ—b 1. for they had their originall from him that hath the power of death that is the Diuel Heb. 2.14 and they are in vs the sting of death so venoming our vnderstanding 1. Cor. 15.16 and our wil that they bereaue vs of the Life of God to whom we liue only by the true knowing of him and louing him as we ought finally Rom. 9.23 the wages of Sinne is death and death in sinne bringeth vpon vs death for sinne the spirituall death in this world an euerlasting in the world to come As hee that hath to doe with sinne hath to doe with Death so hee that hath the contagion of Death cleauing to him is vnfit for the House of the liuing God for that is the House of the liuing for God by Couenant is not the God of the Dead but of the Liuing Mat. 22.32 they that are planted in the House of the Lord saith the Psalmist shall flourish in the courts of our God Marke then in what case a sinner is Psal 92.13 Iob. 2.4 in the state
dung whose labour is only to make themselues euerlasting fuell for hell God regardeth them accordingly and they receiue as little of this ioy of saluation as they would seeme to want it But if wee meane to receiue wee must first feele that we doe want and our want must be declared as King Dauids was in this supplication restore For God then begins to take pittie when men are brought to the knowledge of their wants yea he giueth men a sense of their want before he vouchsafeth a supply thereof But redde doth not only imply a sense of want but a remembrance also of that which sometimes we had It is a good thing for a man to bee feeling of his want but there is no small accesse made vnto that gracious sense if we apprehend withall that our want proceeds from our owne vnthristinesse that what wee want wee had and that it is through our owne fault that we are brought vnto this want And indeed if euer wee be in want we want through our owne default for God made vs perfect and we became not naked but by eating the forbidden fruit and since that time men haue beene more or lesse vnthriftie and haue mispent the portion which God hath giuen them Therefore wee must not come to God with the simple Verbe da that imports only that we are in want we must vse the compound redde we must confesse our selues Prodigals that is the right voice of a Christian Penitent But whereto shall we apply this restore To the saluation Or to the ioy Distinguish Quod fieri debet quod fit our deseruing and Gods dealing and the answere is plaine no doubt wee forfeit our saluation God might strip vs of it if hee did reward vs according to our sinnes Gods Couenant is like a lease that hath a clause of re-entrie but leaueth a power in the Land-lord to vse extremitie or deale mercifully with his Tenant God is vnto his children as a kind Land-lord vnto bad Tenants he doth not take forfeits as often as we make them hee doth not re-enter vpon our Tenement nor strip vs of our saluation we are often damnable yet we are not damned Notwithstanding hee doth not suffer vs to scape scot-free when he doth not take the forfeiture hee taketh à nomine poenae he doth inflict some penaltie yea and that a sharpe one too for he taketh euen from his dearest children the ioy of their saluation hee casteth them into sad moodes hee afflicteth them with heauie hearts when they looke vpwards they see cloudes cast ouer Gods countenance and cannot but sorrow for it when they looke downe they see Hels mouth gaping for them they cannot but tremble at it such agonies ouertake them and make them smart for their sinnes wherewith they offend God agonies I say of sorrow and feare Take a similitude from the Sunne which may make a day or a Sunshine day while it is aboue our Horizon it is often day when the Sunne doth not shine but thicke clouds breathed from the earth make a sad skie as if it were night yet cannot we say the Sunne is gone downe euen so many times are we in the state of saluation the Sunne is with vs wee are children of the day yet haue wee no ioy of our saluation our Sunne doth not shine wee haue no cleere day But from King Dauid you may learne that to bee sure of saluation will not content a religious heart except hee may haue the ioy thereof also I conclude this point let vs take heed that pleasure strip vs not of pleasure worldly of heauenly let vs not grieue God lest he grieue vs grieue him with sinne lest he grieue vs with sorrow for we see in King Dauids example that God inflicts such penalties and if at any time we suffer so for our desert let vs not continue stupidly in this distressing want but importune him with King Dauids Restore Restore mee to the ioy of thy saluation And so much of the first part of the supplication I come now to the second from the Restitution to the Confirmation Stablish me with a free spirit Where first we must see what spirit is here meant There is a spirit in man and there is a spirit of God some vnderstand the one some vnderstand the other I wil ioyne both together For indeed the attribute belongs to both Gods spirit is free and so is mans but Gods by nature mans by grace couple Gods Spirit vnto mans and then you shal find the saying of the Apostle true Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie 2. Cor. 3. Rom. 8. Iohn 8. for it is the Spirit of adoption and if thereby the Sonne of God make vs free then are we free indeed Therefore I told you that here by the Spirit I vnderstand our disposition But this disposition of ours must bee considered as it is by nature so it is seruile as it becomes by grace so it is free I called it a generous disposition and indeed so the word signifieth But to open it a little more fully Iohn 8. ver 34 we learne of Christ that sinne maketh a slaue it appeareth plainly in that which we call free will and the attendants thereon Freewill is resolued into the iudgement wee passe vpon things and the choice wee make according to the iudgement now no man hath a more slauish iudgement then a wicked man for sin blindeth his eyes what he doth not desire he doth not beleeue and you shall seldome see a man possest with any enormous sinne in whom affected ignorance is not euident yea sinne maketh him put that out of all question which if he would vse his owne iudgement hee would find had no credibilitie Had it not beene for this seruilitie of iudgement Pharaoh could neuer so long haue held out against Moses Israel haue murmured so often against God Scribes and Pharisees haue so fearefully blasphemed our Sauiour Christ the Church of Rome so shamefully withstand the truth and Atheists so prophanely scoffe at the reproofe of their sinnes not one of these many leud ones which hath not a seruile iudgement Neither hath seruilitie taken possession only of our iudgement but of our will also wee can make no better choice then our iudgement will giue vs leaue if that be seruile this cannot be free Not free Nay it were well if it were no more seruile then our iudgement but indeed it is much more for how often doe we see what we should doe and yet to please sinne chuse to doe the contrarie Whether we be regenerate or whether we be vnregenerate for the text is vnderstood of both by seuerall Diuines we may say with the Apostle Rom. 7. I see a Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my mind and carrying me captiue vnto sinne we haue vncircumcised hearts and doe resist the Spirit of God Take an example or two the Pharisees could not denie the Resurrection of Christ the
2. the Method There is a Mystery in either of them Rom. 6. In the Sacrifice That teacheth that the wages of sinne is death the innocent beast was slaine but the sinner first put his hands vpon him to note what we deserue and Christ endured for vs from the guilt of our sinnes we are not freed but by the vertue of his death The Mysterie of the Burnt offering is wee owe our selues wholly vnto God and to him must wee giue our selues but first wee must be mortified we cannot ascend in our thoughts vnto Heauen except we mortifie our carnall lusts that grouell vpon the earth To note this mortification and viuification of our selues intire mortification intire viuification which leaueth no hold vnto sinne in any part of our body or power of our soule and which withholds no part or power of either from the seruice of God and which withholds no part or power of either from the seruice of God was the Holocaust soe handled as wee read in the Law first slaine then wholly consumed by fire Besides the Mysterie there is a Method to be obserued in these words K. Dauid doth not only expresse them but digest them digest them according to the prescript of the Law when they were both offered the Sacrifice was presented before the Burnt offering The Morall thereof is very good Wee cannot haue the honour to serue God Prouerb 31.27 except wee first find fauour to be discharged of our sinnes the Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination vnto the Lord and without holinesse it is impossible for a man to please God therefore we must offer our expiatory Sacrifice before our Dedicatory burnt offering wee must make our peace with God before we presume to come into his presence Finally we must take good heed that wee neither maine the parts of our Reconciliation nor peruert their order Maine them we doe if we offer the Sacrifice but withhold the burnt offering desire remission of our sinnes and take no care to become the seruants of God Or if wee offer the burnt offering and withhold the Sacrifice put our selues into the seruice of God but yet doe cherish a root of bitternesse in our hearts doe not vnburthen our consciences of sinne And how few are there that thus fully reconcile themselues to God and ioyne together both these Offerings Some can be contented to be rid of the vncleane Spirit and haue their house swept and garnished but they keepe it emptie and vnimployed entertaine not God neither doe they deuote themselues vnto his seruice Othersome are contented that God shall dwell in them and they will be his Temple but they will haue this Temple to bee also an House of Merchandise a Denne of thieues a very Synagogue of Satan So doe men maime their Reconciliation they are loath to be wholly reconciled vnto God As we must not maime our Reconciliation so we must not peruert the parts thereof the burnt offering must not goe before the Sacrifice neither must wee dedicate our selues to God before wee are cleansed from our sinnes that were to put new wine into old bottels Marke 2 2â— new cloth into an old garment which if we doe Christ tels vs in the Gospell what will become of it the bottels will breake and the garment will rent and grace will neuer abide in a sinfull soule hee will quickly returne like a dogge to his vomit and a Swine to wallow in the myre We must be new creatures or else neuer let vs offer to be the seruants of God And let this suffice for opening of the two branches of the ceremoniall worships I come now to consider Gods disposition towards them and that is twofold He doth not desire them he doth not delight in them Of the words Desire and Delight though one bee ioyned to Sacrifice and the other to Burnt offering yet doe they both reach either of them and doe oftentimes signifie the same thing but yet here they doe not so I difference them and I did it by warrant of the Scripture which obserues two parts of Gods disposition before these things are offered God doth not desire them that is he hath giuen no precept concerning them God speaketh it plaine in Ieremy Chap 7 2. Put your burnt offering vnto your sacrifice and eat flesh for I spake not vnto your fathers nor commanded them in the day when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices Psal 40 And the Psalmist Sacrifice and offerings thou diddest not desire burnt offerings and sinne-offerings hast thou not required In the fiftieth Psalme there is a plaine deniall of them I will not reproue thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings because they haue not beene before me I will take no bullocke out of thy house nor hee goate out of thy fold These places doe iustifie the words of my text and shew plainly that God did not desire them before they were offered hee gaue no precept concerning them And as no Precept so no Promise hee did as little delight in them after they were offered as he did desire them before they were offered reade it in Ieremie Chap. 6. To what purpose commeth there vnto mee Incense from Saba and the sweet Cane from a farre country your burnt offerings are not acceptable Chap. 10. c. In Esay God doth passionately amplifie this poynt Heare the Word of the Lord yee Rulers of Sodome giue eare vnto the Law of our God yee people of Gomorrah to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices vnto me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Rams and the fat of fed beasts I delight not in the blood of bullocks of lambs Chap. 66. and of the goats c. and elsewhere He that killeth an Oxe is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a lamb is as if he cut off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered Swines blood he that offereth incense is as if he blest an Idoll Chap 5. Chap. 5. You may reade the like in Micah and Amos so that bee they part sacrifices be they whole sacrifices be they Expiatory or be they dedicatory God doth not require them God delighteth not in them there is no precept that requireth their performance there is no promise that doth warrant their acceptance And indeed though Desire and Delight or Precept and Promise are differenced as I haue shewed you yet haue they a dependencie the one vpon the other for therefore doth not God delight in these things when they are offered because he did not desire that they should be offered vnto him for promise of acceptance depends vpon the precept of offering whereof there is a precept thereunto there is anext a promise and a promise doth presuppose a precept in all the seruice of God proue one and conclude both and you ouerthrow both if you can iustly denie either So that
midst not of the Holy land onely but also of the whole world a Citie saith our Sauiour Christ built vpon a Hill cannot be hid Math. 5 and againe Men doe not light a Candle to put it vnder a bushell God was neuer so farre estranged from Apostataes but he placed his Church so as that before Christs Incarnation the iourney was not hard for any to come at it and after Christs Incarnation when God was pleased to seeke to Men that in so many generations did not seeke to him and the Law was gone out of Sion 〈◊〉 1. and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem the passage was the more easie for all parts of the world so carefull hath God beene to take all excuse from the murmuring disposition of sinfull men The places yeeld these correspondencies which you haue heard there are besides these two other which spring from their proper names Sion signifieth a watch Tower Ierusalem the vision of Peace Applie this onely to the Church Militant and then this correspondencie ariseth The first representeth the nhture the second the fruit of Faith The nature of Faith is to stand as it were sentinell and discouer with one one eye Gods will and what we ought to doe with the other eye our spirituall foes and how they make towards vs. From such a Faith the fruit that we reape is peace for we shall haue peace with God if we take heede vnto his will and our foes will not much disquiet vs if they find vs standing vpon our guard If wee applie it not onely to the Militant but to the Triumphant Church also then Sion signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our waiting for the Adoption Rom. 8. to wit the Redemption of our bodies or that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned Heb. 11. the saluting a farre off of that which we hope one day comfortably to enioy And that which we shal enioy is noted by Ierusalem wherin we shall dwell as in a peaceable habitation Esay 32. in sure dwellings and in a quiet resting place you may read at large hereof Reuel 22. and conclude that quae nunc Sion est futuraest Ierusalem the Church which is Militant shall one day be Triumphant Out of all this which you haue heard you may gather how due the commendation is which is giuen to this place it is called the Citie of our God Psal 48. Fers 1.2 Chap. 2. Chap. 3. the mountaine of Gods Holinesse beautifull for situation the ioy of the whole earth Esay calleth it a Mountaine lifted vp aboue all mountaines Ieremie calleth it the Throne of the Lord others giue it other honourable titles the Psalmists concludes all in this short Verse Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou Citie of God I conclude this point As that you haue heard is Typus Ecclesiae so it is also Imago nostri as it doth represent the whole Church so ought euerie man herein to behold what manner of person himselfe ought to be In Homogeneous bodies such as the Church is what is commended to the whole must bee obserued by euerie part euerie part must bee though not in quantitie yet in qualitie the same with the whole as of a great wedge there is not a Mite which is not as true Gold as is the whole wedge Wherefore you must take all these correspondencies and applie them to your selues and trie your selues by them for certainely euerie man is a Citiz en either of Ierusalem or of Babylon and if you find not in your selues the Characters of a Citizen of Ierusalem you haue reason to feare that you are of a worse societie of the societie of Babylon and then reade in the Prophets read in the Reuelation of what a miserable Corporation you are I leane the examination and comparison of these things to euerie mans priuate Meditation and passe forward to my Text. Hauing found for whom King Dauid conceiueth his desire wee must now see what he would obtaine for them and we shall find that it is in effect the same which he begged for himselfe he deliuereth his minde in fewer words but hee altereth not his meaning as you will perceiue when I haue vnfolded the branches First then he desireth that Sion and Ierusalem may be restored into the the state of Grace so doe I vnderstand these words doe good That you may see I doe not mistake them obserue that there is something which these words suppose and something which they expresse They suppose that the contagion of King Dauids sinne did cleaue to his people And surely so it did such is the reference betweene a King and his people that the finne of the one doth affect the other 2. King 21. Manasses filled Ierusalem with bloud and God was not pacified Quicquid delirant Reges plectuntur Archiui Prou. 28.2 till for Manasses sinnes he gaue Ierusalem into the hands of the Caldeans you see there how the sinnes of the King doe affect the people And contrarily the sinnes of the people doeaffect the King Solomon speaketh it plainely for the sinnes of the people there are many Princes God taketh them away by vntimely death as he did Iosiah This being true must not be mistaken for though each of their sinnes doe affect the other as farre as to bring punishments vpon them yet doth it not follow they should alwayes infect one the other and so deserue the punishment Euerie man hath cause of punishment enough in himselfe by reason of his owne peculiar sinnes but the occasion of punishing them is often taken from another mans sinnes such an one as betweene whom and him there is neare reference Vpon this supposition doth King Dauid make this prayer doe good as if hee should say my sinnes doe deserue that thou shouldest frustrate my good purpose and thine owne gracious promise vnto Israel Dauid succeeding Saul found the Kingdome in a verie bad case you may read it in the beginning of the sixtie Psalme and Dauid set himselfe for to recouer it againe as appeareth Psal 75. yea and God himselfe did promise by Nathan that all should doe well But now he might well doubt that God would let loose the raines vnto his enemies againe and interrupt all the peace and prosperitie of his Kingdome and so he should haue no opportunitie to goe forward with this Reformation he might feare least God would retract those gracious words spoken of Sion This is my rest for euer here will I dwell I will aboundantly blesse her prouision Psal 138. I will satisfie her poore with bread and I will also cloth her Priests with saluation and her Saints shall shout out aloud for ioy Hauing this iust ground of feare hee maketh this prayer doe good And so the good which hee meaneth must be Bonum indulgentiae and Bonum beneficentiae hee prayeth God not to lay his sinne to his peoples charge nor for his sake to interrupt their prosperity but rather to grant that the sonnes
may learne it of the Pharisee in the Gospell Luke 18.11 I thinke God I am not like other men so doth he vaunt in his Prayer to God And indeed they thought themselues too good to conuerse with the vulgar sort But the ground of this conceit is worth the marking for by that time they tooke vnto themselues this name the forgerie related in the Apocryphal Esdras began to be current Lib. 2. ca. 14. ver 6.14 It began to be beleeued that Moses in mount Sinai receiued not only a Law which he writ but another also which he deliuered by word of mouth that Ioshua receiued it from him and others from Ioshua that so it continued by Succession vntil it was conueied into the Talmud The new Testament calleth it the traditions of the Elders the Iewes themselues Mishne which the Fathers render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea they are not ashamed to enter into a blasphemous comparison of the written Law with the vnwritten giuing the preheminence to the vnwritten aboue the written The Church of Rome hath dream't the verie same dreame in the new Testament as they did in the old and hath fained a traditionarie Gospell as the other fained a traditionarie Law And she commeth fairly after them in the blasphemous comparison the time will not suffer me to inlarge the Parallel others haue done it you may reade it in them I will insist no longer here vpon the Story of the Pharisee I shall meete with him againe Onely if you compare the Sadducee and the Pharisee and obserue how one did pare from the other patch to Gods Word how the one bent to Atheisme and the other to Superstition you will see how hardly men keepe a meane either in knowledge or conuersation some ouer-reach some reach not home But wee must hold it the truest Piety to confine our wits and conforme our liues to that will of God which we haue of record Hauing sufficiently described the Persons we must now consider their taking of the occasion When they heard they came together A strange thing for what was that which they heard was it not the making good of their Tenent against the Sadduces the prouing of the Resurrection of the dead A man would expect that they should congratulate Christs victory and reioyce in the refutation of the Sadduces Haply they would haue done so if there had beene nothing else but Christ got credit by the Sadduces silence the people wondred at it this was a corasiue to the Pharisees they were â—ealous that what Christ gained they lost Therefore they maligned his successe and malice hath no eyes to see good turnes or to bee moued with them Nay see Christ was taking their part against the Sadduces and they reuenge the Sadduces quarrell vpon Christ Malice doth not onely not see good turnes but it can forget also ill turnes to doe a mischiefe vnto those that are good The Sadduces and Pharisees were profest enemies yet both of them agree to take part against Christ so were Pontius Pilate and Herod made friends to crucifie him The extreames though most opposite yet doe either of them impugne the meane in morality couetousnesse indureth not prodigality nor prodigality couetousnesse yet both concurre to ouerthrow liberality As it is in the Abstract so it is in the Concrete men carry themselues according to the qualities wherewith they are seasoned And this is the reason why as in the time of Christ so in our times the orthodoxe Christian is assaulted and battered as well by the superstitious as by the prophane I haue not yet shewed you the depth of their malice it was much that it would not let them see Christs well-deseruing more that they did not see the ill-deseruing of the Sadduces but I wonder at neither of these blindnesses malice suffereth them not to see their owne desperate aduenture for they had not long before as it appeareth in this Chapter set vpon Christ and went awy with disgrace if they would not take warning from the Sadduces foyle they might from their owne But it is a true rule Malitia Ambitio nutriunt temeritatem impudentiam where a mans heart is possest with ambition or malice hee will bee commonly foole-hardie and past shame hee will venture without fore-sight of his present ruine and hee is shamelesse and senslesse though hee haue neuer so much cause to blush and take heed The Diuell tempted Christ and though he were twice repulsed yet he set on him the third time his schollers haue the same resolution Which must make vs not to wonder at the replications Chryâ—ost 16. in Math. and triplications of the Aduersaries of our Church Audi homo sidelis saith an ancient Father hearken to me O whosoeuer faithfull man thou art that willingly dost encounter an Hereticke if the Pharisee could be quiet then is there hope thou mayst quiet an Hâ—reticke but it is no more possible for to quiet an Hereticke then it was to quiet a Pharisee For what art thou stronger then Christ that thou shouldest quiet them whom Christ could not quiet No we must still beare in minde that the Church is militant when we haue put off one storme we must look for another Christ was so exercised and so hath his Church euer beene and shall bee vntill the end of the world Finis vnius cruciâ— est gradus alterius Christian men by one conquest doe but make way to another conflict Chrysost Hom quae supra And the Enemie of the Church saepe confunditur nunquam placatur though often confounded will neuer be appeased And let this suffice for the Occasion I come now to the Conference whereof the first part is the Question moued Here I told you wee were first to see Who moueth it Laying the words together I found there were two sorts of Actors many plotted for Conuenerunt in vnum all the Pharisees laid their heads together and they repayred all to Christ all their wits did hammer it and all their Persons countenance it they were not vnaduised vpon that which they spake and they did afford it their best assistance which maketh much for the amplifying of Christs wisedome and his constancie that could reply so sodainly to that which so many heads had premeditated and was not daunted with the presence of so many great Rabbines What Grace hee gaue to his disciples he wanted not himselfe Ma. 10.19 dabitur in illa hora his spirit did suggest in an instant what he should speake and he had a mouth giuen vnto him which the aduersaries could not resist As many plotted the Question so there was but one that did propose it S. Chrysostome and other of the Fathers obserue a policie herein for the Pharisees had reason to doubt of the successe vpon their former proofe therfore they handle the matter so that but one should speak if he preuailed they would all triumph because he was of their Sect but if he were foyld
mixt it proceeds partly from infidelity and partly from malice they did not belieue that hee was the Messias and they would willingly haue destroyed him because hee affirmed himselfe to bee so In this sense they often tempted Christ somtimes tempting his Power Luke 11. sometimes his clemencie Ioh. 8. sometimes his Zeale in the question of diuorce Math. 19. sometimes his allegiance as in this Chapter in the question of Tribute That which we must marke in the temptation is that as temptation presupposeth ignorance of the Person whom we tempt both what he is and what he will doe So there is great difference betweene simple ignorance which in simplicity of heart maketh triall for better resolution such a triall as Nathaniel was willed by Phillip to make of Christ Ioh. 1. Come and see when hee doubted whether any good could come out of Nazareth and that of the Samaritanes Ioh. 4. who being bid by the woman to come and see a Prophet went heard and belieued such kind of tempting in simplicitie of heart neither is ill nor displeaseth But the Pharisees proceeded from Ignorantia prauae dispositionis notwithstanding Christ had done so many things miraculously and spoken so many words most wisely yet are they not moued either with his words or workes but passing by that which should reclaime them they seeke matter of aduantage whereby they may oppresse Christ There is no kind of people so mischieuous as those which are learned and want a good conscience for their Learning is nothing but armata nequitia it serueth both for defensiue and offensiue weapons of sinne A learned wicked man is two wayes worse then he that is vnlearned though hee be wicked worse passiucly for hee can most hardly bee wrought by or brought vnto the truth worse actiuely for he can find out most trickes and take most aduantages of doing ill Wherefore we must take heed to our knowledge and pray God that hee would giue vs such as may bee accompanied with a good conscience least otherwise wee become brethren of the Pharisee and our Questions moued to Christ proue no better then his temptation You see that he came with a sword in his heart and that hee had a mischieuous purpose see now what oyle streameth from his lips He saluteth our Sauiour with a smoth tongue Master Saint Hierome doth not vnfitly compare flatterers vnto Bees which haue honie as well as stings flatterie is the best art of insinuation The title is honourable which this questionist giueth vnto Christ for it was the title of the Rabbins of all those that tooke vpon them to teach the people It was much affected both by the Scribes and Pharisees as you may reade in the Gospell and why They held it an honourable acknowledgement of their learning But though they did affect it yet was it due to Christ by reason that He was the great Prophet that should come into the world Dâ—â—â— 8. he was the Wisedome and the Word of God Iohn 13. you call me saith Christ to his Disciples Lord and Master and so I am But as for this Scribe he had no intent to expresse so good a conceite of Christ or such purpose as to bee Christs Disciple you may learne it out of S. Iohn where with scornfull indignation they bid the blind man be Christs Disciple as for themselues they were Moses Disciples Origen hath a wittie obseruation vpon the nature of correlatiues as none is a father except he haue a child so none except he be his child can truly call another father The same correspondencie should there be between Master Schollar we do but abusiuely cal him Master to whose instruction we purpose not to commit our selues as doth beseeme a Schollar but as Iudas cried Haile Master when he was playing the Traytor so doth this man vse the word Master when he is playing the Tempter and enerie one that cals Christ Master or Sauiour and is not a true correlatine in disposition est frater Pharisei and many such brethren haue the Pharisees in the world Couple that which you haue heard of these Persons what they were indeed and what they were in shew and you shall perceiue that the questionist is an Angell of darknesse though he make shew of an Angell of light The Diuell neuer appeareth in his owne hue and they must not want a faire pretence that plot mischiefe against others I haue discouered the Questionist sufficiently vnto you it remaineth that we briefly consider of his Question And here we shall find first that the Question is indeed good for it is about Gods Law and men cannot better employ their thoughts then there about King Dauid doth often recommend this study But there are two soule abuses wherewith this Scribe this Lawyer doth corrupt his question the one is vaine glory the other is impietie He heard Christ taxe the Sadduces for their ignorance in the Scripture he thought it was now time for him to get himselfe credit and no better meanes then the mouing of such a Question The vaine glorie is a foule fault but the impietie is much worse for hee maketh Gods word serue for a weapon in the Diuels quarrell He learned this of the father of Temptations who vsed such weapons against Christ and he is folowed therin by most hereticks whose practise is to oppose the truth by the truth God by himselfe As if the malice of man could deprehend any such aduantage of ouersight in God whereby any might be induced to sinne against him but abuse they may they can neuer vse aright such weapons and if they doe abuse them well may they sometimes nay they doe too often succeed in their aduenture against men but it is senselesse that they should hope to speed against God or Christ The Question is not onely good but it is waightie also for it is about the great Commandement in the Law great for greatest for the Hebrewes haue not superlatiues Marke calleth it Primum omnium the chiefest of the Commandements Another Scribe Luke 10. seemeth to expound the word great by those words What shall I doe to inherit euerlasting life So that the great Commandement seemeth to be that the keeping whereof doth best please God and giueth vs the neerest communion with him Wherfore though it skils not which is the greatest so we set our selues to keepe all as we ought yet is the resolution desired vse-full to make a man know how farre hee is gon from God It should seeme that there was a Question here abouts betweene the Iewes some holding for the Ceremoniall Marke 12.33 some for the Morall as we may gather from this Scribes answere made elsewhere And this Scribe as Marke cals him or Law yer as here would shew himselfe to bee no ordinarie man by his question It is true that though all the Commandements of God bee equall in regard of the Author and nothing may be accounted small that commeth from God yet in
profit or pleasure how doth the couetous man toyle himselfe out of the Loue of money the ambitious out of the Loue of honour the faulconer the Huntsman out of Loue of their sports Guesse by them how cheerefully wee would bee doing good if wee were prepossessed with Loue for Loue sweetens all paines yea guesse by Lust what Loue can doe that goeth vpon much surer grounds Loue doth not onely facilitate our doing but our suffering also out of loue to their wiues and children what hunger what thirst what wounds doe Souldiers endure But beyond all goe the sufferings of the Martyrs of whose wonderfull patience and constancie therein you can giue no other reason but Loue They loued not their liues vnto death Gal. 5. because they did loue to keepe Gods commandements I begin now to vnderstand S. Paul against Loue there is no Law for though there were no Law yet he that loueth would readily obey hee needs no other obligation 1. Ioh. 5. â— to whom to doe his dutie is a very pleasure I now begin to vnderstand Saint Iohn The commandements of God are not grieuous for griese and loue cannot stand together it is rather a griefe not to doe that which our soule doth loue You see then that God could not prouide an easier commandement for vs then Thou shalt loue And could he haue prouided a happier No verily for though amor bee sui praemium it carrieth contentednesse in the very nature of it yet as if that would not satisfie all the requisites vnto felicitie are distinctly ascribed vnto it Whereof the first is freedome of Spirit hee in whom Charitie is hath exchanged the spirit of bondage for the spirit of Adoption then which there cannot bee a more ingenuous a more free spirit So that whereas no obedience pleaseth God but that which is voluntarie it is Charitie that maketh vs such seruants as God requireth A second requisite vnto felicitie is store or plenty of prouision and what better purueyer can we haue then Charitie Looke how farre it extendeth so farre it enritcheth for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looke how many friends so many supplies wee haue of our wants and if all men were true friends Hom. 5. adps â—ul Astiâ—ch no man could want that which another man hath The last requisite is securitie and there it no guard to the guard of Loue for by Charitie it commeth to passe as Chrysostome wittily obserueth that one man is as many men as he hath friends whether you respect acquisitionem bonorum or depulsionem malorum so many paire of eyes to watch for him so many paire of hands to defend him so many paire of feete to trauell for him so many heads to aduise tongues to speake hearts to encourage and what better munition would a man desire God commends Charitie when he vouchsafed to heare Iob for his friends and in the 41 Psalme shewes that nothing is more detestable then treachery in friendship Would time permit me I should shew you that there is nothing like vnto Charitie that doth proue a man to be a man and turne a man into a God Some guesse that Homo hath his name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to note that hee is a sociable Creature but it is out of question that Ratio and Oratio were giuen him for this purpose that men might haue communion one with another Take Charitie out of his tongue what is it but an vnruly euill as Saint Iames calleth it full of deadly poyson a world of wickednesse a firebrand of hell that is able to set the world on fire Take Charitie out of the reason of a man then that will proue true which God told Noah The frame of the thoughts of the heart of man are onely euil and that of Ieremie The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things and desperately wicked So that you may seeke a man and not find him in a man if Charitie be away But season him with Charitie and then shall you see the excellencie of a man his tongue will be a tree of life and the issues of life will come out of his heart as Salomon teacheth in his Prouerbs I told you that Charitie doth also turne a man into a God for God is Charitie and hee that dwelleth in Charitie dwelleth in God and God in him Therefore Christ commending Charitie giueth this reason that wee may be like vnto our Father in Heauen It is not without cause then that Saint Iames calleth it the royall Law of liberty and Saint Paul the supereminent way Other gifts saith Saint Austin are giuen by the Spirit but without Charitie they become vnprofitable Vbi Charitas est quid potest obesse Vbi non est quid potest prodesse In God it was Charitie that set the rest of his Attributes on worke when he made when hee redeemed the world and our abilities will all bee idle except they bee set on worke by Loue and if Loue stirre all will come plentifully from man as they doe from God Finally as Charitas is omnium hominum so omnium horarum locorum nunquam nusquam excluditur Which cannot be said of any other affection there is no man that may not loue and that at all times and in all places Wherefore God hath laid this fundamentall Law Dilige then which there is no more excellent gift and it is the immediate ground of Pietie the roote of all morall vertues and Theologicall also as hereafter you shall heare and heare that hoc vnum necessarium LEt vs now beseech the God of Loue so to sweeten our nature with his holy spirit of Loue that being rooted and grounded in this fundament all Law all our workes may be done in Loue. AMEN The third Sermon MATT. 22. VERSE 37. With all thy Heart and with all thy Soule and with all thy Mind OVt of those first words of this Verse Thou shalt Loue you haue beene taught What it is to Loue and who it is that is bound to obserue this vertue We must now come on and see in the next place what is the seate of Loue and in my Text we find that it is pointed out in three words the Heart Cap. 12. Cap. 10. the Soule the Mind Moses Deuter. 6. and out of him S. Marke and Saint Luke adde a fourth which is Strength The words may be taken confusedly or distinctly Confusedly and so they will teach vs onely in grosse the seate of Loue. Distinctly and so they will shew vs that these parts which are the seate of Loue are ordinate and subordinate Ordinate ad intra as Loue must be within vs and ordinate ad extra as Loue must bee employed without vs. Subordinate for one of the parts is imperatiue or definitiue the other are Imperatae definitae And out of altogether wee shall learne that Charitie is a Catholike and transcendent vertue I purpose to handle these words both wayes as they are taken confusedly and as they
Or I might carrie you along through all those branches which were toucht when I opened those words Thou shalt loue I told you then that Loue beginneth in Vnion of the persons it commeth on to Communion first in good will and then in good deeds and this euery one that loueth doth labour to expresse both in soule and bodie for it must be syncere But because I haue exprest diuers kinds and degrees of neighbourhood I cannot better teach you what it is to loue your neighbour then to perswade you to entertaine each kind of neighbourhood and that according to its degree Is any man thy neighbour in place be as occasion serueth his Helpe his Comforter otherwise God will not account that thou louest him Non prodest si nos continet vna domus separat diuersa voluntas plus attendit Deus vnitatem animi quam loci 〈◊〉 any moreouer thy neighbour in bloud let him find how much nature is more potent then Law and let Consanguinitie double the heat of thy affections to wards him Doest thou apprehend that all Mankind is made after the Image of God Let thy humanitie towards strangers testifie the reuerence which thou bearest to thy Maker Iob 3◠Let not the stranger lodge in the street but open thy doores vnto Trauellers Neighbourhood in place doth but supply neighbourhood in bloud therefore if we respect that which is the sample much more must we respect this which is the sampler Art thou aduanced to an higher degree of neighbourhood in that thou art a member of the Church thy good offices must be multiplyed accordingly and thou must promote the Communion of Saints with much more zeale then the societie of men here thou must shew how farre Grace goeth beyond Nature Is man thy friend Dilige eum in Dec loue him because alreadie he stands in good tearmes with God Is he thy enemie Dilige eum propter Deum loue him for Gods sake and after Gods example he maketh his Sunne to shine and his raine to fall vpon the iust and vniust thankfull vnthankfull therefore If thy enemie hunger Rom. 12. Mat. 5. Prou. 16. giue him meat if he thirst giue him drinke and so heape coles of fire on his head If thy enemie be a member of the Church remember hee is but like a part of thy bodie out of ioynt though it be painfull yet how tenderly doest thou handle it and neuer leaue vntill thou hast set it in ioynt againe Euen so shouldest thou vse thy brother neuer leaue vntill thou hast brought him to yeeld thee as much content as he hath wrought thee woe Is hee without the Church that doth afflict thee Looke not vpon him but vpon the Deuill that prouoketh him poure out thy malice against the Deuill for this is a lawfull enmitie Gen 3. vpon that ancient ground ponam immicitias but pitie the man let him find in thee the comfort of a Neighbour Thou canst not better ouercome the Deuill then by such loue of thine enemies A man cannot so many wayes afflict thee but thou must be as many wayes charitable vnto him as Christ teacheth in the fift of Matthew verse 44. In a word Amor nescit inimicum and this euery Christian man must shew or else he will betray that he is no liuing member in the mysticall Bodie of Christ for how doth he liue therein that is either senselesse or Satanicall his owne bodie will refute him 1. 〈◊〉 As we must loue our Neighbours in the Church Militant so must we loue also our Neighbours of the Church Triumphant we must reuerence the presence of the Angels that are about vs and not misdemeane our selues before them nor grieue them in their Ministerie wee must thankfully commemorate the liues of the Saints departed and bee carefull to resemble them in their vertues But wee must not with the Church of Rome racke our loue towards either Angels or Saints and honour them farther then we haue warant much lesse derogate from God or Christ in our honouring them As for Christ it is not hard to conceiue how wee must Loue him his Names will guide vs. The Church is his Spouse shee must Loue him with a chast Loue the Church is his Bodie shee must Loue him with an obedient Loue He is our Brother we must loue him with a Naturall Loue the diuersitie of his titles will teach vs how to diuersifie our Loue for hee beareth no title which wee must not entertaine with an answerable Loue. In all that you haue heard you may perceiue that there are diuers kind of persons that challeng our Loue but Christ calleth neuer a one of them by his proper name but comprehendeth them all vnder one name Neighbour other names would haue imported some personall respects teaching vs two things first that our loue must bee without respect of persons we may not loue because a man is rich wife or Honourable nor for any other worldly respect these bee the motiues that sway with Publicans and Sinners with carnall men but these are base respects in the eyes of Christian men Especially seeing God that hath made men vnequall in these hath made them equall in better things Yea and these which are so vnequally distributed are therefore so distributed that they might giue the fitter opportunitie for the exercise of our Loue. Looke vpon thy Bodie it is made of the foure Elements whereof one is cold another is hot one is moyst another is drie Doth the hot abhorre the cold or the moyst the drie No rather they impart their qualities to them and out of so louing neighbourhood commeth this goodly fabricke of mans bodie which would soone be dissolued if this louing neighbourhood should faile The whole frame of the world is preserued by the louing association that is betweene vnequall creatures so the great world the little world both doe teach vs how due our Loue is vnto neighbourhood only in regard of neighbourhood The second thing that wee must obserue is that wee must take the scantling of our Loue from the kind and degree of neighbourhood But of that I shall speake more when I come to the measure only now obserue that as I told you when I spake of the Loue of the Lord our God that Loue must not only extend to his person but to those things that belong vnto him so must we conceiue also of the Loue of our Neighbour Whereupon are grounded those Lawes Thou shalt not see thy Neighbours Oxe nor his Asse going astray sinking vnder his burden lying in a ditch but thou shalt bring him home ease him lift him out In a word whatsoeuer thing concerneth our Neighbour in any kind or degree of neighbourhood wee must testifie the acknowledgment of our reference to him in carefully procuring the welfare of that thing You haue heard the Dutie But who must performe it Surely whosoeuer hath the interest is he thy Neighbour why then thou must loue him But the Law
speaketh properly to them that are vnder the Law and so Thou an Israelite and teacheth vs which are the Israel of God In this word Christ taxeth the Pharisees glosse who straightened the extent of neighbourhood Matth. 5. as appeared by the Addition they made to the Law Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour and hate thine Enemies they confined neighbourhood to their owne sect at least to their owne Nation And wee see at this day the Iewes mention not Christians without reproch no more then Papists doe Protestants But a Christian must know that in Iesus Christ there is neither Iew nor Gentile Coloss 3.11 Grecian nor Barbarian male nor female bond nor free Saint Austin hath a conuicting reason De Doctrina Christiana c. 30. which is that otherwise there would bee some persons with whom we might commit adulterie whose goods wee might steale whose bodies we might murder without any sinne against them which is absurde The case of the Canaanite was extraordinarie Austin tract in Iohannis cap. 15. we may not match our affections with Gods precepts as if they were alike lawfull Wherefore let vs beare fruit answerable to the seed which God hath sowen in our hearts and though our nature bee prone to satanisme and hatred for this charitie is a straine aboue nature and knowne only to those of the Church yet let vs mortifie it and subdue it to the Law of God Let vs not define whom we must loue other wise then we are taught of God let vs not thinke we loue as many as we should if we exclude any from our loue for our loue must be the fulfilling of the Law therefore it is impossible for vs in regard of any man whatsoeuer to performe the Law which bindeth vs to him without Loue. NOw therefore the God of Loue season all our hearts so with Loue that Hatred being cleane rooted out we may all be of one minde of one heart and out of the sweet sense and comfort hereof we may all say and sing Ecce quam bonum Behold how good and ioyfull a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie The sixth Sermon MATT. 22. VERSE 37 38 39. Thou shalt Loue the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soule and with all thy Mind This is the first and great Commandement And the second is like vnto it Thou shalt Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe THe last point which I opened vpon this Text taught vs vpon whom we must bestow our Charitie we learned that we must bestow it vpon The Lord our God and our neighbour vpon these persons and vpon those things that haue reference vnto them must it bee bestowed Therefore though the Commandement seeme in nature to bee but one for it is onely Loue yet Christ breaketh it into two and these two vnequall As it must be bestowed on them so in bestowing it we must obserue an Order and a Measure both are plainely prescribed in the Text. The Order for here is a Frist and a Second commandement mencioned The Measure for here is mentioned the great commandement and a commandement that is onely like it We are willed to loue first The Lord our God secondly Our neighbour this is the Order And we are willed to loue the Lord our God with all our heart soule and mind c. and our neighbour as our selues this is the Measure Order then and Measue are to be obserued in the bestowing of our Charitie And indeed without Order and Measure no worke hath either Beautie or Perpetuitie looke vpon the frame of heauen and earth were not the parts thereof so well ordered had not each of them his limits it could neither be so goodly nor so lasting a Creature want of Order would blemish the goodlinesse and want of Measure would shorten the lastingnesse thereof Euen so is it in Charitie inuert the Order alter the Measure required therein by the Law wee doe foulely deforme it and all societie grounded thereon bee it heauenly or earthly will quickly bee disolued This time will not suffice for the opening of both wherefore I will now onely handle the Order and reserue the Measure for some other time Touching then the Order that is to be obserued in Charitie wee must know that it is twofold there is Ordo ad intra and ordo ad extra an order in the generation of it or the working of it into our soules and an order in the employment of it as we expresse it in our liues Of the first Order you heard when I opened vnto you the seate of Charitie and shewed you that it is either Primitiue or Deriuatiue it must begin at the Heart and from thence spread it selfe into the Soule the mind the strength With that Order we haue nothing to doe now my Text leadeth me to speake of the second Order the Order of employment the bestowing of it vpon others after we are seasoned with it our selues To come then to this Order to vnderstand it we must take this Rule Scire quid facere debeamus nescire ordinem faciendt perfecta scientia non est moralitie requireth that we not onely know what we ought to doe but also in what order otherwise the knowledge of our dutie is imperfect therefore imperfect because it will be indiscreete discretion being that which doth distinguish and digest the parts of De Cinit Dei lib 5 cap. 22. and points in our dutie So that take away Order vertue will presently degeâ—erate into vice especially if we admit that definition of Saint Austine short but true Vâ—rtus est ordo amoris vertue is nothing else but the well ordering of our Charitie Wherefore the Order of Gods precepts must not bee passed ouer vnregarded because therefore doth God keepe an order in commanding to intimate vnto vs what order we must keepe in our liuing Whatsoeuer is good may be beloued well or ill well if you obserue the order and if you neglect it then you loue it ill But let vs come closer to the Text. Here we find a first and a second Commandement It is doubted by some whether they are rightly so called seeing that which concerneth our Neighbour was first deliuered Leuit. 19. vers 18. and therefore deliuered on mount Sinai Leuit. 27.34 Comp. numb 10 ver 11 12 with Deâ—â—r 1 6 vide Deut. 2 1â— and that which concerneth the Lord our God was deliuered afterward Deutro 6. vers 50. and therefore deliuered in the land of Moab Deutr. 1.5 The distance of times wherein they were deliuered was thirtie eight yeeres But we must not insist vpon these words as referring to the times wherein Moses deliuered the Commandements but as expounding their sense as they are a Summe of the Decalogue and point out the principall duties prescribed therein Now because the Decalogue was engrauen in two Tables and the briefe of the first was our dutie toward God therefore is that called the first Commandement
parts which are the two Commandements of Loue. Then ioyntly we will see how these contents can be so fully inlarged as to take vp those parts the two Commandements all the Law and the Prophets and those two parts so contracted as not to exceed these contents all the Law and the Prophets not to exceed the two Commandements for the Text saith they doe all hang vpon the Commandements These be the particulars which I shall now God willing inlarge and apply briefly and in their order The first is the parts of the Bible When I speake of the Bible I meane the old Testament there was no more extant when Christ conuersed here on earth the rest was added after his Ascension Now you shall find all the Bookes of the old Testament concluded sometimes vnder one name that is either the Law or the Law of Moses or the Prophets and as Saint Peter speaketh the sure word of the Prophets Sometimes the Bookes are diuided Christ diuideth them two wayes Once into three parts the Law the Prophets the Psalmes often into two Luke 24. in the Parable of Diues and Lazarus Luke 16. They haue Moses and the Prophets and in his commendations of Saint Iohn the Baptist The Law and the Prophets prophesied vntill Iohn which is also found Luke 24. Where it is said that Christ taught the two Disciples that were going to Emmaus out of the Law and the Prophets and this diuision so familiar to Christ is vsed in this place I am not ignorant that there are many other diuisions collected by the learned out of Iewish and Christian Writers but I will not trouble you with them I haue shewed you those that are in the new Testament and of them I will open this vnto you The first branch is the Law By a Law is vnderstood that obligation vnto dutie which is laid by those that haue autoritie vpon reasonable creatures Of Lawes there are two sorts that which is called the Law of Nature and that which is called positiue Law The Law of Nature was concreated with a reasonable Soule and was to be in her the nursery of all kind of vertues or honestie of life it is that which is commonly knowne by the name of the Morall Law And the things that are prescribed therein are Praecepta quia bona they are commanded because they are good good in their owne Nature they are properly called Vertues Therefore is this Law immutable vndispensable it binds all Nations and in all Ages It is true that sinne hath much impaired our knowledge of and obedience to it yet there remayneth enough in the ruines of our Nature to make euen Infidels vnexcusable at the Day of Iudgement as Saint Paul teacheth Rom 2. The second kind of Law is called Positiue this is made vpon such things as are in their owne nature indifferent the vse whereof notwithstanding is fit to be ordered by the wisdome of the Law-giuer as is most expedient for the State Now a State doth vndergoe a double consideration of a Church and of a Common Weale therefore the Lawes are of two sorts those that concerne the Church are called Ecclesiasticall and those are called Ciuill which concerne the Common Weale These Lawes containe Bona quia praecepta being in their owne Nature indifferent they are made vnto those that are subiect to the Iurisdiction not indifferent in their vse by reason that that is limited by a Law So that although if there were no Law a thing indifferent might be done or left vndone might be done this way or that way yet the libertie is taken away when a restraint is laid vpon vs by those that haue Authoritie Notwithstanding this kind of Law whether Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill is mutable is dispensable yet so that none can change it none can dispense with it but hee that maketh it according to the rule of the Law Eius est destruere cuius est construere none can abrogate but he that doth enact except he haue some lawfull superiour What you haue heard of Law is most true of Moses Law with which we haue now to doe for that is the most exact Sampler of all Lawes I meane Lawes of publike Gouernments of States for wee haue nothing to doe now with the Lawes of Arts Sciences and of Tradesmens Corporations In Moses Law then you shall find first the Law of Nature that is in the Decalogue or the ten Commandements the exactest Morall Law that euer was penned for neuer did any so strictly as that doth search into man and commend the perfection of vertue vnto him yea command his conformitie vnto it As for Positiue Lawes Moses hath deliuered both sorts The Ecclesiasticall or those that frame the Israelites to an outward deuotion beseeming that Church in the religious worship of God commonly called the Ceremoniall Law Besides which he hath also deliuered Ciuill Lawes such as were fit to order the Common Weale of the Israelites commonly called his Politique Lawes Though we may not denie that there bee in him some Ceremoniall Lawes that haue reference to the Ciuill Policie or the second Table of the Decalogue and some Politique Lawes that haue reference to the first Table and worship of God Neither may we forget touching Positiue Lawes that they are all attendant vpon the Law of Nature the Ecclesiasticall or Ceremoniall vpon the first Table the Politique or Ciuill attend vpon the Second And let this suffice concerning the first Branch The Law The second Branch is the Prophets The originall of a Prophet amongst the Israelites you shall find in Moses to haue beene this Deut. 17. When God had deliuered the Law by his owne mouth the people were so affrighted with the Maiestie of his presence that they desired they might not heare God speake any more thereupon God promised that he would rayse vnto them a Prophet of their Brethren whom they should heare His Office was to supply the defects and defaults of the Priest For the Priests lips were to preserue knowledge and the people were to aske the Law at his mouth moreouer in the difficulties and distresses of the Church they were to consult God by the Vrim and Thummin and deliuer his Oracles But the Priests did quickly degenerate they intended principally the beneficiall part of their seruice which were Sacrifices as for the doctrinall they cared not much for that Wherefore God raysed vp Prophets and by them refresht the peoples memories concerning his Lawes and though they had some thing answerable to the Vrim and Thummin that is they did deliuer diuine Oracles yet if you marke them well those Oracles doe containe little besides the gracious promises that are made vnto them that obserue the Law and serue to encourage them to doe well or the Iudgements that are threatned to the transgressors of the Law and serue to deterre them from doing euill Although wee may not denie that the corporall blessings and curses were shadowes of spirituall and the
what these two Commandements enioyned vs is by Christ fulfilled for vs. Saint Pauls wordes sound that way Rom. 8. That which was impossible for the Law by reason of the weaknesse of our flesh God sending his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sin condemed sin in the flesh Math. 5.17 Rom 10.4 Gal. 3 2â— that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs and Christ saith I came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it and he is the end of the Law and the Law a Pedagogue to Christ But Hilarie hath a good Rule Sensus dictorum sumendus est ex causis dicendorum Christs words are an Answere and therefore must bee vnderstood sutably to the Question Now the Question was touching that which was enioyned vs therefore the Answere is not to bee thought to extend farther And doubtlesse the Questionist thought nothing of the Gospell for how should hee thinke vpon that whereof he had no knowledge Wherefore in contracting of those parts wee must include no more then that dutie which is enioyned vs by the Law as it is contradistinct to the Gospell and all that is contained herein Yea Saint Austin was conceited that not only God did worke the Law and the Prophets out of this ground but that the very Heathen also wrought all their allowable Moralitie and Policie out of it Neither is there any point of this kinde in Christian Religion which may not bee fetched out of Heathen Writers Not that any one of them hath all the Rules but that there is no Rule which may not bee found in some one of them I except alwayes the Rules of the Gospell Whereupon it followeth that Reason it selfe acknowledgeth the truth of all those Rules I will not be so confident as to affirme that the Heathens did euer acknowledge all that I haue opened on these two Commandements a glimpse they had of most of it the writings of Plato Seneca others doe testifie as much the fragments of the twelue Tables which are the foundation of the Ciuill Law and the bodie thereof testifie how farre Reason hath gone But I hasten to an end You haue heard a Lesson which is recommended vnto vs in Christs Answere I told you it is a briefe of the Bible the whole is no more in effect then Loue God aboue all things and thy Neighbour as thy selfe a short lesson you would thinke but it is a very hard one whether you respect the proper worke of Loue or the workes which it commands The reason is partly in our Ignorance which doth not easily learne our dutie and partly in our Concupiscence which hinders vs from doing that which we know from these two impediments no meere man euer was free De perfect Iustit ad Coelest 1. Cor 13. since the fall of Adam neither is it likely any man shall bee vntill the end of the World Wherefore Saint Austin is of opinion that our intire obedience is reserued for our state in Heauen When that which is perfect is come then shall that which is imperfect be done away Saint Paul speaketh it of Charitie which shall not be abolished in Heauen but consummated where wee shall loue God though not quantum diligibilis in se yet quantum ab homine and our Neighbour as our selfe But Saint Austin giueth a good Rule why these Commandements were giuen I am ante praecipitur quia non recte curritur si quo currendum nescitur quomodo autem sciretur si nullis praeceptis ostenderetur Therefore wee must vnderstand the Commandements aright wee are wayfaring men and these Lawes trace out the way which we must goe to Heauen Wee I meane as many as are faithfull For to vs is the Law giuen and some steps must we make herein euery day that wee may bee the forwarder to our iournies end So all our worke should proceed from it and the Loue of God should order our life especially with that we should be principally affected and coldly with other things in comparison of that 1. Cor. 7. v. 31. Vse the world as if we vsed it not If a man bee perplext in his deliberation how hee should carrie himselfe because the profound disputes of Moralitie exceed his capacitie let him hearken to the good counsell of an ancient Father Noli per multa tre nec discendi terreat te ramorum diffusio radicem tene de magnitudine arboris noli cogitare A man may rid himselfe of much trouble in resoluing his conscience what to doe if hee season his Heart well with the Loue of God and of his Neighbour I meane not that he should refuse other helpes if hee may haue them but the more hee hath of this the lesse he will need other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that makes vs obey out of feare this out of goodnesse The Papists abuse this Text for they say this is one of the directories of the Church whereby shee may supply her Traditions but it warrants no supply of the Morall Law much lesse of Articles of Faith though if it be reasonably vsed it may extend to positiue Lawes Lastly seeing all hang on these two Commandements none can crie nesciebam I knew not what to doe But I draw to an end In the Hebrew Bibles the first Characters of these two Commandements are extraordinary great whether by the appointment of Esdras when he digested the Bible or by the Authours of the Mazoreth when they set downe the various lections I will not dispute of this wee may bee sure that whosoeuer was the Authour hee meant we should take notice of these as most remarkable Commandements Not such notice as the Iewes take who write them in schedules and weare and reade them as Amulets to keepe from them all euill which superstition diuers Christians did imitate in Saint Hieromes dayes hanging about their neckes little Gospels In Matth. c â—â— But that Father saith well that caskets and closets may hold our Bibles and be neuer the better for them they are the better for Scripture who lay it vp in their hearts and this God meant the Iewes should dâ—e when he bade them bind his Lawes as frontlets about their heads Deut. 6. and bracelets about their armes hee would haue them in all their wayes thinke vpon them and be euer exercising themselues in them and not to vse the ceremonie only forgetting the substance And I pray God these Commandements may be such frontlets on our eyes as God meant and not such as the Iewes vsed Charitie is the end of the Law the fulfilling of the Law 1 Tim 1.5 Rom 13.10 Col. 3.14 as Saint Paul speakes in imitation of Christ the bond of perfection the way of life yea the superexcellent way all these commendations the Scripture giueth it But beyond all commendations goeth that which Christ giueth it in my text Vpon it hang all the Law and the Prophets Wherefore owe nothing to any but this
that you loue Rom. 13. Chrysost Col. 3. v. 14. 1. Cor. 16.14 which is a debt that semper soluitur nunquam persoluitur Aboue all things let vs seeke after Charitte and let all our things be done in Loue. Yea let vs fall in loue with Loue that so wee may grow therein vntill wee come where it shall be so consummate as that all our life shall be spent in Loue in louing God with all our heart with all our minde with all our soule with all our strength and louing our Neighbour as our selfe THE CONCLVSION OF THE FORMER ARGVMENT DELIVERED IN a Sermon on the twelfth of Saint Marke Verses 32 33 34. And the Scribe said vnto him Well Master thou hast said the truth for there is one God and there is none other but hee And to loue him with all the heart and withall the vnderstanding and with all the soule and with all the strengh and to loue his Neighbour as himselfe is more then all whole burns offerings and Sacrifices And when Iesus saw that hee answered discreetly hee said vnto him thou art not farre from the Kingdome of God And no man after that durst aske him any question OVr Sauiour Christ in the conference which hee had with the Pharisee about the great Commandement Matthew 22. had to doe with a Question and a Questionist The question was good the Questionist was a Tempter therefore he fully yea abundantly resolued the question but he put the Questionist cleane besides his purpose and marred the plâ—t of the Pharisees For they thought either to disgrace or endanger him disgrace him if he were silent or if he did answere to endanger him to those that were of a contrarie opinion But Christ handles the matter so that they sped of neither of these ends for he answeres that they might not disgrace him for ignorance but answers so that he cleane defeats their malice This being but insinuated in Saint Matthew is fully opened by Saint Marke therefore at length to put an end to the Doctrine of the great Commandement whereupon I haue dwelt long I haue chosen these words as the fittest close of that Argument I purpose God willing briefly and plainly to vnfold them vnto you Therein then wee are to obserue Christs discretion in answering and the confusion of his aduersaries by his answere The first point is gathered out of the whole bodie of Christs speech the second out of the euent thereof More distinctly The discretion appeares in that Christ answeres not only secundum veritatem truly but also ad hominem hee fitteth his answere to the Questionist Answeres out of his owne Principles so that he cannot denie it and discouers his sinne that he may be stung with it Touching the confusion of the aduersaries that is double as they were of two sorts For one moued the question the rest plotted it both are confounded but not both alike The confusion of the Questionist is comfortable two wayes comfortable First in regard of his ingenuitie for hee doth acknowledge openly what Christ answeres yea and iustifieth it soundly though with the disgrace of his companions Secondly in regard of the clemencie with which our Sauiour entertaines it First he tooke notice of it he saw that hee answered discreetly Secondly hee encouraged it for hee told the Questionist that hee was not farre from the Kingdome of God Thus was the Questionist confounded His Complices also were confounded but their confusion was damnable for they had no more to say they asked him no more questions not because they were euer a whit the better for our Sauiours answere but because they durst not Their malice was ouer-awed they durst not play the Serpents any longer and set vpon Christ with craft and temptation but from this day forward they turned Lions and put him to a cruell death This is the summe of this Scripture the particulars whereof I will runne ouer againe I pray God it may proue for our instruction and edification First then of Christs Discretion it is gathered out of the bodie of his answere which containes not only a truth but truth fitted to the Questionist fitted two wayes First because it workes vpon his owne Principles for Christ keepeth himselfe to the words of the Law and maketh Moses giue the Scribe an answere Now the Scribe was a Doctor of the Law and Moses authoritie was sacred with him Adde hereunto Christs answere was the Scribes owne Tenent as appeares Luke the tenth Where Christ mouing the question another Scribe answereth the very same words of the Law So that he could not denie Christs answere except hee would contradict himselfe The like discretion in working vpon the Aduersaries Principles doth Christ vse in his dispute with the Sadducees about the Resurrection They are said to haue receiued only the siue Bookes of Moses and out of those Bookes doth Christ make good that Article of Faith Saint Paul imitates Christ arguing against both Iew and Gentile Against the Iewes in the Epistle to the Hebrewes where you may perceiue that he taketh most of his grounds out of the Law Against the Gentiles in the Acts Chap. 14 17. where he seeketh no farther then the Creation and the Prouidence to conuict them of Idolatrie The Fathers in the Primitiue Church tooke the verie same course as appeares by Iustin Martyrs Apologies to the Roman Emperours and his Dialogue with Trypho the Iew. The like might be shewed out of Origen Irenie Tertullian Eusebius and others whether they deale with Infidels or Heretickes they presse them still with their owne principles And so must wee for so shall we conclude most euidently against them and if any way this is most likely to preuaile with them A second branch of Christs Discretion is this that his Answere stings the conscience of the Questionist it layeth his sinne open before his eyes For he was a Tempter and to tempt is a worke of Satan which hath his name from hatred So that Christs answere doth vnmaske the Questionist and shew that although the title of a Pharisee and a Scribe the one for Holinesse the other for Knowledge seeme to make neere approches vnto God yet in that he is a Tempter he will be found farre from him if he be measured by the great Commandement the tenour whereof is nothing but Loue. And such a manner of teaching which closely conueys a good admonition to the heart when it seemes onely to informe the head is verie discreet and hath many worthy precedents But enough of Christ Discretion let vs come now to the Confusion of his aduersaries and first to the comfortable confusion of the Scribe which moued the question wherein wee are first to see his ingenuitie double ingenuitie For first he acknowledgeth that Christ had answered right Well Master thou hast said the truth He acknowledgeth it I say which is not onely to know but to confesse openly what a man doth know Yea he confesseth it before his fellowes at
be a peculiar treasure vnto me aboue all people for all the earth is mine And yee shall be vnto me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation These are the words which thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israel IN the motion which God by Moses maketh vnto the Israelites I told you that there are two points considerable the first is whereof God doth remember them the second vpon what termes God will contract with them I haue handled the former I come now to the later wherein you shall see first what God requires then what he offers both points are to bee handled first seuerally and then ioyntly That which God requires is Obedience and Fidelitie Obedience They must heare Gods voice Fidelitie they must keepe Gods Couenant that which God doth promise is a plentifull reward which is set forth first Comparaetiuely then Absolutely Comparatiuely it is a gracious prerogatiue for they shall be a peculiar treasure to God aboue all People and this prerogatiue is gracious because all the world is Gods Absolutely it is set forth in regard of Eminencie and Sanctitie Eminencie for they shall be vnto God a King dome of Priests Sanctitie for they shall be vnto him an holy Nation Hauing considered these points seuerally wee must consider them ioyntly also wee must see how that which God doth offer depends vpon that which God doth require Gods blessings are promised vpon condition of our duties Now therefore if ye will obey c. Then shall ye be c. This is the substance of the whole passage whereof I meane to handle at this time only the first branch whereunto that wee may all learne to conforme let vs in the feare of God listen to the particulars thereof as they shall now be vnsolded briefly and in their order First then of the Obedience Israel must heare Gods voice I need not in many words obserue vnto you that God being a Spirit hath properly no corporall voice such as wee haue but yet by his almightie power hee can at his pleasure create voices and by them reueale his word vnto men or else if he dâ—e not create a new voice he can by his inspired seruants deliuer his minde But to make this point a little plainer Gods voice is either direct or reflected Direct is that which he doth immediately vtter vnto men such was that voice wherein God deliuered the Decalogue in Mount Sinai a terrible voice and wonderfull wonderfull in that it was heard of so many hundred thousand at one instant terrible for it did so affright them that they desired to heare it no more Moses in Deutronomie doth not only describe but remember also the Israelites of this voice and it is this voice that is principally vnderstood in this place Besides this direct there is a reflected voice of God wherein God maketh himselfe knowne to some particular persons with whom he talketh face to face as hee did to Moses and by them maketh his will knowne to the whole Church this reflected voice was vsed by God because the people could not indure to heare the direct they did deprecate the hearing of that and God condescended to their desire and from that time forward spake vnto them first by Moses and then by other men But this reflected voice hath a reflection also as there may be an echo of an echo and so the Priests that receiued the Law from Moses and the Prophets and reade it to the people and the Pastors that receiue the Gospell from Christ and his Apostles and preach it to the world are Gods voices of them all Christs saying is true Hee that heareth you heareth me and he that heareth me heareth him that seut me The voice then must not be restrained to the direct it must bee extended to the reflected also to the primarie and to the secondarie so long as all three agree in one and the later doth represent the former and so by consequent all the Scripture is Gods voice and they are Gods voices vnto vs that are sincere Preachers of the Scripture which now is the summarie of Gods Word for other voice of God wee must now acknowledge none but leaue the Romanists and Enthusiastes to be deluded with their counterfeit Echoes and imaginarie Voices Hauing shewed you what is meant by the voice I must now shew you what it is to heare Of hearing then there are two sorts a physicall and a morall a man is defined to be animal rationale a liuing creature endued with reason now if he heare only as a liuing creature that hearing is common to him with beasts which hauing sense are apt to apprehend sounds and be moued with them but a man in hearing must doe more hee must heare not only as animal but also as rationale his sense must be but as a gate to conuey the Voice vnto his reason and then must the Voice worke vpon his reasonable powers his vnderstanding and his will it must informe his vnderstanding and he must assent to it and it must perswade his Will and Affections and he must also submit to it otherwise hee doth not heare as a reasonable creature though as a liuing creature hee doth heare well may his action be Physicall morall it cannot be But euen Morall hearing is of two sorts Philosophicall or Theologicall philosophicall I call that which goeth no farther then naturall reason can carrie vs and so if we heare the Voice of God the contents thereof will be no better then folly to our blind vnderstanding which scanneth them 1. Cor. â— Rom. 1. or we shall proue our selues fooles when wee draw our conclusions out of them And as for our Will and Affections they will be enmitie to them and that our sinfulnesse may appeare more sinfull by them we will bee more exasperated to set our selues against God Rom. 7 Mans reason is vnreasonable in hearing Gods voice which otherwise in hearing mans voice sheweth it selfe very reasonable witnesse the many examples of Philosophers Eagle-eyed in humane literature but Owle-eyed when they read the Scripture such were Porphyrie Gallen and others There is then an other Morall hearing which is Theologicall When God saith Ephata to a mans eares as Christ did to the deafe man in the Gospell when God doth circumcise mens eares as the Law speaketh when God doth open mens eares to heare as the Learned when our hearing is tempered with Faith and wee rest vndoubtedly resolued of Gods truth in regard of our vnderstanding and in regard of our Will the word of God is sweeter vnto vs then Honie and the Honie combe more to be desired then Gold yea then much fine Gold Psal 19.10 then we heare Theologically we doe audiendo audire heare indeed or as it is rendred we doe obey Gods voice wee are such hearers as are doers of Gods word Psal 10 6. And this was excellently figured in the boaring of the seruants eare who in the Sabaticall yeere would not take
his libertie out of the Loue hee bare to his Master and his Wife and Children Christ in his owne person maketh the allusion and we may accommodate it to our owne persons In a word a man doth heare Theologically when the Law which is perfect conuerteth his Soule the testimonie of the Lord that is sure Psal 19. maketh him wise of simple the statutes of the Lord that are right reioyce his heart and the commandement of the Lord that is pure doth illighten his eyes so that this hearing-eare is of God Deut 29. as also the Voice is and therefore Moses tels the Israelites that God hath not giuen them eares to heare and Christ in the Gospell saith qui habet aures ad audiendum audiat for vobis datum est it is not to euery body giuen to heare but of them to whom it is giuen Christ hath pronounced Blesse are the eares that heare that which you heare Hauing heard what the Voice is and what it is to Heare we must now ioyne them together and indeed speaking is for hearing in ciuill societie neither would God euer haue giuen men tongues if hee had not giuen them eares And if for this life hee so prouideth how much more doth he prouide so for the life to come Surely S. Paul saith that he receiued grace and apostleship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom 1 5. 1. Thes 2 13. that men might heare him with faith and he calleth the word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of hearing that is a word which must be heard Esay goeth a step farther and calleth the word of God Cap 53 1. Rom 10 16. Schemugnah Saint Paul rendreth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hearing who hath belieued our hearing So it is in the originall the meaning is who hath belieued the word that we Preach to the end that men might heare it The word of God is still to sound in mens eares and men are still to heare the sound thereof How iniurious then is the Romane discipline Luke 11. Matth. 23. which like the Iewish Lawyers takes away from people the Key of knowledge and shut vp the kingdome of heauen against men Which heretofore made it a mortall sinne to read Gods word And now clogs the libertie it grants with such cautions that very few especially of those that are with in the reach of the Inquisition dare bee acquainted with it yea and those clogs content not but now it is thought fitter vtterly to denie libertie As such teachers are iniurious so are there some schollars impious that may but will not heare whether out of contempt or neglect they are impious murtherers of their owne Soules for this Voice onely is the Voice of life and it quickneth by the eare although wee must not so limit the conueiance thereof by the corporall eare that wee exclude the eye for our eye also since Gods word is written by reading may conuey Gods Voice vnto the eare of our Soule and men by this second meanes are not a little edified in Gods truth the Fathers especially Chrysostome doth commend reading earnestly to the people yea the Law hath commanded it long since when it willed the Iewes to write the Law vpon their doore posts certainely the Iewes euen at this day inure their children to a daily reading of the Law so soone as they come to yeeres of discretion and it were to be wisht that Christians did imitate them therein But marke that as the Israelites must heare Gods Voice so they must heare it absolutely for God doth not yet acquaint them with the contents of his Voice he speaketh indifinitely hee requires obedience not to this or that Commandement not to this or that Article of faith but to whatsoeuer he shall purpose And well may God require such obedience for he is first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth of himselfe yea Truth it selfe so that a man need not feare that at any time or in any thing God can bee deceiued or will deceiue vs neither can agree with the Omniscience and Holinesse of his nature Secondly God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almightie and the soueraigne commander of man so that his word is not onely Truth but a Law where the word of this King goeth there goeth power it admitteth no disputing no resisting As he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth so we may safely captiuate our wits vnto his wisedome as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so we must dutifully submit our wils vnto his commands vpon these two foundations are built our absolute obedience vnto Gods indefinite Voice The word my voice is a word of limitation Ioh. 10. Christs sheepe heare his voice the voice of a stranger they will not heare Gods voice must bee reputed obiectum adaequatum of his people hearing wee must neither stretch nor shrinke it neither adde thereto nor take there-from These two Attributes of Truth and Power are so proper vnto God that they are not communicable to any creature Omnis homo mendax Psal 116. euerie man may deceiue or be deceiued and Omne sub regno graniore regnum est the greatest Soueraignes vnto men are subiect vnto God therefore mens words must be tried before they must be belieued wee must not credit all their words and we must yeeld obedience vnto men no farther then may stand with our obedience to God This must be obserued because the glorie that is due onely to God is too often communicated to men so Disciples take their masters instructions as Diuine oracles and follow them in errour out of a preconceipt that they are not men likely to erre But Saint Pauls rule is Omnia probate 1. Thes 5 1. Iob. 4. quod bonum est tenete proue all things but hold that which is best and Saint Iohn trie the spirits whether they be of God or no for many false Prophets are gone out into the world Amicus Plato magis amica veritas we must neuer dote so vpon any man as to forget that he is a man that is a creature subiect vnto errour If this caution had beene obserued and the Disciples had in all ages examined their masters Doctrine by his word that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither should the Church heretofore haue beene neither would it now be pestered with those many Sects that dictract the same As Disciples haue their caution so haue Subiects also they must dutifully obey their superiours but alwayes with a sauing sauing the Allegiance which they owe vnto the Superiour of Superiours that is vnto God so long as there is no contradiction betweene the commandements of God and superiour men subiects must obey though the obedience be vnsauorie and the command rigid but so soone as there appeares a contradiction endure they must patiently the Sanction of the Law but perform the Precept they must not Were this caution obserued by Subiects did they consider the subordination of all earthly Powers to the power of
God many enormous sinnes had neuer beene committed neither would the people so familiarly shift their Religion at the becke of their superiour But aboue all vsurpations of Gods glorie in this kind take notice of the Votiue blind obedience of the Religious Romanists especially of the Iesuites they make it a part of their solemne profession and put it in practise impiously and mischieuously as the world hath palpaple and woful proofe True it is that they pretend good limitations set to their Vow as that the superiour must not be obeyed against Gods Law and the law of Nature but while they make the superiour the interpreter of both these Lawes and that they must rest in their superiours Voice as in the Voice of Christ what they abhorre in words that they commit in deeds they commit many things both against the Law of God and nature And in generall all Papists that hold the Popes infallabilitie taking from him the resolution of our faith and manners how doe they serue God against Gods will and massacre Gods seruants out of an erroneous zeale for Gods glorie Let the conclusion then of this point be that no man may dispute or resist any voice of God but withall he doth challenge Gods Truth and his Power and whosoeuer requires absolute credit and obedience to all his words he vsurpes Gods Attributes which are incommunicable that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnerring Truth and Vncontrowable Power And so haue you the first of those things which God doth require which is Obedience The second followeth which is Fidelitie Israel must keepe the Couenant of God a Couenant is a solemne contract made betweene diuers persons and Gods Couenant is the contract that is made betweene him and his Church in those termes I will bee your God and you shall be my people But of Couenants there are two sorts Foedus aequum and Faedus iniquum as the Ciuilians speake Foedus aequum is that which is made betweene persons that are of equall ranke whereof one is not superiour to the other Foedus iniquum is that which is made betweene persons that are impari iure of vnequall ranke whereof the one is superiour to the other When we speake of Gods Couenant made with man wee must not conceiue that that the persons are equall they are very vnequall there is no proportion betweene them neither can there be betweene an infinite and a finite person this must be obserued in the very first Couenant that euer God made the Couenant of the Creation for then the Persons differed as the Creator and Creature there was oddes betweene them Secondly as there may bee oddes betweene the persons that enter into a Couenant so there may haue beene before they enter into the Couenant no enmitie or no great enmitie betweene them Nations that neuer were at warre may enter into Couenant one to strengthen himselfe by the other or one to haue the freer commerce with the other but oftentimes it fals out that Leagues put an end vnto quarrels and Couenants are the securitie of a reconciliation and open the intercourse of mutuall good offices which war shut vp Though the Couenant of the Creation had no precedent enmitie yet that of the Redemption had and therefore it is called not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Couenant but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Reconciliation when we were enemies Christ died for vs and by his bloud was the New Testament ratified Thirdly the Couenant primarily here meant is the Decalogue on those Ten Words did God make a Couenant with Israel and the Tables wherein they were written were called the Tables of the Couenant 1 eut 9 11. the Arke wherein the Tables were put is called the Arke of the Couenant 1. Reg 8.1 and the Tabernacle wherein the Arke was was called the Tabernacle of the Couenant But this Couenant of the Decalogue hath a double consideration whereof the one is Intrinsicall the other is Extrinsicall the Intrinsicall is that which looketh to the naturall power of the Law which is to discouer sinne to conuict a sinner and to doome him according to his desert the Extrinsicall consideration is that which looketh to the supernaturall power of the Law and that is to be a Schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ who is the end of the Law and came to fulfill it To shadow this double consideration the Decalogue was cloathed with the Ceremoniall Law wherein the offerer imposing hands vpon the Sacrifice did confesse himselfe guiltie and the slaying of the Beast shewed the desert of a sinner thus there appeared what is the naturall power of the Law The supernaturall power also appeared in the ceremonies in that the offerer vnburthened himselfe vpon the Sacrifice as a sinner doth vpon our Sauiour Christ and that by the death of the beast the offerer was exempted from death as men are deliuered from death by the death and passion of our Sauiour Christ Wherefore though the Couenant of the Redemption bee but one yet in regard of the shadow it is called the Old and in regard of the substance the New You haue seene what is the Couenant of God you must now learne what it is to keepe it First wee must learne to obserue our distance though God doe vs the honour to contract with vs yet must not we presume to equall our selues to God for so shall wee betray our ignorance that we know not of what kind the Couenant is we must therefore discerne the inequalitie of the Persons that haue contracted and wee must confesse how low God hath descended that hath vouchsafed to take vs into so neere a reference As in keeping the Couenant wee must obserue our distance so must we not be vnmindfull of the danger which we haue escaped thereby he that considereth not that he stood at Gods mercie when hee was receiued to grace that he was by merit a firebrand of Hell when by mercie he was designed to be a Saint in Heauen cannot as he ought keepe the Couenant of God Now the Decalogue wherein this Couenant standeth hath a double consideration therefore he that will keepe Gods Couenant must make vse of both First he must make vse of the Intrinsecall consideration and of euery branch thereof by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne therefore that he may haue a true iudgemement of the nature differences and degrees of sinnes he must be well conuersant in the Decalogue he must not trust to Morall Philosophie to Ciuill Constitutions and Customes to Pharisaicall or Papisticall Traditions these are but imperfect guides in such inquiries Only Gods Couenant can tell what is and what is not finne Moses is the best Casuist Secondly he must often suruey himselfe at this glasse of the Law and there find the excesses and defects of his life no other thing can represent them so truly as this will doe this Glasse will neither flatter nor deforme vs our consciences
he committeth some to his seruants they are trusted with the keeping and the care thereof but if hee haue any thing of speciall price and which hee esteemeth more then ordinarie that he layeth in his owne Cabinet he reserueth the keeping thereof vnto himselfe The portion of Good which is so tendered is by the Holy Ghost called Segulia 1 〈◊〉 19. Luckâ— 2 8. which we render a peculiar treasure such as King Dauid had and Salomon Vnto this practice of Kings or great men doth God allude in this resemblance all the world is his but by commission or permission hee intrusteth his creatures with much of it but his Church is more deare vnto him then so he maketh her the subiect of his speciall care and giues vs to vnderstand that she is a speciall Iewell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an exempt people and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people of extraordinary note so the Translators render Segulla no phrase more vsuall in Moses then to call Israell a pretious people and neuer doth God resemble his Church when hee meaneth to honour it but hee resembleth it to things of greatest value I will not trouble you with the Canticles Cap. 4 1â— where it is called Hortus conclusus and is made the verie Paradise of God I will keepe my selfe to our present allusion In the old Testament the Tabernacle was a type of the Church as it was militant the Temple of Salomon was a type of it as it shall be triumphant and what were both of them made of but of the costliest timber mettall stones silke that could bee had Esay foretold the fabricke of the Church in the state of Grace that it should be of Carbuncles and precious stuffe and how sumptuous is the state of it in Glorie as it is described by Saint Iohn in the Reuelation Cap. 21. Our Sauiour in the Gospell compares the Kingdome of Heauen Math 13. which is the Church vnto a treasure hid and to a pearle of very great price But to speake more plainly the fountaine from which the Church springeth is the pretious louing kindnesse of God Psal 36 7. 1. Pet 1.19 the redemption that was paid for it was the pretious blond of Christ the foundation whereupon it is built Esay 28.16 1 Cor 3.11 is a pretious corner stone the doctrine by which it is built vp is gold siluer and precious stones the persons whereof it consisteth are vessels of Gold 1. Tim. 1.19 1 Pet 1 4 1 Pet 1 7. vessels of honour all the promises that are made vnto it are pretious promises and their faith is pretious how can they then chuse but bee a pretious people If you haue not enough to proue it that one phrase putteth it out of all doubt that the Church is Gods peculiar treasure God himselfe resides there and frameth the Church vnto his Image Christ liueth there the Church is his body the Holy Ghost doth breath there the Church is his Temple finally the Angels attend there the Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill Alexand. it is the Sanctuarie of God Can there be any thing added vnto the value where there is such a Presence And where there is such a Prouidence becommeth not the Church most peculiar Certainely that which is the Treasure of those Diuine mysteries must needs bee accounted Gods peculiar treasure I will dwell no longer vpon the Resemblance onely take notice that it promiseth more then an ordinarie good in so significant a phrase And indeed what tongue can expresse the fauour that is implied in the value that God setteth on vs and the care that he will take of vs when he calleth vs his Peculiar treasure But what God resembleth that hee brancheth hee openeth the good more plainely which he did but shadow figuratiuely and the first branch doth set forth the Eminencie of the state of Israel They shall be a Kingdome of Priests The phrase is read diuersly 1. Epist 2. Cap 1. 5. Moses hath here a Kingdome of Priests Saint Peter rendreth it a Priestly kingdome in the Reuelation Saint Iohn telleth vs that Christ hath made vs Kings and Priests The reconciliation is easie for in the Church euerie member of the Church is so a King that he is a Priest and so a Priest that he is a King And why He is Primogenitus Gods first borne Exod 4.22 so God called Israel and Saint Paul telleth vs that they that come into the Church Hebr. 12. come into the congregation of the first borne Now the Law of nature doth acknowledge this right of Primogeniture that is made a man Lord of his brethren and Priest of the most high God so that these words Kings and Priests are equipollent to first borne and are the ground of our prerogatiue whereof you shall heare anon But let vs take these words a sunder Cap 16. Cap. 12. First then the Israelites shall bee Kings The Church as it is described in Ezekiel is adorned with a Crowne and that woman which is described in the Reuelation hath a Crowne of twelue Starres vpon her head Psal 45. Matth. 18. the Psalmist calleth her a Queene the Parable of the marriage Feast calleth her the Wife of the Kingssonne her state is royall and all her children are Filij regni Children of the Kingdome the Gospell that is verbum regni doth so honour them they are heyres apparent vnto the kingdome of Heauen Saint Chrysostome vpon 2 Cor. 1. Ad sinem Cap. doth excellently open the Analogie betweene a member of the Church and a King A King saith he hath a Crowne and God doth Crowne his people with mercie and louing kindnesse Psal 103. A King hath his Robes of state and the Church is at the right hand of Christ in a vesture of Gold wrought about with diuers colours Psal 45. Christ himselfe is her clothing A King hath his Guard tending vpon him for his honour and safetie and the Angels of God pitcht their Tents round about the godly Psal 34. A King hath a multitude of Subiects whom hee doth direct and correct and the children of God haue many thoughts and desires ouer which they haue power to order and represse them And indeed herein principally standeth the Kingdome residet in se quisque animo regali euerie man is a Soueraigne ouer himselfe hee doth polish his owne little Common-weale prescribing a measure and obseruing good order in his head in his heart in his soule and in his body It is the Kingdome of grace which is Preached in the Gospell 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 3. Iohn 8. 〈◊〉 1. by which we obtaine the Kingdome of glorie which is promised to them that rule well therein slâ—uerie to sinne is the direct opposite vnto this kingdome this title forbiddeth vs all earthly and sensuall thoughts and desires it requires that wee be kingly in both or else we doe not answere our title And the more is
sight of the eye is the sight of the whole bodie but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in possession it was neuer Basil lib â— de Baptismo Aug de Ciuit Deiliâ— 20 cap. 10. Leo de anniuersaria assumptione Serm. 3. no more then the whole bodie could euer see Wee must not then confound the Hierarchicall and the Mysticall Priesthood no more then we may the externall and the internall Kingdome each must keepe within his bounds And as we must in our priuate be religious as Priests in seruing God so wee must not without a lawfull calling and a mans lawfull calling is not as Anabaptists dreame his owne conceited abilitie but a Mission and Commission from lawfull Superiours without such a Calling I say we may not intermeddle with Pastorall Functions Finally the publike Kings and Priests must neither of them abuse these titles neither of them must wrest this place The Romanists are carefull to remember Kings that they play not Priests they amplifie Vzziahs example that was stricken with Leprosie for being so presumptuous I would they did aswell remember Christs speech whose Vicar the Pope claymes to be Iohn 18.36 Luke 12.14 My kingdome is not of this world and that Man who made me a Iudge to diuide inheritances they would not so often being Priests vsurpe vpon the sword But let them take heed Christ told Saint Peter Math. 26.52 and they will find it one day true The Priest that medleth with the sword shall perish by the sword the Kings ouer whom the Pope hath long tyrannized shall one day worke his ruine And thus much of the Eminencie of the Churches state I come now to the Sanctitie of their persons Israel shall be an holy nation and indeed Kings who are Priests such as you haue heard described how can they chuse but bee Holy especially seeing the persons that communicate in those titles are the First-borne Exod. 13. for the First-borne by the Law were holy to the Lord. And what is the oyle wherewith they were anointed Exod 30. Cap. 2 Cap. 1 18. but oleum sanctitatis holy oyle what are their persons but Temples of the Holy Ghost Ieremie calleth them Gods first-fruits and Saint Iames telleth vs that all Christians are a kind of first-fruits to God 2 Cor. 11.2 Ephes 5 27. The Church is by the Apostle said to be a chast virgin without spot or wrinkle in the Reuelation the Spouse is clothed in fine white linnen Reuel 19 8. Esay 26. which is the righteousnesse of Saints in the Prophet she is called The land of righteousnesse finally in our Creed the holy Catholike Church â—sal 101. King Dauid required vertue in his seruants He that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue mee how much more God To whom the Psalmist speaketh thus Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle who shall abide vpon thy holy hill God answereth Hee that leadeth an vncorrupt life c. But what is Holinesse Origen will teach vs the holinesse of a man must be conceiued as the holinesse of a beast a vessell a vestment now those things were separated from prophane vses and dedicated to sacred so must a man be first seperated from earth and earthly things he must not set his affections vpon them though he be in the world Col. 3.2 Iohn 17. yet hee must not be of the world hee must not loue the world nor the things in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1. Iohn 2.15 Ephes 5.11 he must haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse This is his separation the first branch of Holinesse The second is Dedication his life must be deuoted vnto God Christianitie is an imitation of the Diuine Nature a reducing of himselfe to the Image of God in which he was created 2. Pet. 1. Ephes 4. 1. Pet. 2. to righteousnesse and holines of truth a shewing forth of the vertues of him that hath called vs into his maruellous light If a man professe himselfe to be a Painter and take vpon him to make the picture of a King and mis-shape him doth hee not deserue iust blame yes surely for hee occasioneth strangers to thinke meanly of the Kings person because of his ill fauoured portraiture and shall a Christian escape punishment whose life is to be a visible representation of Christ if Infidels blaspheme Christ while they iudge of him according to his counterfeit hee shall not Wherefore faciamus de terra coelum faith Saint Chrysostome In Matth. 12. Tem. 2 p. 332. let vs represent Heauen in earth let vs so liue as that men may say that God is in vs of a truth Let our light so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorisie our Father which is in Heauen Holinesse is the true characterizing qualitie of a Christian it distinguisheth betweene the faithfull Iust Martyr ad Diognâ—t p. â—97 〈◊〉 in Apolog. p. 61. and infidell they differ not in place in apparell in diet c. but in charitie in pietie in obedience in patience in euery Christian vertue whatsoeuer shew a man make if he want these vertues he is but like the Iuglers Ape which being attired like a reasonable creature and dancing curiously to his Masters instrument deceiued the people of Alexandria vntill one espying the fraud threw a few Dates vpon the Stage which the Ape no sooner espied but he tore all his vizard and fell to bis victuals to the scorne of his Master which gaue occasion to the Prouerbe An Ape is an Ape though hee bee clad neuer so gaily Nyssen applies it vnto men that call themselues Christians professe that they know God Tom. 2. de professione Christiana and that their hope is in Heauen but no sooner doth any vanitie come in their way but their heart doth betray where there treasure is but let them remember the Prouerbe It is a snare for a man to deuoure that which is holy Origen applies it to the sacriledge that a man committeth that vowed himselfe in Baptisme to the Lord and giueth himselfe vnto the World I conclude this point with Gods words in the Law Lenit 11.44 Math. 5 4â— Be yee holy for I am holy and with Christs words in the Gospell Bee yee perfect as your Father in Heauen is perfect sinne must not raigne in our mortall bodies because we are an holy Nation You see how the Good which God offereth to Israel is specified you must next heare how it is amplified that appeares in the words Eritis mihi As the Proprietarie is so doth the value of a thing rise hee addeth to the worth at least to the esteeme thereof though man only to the esteeme yet God also to the worth for hee can proportion the creatures worth answerable to his esteeme he whose glorie shineth in the heauens and handie worke in the firmament doth declare his glorie much more in the
Church according to that in the Prophet This people haue I formed for my selfe 〈◊〉 45. they shall bee to set forth my prayse And indeed of what regard the Church is with God we may gather out of that which God hath done for it he is become a father vnto it in Christ and tendreth euery member thereof as his deare childe hee hath giuen his only begotten sonne to death for the saluation of it and made him the Bridgeroome of the Church the Holy Ghost doth he send to guide to comfort it and the Angels are ministing spirits for their sakes that shall be heires of saluation Can any man beleeue this 〈◊〉 1. and not beleeue that wee are a pretious treasure vnto God Hee hath prouided for vs a Kingdome that cannot be shaken 〈◊〉 12.28 1. â—ct 5.4 an immarescible Crowne of glorie hee hath communicated vnto vs the Throne of his owne Sonne and giuen vs power ouer all our enemies and can wee doubt but we are Kings vnto him And as for our Priesthood Iames 5 16. that is as euident the prayer of the righteous auailes much their sufferings are to him sacrifices all their life is a sauour of a sweet smell and he is well pleased with the worke of their hands Feuci 7 14. Finally they haue washed their robes white in the bloud of the Lambe they are clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ God vouchsafeth to conuerse with them to dwell with them therefore they are to him an holy Nation We that account our selues happie if wee bee deare to great men great if we be but pettie Lords thinke not meanly of our selues if we be but Priests vnto Baal and looke bigge if we haue but the righteousnesse of a Pharisie how happie should wee thinke our selues that are vouchsafed to be the Fauorites of the King of Kings how should we esteeme our selues that are made Kings of Heauen how should we glorie in our diuine Priesthood and ioy in our true Holinesse when we consider our selues as we are in our selues dust and ashes weake and wicked ones wee may well crie out with Dauid who am I O Lord and what is my Fathers house that I O Lord should be such a one vnto thee and sing the Virgins Hymne My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath reioyced in God my Sauiour for he that is mightie hath magnified me c. And when vnder the Crosse wee find that in the eye of worldlings wee are reputed wormes and no men the reproch of men and the despised of the people when they oppresse vs with more then Egyptian bondage scoffe at the sighes and groanes which the Holy Ghost indites in vs and repute all our deuotion to bee but madnesse when they traduce vs as Samaritans as friends of Publicans and Sinners yea as instruments of Beelzebub and condemne vs to a shamefull death as pestilent fellowes traitours and blasphemers what greater comfort can we haue then this promise of God Eritis mihi You shall be to me a peculiar treasure a Kingdome of Priests an holy Nation But I goe on You haue heard of much good but what you haue heard doth not yet amount to a Prerogatiue that appeares in these words aboue all people When we haue good things that are not common to others especially if it be better then they haue any then haue we obtained a Prerogatiue and this was Israels case for the Church was not now Catholique as it had beene before Abrahams time and was to bee after the comming of Christ Gods promise was Catholique to Adam though Cain played the Apostata it was Catholique also to Noah but his children fell away therefore when Gods reuiues it vnto Abraham hee made it but particular and Israel only was his Inheritance In Iuda was God knowne his Name was great in Israel Athanas de Incarnat verb. not that others might not bee if they would become Israelites but ordinarily none but Israelites or Proselytes had part in the Promise Therefore the Law speaketh thus What Nation is there so great Deut. 4. who hath God so nigh vnto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call vpon him for And what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and iudgements so righteous as all this Law that I set before you this day And the Psalmist God sheweth his word vnto Iacob Psal 147. his Statutes and Iudgements vnto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation c. This is often repeated by Moses Deut. 10. but especially Chapter 32. Seeing then God doth compare one Nation vnto all people and preferre it he doth extoll his owne grace and teach vs that the blessing is singular and if singular then a Prerogatiue and because singular and a Prerogatiue the more to be esteemed Surely in worldly things we thinke so for what is he that hath any gist or good which others haue not who doth not esteeme it as much for the rarenesse as for the greatnesse thereof I would wee did passe as true a iudgement vpon our heauenly Treasures surely the Church was wont to doe so Pone me vt signaculum Cant 8. saith the Spouse Set mee as a Seale vpon thy arme and in her Plea Populus tuus omnes nos Wee are thine enen the sheepe of thy pasture Esay 63. As God doth honour vs aboue others so will hee that we be mindfull of his speciall fauour Put now together the Greatnesse of the Good which God offers with the Singularitie of the fauour which God vouchsafeth Israel and they will yeild vs a definition of the Church for what is Ecclesia but a people chosen out of the world and preferred before it in that it is Gods peculiar treasure and to him a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation But I leaue that point to your priuate meditations which will bee the fuller if you adde the next particular vnto it for that also is considerable in your contemplations of the Church That which God offers is a Prerogatiue and such a Prerogatiue as is Gracious I gather it first out of Vos Deut 7 yee yee shall bee vnto mee a peculiar treasure c. And who are yee neither the most nor the best of people Moses from God telleth them so bondslaues in Egypt and much more bound to Satan for they were a rebellious nation more base in minde then in condition and therefore God biddeth them looke vnto his free loue the cause of their deliuerance Et dare non dignis res mage digna Deo the lesse worth there appeares in the receiuer the more grace doth there shine from the giuer As Israels want of worth made the gift gracious so also was it gracious in that God was not driuen to make the choice out of any want for all the earth is mine saith God All Nations they are the same by nature and it was free for God to make choice of any other
they doe presume First see their modestie You must call to mind that in the message sent them there were two parts the one shewed what God required of them the other what he offered to them In their answere they shew much modestie in regard of both parts I will shew that modestie first that respects what God doth offer Obserue then that in their answere they passe that ouer insilence they doe not capitulate with God for it And indeed the stipulation of our dutie must bee absolute and not conditionall though Gods promise to vs bee conditionall and not absolute And why we owe our dutie to God absolutely and Gods mercie is not due to vs but out of his gracious promise So that to capitulate would imply a deniall of our natiue obligation and that we would not obey were it not for the adoptiue besides wee should seeme to doubt whether God will be as good as his word as God hath reason to doubt of vs that we will not be so good as our word So that to put a difference betweene Gods fidelitie and ours this branch of the Israelites modestie may beseeme vs all it may beseeme vs rather assuredly to expect then vnmannerly to capitulate for that which God doth promise so deale children with their Parents Subiects with their Soueraignes and we much more ought so to deale with God our Father and our Soueraigne in Heauen Our eies yea and our hearts too must be more vpon that which God requires then vpon that which God doth promise Not that we may not hearten our selues with that which God doth promise yea and remember God of it also in our Prayers after the example of the Patriarch Iacob Gen. â—8 But if wee bee silent wee doe in godly humilitie insinuate that we hold our selues vnworthy of it and we shall speed neuer a whit the worse For what wee forbeare to doe out of this consciousnesse of our vnworthinesse God will supply out of his abundant goodnesse hee will set an honourable estimate vpon our dutie and will take it as worthy of whatsoeuer hee doth promise We cannot vnderualue our selues so much as God will ouerualue vs. The second branch of their modestie is that replying to that which God requires they doe not limit him but yeild their obedience as farre as he requires it Yea if you compare the clauses you shall find that God spake but indefinitely If you will heare my voice If you will keepe my Couenant but they doe answere vniuersally All that the Lord hath said we will doe they submit themselues vnto Gods charge in the largest sense And indeed this is true Pietie not to carue out our owne obedience but to let God carue it out we must absolutely captiuate our wits vnto his wisdome and surrender our wils wholy vnto his pleasure his Law must be the bounderie of our life Hitherto you haue seene that in their answere there is much modestie much modestie you haue seene they doe not presume But I told you that if we looke vpon the words a second time we shall find that there is ouer much confidence in them we shall find that they doe presume They presume first of their Abilitie faciemus we doe not thinke Gods commandements impossible we will doe that which God commandeth wee thinke wee may aduenture to promise so much Cap. 4. Saint Iames checkes mans confidence in a smaller matter goe to saith he you that say to day and to morrow we will goe to such a place and there buy and sell c. whereas you should say if we liue if the Lord will If our Abilitie bee so small in regard of those things which are here below and concerne this animall life that we may not presume of our selues but vnder such a condition how much more must we adde a condition when wee speake of those greater matters those that concerne our spirituall life here wee should adde if Gods grace be sufficiently vouchsafed me if hee shall be pleased that his strength bee made perfect in my weaknesse For Auxilium speciale is more extraordinarie then generale and we must begge the speciall the generall will not suffice is this case If King Dauid confessed and did as it were wonder at Gods grace that himselfe and his people offered their goods so willingly vnto God how much more commeth it of grace and grace to be wondred at that a man doth wholly and cheerefully deuote himselfe vnto the seruice of God Therefore we must all remember that Item which Christ gaue to Saint Peter a great vndertaker in this kind Marke 1â— the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake and imitate Saint Paul a more modest vndertaker who affirmeth of himselfe I can doe all things Phil. 4. but it is through Christ which strengthneth me Wherefore what the Israelites omitted we must in all these vowes supplie If God shall conuert if God shall incline our hearts otherwise our vndertaking will sauour of too much confidence and we shall be guiltie of presuming It was too much that they presumed of their abilitie but see their confidence goeth farther they presume of the extent of their Abilitie also faciemus omnia we will doe all that the Lord commandeth vs. Certainely if they will doe so much they will doe more then euer any man did or can doe except him that was both God and man our Lord Iesus Christ To make this plaine vnderstand that in the Law there are two parts the Affirmatiue and the Negatiue and either hath something in it which is impossible to be done in this life The Affirmatiue requires that wee Loue God with all our hearts with all our minds with all our strength and our neighbour as our selfe The Negatiue Ne concupiscas Thou shalt not lust It is confest by all that are not Pelagians or Pelagius like that neither of these can be performed in this life Touching the Affirmatiue I will say no more then that which Saint Bernard obserued that whereas in our Charitie thereis Affectus and Actus the Affection and the Action we must exspect in heauen the integritie of our Affection as the reward of the best endeauours of our Action while we are in this world and if the integritie of our affection be aboue the reach of this life much more the integritie of our Action which flowes from the other and is correspondent to it I will insist a little longer vpon the other clause the negatiue part of the Law The rather because if I can make it plaine that wee cannot performe the negatiue it followeth vndeniably that wee cannot performe the affirmatiue For as one instance to the contrarie ouerthroweth an vniuersall affirmatiue so if we be tainted with the least spot of concupiscence our Charitie cannot be entire Obserue then that I may treade the steps of the Romanists and ouerthrow their conceite of Morall perfection in this life out of their owne principles that in regard of the negatiue
quaerenda in hac vita what God is is a lesson for the life to come in this life it is enough for vs to learne what Gods will is A second mysterie in the Cloud is that it agreeth well with the reuelations of the Old Testament Gal. 4. for God appeared then in shadowes and figures there was a vaile cast ouer the Law which was figured in the vaile wherewith Moses couered his face 2. Cor. 3. So that though the Church in the Old Testament had much more knowledge then the rest of the world for they had sauing knowledge as appeareth Heb. 11. Yet he that is least in the Kingdome of God saith Christ is greater then Iohn Baptist notwithstanding that he was greater then any Prophet of the Old Testament A third mysterie is the condition of the Law Chap. 33. which in Deuteronomic is called a fierie Law very piercing and very scorching it enters farre in searching of a mans conscience it is a discerner of the thoughts I had neuer knowne Heb. 4.12 Rom. 7.7 saith Saint Paul that lust is sinne had not the Law said thou shalt not lust As the Law is piercing because fierie so is it scorching also it vexeth and tormenteth their consciences whom it findeth guiltie it is a burden too heauie for the best of vs to beare Acts 15. Saint Austine obserues well Breuis differentia Legis Euangelij timor amor although both these affections beseeme both Testaments and he that loueth must feare and he that feareth must loue yet Feare was preualent in the Old Testament and Loue is in the New We haue not saith Saint Paul receiued the spirit of bondage to feare Rom 8.15 which was the state of man vnder the Old Testament but we haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father which is the libertie of the New Testament The same Apostle resembleth the different conditions of the Church vnder the two Testaments to the different conditions of a child when he is in nonage and when he is come to his full age Gal 4. while he is in his nonage though he be heire yet is he kept in awe and vnder a Pedagogue but when he commeth to full age his Father affords him a more chearefull countenance and more liberall maintenance Euen so vnder the Law the Church was kept vnder and scanted of grace but vnder the Gospel shee is more free and indued with a more plentifull measure of Gods holy Spirit Finally hereunto looketh the difference that Saint Paul maketh betweene Mount Sinai and Mount Sion Heb. 12. the terriblenesse of the one and the sweetnesse of the other I shall haue occasion to compare them before I come to the end of the Chapter By the mixture of the Cloud and of the Fire you may also conceiue a mixture of our knowledge of God as the light of the fire signifieth that he is in some good sort manifested vnto vs 1. Cor. 13 1◠so doth the Cloud signifie that out knowledge is very imperfect wee see but as through a glasse darkly that which we know not of God is much more then that which we doe know Let this suffice for the manner I come now to the End which is twofold for God came first to grace Moses whom he designed Lawgiuer to Israel or rather Referendarie of that Law which himselfe would giue vnto them And hee graced him two wayes First in comming to him and not vnto them so saith the Text I will come to thee Moses was vpon the hill the people in the bottome now the Cloud came downe but to the top of the hill not into the bottome wherein there was no small grace done to the person of Moses in the sight of all the people God vouchsafed his presence only to him and not to the people The second grace is yet greater that in the hearing of the people God would speake with him for it is not here said that God did speake with them But that wee mistake not this grace which is done to Moses and giue him more honour then hereby was by God intended towards him we must obserue that though here we find no mention of Gods speaking with the people but only of his speaking with Moses yet Deut. 5. verse 5. Moses himselfe saith that God talked also with them and here we reade that God so talked with Moses as that he talked in the hearing of the people When here wee reade of Gods talking with Moses only without any mention of Gods talking with the people hereby the Holy Ghost intends to honour him with the Mediatour ship of the Old Testament that honour which Saint Paul giueth him when hee saith The Law was giuen by Angels in the band of a Mediatour But where Moses saith Deut. 5. that God talked with the people there the Holy Ghost would teach vs that God intended the Law to the people And out of both places compared together it followeth that the Law was committed to Moses to the end that the people might receiue it from him not only as hee should deliuer it in the two Tables but also as he should report vnto them by word of mouth And because they were to receiue Gods Law as he should report it that they might be sure hee brought them nothing but that which hee receiued from God therefore God vttered the Law to him in their hearing Whatsoeuer commeth from a man as a meere man will hardly worke vpon the conscience because of that knowne principle Omnis homo mendax men haue their errors and their priuate ends therefore their proiects are entertained with iealousie that they mistake or intend their owne good but if a Law be once knowne to be Gods pleasure we readily submit because we know he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee can neither deceiue nor bee deceiued and hee hath absolute power to command Vpon this principle those famous Lawgiuers amongst the Heathen did make it their first labour to perswade their people that they had familiar colloquies with some diuine power by whom they were directed in their Law-giuing Minos with Iupiter Lycurgus with Apollo Numa with Aegeria c. Mahomet could neuer haue made his Alcoran so currant but by that notorious imposture of a Doue which had beene taught to come familiarly to his eare and which to the people hee pretended to bee the Holy Ghost Heretikes old and new haue had their Enthusiasticall guides Papisticall pretended apparitions and reuelations are much of this kind abuses of that sacred principle But to the point when God would establish the Canon both of the Old and New Testaments by two demonstrations hee shewed that they came from him the one of Miracle the other of Oracle So did hee establish that which the Church receiued by Moses First hee gaue him power to worke many Miracles which was a second proofe that he came from God for no man could doe
what he did except God were with him the very Magitians confessed so much Digitus Dei est hic Secondly God not contented to giue him the power of Miracles because Magitians might if not doe them yet make shew of them added also this second confirmation of Oracle which putteth the other out of controuersie because it is not so casie to be counterfeited Our Sauiour Christ by whom was laid the foundation of the Canon of the New Testament had the same euidences to confirme his doctrine besides the many Miracles which hee wrought that Oracle was once and againe vttered from Heauen Matth 3. Matth. 17. Matth. 24 25. This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him And withall he forewarned his Church not to rest barely vpon Miracles for that false Christs and false Prophets shall arise and shew great signes and wonders But why did God grace Moses by speaking with him in the hearing of the people Surely the end was that they might beleeue him for ouer that faith towards his person might be wrought in them For Faith properly relieth vpon the person and resteth vpon his word although it doth not comprehend many things which he speaketh as indeed the Israelites did not vnderstand many parts of the Law yet neuer did they question them because they were deliuered by Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was enough to them farther enquirie they made none But how could Moses be beleeued for euer seeing he is dead diuers thousands of yeares since Surely Moses liueth in his Writings hee that beleeueth them beleeueth him The Prophets long after him referre themselues to him in his Writings Ad legem testimonium Chap. 8. saith Esay Remember the Law of Moses which I gaue him in Horeb saith God in Malachie Thus also in the New Testament Chap. 4. Christ referreth to him You beleeue in Moses Matth. 22. Iohn 9. The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses his chaire And wee find the Iewes still couering their oppositions to Christ and his Apostles with pretence of their faith to Moses Wee know that God spake to Moses wee are Moses his Disciples So deeply did this Oracle of God take roote in them that through ignorance and misconceit it became their stumbling blocke and that which truly vnderstood should haue brought them to the Gospel through the errour of their iudgement set them against it God doth as much as is fit to establish our faith but we often peruert the best meanes to our owne ruine I may not here forget to obserue vnto you a grosse errour of the Church of Rome God spake once to Moses saith my Text in the hearing of the people that the people should beleeue his words for euer therefore the Canon of the the Law was to stand for an eternall truth The same must we affirme of the Canon of the New Testament whose confirmation is much surer as Saint Paul testifieth Heb. 2. Hence it is that wee call vpon the Church of Rome to reforme according to this double Canon but they call as fast vpon vs for Miracles and Oracles to confirme our Doctrine But new proofes are only for new Doctrines wee alleage nothing but that which was taught by Christ and his Apostles and consequently nothing but that which hath beene alreadie proued by Miracle and Oracle an◠that which hath beene once thus proued is to bee beleeued for euer The last note which I gaue on my Text is that it hath a word which biddeth vs marke diligently all the points thereof marke what Gods comming is in what sort hee doth manifest himselfe vnto vs that which is not vulgar 〈◊〉 must not vulgarly bee regarded marke that Gods comming to giue the Law was full of Maiestie full of Mysteries wee must adore his Maiestie and not neglect any one of the Mysteries finally marke that whom God employeth in his seruice he vouchsafeth honour to their persons that his Word may passe with more weight from their mouthes The end of all is our good that we may cleaue faster vnto God ANd God grant that by the Ministerie of man our faith in God may so increase that at Christs second comming our faith may end in a beatificall Vision and then we shall haue no other Teacher but God The eighth Sermon EXODVS 19. VERS 10 and part of the 15 and 22. VERSES And the Lord said vnto Moses Goe vnto the People and sanctifie them to day and to morrow yea and the Priests to Verse 22. and Let them wash their Clothes and be readie against the third day Adde out of Verse 15. And not come at their Wiues YOu may remembe what I haue told you more then once that there was a Preparation to goe before the Promulgation of the Law a Preparation of God and of the Israelites This Preparation was first ordered and then the meeting followed So much of the Order as concernes God I opened the last time it followeth that I now come to the other part which concerneth the Israelites This branch of the Order doth prescribe First their Puritie and Secondly their Modestie Their Puritie whereof only at this time is deliuered in those words which now I haue read vnto you Wherein we will obserue First A Worke that is enioyned and secondly the Circumstances that doe attend that Worke. The Worke in a word is to Sanctifie But we are moreouer taught wherein this Sanctification doth stand and Whom it concernes It standeth in a Ceremoniall Obseruance They must wash their clothes and forbearance this you must must supply out of the 15. Verse They must not come at their Wiues These Workes that must be done concerne the Gouernour and his Charge the Gouernour is Moses he must sanctifie his Charge are the Israelites but they are diuided into the People and the Priest you must supply the Priest out of Verse the 22. both these must be prepared The Circumstances that must attend this Worke are two place and time the place is the Tents the ordinary place of the Israelites abode Goe to this people The Circumstance of time is double for here wee haue mentioned first the time during which the Worke was to bee a doing and that is to day and to morrow Secondly the time against which the Worke was to be done and that was the third day the day wherein God would appeare vnto them and they were to come in his presence You see then the particulars of my Text I purpose God willing to open them now and God now so open all our eares and hearts that we may learne by them to sanctifie our selues so shall God neuer appeare vnto vs nor wee appeare before God but to our endlesse comfort Come we then to the first particular and that is the Worke which must bee done this is in a word to sanctifie To sanctifie is to separate from a common to a sacred vse God made vs not only men that is reasonable creatures but also his children
Esay 6. Esayes lips were touched with a coale from the Altar before he could receiue his message When we come before God wee must endeuour to bee like vnto him Leiuit 11.44 Holy as hee is holy for God is a God of pure eyes Habak 1 13. and can behold no iniquitie such as bee wicked cannot stand before him Wherefore clense your hands Iames 4.8 yee sinners and purge your hearts yee double-minded If he that was inuited to the mariage was challenged for wanting his wedding garment how shall God take it at his Spouses hand if she come vnprepared We reade Ezech. 16 how God trimmed her against that day the day of Espousals and how he will trimme her against the mariage day we may reade Reuel 21 But I cannot stand to amplifie these things To draw to an end I will put you in minde to doe that to a good purpose which you vsually dâ—e You put on cleane linnen your best clothes and how often doe you looke in a glasse to see that all bee handsome before you shew your selues in the Church to your Neighbours I was about to say that they may see how gay you are but I will hope in Charitie you doe it out of good manners to God You that will not come slouenly before your betters should doe well not to come stouenly before the Lord of Heauen and Earth But remember that God that approueth this outward decencie requireth the inward much more he will haue you lift vp to him not only cleane hands but pure hands also hee will haue you not only to heare his Word Luke 8. v 15. but also to receiue it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into an honest and good heart A neat outside and a slouenly inside is like a painted sepulchre full of dead mens bones And most Churches are full of such painted sepulchres They are a generation cleane in their owne eyes but not washed from that filthinesse Prou. 30. I wish better to you and I hope better of you Therefore I exhort you I exhort my selfe in the words of the Prophet Esay Goe out of her expounded by the Apostle 2. Cor. 7. or briefly in the words of the Apostle Let vs clense our selues from all vncleannesse both of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God And that this exhortation may succeed with vs no worse then Moses did with the Israelites for they did as they were commanded Verse 14. and obserued the first stipulation 1. Thess 5 23. Verse 5. The very God of peace sanctifie vs throughout in spirit soule and bodie and keepe vs blamelesse to the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ At what time hauing had our fruâ— here in Holinesse our end shall be euerlasting life This God grant vs for lesus Christ his sake To whom c. Blessed are the pure in heart 〈◊〉 8. for they shall see God The ninth Sermon EXODVS 19. VERS 12.13.21.24 12. And thou shalt set bounds vnto the people round about saying Take heede to your selues that yee goe not vp into the Mount or touch the border of it whosoeuer toucheth the Mount shall surely be put to death 13. There shall not a hand touch it but he shall surely be stoned or shot through whether it be beast or man it shall not liue when the Trumpet soundeth long they shall come vp to the Mount THat branch of Gods order which prepared the Israelites â—o receiue the Law required their Puritie and their Modestie I spake last of their Puritie I come now to speake of their Modestie It is deliuered in those words that now I haue read vnto you Therein we must obserue that Moses had his charge and the Israelites had theirs Moses charge is to make a fence betweene the people and the Hill hee must set bounds round about the people The Israelites charge is they must not breake through the fence made by Moses They must not goe vp into the Mountaine The Israelites must not But they are diuided into common People and the Priests the Prohibition is laide vpon them both vpon the People in this 12. verse and in the 24. verse it is laid vpon the Priests Moses is to bid both take heede vnto themselues Neither to themselues onely but to their beasts also they are put into the number verse 13. Besides this in the Prohibition the text doth lead vs to consider the stricktnesse wherewith the Israelites were to obserue it and the sharpnesse of the punishment which they were to vndergoe if they presume to violate it The stricktnesse is great for they might not transgresse the bounds set them either Cominùs that is at hand by so much as touching the border making the very first and least approach vnto it there can be no lesse then touch and the first touch is in the border As they must not transgresse Cominùs so must they not Eminus aloofe they must not gaze on the Hill and you know the eye can goe whether the foote cannot come God will haue the first Inlet and the first Out-let of sinne to be heeded And hee will haue them both heeded vnder a Paine a sharpe Paine it is no lesse then death the Transgressour must die But obserue touching this death that it is such as is inflicted vpon an execrable thing and the doome thereof is vnpardonable See both these points in the text First the execrablenesse of the Transgressour all must abhorre him for No hand may touch him and yet all must be against him for they must stone him with stones or shoote him through with Darts And he that dieth so dieth as an execrable thing He that Transgresseth must die that death without remission Moriendo morietur he shall certainely die Non viuet he shall not liue both phrases are peremptorie they leaue no place for pardon Not for the pardon of any one for the text saith Quicunque Whosoeuer shall presume to transgresse be hee of the People or bee he of the Priests be he a reasonable creature or be he a beast the doome is vnchangeable They must die Die certainely for though they scape the hands of men yet they shall not scape God will breake out vpon them as we read verse 24. especially vpon the greatest of them which are otherwise most likely to scape He will breake out vpon the Priests Finally obserue that the charge of the Israelites is often repeated and limited to a time you haue it in my Text and you haue it againe and againe in the 21 22 23. and 24. verses what God will haue carefully obeyed of that he will haue vs often remembred But our obedience is limited Though in morals our dueties are euerlasting yet our ceremonials doe last but for a time When the Trumpet soundeth long then the Israelites may goe vp into the Mount You haue heard the particulars whereof I meane to intreate on this text they all Preach vnto vs Modestie to bee
the Trumpet sounding in his eare Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium I will not stand to allegorize the two siluer Trumpets still sounded while the Sacrifice was burning at the Altar Verse 7. I will only bid you remember Saint Iudes note of Sodome and Gomorrah whose perpetuall burning God hath left as a remembrance of the euerlasting fire of Hell Some are yet more desperate and call for the Day of the Lord Let it come Let vs see it as you may read in the Prophets Foole hardie wretches that desire that which they will neuer be able to endure Luke 23.30 Vpon the first ouerture of it their hearts will faile them they will bee at their wits end they will call to the Hils and Rockes to couer them The Kings of the earth the great men the mightie men bond and free all sorts of men shall then crie out The great day of the Lambes wrath is come Reue. 6 1 Pet. 4.18 and who is able to stand And indeed If the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the wicked and vngodly appeare But to leaue them The last obseruation that I will giue vpon this dreadfull state shall be That wee are much bound vnto God that wee liue not vnder the Old Testament but vnder the New that God hath brought vs not vnto Mount Sinai but vnto Mount Sion Where God appeares in our nature and commeth meeke and in the forme of a seruant so sensible of our infirmities that hee cryeth not Esay 42.2 his voice is not heard in the street hee will not breake a bruised reed nor quench smoking flaxe He putteth vpon vs a light yoke and an easie burden his doctrine is a Gospel their feet are beautifull that bring it Esay 52 â— 7 this yeara is an yeare of Iubile his Trumpet soundeth nothing but deliuerance his Light is comfortable like the Sunne Psal 45.2 Cant. 5. v. 16 for he is the Sonne of Righteousnesse his lips are full of Grace his Mouth is most sweet In this Hill all things are louely there is nothing dreadfull at all And why God hath giuen vs the Spirit of Adoption which is the Spirit of Loue Rom 6 2. Tim 1. and of a sound minde so that wee can indure the very top of Mount Ston whereas they could not endure the bottome of Mount Sinai Time will not giue me leaue to pursue this comparison you may amplifie it out of Saint Paul 2. Cor. 3. Heb. 12. And if you will haue it to the full you must paralell the whole Oeconomic of the New Testament with that of the Old Only let me giue you this note for a farewell to this point That as the Patriarkes that were brought vnto Mount Sinai did beare themselues out vnder those terrors by casting their eyes forward vnto Mount Sion the place of comfort So wee lest we grow carnally secure during our abode at Mount Sion and surfet vpon the comforts thereof must cast our eyes backward vpon Mount Sinai and rowse our selues with the terrours thereof The solace of Sion is to none so pleasant as to him that commeth newly from Sinai their soules doe best rellish the Gospel whose consciences haue first sinarted from the Law or that haue beene exercised by that hopefull feare the point that commeth next to be handled in my text Hopefull feare then is the impression that was made on the Israelites by the dreadfull Harbingers of God First Feare Feare is argued from quaking For wee vsually say that men quake for feare And indeed what is quaking of the bodie but a consequent of feare in the soule For the spirits are conueyed by the arteries the sinewes and the veines into the outward parts to sustaine confirme them inable them to their functions and the vitall parts send them forth abundantly while themselues are secure But while we are or suppose our selues to be in any great danger all those forces repaire vnto and endeuour to safegard those principall inward fortresses especially the heart Whereupon the outward parts being vnfurnished fall as it were into a shaking Palsie and so Quaking is a consequent of feare But let vs fit this impression vnto the apparition and so you shall find that it followeth thereupon If there were nothing in these Harbingers but an Image of Gods Maiestie yet you shall not find in all the Bible that euer any man had any extraordinarie glimpse of Gods glory that did not vpon the apprehension thereof become as it were dead and giue himselfe ouer for a dead man Reade the storie of Gedeon and Maneah in the Booke of Iudges and of the Prophets whose inspirations were accompanied with Visions Ezechiel Daniel others the generall rule is Si te nouerim Domine me ipsum nouerim I shall neuer know how vile how fraile I am by any thing so well as by presenting my selfe before the glorious Maiestie of God Let vs descend to the second Image that is to bee beheld in these dreadfull Harbingers the Image of the Law and let vs see how that worketh feare The Image of the Precept I told you it is scarching and you cannot therewith search a man but you make him feare Aske Saint Paul he tried it and will tell you so he found by surueying himselfe That the Law was spirituall and hee was carnall and out of a sensible acknowledgement that his strength was nothing proportionable to the Law 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 19. he brake out into those passionate words O wretch that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death King Dauid surueyed the Law and the excellent properties of the Law but what is the vpshot of his meditation Euen this Who knoweth how oft he offendeth Lord cleanse me from my secret faults keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes lest they haue dominion ouer me And verily no man can behold himselfe in that glasse and consider what manner of person he is but hee will bee driuen to that prayer in the last Penitentiall 〈◊〉 143 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified The Precept then maketh afraid And doth not the Sanction also Certainly it doth The Prophets that had a sight of God armed with vengeance against sinners how doe we find them affected and affrighted Câ—ap 6. Esay saw the Lord sitting vpon a Throne high and lifted vp his traine filled the Temple aboue it stood the six winged Seraphins c. it is a Vision of iudgement and it made Esay crie out Woe is me for I am vndone 〈◊〉 3.2.16 c. Habakuk had a Vision of the like argument which he describeth more at large and heare what was the effect When I heard it my belly trembled my lips quiuered at the voice rottennesse entred into my bones Psal 119 Dauid confesseth of himselfe My flesh trembleth for feare of thee O Lord and I am afraid of thy iudgements But you will say
rather because I wish that all Ministers would herein follow Saint Iohn Baptist and neither smother sinne which is no farther hated then it is knowne nor yet neglect Christian wisedome to winne a sinner who seldome distasteth the Law if it be seasoned with the Gospell neither murmureth at the reproofe if it doe not degenerate into a reproach If any thing will reclaime it is the prescribing of a good course coupled with the description of a sinners bad case Eccles 12 1â— so the words of the wise will proue as goades and as nailes fastned by the Masters of the assemblies which are giuen from one shepheard they will hasten vs speedily and couple vs most firmly vnto the Church and our Sauiour Christ And thus much of the Inference I come now to the Argument of the words where of the first branch was the Workes they are two the first is Gods Hee giues repentance Though the Author be not exprest yet is he necessarily to bee vnderstood the Apostle is cleare for it 2. Tim. 4. The seruant of God must meekely instruct those that are contrarie minded trying if God at any time will grant them repentance and were not the Text so plaine the nature of the Worke putteth it out of all doubt for what is repentance but the Soules rising from death to life and no man euer quickned his owne soule hee must leaue that to God for euer the same God that made man after his Image must repaire his Image in man and therefore in the Psalme and in the Apostle it is plainely called a Creation But because the Authour is not exprest in my Text I forbeare further to speake of him and come vnto the Worke his Worke is Repentance The Grecians according to Lactantius speake better and more significantly that vse the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lactan. Lib 7. then the Latines that vse Paenitentia Tertullian before him writing against Marcion presseth the significancie of the Greeke word and because words doe lead vs to the vnderstanding of things we will a little looke into the word it may happily make vs to sound the things much better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commeth from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie properly the first facultie of the reasonable soule but by a Trope it is vsed oftentimes to note the whole whereupon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a change of the mind signifieth a change either of the vnderstanding or ioyntly of the will also The vnderstanding of man is the first moouer in the whole course of his life because nothing is desired which is vnknowne our Appetite and our Will stirre not except they be informed of some thing which may occasion their stirring and informed they can not bee but by the vnderstanding Now the vnderstanding for want either of light or care doth very often mistake and then the Will that taketh all vpon trust must needs goe astray and we are called to a reuiew of our wayes Mens recitit se ab insania and vpon after thoughts alter our iudgements or as Lactantius speaketh in the place before cited after a fit of madnesse wee come to our wits againe This is the first kind of of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or changing of our mind But vse hath obtained and the practise of the Scripture which is the best Commentarie vpon the words to take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in thesecond sense for the changing of the whole reasonable Soule and then it is compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the change of vnderstanding and of the will Inclinatio â—oluntatis st inclinatio totius su posits 〈◊〉 intell 〈◊〉 totâ—â—â—uppositi in 〈◊〉 and indeed seldome doe they goe asunder for as it is true that whither the will bends thither the whole man inclines so it is as true that our vnderstanding cannot be resolued but it carieth vs with it which way so euer either of them incline they vsually earie the whole man though in a different manner the will by compulsion and the vnderstanding by perswasion so that we may not restraine this change to the one facultie but extend it also to the other by them to the whole man Adbiâ—ent penitentiam in bonis factiâ— saâ—â— citius â—er 〈◊〉 delinquunt quà m recte faciunt But Tertullian doth giue vs a good obseruation telling vs that the Heathen or those that are without the Church often change their mind and doe repent but it is of their good deeds of their temperancie truth liberalitie fidelitie and more vsually doe they change from better to worse then from worse to better He obserueth it of them that are without the Church I would it neuer had beene or now were not also true of them that are within the Church how many Iewes haue vncircumcised themselues and how many haue vnchristianed theÌ„selues that were sometimes members of the Church How many doe dayly returne like Dogges to their vomit and like Swine to their wallowing in the myre yea how few are there of vs that doe not oftner sorrow for some thing which we haue done well then for many things which we haue done ill vnto whom I must remember that of Saint Peter It were better neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after we haue entred it to turne from it 2 Epist cap. 2. Tertullian giueth the reason for they saith hee that repent of their Repentance towards God by how much they shall bee more acceptable to the diuell to whom they come by so much they shall bee more odious vnto God from whom they goe Wherfore we must adde one clause more to the definition of Repentance and not onely hold it to be a change of the mind but as Nazianzene and Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Iamb Non est simplex mutatio animi sed mutatio in meliorem sententiam Rom. 12. Repentance is not onely a change of man but a change from worse to better Saint Paul openeth the change very plainely fashion not saith hee yourselues like vnto this present world but be yee changed by the renewing of your mind wherein he sheweth vs that as in sinne so in Repentance there is a whence and a whither Sinne is an auersion from God and a conuersion to the world so likewise Repentance must shake off the world and imbrace God Nazianzene setteth it forth in a very fit resemblance Orat. 40. comparing the Soule of a man to a paire of writing tables out of which must be wathed whatsoeuer was written with sinne and insteed thereof must be entred the writing of grace both these are necessarie in Repentance God hath dedicated both parts in his owne Repentance for as when he repentech of the euill intended against vs he doth not onely giue ouer to hate vs but also doth imbrace vs with Loue euen so when wee repent of our sinnes against God wee
nothing is still prone to returne to nothing especially being wrought vpon by the Diuell and the World you will not so much wonder that the children of Israels garments did not cleane weare out in their forty yeares passage through the Wildernesse as that the garment of Regeneration which we receiue in Baptisme weareth not out all the daies of our pilgrimage in this world But we must not mistake stability doth not exempt vs from stormes yea stormes that may shake our house and peraduenture vntile some part thereof and breake some boughes off from our tree but the foundation the roote are immoueable the house the tree shall neuer fall And this is the vttermost of that stability which we must expect in this world The gates of hell shall not preuaile Valere poterunt non poterunt praeualere We shall experience that they had might but not might enough to ruine vs they may giue vs wounds but none that are vncurable they may bruise our heele but shall not be able to breake our head we are so farre established in this world and in the world to come wee shall be established farther euen so farre as to be free from all stormes and all wounds we shall not be at all moued You heare how Christ doth stablish how he doth order But these things may bee done eyther well or ill Many make orders which are not good and support their people in doing euill it is not so with this King in doing both hee followeth a good rule Iudgement and Iustice I will not trouble you with the diuers significations of much lesse with the manifold commentaries vpon these words I suppose the fairest to bee that which points out the two especiall acts of a King which are the calling of his people to an account of their liues that is Iudgement and to proceede in their trials by an euen rule that is Iustice Euery man is required to haue a care of his life and to be respectiue of the society wherein hee liues A Romane Emperour in the Preface of his Institutions makes this abridgement of ciuill conuersation A man must honestè viuere not doe ought disgracefull to his owne person that is not enough hee must bee carefull of others also alterum non laedere that he worst not another mans state while he would better his own yea he must suum cuique tribuere so liue that euery man be the better for him This is the duty of a Subiect and the King looks that he shall performe it to this end he keepes an Assizes and executeth Iudgement It fareth with the body politicke as it doth with the body naturall in the body naturall if the humours keepe their proportion wee shall haue our health no sooner doe they swarue from it but they begin a disease which maketh way to putrefaction and so to dissolution wherefore we apply physicke to reduce them againe into a due temper euen so while good Lawes sway our carriage towards our selues towards our neighbours each man doth well the Common-weale doth prosper but no sooner doth the subiect breake these bands but a ciuill putrefaction entreth which maketh way to the ruine of a State wherein euery particular mans wel-fare is hazzarded with the whole the remedy whereof is the worke of Iudgement Iudgement then is a fit remedy but it must bee attended with iustice also not the Kings affections but his lawes must moderate his iudgement and the medicine must bee fitted to the disease otherwise if the Scales of iustice doe not first weigh the merits of the cause the iudgement will as much disquiet the State as discontent the parties iudged If you put these words together to order and to stablish with iudgement and iustice each requires both ordering is not perfect without iudgment and iustice nor stablishing perfect except both concurre for stablishing is nothing but a perpetuating of good order Therefore to set the subiects right the King must vse iudgement guided by iustice and that he may keepe them in that state he must perseuere in so doing These words as you see haue an euident truth in a Common-weale and from thence are they borrowed but to note a higher truth which concernes the Church whereof Christ is King And here we must obserue an improuement of the vertues vpon which Christ will passe his iudgement Honestè viuere is not only to liue as beseemes ciuill men but as beseemeth Saints children of God expressing his image members of Christ leading his life and temples of the holy Ghost bearing in our foreheads Holinesse to the Lord. And as for alterum non laedere it is not enough for vs not to defraud others we must loue our very enemies blesse them that curse vs doe good to them that hate and persecute vs. Finally our suum cuique tribuere must be to deny our selues our friends our life when we will testifie our duty to God yea to lay down our liues also for the Brethren after the example of Christ So dear must their welfare be vnto vs. As that which comes into iudgement is so improued so is the iudgement it selfe also for Christs iudgement is without preiudice without partiality nothing can be concealed no person can be exempted he will bring all both persons and things secret and open before his iudgement seate all bookes shall then bee opened and the secrets of all hearts reuealed he will iudge them all But his iudgement is ordered by iustice and this iustice is of a higher straine than ciuill iustice can be for the iustice is Euangelicall wherein God through Christ doth so question vs as that he tenders withall a pardon vnto vs and is as ready to forgiue as to discouer our faults Not only to forgiue them but also to amend vs it sufficeth not Christ graciously to clense vs from the guilt of sinne hee also giueth vs a new heart and createth an ingenuous spirit within vs by which wee may bee held in from sinning With such iudgement and with such iustice doth Christ order and stablish his Church And here must wee marke a notable difference betweene this King of heauen and Kings on earth earthly Kings neyther giue minds vnto their subiects to obserue their Lawes neyther is it lawfull for them in all cases to exempt their subiects from the stroke of iustice when they haue offended But our King can doe both hee can rectifie our conuersation and when we haue sinned he can comfort our distressed consciences Last of all in vsing this rule whereby he directs and supports his State this King is constant he doth it incessantly from henceforth and for euer As the growth hath an eternity so must the cause thereof which is the Kings policie haue an eternity also For there could be no eternity in the effect were there not an eternity in the cause especially in effects which are alwaies in fieri and not in facto such as is this It is in the mystical body as it is in
once Which word I told you imports two things that the shaking hath beene once before for both Worlds were shaken at the giuing of the Law St. Paul taketh notice of it Heb. 12. and you may reade it in the Story deliuered by Moses The Gospell as St. Paul 2 Cor. proues at large beeing much more glorious than the Law was not to come short of it in solemnitie when it was to be promulged therefore because the Worlds were shaken then they were to be shaken now Once more Some gather out of St. Pauls words Heb. 12. not onely the Earth but also the Heauen that the later was much the greater shaking But though once more yet no more but this once for there is no more new Doctrine to bee broached in the World no second Messias to come We must obserue this not only against the Iewes but also against the Heretickes The Montanists thought that as there were three Persons in God so euery one should haue his Time the Father vnder the Law the Son during the Gospell and then the holy Ghost Montanus sending the Paraclete into the World The Alcaron was built vpon the same ground whose Author though hee giue honourable testimonie vnto Christ as being a great Prophet yet he would make the world beleeue that God was to send a greater after him Vers 3. and that was Mahomet But we keepe our selues to St. Iudes Fides semel tradita the one Faith that was once deliuered to the Saints 2. Epist 10. We obey St. Iohn who biddeth vs If any man bring vs any other Doctrine we should not so much as bid him God speed Wee follow St. Pauls counsell Gal. 1.8 If an Angel from heauen bring any other doctrine wee hold him Anathema The Church of Rome chargeth vs with nouelty but we may rather charge them with many additions to the Truth they call to vs for Miracles to confirme our Doctrine but Miracles would argue another shaking of the World wee hold there shall bee no more And what need there any more seeing wee hold no other doctrine than that which was confirmed by the shaking of the two Worlds in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles They haue patcht their fancies thereunto therefore are they driuen to abuse the World with their forged Miracles and to counterfeit a second shaking When I say there shall be no more shakings I meane during the militancy of the Church for immediately before the Triumph thereof there shall precede another shaking Christ hath opened it at large in St. Matthew Cap. 24. I will not insist vpon it it is not to my purpose you may there see how both the Worlds shall be shaken against that time Heb. 12. but then we shall haue regnum immobile And of this last shaking the world is now too full of Prophesies and Resolutions but be ready for it not rash in determining it I come to the holy Ghosts answer to the second Question how soone And we finde here that it shall be very soone it is but a little while to the time of the shaking But that little time must bee vnderstood according to a Theologicall not according to a Mathematicall measure Theologie measureth our Time in proportion to eternity but the Mathematicks according to our mortall life In regard of eternity St. Peters Rule holds 2 Pet. 2.8 A thousand yeares are but as one day c. But in regard of our mortall life Omnis mora properantilonga est patienti verò longissima the deferring of our hope is the languishing of our soule To support our selues wee must passe from Mathematicall commensurations to Theologicall and then we shall finde that Modicum and Longum may stand together and Iacobs saying be true Bernard Gen. 47.9 that euill dayes are but few From Haggai's prophesying vntill the comming of Christ past better than foure hundred yeares the holy Ghost cals that but a little while And wee must inure our selues to this diuine Chronologie when wee thinke of the second comming of Christ the Apostle tels vs that vpon them that liue in the time of the Gospell the end of the world is come and these are the last dayes yea the last boure 1 Cor. 10.11 the Iudge is at hand he is at the doore yet there haue passed 1600. yeares But let vs not thinke it long let vs remember that of Habakkuk Hab. 2.4 The iust must liue by his Faith patient Faith and if any man make haste saith the Lord my soule shall haue no pleasure in him Wherefore if at any time our impatient heart wearied with the tediousnesse of this life shall breake out into these words Tu autem Domine vsque quo how long Lord dost thou cease to put an end to this miserable World Reu. 22. Let vs rest satisfied with Christs answer Behold I come quickly and congratulating the abridgement of our momentany afflictions and desiring that according to his promise the cloud thereof may speedily bee dissolued let vs put this clause into our daily prayer Euen so Lord Iesu come quickly God so prepare vs that we may haue the comfort of the Person that is to come comfort of his first and second comming Amen THE SECOND SERMON And the desire of all Nations shall come THe summe of this Scripture as not long since I obserued vnto you is the exceeding grace which the first comming of Christ should assuredly doe vnto that Temple at Hierusalem which in Haggai's daies was building by Zorobabel the Prince Iosuah the high Priest and the rest of the Iewes The generall parts which I pointed out were 1. the Presence of Christ in that Temple 2. the Assurance thereof giuen to the Builders The Presence was to be extraordinary I gathered it partly from the preparation thereunto whereof I then spake and partly from the description thereof which remaines to be spoken of The description is of the Person that was to come and the good that bee should doe Of the good that he should doe I shall speake God willing hereafter at this time my purpose is to speake onely of the Person that was to come The Person then here meant is in plaine termes our Sauiour Christ But he is set forth here in most comfortable words words most comfortable to all the world for he is stiled the desire of all Nations and what is that but the soueraigne good of all That which all desire the Philosopher could say is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe Good And againe if it be desired of all then is it common to all for appetitus non est frustra there was neuer any desire engrafted in the nature of man but the good whereunto that desire doth bend doth certainly belong vnto it If it bee so in nature it is much more so in grace the holy Ghost doth neuer inspire into vs any longing but it doth destinate vnto vs that good which he inclines our hearts to long for
be otherwise minded will they nil they they shall one day finde that they haue no exemption from them Thus saith the Lord is our warrant regard not our persons regard that Lord whose Embassadors wee are receiue the words wee speake so long as we speake his Words not as the words of men but as the Word of God Finally couple Thus saith with the Lord of Hosts The Lord of Hosts noteth Gods Power Thus he saith noteth his Will Our soules shall finde little rest on Gods Power if it be not sure of his Will for God can doe many things which he will not doe though he cannot will any thing which he cannot doe Luke 3.8 God could raise vp Children vnto Abraham of stones but hee would not but the many miracles which he hath wrought shew that hee can doe what he will The coupling then of these words Thus saith the Lord of Hosts imports Gods willing power and powerfull will which amount vnto an authority fit to build our Faith vpon and to giue law vnto our Conuersation I haue sufficiently shewed you What the warrant is wee must now in few words see Why it is repeated so often For I dare say you shall not finde any passage in the Scripture where Thus saith the Lord is so often read in so few lines The reason is the weightinesse of the matter whereunto it is annext Mortall Princes vse not to signe Bils the contents whereof are triuiall matters many things are done by vertue of their Authority whereunto their signature is not vsed Euen so ordinary matters passe in the Word of God without nay speciall vrging of his Authority when that is prefixt the point is of great regard and if it be often ingeminated it giueth vs to vnderstand that we must take speciall notice of euery clause of it What must wee gather here then but the weightinesse of euery branch of this Text And indeede if you haue not forgotten what hath been obserued on euery part thereof you will easily confesse that there is not one of them which is not so weighty as to deserue Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Was not the shaking of Heauen and Earth the shaking of all Nations a weighty point and therefore deserued it not to be signed with Thus saith the Lord of Hosts If the shaking did deserue this signature much more did the Comming of the desire of all Nations especially seeing he came to fill the Temple with glory and as it deserued so it was signed with Thus saith the Lord of Hosts If the giuing of Glory were a matter of great moment what shall wee say of the degree of Glory Surely it required a great ability so great as we would hardly haue beleeued had we not bin heartened by Thus saith the Lord of Hosts and it must proceed from so great bounty as may be testified by the same Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Finally the peace wherein we possesse whatsoeuer good is contained in Christs presence doth so passe mans vnderstanding that to establish his heart in the beliefe thereof he needes this signature Thus saith the Lord of Hosts At length to conclude You haue heard in the former Sermons What in this Whom you must beleeue you must not separate Whom from What that which we must beleeue doth no doubt most pleasantly affect vs because it is our good but he whom we must beleeue doth most firmely secure vs because he is the Author of that good As then when wee gather fruit from a tree we doe not fixe our eyes onely vpon the boughes from whence we immediately gather it but also thinke vpon the roote which feeds those boughes and maketh them to bee fruitfull so in our religious meditations we must couple the Author with the Matter of blessings that God may be glorified as well as our soules are benefited If we say with Saint Paul I know whom I haue beleeued then we shall be secure that he will safe-keepe whatsoeuer any of vs committeth vnto him hee will keepe our soules keep our bodies and all that which himselfe hath bestowed vpon them Grace and Peace Christ will keepe them vntill his day his second day the day wherein the great and the little world shall receiue their last shaking Then shall the desire of all Nations which at first came in Humility returne againe in Glory hee shall returne to fill his House his Church with glory conformable to his owne Glory Then hee will open vnto vs all his treasures of siluer and gold and therewith adorne his Spouse which being Triumphant shall infinitely exceed her selfe as she was Militant Then shall our Peace come to the full and none shall be able to take our blessednesse from vs because none shall be able to separate betweene vs and Christ They shall not if we build our Faith vpon Gods reuealed Will vpon his Almighty Power vpon my Text Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Now let vs that are a handfull of his Host while we are militant so giue glory vnto the Lord of Hosts that we may hereafter bee triumphant and hauing palmes in our hands and crownes on our heads with harpes and tongues wee may sound and sing ioyntly and cheerfully Halleluiah Praise ye the Lord and with the whole Host of the Kingdome of Heauen saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heauen and Earth are full of thy Glory Amen יהוה A SERMON PREACHED Vpon the ANNVNTIATION day LVKE 2.28 Haile thou that art highly fauoured the Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among women THis is a part of the Gospell appointed for this day and this day goeth commonly for the Annuntiation day whether the day haue his right place in the Calender I leaue to be disputed by Chronologers what is meant by the Annuntiation is an argument fitter for Diuines certainly for the Pulpit the third part of this Chapter treats thereof and it is conceiued in forme of a Dialogue In the Dialogue there are two speakers the Angell Gabriel the Virgin Mary and each of them maketh two speeches the Angell to the Virgin and the Virgin to the Angell The Angell in his first congratulates the Virgin whom hee informeth from God that she shall bee the mother of Iesus Christ Good newes but strange strange that a Virgin should be a mother this Virgin the mother of that Childe The Virgin thought so nay she said so whereupon the Angell addeth his second speech importing that though the thing be wonderfull yet the meanes are powerfull these must be thought vpon as well as that and she must resolue that nothing shall hinder it because it is the Holy Spirit that will doe it So spake the Angell The Virgin replies vnto him to his first speech shewing her willingnesse to vnderstand the message which hee brought that is gathered out of her question Quomâ—do c. to his second shewing her readinesse to obey so soone as shee vnderstood it that appeares in her submission Ecce c.
knocked at the doore he left the sent of his sweet odours as a remembrance Cant. 5.4 But blessed is the Virgin and in being blessed she is a Patient shee becommeth not such but by meanes of some Agent this Agent may be either God or Man and so the Benediction bee either Reall or Verball Some vnderstand the Reall the Benediction of God some the Verball the Benediction of man the vse of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reacheth the former but the signification thereof imports the latter both may stand together And indeede the Verball Benediction is but an attendant vpon the Reall you may learne it of Balaam Num. 23. vers 8. vers 20. How shall Ieurse saith he where God hath not cursed How shall I detest where the Lord hath not detested Behold I haue receiued a commandement to blesse where he hath blessed and I cannot alter it Two things there are which the Verball Benediction must take heed of and wherein it must guide it selfe by the Reall it must bee sure that the person whom it blesseth doth partake of the Reall and being sure thereof it must proportion the Verball vnto the Reall The Fathers did not without good cause pen many Panegyricks in honour of the Saints and they penned them with those two Cautions and therefore might they without danger be pronounced euen in the Church to the edification of the people But the Golden Legend is too palpable an euidence of the latter Churches neglect of suiting their Verball Benediction to the Reall Benediction of God for how many haue they blessed whom God hath cursed and calendred for Saints such as it may bee feared are firebrands in hell And as for those which are Saints indeede how lauish are they in reporting what God neuer did eyther for them or to them the whole Legend being become nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Epiphanius speaketh a fardell of forged dreames Not to goe from our present instance of the blessed Virgin in whom if euer in any they haue disproportioned the Verball and the Reall Benediction We forget not Epiphanius his good rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Virgin must from our mouths receiue no lesse nor no more than her due The Church of Rome challengeth vs for giuing her lesse but they charge vs falsly for we most willingly goe as farre in our Verball as we haue any faire euidence that God hath gone in his Reall farther we doe not goe neyther indeede should we Epist 174. St. Bernard hath taught vs well Virgoregia falso non eget honore veris cumulata honorum titulis infulis dignitatum he giues a good reason Nam non est hoc virginem honorare sed honori detrahere Atheists are incouraged to eleuate the credit of the whole if they can iustly challenge the truth of any part of such stories Iob saith well Wee may not lye for God much lesse may wee lye for a Saint and yet the Legends of this blessed Virgin how are they fraught with officious lyes But I will not trouble you with farther discouery thereof who cannot forget their excesse in the publique Doctrine of her grace and glory whereof I gaue you a taste on the second branch of my Text. I come then to the last point which I meane to touch The Angell doth not onely say that the Virgin is blessed but also blessed in comparison the phrase is comparatiue Amongst other words this is one wherewith the Hebrewes which haue no formall comparatiue words vse to express the superlatiue degree Blessed amongst women is as much as Amost blessed woman as if the Angell should say Many daughters haue been blest but thou surmountest them all And indeed it is no great prerogatiue to be blest aboue many wretches but aboue many blessed ones to be blest is a blessing indeed The Angell therefore biddeth her obserue not onely the nature but the measure also of her estate Sarah was blessed and so was Rebecca Rahel likewise with Deborah Iael and many others but their blessing was nothing vnto hers for this phrase alludes to former prophesies Moses speaketh of a woman Gen. 3. whose seed should bruise the Serpents head but it was Haisha a speciall woman that he pointed at and that woman was this Virgin Esay speaketh of a Virgin that shall conceiue and beare a sonne whose name shall be called Immanuel Esay 7.14 but it is Hagnalma a speciall Virgin and that Virgin was this blessed Mary Ieremie saith The Lord will create a new thing in the earth and a woman shall compasse a man Geber an heroicall man and no woman bare such a sonne but this blessed Virgin Adde hereunto that which the Fathers generally obserue and Sedulius hath comprehended in two Verses Gaudia matris habens cum virginit at is honore Nec primam similem visa est nec habere secundam Neuer was the like woman before her neither euer shall the like come after her so true is it that she is and is to be acknowledged superlatiuely Blessed Farther comparison than betweene her and women the Holy Ghost is not pleased to make Others haue gone farther and lifted her higher than all Angels how truly I will not dispute I list not to be inquisitiue where the Holy Ghost is silent these things shall better be knowne when we meete in heauen That which onely I obserue vpon this point is that a Comparison sheweth the Eminency of a grace and is a most feeling motiue vnto Ioy thereby we are not onely put in minde of our good but of the greatnesse thereof Were there no baser creatures whereunto a man might compare himselfe he should lose much of that Ioy which ariseth out of the knowledge which hee hath that hee is a man were there not many out of the Church which are men we should not know how much honour our being in the Church addeth vnto vs in that wee are Christian men King Dauid maketh the 8. Psalme out of his feeling of the first comparison and to put vs in minde of the second the 147. Psalme concludes thus He hath not dealt so with euery Nation neither haue the Heathen knowledge of his Lawes Finally in comparison of our selues let vs remember a good obseruation of St. Austins Beatior Maria percipiendo fidem Cap. 3. de sancta Maria. quà m concipiendo carnem Christi his assertion is grounded vpon Christs owne words Luke 12. who when a certaine woman cryed out Luke 11.27 28. Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes that gaue thee sucke answered Nay blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keepe it And those else where hee calleth His mother his brethren and his kinred Matth. 12.49 where hee had both carnall and also spirituall cognation hee did value the spirituall more than the carnall The eminency of the blessed Virgin was this that shee did partake of both and therein she hath an eminency aboue vs but if we doe
word doth encourage them to dye for who would be troubled when he is called to lay his wearied bones at rest But as the word hath that encouragement so hath it a better also and which doth comfort more For notwithstanding the rest expected yet the parting of soule and bodie is irkesome the rather because we see that this sweet companion our body must vndergoe so different a condition from the soule The soule goeth to Abrahams bosome there to be feasted with the foode of Angels but the body must turne to dust and become the foode of wormes And who can endure this surely he that remembers that it is but for a moment the body doth but sleepe it shall awake againe and awake to be of the same condition with the soule for so much we are taught in the next word which is Primitiae first fruits aequiualent to the Resurrection a phrase well befitting the season To vnderstand it we must obserue that in the Law there were two kinds of first fruits One generall consisting of the first of all the Holy Lands increase Leuit. 23. Verse 10. 17. and those might bee offered at any time of the yeare another speciall that was restraind to certaine seasons Easter and Whitsontide The first season was Easter day for the Passouer was slain vpon Good friday the day whereon Christ dyed the next was to bee a holy Conuocation wherein Christ continued in the Graue and the day following was the sheaff of first Fruits to be presented to the Lord and that was the first day of the weake the very day wherein Christ rose from the dead So that this word Primitiae is vere significant and shewes how the Truth did answer the Type Christs Resurrection was meant by that first fruits Hauing found the originall of the phrase let vs now rip it vp and inquire into the meaning of it and then we shall finde that it intimates two things Christs Prerogatiue and our Communion First of Christs prerogatiue Though the Resurrection belong to Christ and them that slept yet first to Christ first dignitate causatione some adde tempore also but I leaue it to bee disputed by the learned that may passe inter piè credibilia but these two are articles of faith for doubtlesse Christ had it in a greater measure and the measure that we haue we haue it from him First of the digintie Vnumquodque recipitur ad modum recipientis as was Christs capacitie so was his participation his capacitie was infinitely beyond ours his participation must be answerable The capacitie may bee conceiued by his Vnction and his Vnion Our Mysticall vnion comes farre short of his Hypostaticall and the vnction of him the Head farre exceeds the droppes that distill therefrom into euery one of vs that is but a Member when he rose his glorie was without all comparison The best of men is but a Starre of what magnitude soeuer hee bee but Christ is as the Sunne at the presence whereof the glory of all starres vanisheth Therefore is hee Reshith Biccure the first fruite of first fruits as the Law speakes eyther word notes an eminencie the first alluding to his title The Head the other to his title of First borne how much more eminent then is he when both are ioyned together This is his first Prerogatiue intimated by his being The first fruits But as he is Primus dignitate so is he causatione also Scrm. 10. de Pasâ—h for he caused his owne and is the cause of our Resurrection His owne St. Bernard so differenceth him from others Reliqui suscitantur solus Christus resurrexit Well may others be raised Christ only rose hee only by himselfe could conquer death Therfore though the word be passiue yet must it be vnderstood actiuely Christ was so raised that he raised himselfe and that not onely merito but efficacia also as the Godhead graced the manhood to merit it so was the manhood inabled by the Godhead to atchieue it But Christ rose though in se yet pro alijs in his owne person for our good that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his purchase by death 1 Pet. 2.9 This is meant in the Law of First fruits when God telleth the Israelites they shall be presented to make you accepted and therefore as hee was the cause of his owne so is he the cause of ours also Primum in vnoquoquegenere est causa reliquorum God hath giuen eternall life but this life is in the Sonne He that hath the Sonne hath this life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not this life Ioh. 1.5 for he only is the quickning Spirit and hath the keyes of death and hell But Causa is eyther aequiuoca or vniuoca Christ is Causa Resurrectionis in both senses he is Causa aequiuoca euen to the wicked for he is iudge and therefore shall summon all in the Graue his Angels shall gather as well tares as wheate and the goats as well as the sheep shall he call before him Yea hee shall not only cause their rising but their incorruptibilitie also for it is by his Almighty power that they shall bee supported to endure their torment This causation only is not here meant but causatio vniuoca also for he is Primitiae faciens primitias what himselfe hath he makes others to enioy and therefore Theophylact obserues well Primitiae ad sequentes respectum habent these first fruits haue respect to others as if one of many should beginne to doe that wherein he is afterward to be followed by others And this appeares in our Communion Communion in name and in the condition answerable to the name In name For as Christ so wee are called Primitiae so speakes Ieremy cap. 2. v. 3 Israel was holinesse to the Lord and the first fruits of his encrease and S. Iames cap. 1. v. 18. Of his owne will begot hee vs that we should bee a kinde of first fruits of his Creatures and Reuel 14. These are redeemed from among men being the first fruits of God and the Lambe Hee is not so then the first fruits as if we were left to prophane vses for though in comparison of vs Christ is the First fruits yet in comparison of the world we also are so esteemed Leuit. 23. and therefore there is a second First fruites mentioned in the Law which was offered at Whitsontide and represented the Church to whom the Law was giuen and vpon whom was poured the Holy Ghost But as we communicate in name 1 Cor. 15. so doe wee also in the condition answerable to the name for Christus est Typus Christianorum As wee haue borne the image of the earthly Adam so shall we of the heauenly also To open this Point a little farther Christus is Typus victoriae vitae There bee two things wherein the first fruits doe warrant vs communion with him Victorie and Life Victorie ouer all ouer enemies they shall all be subdued no
spirituall which a Pastor hath from Christ with the temporall which he deriueth from Princes the confusion hath shed much Christian blood and we must take notice of this that we neuer be engaged in the like vniust quarrell But enough of the Historie There is a mysticall meaning which the holy Ghost aymeth at in mentioning the Staffe and that is the Analogie betweene the care that is taken for irrationall sheepe and that which must bee taken for the rationall God that trusteth Princes and Pastors with the gouernment of his people will haue them to set before their eyes a Iacob feeding Labans sheepe or a faithfull Shepheards care and thereof doth he put them in minde in this phrase But I forget my principall Note I told you that the Staffe is the Hieroglyphick of power and indeed power is here meant Virga potentiae as it is called in the tenth Psalme it is a Rod of power the titles that are giuen vnto Pastors they all sound superioritie Episcopus Oeconomus Bishop Steward Leader Architect Ghostly father This cannot bee denied vnto the Pastor of whom this Text speaketh who as you haue heard is not Seruus but Dominus is Lord of the house and therefore rules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with soueraigntie and with power Touching the Seruants there may bee some question because to them is committed onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are onely Ministers But their Ministrie must not be mistaken for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they doe administer indeede but it is the power of Christ that they administer so saith Christ himselfe As my father sent me so send I you A Steward is a seruant in a house but such a seruant as vnder the master commands the whole familie wee are Stewards the Keyes are committed vnto vs we are to rule not to be ruled by the people But this Power brancheth it selfe into two parts for there is baculus directionis and baculus correctionis the Pastors power is first to teach the people their dutie they must receiue his words as the words of God and Gods words are commanding words and they are binding Lawes it is not left vnto the peoples choyce whether they will or will not obey them they proceede from the staffe of direction that directs in foro Poli not Soli the consciences of Christian people As the Power is of direction so is it of correction also not ciuill T is true that the Bishop of Rome hath patcht such a power to his pastorall Staffe but we can claime none such from Christ our Censuâ—es are spirituall we binde or loose mens soules we remit or retaine their sinâ—es open or shut the Kingdome of Heauen vnto them But though the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall yet are they mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds 2 Cor. 10. and to reuenge all disobedience Iustly therefore is this branch of Power to be awed that is contained in the Staffe the staffe that is the embleme of the power of Correction I will obserue no more vpon the first part of the furniture the Pastors Authoritie that is noted by the Staues I come on to his Abilities which are gathered out of the properties of the same Staues whereof one is the Staffe of Beautie the other of Bands I might tyre out both my selfe and you if I would scan the seuerall coniectures of the learned commenting on these words some by them distinguishing the Sheepe eyther into the Families of Noah and Abraham or into the Nations of Iewes and Gentiles some distinguishing the Shepheards into good and bad some the furniture of the good Shepheards which they will haue some to bee the Law of Nature and the written Law some restraine it onely to the written word and finde in these words the sweetnesse of the Gospel and the seuerity of the Law The grounds and mistakes of these seuerall opinions I list not to discusse the truest Commentarie is that which wee finde in this Chapter At the tenth verse then we reade that when the Shepheard brake his staffe of beauty he disanuld with that fact his Couenant that he had made with all people And what was that but the Couenant of Grace At the fourteenth verse where he breaketh the staffe of bands he addes that by that fact hee did dissolue the brotherhood between Israel and Iuda And what is that but the band of Charitie Whereupon it fairely followes that these words doe note the properties of the Shepheard the properties of the Euangelicall Shepheard who must be well seene in the Gospell and keep Christians at one Veritie and Charitie are meant the one by the beauty the other by the bands of the Staues And indeede these are the two grounds of a blessed Church Veritate nihil pulchrius nihil fortius Vnitate there is nothing that allures more than the Gospel or that holds faster than Charitie the losse of eyther of these will much distresse a Church For it will thereupon be either deformed or distracted deformed with heresie if it want the truth and distracted with Schisme if it want charitie it will become Tohu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bohu without shape and voyde returne to its former Chaos Christ the great Shepheard was Melchisedech King of Righteousnesse and King of Salem also that is King of Peace hee not onely beautified his Church with Righteousnesse but fortified it with Charitie also And whatsoeuer Pastor vnder him doth not herein resemble him he is too like the Idoll shepheard mentioned at the end of this Chapter and hath eyther his arme dryed vp or his right eye darkened he wants a staffe of beauty or of bands and so will be the cause through defect of his Abilities that the Church be eyther despised by Schisme or with Heresie disfigured But let vsâ—ake these Abilities asunder and looke into them seuerally First into the staffe of beauty The word in the Originall signifieth Pulchritudinem Suauitatem Fairenesse and Sweetnesse whereof the later is a consequent vpon the former for the fairest persons if they degenerate not are most commonly the sweetest natures Certainely it was so in our Sauiour Christ who was the fairest of the Sonnes of men and grace was poured in his lips and so the Gospell that commeth from him beareth both the characters of his nature fairenesse and sweetnesse Touching fairenesse Cyrillus Alexandrinus on this text giueth this Note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the doctrine of the Gospell is eminently beautifull but hee addes well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee must not mistake it is no corporall but a spirituall beauty for the Kings Daughter is all glorious within But the corporall may teach vs what to obserue in the spirituall Corporall beautie consists of figura and forma proportion and complexion euery member of a body must haue his iust lineaments and his proper die and then the body is beautifull Something answerable hereunto there is in spirituall beautie in the beautie
the law of the Lord thy God and the Kings law let him haue iudgement without delay whether it be to death or banishment or confiscation of goods or imprisonment THese words that I haue read vnto you are the close of a Commission granted by Artashasht King of Persia at that time also King of the holy Land vnto Ezra a religious Priest and learned Scribe of the Iewes This Commission consisteth of manie branches the last commands the creating of Iudges in the Territorie of Iewrie concerning whom it is expressed How they ought to be qualified and Whereunto they are authorised Their quality is set downe vers 25. their authority is the argument of my Text a great authoritie because it is of the Sword the King giues this power that biddes them giue Iudgement But that their power may be as good as it is great they must vse it against malefactors so saith the King against them that will not doe the law and against them they must vse it so that first they frustrate not the end of the law A iudgement vnseasonable is vnprofitable they must therefore giue iudgement without delay Secondly they must not sway the indifferencie of the law to haue respect of persons in iudgement is not good they must then giue iudgement against whomsoeuer whomsoeuer will not doe the law But there are lawes diuine and humane the Iudges must proceede against the violaters of both against them that will not do Gods law against them that will not do the Kings law but with two cautions they must take heed that the God be the God of Ezra the true God they must no maintaine false religion and they must not forbeare to giue iudgement against them that violate the kings lawes though he be a king of Persis a false religion doth not hinder him from being a lawfull Soueraigne the Iudge must not foster seedes of rebellion They that violate the lawes of that God of this king the Iudge must draw his sword against them But how farre may he draw it and how deepe must he strike with it Surely so farre as the Magistrate is Gods instrument for the peoples weale so farre may he be his instrument for their woe His prouidence reacheth to their liues liuings and libertie so farre may his vengeance reach also thus farre he may draw his sword But he must giue no deeper wound therewith to offenders than offenders giue to the law the degrees of punishment must answer the degrees of offences some must dye some be fined some restrayned euery one as he deserues You see the substance of this Scripture withal conceiue that theron we must consider of these two points The power the vse of the sword the vse two-fold lawfull full I speak to them that haue vnderstanding therfore need I touch these particulars but briefly but that I touch them not vnprofitably I beseech you in the feare of God to iudge what I say And first some may demand why being to speake in the name of God vnto Iudges sent from a Christian king I remember vnto them the instruction of a king indeede but a heathen king such an author as may much lessen your regard of the matter It may but not except it be mistaken For besides that it is correspondent to the like in Moses and the Prophets Ezra acknowledgeth in the next verse that this Commission was indited by diuine inspiration God put it into the heart of the King And were it not so yet it is of no small moment to heare reason concord with religion The vse of this power is the more obseruable when it is enioyned by the pen not onely of God but also of man yea the lesse likely a Heathen King is to write it the more faulty a Christian Iudge if he set light by it Heare then what is your power it is to giue iudgement But iudgement is either of Discretion or Iurisdiction the first is common to all the second belongs but to a few all may discerne right from wrong but all may not right them that suffer or correct them that doe wrong He that takes the sword vngiuen shall perish with the sword as Christ told Peter Mat. 26. and told it him when hee was too busie with his sword it is not giuen to euery man And it is well that it is not giuen our affections do with such a false light delude our iudgements that where there are scarce moates we see great beames in other mens eyes but beames in our owne are so insensible Matth. 7. as if they were not so much as moates And as wee apprehend so would wee proceed Our strength would be the law of vnrighteousnesse Wisd 2. and as Tacitus well notes Malice the more vniust it is the more violent How many Cains would there start vp in the world that would kill their owne brother Abel onely because his deedes were good and theirs euill And if some would not be so vnnaturall yet would they be so vnreasonable as Simeon Leni of whom their own father pronounced Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell Genesis 48. we are so partiall and impotent when we haue the law in our owne hands and may satisfie our own lusts that wee will proceede without cause or at least aboue measure God knowing this vnbridlednesse of our nature hath laid this charge vpon all priuate men Auenge not your selues but giue place towrath for vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord Rom. 13. Whatsoeuer therefore they pretend of the lawes of honour that apologize for Duels in a ciuill in a Christian common weale they should be reputed no better and it were good if they did fare no better than murderers they would not be so common if they were branded with their true name and had their iust reward Priuate men may not reuenge But who may It is only his right that is the Law-giuer or theirs that hold from him to recompence euery man according to his deeds Gods law is Deut. 19. that when two striue together they shall stand before the Lord euen before the Iudges where the Iudges are there the Lord is Psal 82.1 God standeth in the assembly of Gods he iudgeth among Gods the Apostle therefore calleth them the Ministers of God Rom. 13. So that a Iudge doth not only represent the person of a King but is in part with him the Deputie of God When the burden was too heauie for Moses God assisted him with the Seuentie but marke how he inaugurated them He took of the Spirit of Moses and conferred it on the Seuentie intimating his immediate presence and concurrence with them Wherefore what Shecaniah spake to Ezra cap. 10. when he lamented the disordered liues of the Iewes that must I say vnto you Arise for the matter belongeth vnto you bee of good comfort yea and courage too for this age moues more than teares and do it Giue
good vse of your indulgence as to be ashamed and reclaimed Wherefore as St. Iude obserues you must saue some with feare and plucke them out of the fire wherein they would burne themselues you must compell them to learn and obey the law of the God of Ezra the true God whereupon followeth also the next point which is they will the more easily be brought to doe the Kings law Of obseruing lawes in generall I need say no more than I haue but the iniquity of the times wills mee to remember you that lawes must bee obeyed though they be the lawes of the King of Persia this is the second caution The Proctors of Rome though they dare not flatly deny it yet so sophystically handle it that what with subiecting the scepter of Kings to the command of Popes and exempting of such persons and cases as seeme good vnto him they vndermine what they would seeme to yeeld and the most they grant is no more nor no longer than their Holy Father doth that 's too much or hereafter will allow them If hee will abrogate all they must acknowledge none no lawes of a King of Persia a King that is not of their religion Others haue learnedly and sufficiently shaken their grounds and my Text is an argument of no small force to resolue the consciences of such as doubt whether a different religion doth euacuate the power of a lawfull Soueraigne It doth not though it be a false religion how much more when it is the true and the King our King commands onely for the God of Ezra the true God and enioynes no other worship of him than according to his owne lawes the vndoubted register whereof is the sacred Word of God Wherefore you must bee as the earth mentioned in the Reuelation cap. 12. and swallow all those waters that the dragon casts forth to drowne the woman you must crush these seedes of rebellion which ayme at nothing but the ouerthrow of true Religion And how must you crush it euen by punishment And so I come to the second worke of iudgement from the precept to the sanction which containes the second limitation of the power Wherein I obserue first how farre the Magistrate may draw his sword Looke how farre his prouidence doth reach so farre may his vengeance reach also The reward of sinne is death eternall death to violate Gods Lawes or the Kings is no lesse than sinne it should therefore be reuenged with eternall death But behold here vnspeakeable mercie God would haue vs iudged here by men that we be not condemned hereafter by him This is the proper end of the keyes and the sword of the power that is in the Prince and the Pastor The occasion draweth mee to speake of the Sword yet let me giue you this Item touching the Keyes that malefactors must remember that for euerie of their offences challengable by the Law of man they owe a repentance vnto God and the greater their offence the deeper should be their repentance Which I the rather note because there are too many of them that scarce giue glorie vnto God when they suffer by the Law and if they escape make no conscience at all of their sin as if how soeuer they speed at the iudgement seat of men they were not to take heed that they be not cast at the barre of God which the first Councell of Nice well corrected when imitating Gods law without preiudice to the ciuill sword it appointed sundrie yeares penance according to the grieuousnesse of sinne Sed pristino rigori non sumus pares the Liturgie of our Church saith that it were to bee wished but the iniquitie of the times that it is not to be hoped Secondly seeing your power should touch men with a losse temporall to keepe them from a losse eternall you see what wrong you doe them when you suffer them to spend their dayes in loosenesse and in a moment as Iob speaketh though from their beds they goe quicke down into hell how much better were it for them if with one hand or one eye they might goe into heauen than hauing both to bee cast into hell O then let the righteous rebuke them yea smite them rather than that your precious balmes should breake their heads yea slay their soules spare nothing that is temporall so you may preserue them from the paine which is eternall You see how farre you may draw the sword But when you strike your strokes must bee proportionable to their sinnes but the proportion must not be Arithmeticall but Geometricall they must be secundum merita but not aequalia meritis you may punish intra but not vltra medum so doth God who notwithstanding doth punish in number weight and measure Semper aliquid detrahit de poenae atrocitate as Nazianzene speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth temper mercie with iudgement In the hand of the Lord there is a cup the wine thereof is red and it is full mixt whereof though his children offending drinke yet only the incorrigible wicked drinke the dregs thereof And the same Father writing to the Emperours Deputie reckoning vp his vertues demands this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what shall I say of your clemencie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here you decline something but he addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot much blame you you haue God for your patterne who in Hosea speakes thus of himselfe How shall I giue thee vp O Ephraim how shall I deliuer thee O Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Seboim my heart is turned within mee my repentings are rouled together I will not execute the fiercenesse of my wrath c. You must wisely then temper iudgement and mercie but so that mercie doe not hinder iudgement and yet that of the two mercie reioyce against iudgement And thus haue you heard what a Iudge may and must doe he may take the sword and must vse it against malefactors but with the conditions of the vse and limitations of the power specified in my text The conditions are two he must vse it timely and indifferently the limitations also two he must extend it to all transgressions of both Tables and intend it according to their transgressions And the end of all must bee by a temporall punishment to saue the wicked from eternall paine or if that will not bee that the blood of all cursing Shimei's and factious Ioabs and irreligious Abiathars also may bee vpon their head and the head of their seed but vpon Dauid our Dauid vpon his house and vpon his throne vpon this whole Church and Common weale may bee peace for euer from the Lord. MOst mighty most mercifull Lord who to preserue sincere pietie and secure peace in the Church and Common weale hast put the sword into the hands of mortall men and for the vse thereof hast aduanced them aboue their Brethren we humbly beseech thee so to sanctifie them with thy grace whom
thou hast armed with thy power that with a watchfull and single eye they may obserue and represse with a seuere yet a tender hand all vnsound Beleeuers and inordinate liuers that Church and Common weale may blesse them as happy Supporters of this Christian State and themselues may with comfort make their last account to the vnpartiall ludge of quicke and dead and now and euer both of vs may giue glory vnto thee that art our most mighty and most mercifull Lord. Amen Blessed are they that keep iudgement and doe righteousnesse euermore Psalme 106. יהוה A SERMON PREACHED IN OXFORD AT AN ASSIZES 1613. PSAL. 75. Vers 2 3. When I shall receiue the Congregation I will iudge vprightly The earth and all the inhabitants are dissolued I beare vp the Pillars of it Selah THis Psalme was penned if not by surely in the name of some worthy Iudge the people blesse God for the comfort they receiued by him and hee promiseth to redresse the disorders of the people put both their speeches together and you haue a good Commentary vpon the title of this Psalme The title is Ne perdas or rather Non perdes the Hebrew Al-tasheth will beare both and it imports That a good Iudge yeelds the best hope that a disordered State may recouer although it be farre gone Who this Iudge is all are not agreed some ghesse at him by one part of the Psalme some by another and according to their different apprehension giue the Psalme some a mysticall some an historicall interpretation both may stand true as elsewhere so here But being to fit this present occasion my purpose is to passe by the mysticall and insist only vpon that sense which is historicall According to the history the person that speakes seemeth to bee the king of Israel and that king as it is most likely is king Dauid He speaks here first of his owne Tribunall the Tribunall of a king but because that was set at naught by many insolent ones hee calleth them to an higher Tribunall the Tribunall of God and telleth them that it is God which from time to time appoints those that shall iudge here on earth till by Christ he call that great Assizes and fit Iudge of all the world This is the effect of the whole Psalme my Text containes so much thereof as concernes the Tribunall of the king the Dignity the Necessity the Vtility thereof To vnfold it I beseech you to marke therein The person and His work the person is the king whose worke is to iudge I will iudge But of the iudgement wee are farther taught When it shall be executed and How The time is at an Assizes When I shall receiue the Congregation The manner is according to the law to try the vprightnesse of mens liues I will iudge vprightly and that of mens vprightnesse the word Mesharim reacheth so farre As if this were not enough here is a seuerall reason added to each of these branches a reason of calling an Assizes It is no more than needeth there is much amisse in the people The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolued And a reason there is why the king must iudge vprightly and of vprightnesse because if any goe awry if any swerue hee must set and keepe them strait so saith the king I beare vp the pillars of it These be the points that are to bee considered on this Text and that they are to be considered seriously you may gather by the last word Selah the character of a remarkable sentence it signifieth an extraordinary eleuation of the speakers voice which calleth for a more than ordinary attention of the hearers eare Consider then I beseech you in the feare of God the particulars that I shall deliuer thereon and God grant you a fruitfull vnderstanding of them all The first is the Person and this person is the King to Iudge is his work At Ierusalem are Thrones set for iudgement saith another Psalme and those thrones belong to the house of Dauid therefore in the Scripture is the kings throne called not onely the throne of Glory but of Iudgement also yea therefore of Glory because of Iudgement the Glory is giuen to countenance the Iudgement So that the plaintiffes speech was though not very courtly yet very true which hee vttered to a king denying him iustice Si non vis iudicare noli regnare implying that it is the proper worke of a king to be a Iudge And indeed God commits the power of iudgement immediately to the king and to that end setteth him vpon his owne Throne But you know what Iethro obserued to Moses Exod 18. and what Moses himselfe in his complaint to God confessed to be true A king in his owne person cannot beare all this burthen if he attempt it hee vainely tireth out both himselfe and his people wherefore it is Gods pleasure that so much as he cannot doe by himselfe he shall doe by his officers Whereupon ariseth a good distinction of a kings person It is either naturall or politique and vnder the politique are contained the Iudges This is cleare by Gods owne fact for when he called the 70. to bee assistants vnto Moses and to that end did qualifie them he saith not that hee will take of his owne spirit though that which hee tooke was the spirit of God but God is pleased to call that the spirit of Moses which he tooke and gaue to the 70. Numb 11. giuing vs to vnderstand that they were alwayes to bee reputed a part of Moses Yea and they communicate also in the same diuine title for I haue said yee are Gods containes not the peculiar title of a king it extends to euery Iudge as Moses teacheth in the Law if it be not plaine enough in that 82. Psalme So then when a king sendeth Iudges hee sendeth his owne eares to heare the complaints of his people his owne eyes to looke into their causes and his owne mouth to pronounce according to that which is heard and seen The person then in my Text though at first sight it seeme to bee onely the king yet now appeares to bee moreouer the Iudge and by I it is most plaine Honourable and Beloued that you are vnderstood The Vse of this point for the people is made by St. Peter 1. Pet. 2. Wee must be subiect to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the King as supreame or to Gouernours sent from him such as are the Iudges the improuement of their persons must make them reuerend in our eyes But there is a Vse also which Honourable and Beloued must be made by you you may not mistake your eares your eyes your mouth you haue of two sorts priuate and publike the priuate you may vse about your domesticall affaires but to the Bench you may bring none but the publicke you must heare there with none but the kings eares and you know that a king is Abimelec my Father the king
and being Father of his Countrey doth heare like a Father that is most tenderly you must see with none but the kings eyes and you know that My Lord the King is as â—n Angell of God discerning good and euill 2. Sam. 14. you must speake with none but the kings mouth and the wisest of kings hath obserued that There is a diuine sentence in the mouth of the king Pâ—ou 16. his lips shall not transgresse in iudgement Nay whereas euen the kings eares and eies and mouth are not his owne as he is a king but Gods you must looke for your quality yet higher euen to that which is obserued in God Gods eare as the Wise man hath well abridged that which the Scripture sets downe but in many words is an eare of iealousie Wisd 1. and iealousie is the best whetstone of feeling attention The eye of the Lord as Habakuk speaketh chap. 1. is a pure eye it can behold no iniquity Finally of the mouth of God wisedome it selfe hath obserued All his words are truth and wickednesse is an abomination to his lips Prou. 8. I conclude this point with the words of the Apostle wrested I confesse to our purpose yet the wrest is not much amisse You are not your owne you sustaine anothers person wherefore glorifie shall I say the king if I said no more it were enough to moue you but I must say more glorifie God with your eares with your eies with your mouth glorifie the king glorifie God they are the kings yea they are Gods But wherefore are you trusted with them the worke will shew the kings worke and yours vnder the king is to Iudge And to Iudge what is it but to Measure the Originall Shaphat hath that for his first signification as appeares in Mishpot which signifieth a rule and the Holy Ghost author of that mother-tongue doth significantly expresse that the principall worke of a Iudge is to measure yea this very word Measure which is by vse English is by birth Hebrew the plaine Hebrew Mesurah whose originall is from Sur which is Principem esse as if to measure were the proper worke of a Prince and the Imperiall definition of iustice Iustitia est constans perpetua volunt as ius suum cuique tribusndi what is it but a reall definition of this measure which Solon the renowned Lawgiuer of Athens aymed at also in the wittie analogie by him obserued betweene coine and lawes making both measures but the one in the hands of priuate men the other of the Magistrate A Prince then and so a Iudge is a measurer and what wonder seeing he is the lieutenant of God euen in that respect wherein God himselfe is termed a Measurer The Heathen Philosopher could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose words you may expound by those of the Wiseman wisd 16. God doth all things in number weight and measure Nay God himselfe hath witnessed it vnder his owne hand the hand that wrote Baltassars doome vpon the wall Mene Mene tekel Thou art numbred thou art weighed and how often in the Prophets doe we reade of the line and the plummet in the narration of the works of Gods prouidence God then is a Measurer and vnder God the King and vnder the King the Iudge their iudgement is a measuring And the worke is most behoouefull for euerie man is partiall in his own case out of selfe loue apt to stretch or shrinke a case as it shall make for or against him and out of malice moued eyther without cause or aboue measure so that it would goe ill with a state were there not a measure whereby to try how farre men ouerlash or come short in those quarrels that artise There was no King in Israel and euery man did that which was right in his owne eyes but that right was in the eye of the Law plaine wrong it was idolatrie adulterie robberie murder as it appeares in the booke of Iudges God therefore dealeth mercifully with vs that commands there should be a publicke Standard as in the market that we bee not deceiued in our prouisions so on the Tribunall that we be not wronged in our eases It is the expresse letter of the Law Deut. 25. If a controuersie arise betweene man and man they shall both come to the Iudge he is to measure their case The vse of this point for you Honourable and Beloued is that the saying which Plato caused to bee engrauen at the entrie of his Schoole is worthy to be set on the front of your Tribunals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is pitie any should sit vpon that seat that hath not I say not skill the prouidence of the King is not so carelesse in the choyce of your persons but a care to discharge that wherewith he is put in trust and to bee indeed the measure of all cases a partie not interested in either side but carrying himselfe indifferently between them both That is your vse And ours is we must not be sonnes of Belial We may not vsurpe the sword to right our selues we may not displace the indifferencie of the Law to giue soueraigntie to our intemperate affections I conclude this sentence with the wordes of the Apostle Brethren auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord. He will repay one day by himself but vntill then he will haue his payment made by Iudges vpon which warrant the King spake these wordes I will iudge But When At the Assizes when I shall receiue the Congregation Some reade when I shall take a set time both Translations are ancient the later as ancient as the Septuagint and Caldee Paraphrase you may reade it in them the former as ancient as Aquila and Symachus St. Basil reports it out of them the later Translators incline some to the one side and some to the other if you ioyne them both together you haue no more than the full sense of the word for Mogned is not only an Assembly but an assembly made at a solemne time But to leaue the words and come to the matter Men haue houses of their owne and domesticall employments according to their meanes but the instinct of nature and their manifold wants incline them to be sociable and to entertaine commerce with others hence sprang Societies But societie cannot bee maintained without a rule of fellowship which commands to giue euerie man his due and bends priuate endeauours towards the common good To frame this rule Kings call one kinde of Assembly which is a Parliament and to see whether this rule bee obserued they call another which is the Assizes An Assizes is nothing but an assembling of the People to enquire whether euerie man so temper the loue of himselfe as not to wrong his neighbour whether hee take no other course to thriue than such as may further the Common wealth And indeed in vaine were Parliaments were it not for Assizes you may see it
in your priuate families to what end should a man giue instructions to his houshold if he neuer meant to take account of their conformitie thereto But all this is no more than a ciuill ground it deriues an Assizes only from the light of reason my text goeth farther it maketh it also a sacred Assembly Mogned signifieth such a one And indeede how can it be lesse doth not God stand in this Congregation and are not they that sit vpon the Bench called Gods Psalme 82. The Lawyers that plead at the Barre are euen in the entrance of the ciuill Law called Sacerdotes iustitiae they haue a kinde of Priesthood the Iurors and all persons of necessary seruice are bound Iuramento Dei with the Lords oath so the Scripture calleth it the worke as Salomon speaketh Prouerbs 21. is more than a sacrifice finally the place is Mogned a Synagogue a holy place I obserue this the rather because I would raise the estimation of that place to a higher rate than it commonly passeth at with the vulgar people The Iudge when he passeth from the Church to the Bench doth but passe from one sacred assembly to another only with this difference that sitting but as a sheepe in this fold in the other he sitteth as a shepheard Wherefore the Iudge when he sitteth there must remember the saying of Natianzene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art the Image of God and they with whom thou dealest beare his image also if any staines haue blemished that image purge them but neuer forget so to deale with the people as those that beare Gods image The Lawyers must remember that the Iudges Bench is Gods Altar and being Priests thereat they may not sacrifice with eyther polluted tongues or hands The Iurors that haue bound themselues to God must deale as in his sight they must take heed of that wherewith they are too vsually charged that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 priuate men the common weale are not so much abused they are not abused so cunningly by any thing as by their oathes The words are significant giue me leaue to open them Sinnes are compared to debts he that breaketh a Law becommeth a debter thereby the Iudge commeth to enquire after those debts that satisfaction may bee made for priuate for publick wronges the Iurors are trusted with the relation and taxation of these debts they are to bring in who is in debt and how far and their oathes are credited herein but their oath is become a sophister and cunningly priuate wrongs at the one barre and publike at the other receiue an acquittance and yet the debter makes no paiment or surely no such payment as in equitie he should If their oath were Iuramentum diaboli their sophistrie were tolerable but I beseech them in the feare of God to consider that sinceritie is the attribute of the oath of God and let them take heed lest obliging themselues to God and doing seruice to the Diuel they descend not into hell when they hope to ascend to heauen Finally whereas the ground whereupon the Assembly standeth is holy ground let euerie man put off his shooes put off his corrupt affections so shall the worke be an acceptable a profitable sacrifice which may yeeld a sweet sauour vnto God and a sauour of rest vnto our whole Land it shall so be and it shall do so if the Iudge hauing called this assembly iudge according to the rule if hee iudge vprightly I come then from the time to the manner Some take the word Mesharim for a Nown some for an Aduerb wherupon arise two interpretations one respecting the person of the Iudge the other that whereupon the Iudge worketh If you respect the person of the Iudge then the words are I will iudge vprightly that is according to the Law Before you heard of a publicke standard whereat mens causes must be tryed the Iudge is not fabricator but adhibitor mensurae Iupiter ipse duas aequato examine lances Sustinet the King himselfe much more the Iudge is put in trust with it not to make it but to vse it and as St. Augustine speakes Non iudicat de legibus sed secundum leges he must not confound a Parliament with an Assizes That is the first thing that must be noted A second thing is that the word signifieth streight or right lines which is the proper attribute of a Law and you know that recta linea est brenissima inter eosdem terminos and if mens causes be iudged according to Law the handling of them must not take the next way about the proceeding must be as euen so speedy And yet which wee must note in the third place the straitnesse of the Law is not a mathematicall but a morall straitnesse It is not inflexible but it is so farre to be bent as the minde of the Law giuer did intend A Iudge must not insist vpon the words of a Law but put on the minde of a Law-maker and a Law-maker doth follow medium not arithmeticum but geâ—metricum not rei but rationis The circumstances of quid quantum cui quando Heb. 7. do varie the proceeding and yet the rule is still euen Prouided alwaies that the King and the Iudge bee as Melchisedeck 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so righteous a King and Iudge that he hath no consanguinity nor affinity but only the common weale If a Iudge follow such a rule hee then iudgeth vprightly But I told you though Mesharim may beevsed Aduerbially yet is it a Nown and so the Ancients did take it in this place as appeares by their translating it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recta and I thinke it is most naturall here to referre it to that whereupon the Iudge worketh Hee calleth an Assembly to see what vprightnesse there is in mens carriage God as the Preacher speaketh made man straight the word is iashar that is set him in a straight way the holy Ghost doth much delight to resemble Lawes by waies and that resemblance is implied in this word but man being set so straight sought out many inuentions c. The Rule is as true in policie as in diuinitie S. Iohn Baptist the harbinger of Christ according to the Prophefie of Esay crying vnto the people to prepare Christs way and to make his path straight doth reduce all the obliquitie thereof vnto foure heads saying that euery hill must be brought low You shall finde some men through pride to swell like hils like mountaines lifting themselues aboue their ranke and vsurping more power than belongs vnto them such are the violent oppressors of the poore And I adde vnto them those that are mountainous also the supporters of the man of sin dwelling vpon the seuen hils who vsurped spirituall power of old but of late is grown more eager for a temporall hee hath many Proctors for both in this Land and they should all be brought low Besides these Mountaines you shall find Valleyes men that by base qualities fall below their
may read enough in the life of SOLOMON to iustifie this point But this was not the sinne onely of the Old Testament it quickly entred vpon the New no sooner had the Apostles planted the Christian Faith but impure Heretickes poysoned the Religion at the root and by wicked notions of God and Goodnesse seduced many simple ones vnto all dissolutenesse of life as we read in IRENIE and EPIPHANIVS Yea no sooner was the Gospel restored in these latter dayes but Anabaptists and Libertines trod the very same steps and turned Heauen into Hell and God into the Diuell As for our selues Beloued our Positions are sound and good but our Conuersation should be answerable otherwise the Apostle will tell vs That we denie God euen when we professe him deny him in deeds when we professe him in word yea whereas GODS Image is not Verball but Reall if we will goe for GODS Children and doe the workes of the Diuel how farre are we from this sinne of the Iewes You that are the Penitent should especially lay this to your heart for this brings your sinne vnto his heighth and if you thinke how prophane it is to beare our Incest with Periurie you may haue grace to acknowledge your guilt guilt of supposing GOD to be like vnto your selfe for such doing can hardly goe without such thinking especially if a man continue long therein When a sinner is come to this passe GOD can hold no longer he ceaseth his patience which the Iewes abuse and proceedeth to vengance against which they cannot except He that toucheth GOD in his Wisedome as doth the first kind of Atheist toucheth him neare but GOD beares it He that toucheth him in his Prouidence as doth the second kind of Atheist toucheth him nearer yet can GOD endure that also But he that toucheth him in his Holinesse as doth the third kind of Atheist toucheth him nearest his wrath for such a touch must needs breake out As the Will is the supremest facultie of the reasonable Soule so Holinesse the perfection of the Will is the chiefest of vertues therefore man should be certainly GOD is most tender of it if any impeach that he will certainly reproue them Reprofe is either verball or reall GOD reproues verbally or in word by his Ministers of that we heare as often as we heare from them the doome of sinne for it is Praeiudicium ante iudicium they tell vs what we are and how we shall faire and GOD will make good their words when he entreth into Iudgement But when we are not the better for the Verball then GOD commeth to the reall Ps 29. and then we shall find that Dei dicere is facere The voyce of the Lord is a glorious voyce mightie in operation it breaketh the Cedars of Libanus Hebr. 4. and diuideth betweene the sinnewes and the marrow it not onely rips a man vp to the verie heart root but is able to crush him all to pieces King DAVID describeth the effects of it Psal 39. When thou ô Lord with rebukes doest chasten man for sinne thou as a moath makest his beautie to consume This he vttereth more at large in the 90 Psalme yea read all the Psalmes that are Penitentiall and you shall find vpon the rebuke of GOD what a comfortlesse Soule what a healthlesse Body King DAVID had And if the Children of GOD feele such effects at GODS rebuke which notwithstanding haue euer some sparkes of comfort how doth it crush nay grind forlorne wicked ones If the voyce of Sion the rod of a man the correction of a father be so terrible that DAVID cryeth out O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger â—s 6. neither chasten me in thy heauy displeasure how dreadfull is the voyce of Sina the iron rod the destructiue wrath of GOD to whom shall wretched man flye what shelter shall he take there is no vmpier to qualifie the doome nor any defender to beare off the stroake certainly it is a fearefull thing so to fall into the hands of the liuing God You that are the Penitent are yet but vnder the verball you are not come to the reall reproofe happy shall you be if you make so good vse of this as to preuent that But be sure that the neglect of correction doth vndoubtedly prognosticate destruction to a sinner such destruction as shall not onely be iust but also take away whatsoeuer exception for God will set mans sinnes before his eyes The Hebrew hath nothing but I will order or marshall before thy face the Septuagint supply out of the first clause These things hast thou done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy sinnes St HIEROME out of the second clause thou thoughtest me like vnto thy selfe supplyes Thy selfe Proponam tibi te I will set Thee before thy selfe they are easily reconciled for the person is vnderstood in regard of his sin so that Thee and thine iniquitie is all one In professed wicked men there is not the distinction that is in the Regenerate of Ego Rom â— Peccatum the Old and the New man such a one is not a double but a single man But to come to the point the word ordering or marshalling doth giue vs to vnderstand that we delight in doing of sinne but not in beholding of it behold we can the seeming profit and pleasure that doth accompanie it but the breach of the Law or wound of our Soule we endure not to behold because there is pleasure in the act and remorse in the remembrance thereof But what we cast behind vs GOD will set before vs. The word marshalling importeth two things First that the sinnes are many but confused so that we doe not discerne either the great number or the vnequall measure of them whereupon it followeth that we cannot iudge either how grieuous or how vgly they are but GOD will so dispose them that we shall take notice of euerie one and euerie one according to his pitch Good things well digested are the better discerned and yeeld the more content and euill things displayed will the more vndeniably conuict vs of folly and more vncomfortably distresse vs with our want of grace These two conuiction and confusion doe necessarily accompanie the marshalling of our sinnes and if one sinne of murder wrought so vpon CAIN one sinne of treason vpon IVDAS that the one could not rest the other hanged himselfe in what case thinke we shall the wicked be when GOD shall set all their sinnes before them It is good then for men to vnburden themselues as neare as they can of all sinne seeing there is so much euill in the sight of any one sinne and we cannot auoid the fight of any especially if it be such as this Penitents sinne an enormous sinne and a crying sinne See it therefore now and let repentant teares wash out the characters thereof least remaining of record you be forced to see it when there will be no meanes of blotting it out A second thing that
God in three Persons be rendred all honour and glorie now and for euer Amen Marriage is honourable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled but fornicators and adulterers God will iudge A SERMON PREACHED IN THE CATHE DRAL CHVRCH OF WELS AT WHAT TIME FOVRE PERSONS DID PENANCE FOR INCEST COMMITTED BY ONE MAN WITH HIS WIVES DAVGHTER BY THE OTHER MAN WITH HIS WIVES SISTER DEVT. 27. VERSE 22 23. 22 Cursed is he that lyeth with his sister the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother and all the people shall say Amen 23 Cursed is he that lyeth with his mother-in-law and all the people shall say Amen WHEN GOD had deliuered the Children of Israel out of Aegypt he was pleased to enter into a Couenant with them at Mount Sinai the manner of it is set downe Exod. 24. But the Israelites quickly brake with GOD and GOD entred into iudgment with them he made them for the space of fortie yeeres to wander in the Wildernesse and in that space he so consumed them that of 600000 men remained aliue onely IOSVA and CALEB After so long displeasure GOD returned againe in mercie to them he vouchsafed to haue his Couenant renewed againe the forme of the renuing he prescribeth in this 27 of Deut. A most solemne forme for therein were to concurre three remarkable acts First The Law was to be fairly written vpon great plaistred Stones that the people before-hand might see whereunto they were to bind themselues for GOD would haue them enter into his Couenant aduisedly Secondly there was an Altar to be erected and thereon they were to offer whole burnt offerings and sacrifices of thankes-giuing which were to be reall acknowledgments that they did wholly deuote themselues to GOD and giue thankes for that GOD of his goodnesse would againe renue his Couenant GOD would haue them enter into his Couenant religiously Thirdly GOD commanded that the twelue Tribes should sort themselues into two diuisions sixe should stand vpon the descent of Mount Gerezzim and sixe vpon the descent of Mount Ebal both diuisions with their faces towards the mid Valley where the Arke of GOD the Type of his visible residence amongst the Israelites was borne vp by the Priests In this Theater as it were did GOD require that the Israelites should heare the Articles of Agreement betweene GOD and them both blessings and cursings and professe their conformitie thereunto GOD would haue them professe themselues party to his Couenant openly in the sight both of GOD and Men. In this third act you shall find a rehearfall of sinnes first in particular then ingenerall and a doome pronounced against the committers of those sinnes both by Priest and People Of the particular sinnes my Text specifieth two and specifieth withall the doome that belongeth to either of them The sinnes are vnlawfull matches one collaterall a brothers lying with his sister and because a woman may be sister more wayes then one here is an exegesis the word is expounded whether she be daughter of the mans father or daughter of his mother The second vnlawfull match is in the right line a mans lying with his mother-in law Of these matches you haue these penitent spectacles here presented before you The Text goeth on and tels these Penitents and whosoeuer else shall presume to be like vnto them what is their doome it is set downe in one word but that is a sharpe one they are cursed But farther obserue concerning this doome who doth pronounce it and who doth approue it They that pronounce it are the Leuites so we read verse 14 and they are willed to pronounce it with an audible voyce so audible that all Israel may heare They that approue it are the people they are required to say Amen in token that they all assent to that which they heare all the people must say Amen You haue the briefe of my Text I purpose GOD willing now to enlarge it I pray GOD I may so doe it as that we that stand may take heed least we fall and these that are fallen may learne to rise againe I begin with the sinne wherein we are first to make you see that the Text doth fit this occasion For neither of the matches therein specified seemeth to agree with theirs that are vnder the present Censure Not the collaterall for my Text speaketh of a sister by consanguinitie and these Penitents were brother and sister onely by affinitie not that in the right line for my Text speaketh of a mans lying with his mother in-Law or his wiues mother but this man here is censured for lying with his wiues daughter And so you may thinke that neither of these couples come within the compasse of my Text and therefore are neither of them guiltie of the sinne neither need feare the doome To take away this doubt you must take notice of two rules in Diuinitie The first is that affinitie makes persons as neere in the Law as consanguinitie doth The reason whereof is plaine Affinitie is grounded vpon mariage and by mariage two become one flesh and consequently their kinted whether ascendent or descendent or collaterall become alike neere on each side to the other Your wiues father and mother brethren and sisters sonnes and daughters are vnto you by her as neere as if they were of your owne blood This being true you perceiue that it was no lesse vnlawfull for this man to couple with his wiues sister then with his owne sister the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother The other rule is That more then is exprest in GODS Law is to be vnderstood when by analogie it may fairly be deduced there-from GOD himselfe is our direction to take notice of such analogie for if you compare this Chapter with the 18 of Leuit. you shall find that this verie instance of a man lying with his mother-in-mother-in-law which is mentioned here is omitted there whereupon you may well conclude that some particulars which GOD forbids are not named in the Letter though they are within the meaning of the Law and that the meaning is as wide as analogie will suffer I will shew you in a word what this analogie is it is that persons which are not forbidden expresly and in the letter of the Law are there forbidden implicitely and in the meaning of the Law where others in the same distance of Consanguinitie or Affinitie are expresly forbidden As for example the Law forbids expresly a nephew to marrie with his aunt it saith nothing of an vnckles marrying with his neece yet these being as neere in degree as the other we may of them reasonably conclude that they also are forbidden in the meaning of the Law the exception of the Romanists is friuolous To our purpose by the letter of my Text a man may not marrie with his mother-in-law which may be either his wiues mother or his fathers wife if not with his mother-in-law which is his fathers wife then in the
both to our faith and to our manners and from our most wise and most holy GOD nothing could proceed that was not most righteous and most true Out of this Principle doth MALACHI worke the reparation of a breach which the Iewes had made vpon the seuenth Commandement The breach was Polygamie or multiplying of wiues whereof the reparation is a reducing of them to the first institution of marriage and this is done in those words that now I haue read vnto you Herein we haue first a Text of the Law And did he not make one Then a Sermon of the Prophet made thereon yet had he the residue of Spirit And wherefore one Because c. But more distinctly In the Text of the Law we will consider First the matter that is contained in it then the manner how the Prophet doth vrge it The matter sets before vs a Worke and a Workmaster The worke is the making of one the Workmaster was he both clauses are darke because the words are short To cleere them we must supply out of Genesis and there we find that this one was one Adam and the he that made him was the Lord God GOD made one out of one male he made one female by creation and by coniunction he made that female to be one againe with that male out of which he tooke her This is the matter The manner of the Prophets arguing the Text is powerfull that which in Genesis is a plaine narration is here turned into a question and in such questions the Holy Ghost doth report himselfe vnto the Consciences of those that heare whether to their knowledge he speake not truth So must you vnderstand those words did he not make one Hauing proposed his Text the Prophet maketh a short but a full Sermon hereupon for it consists of a doctrine and an exhortation The doctrine openeth the reason of GODS worke and the Prophet argues in effect thus GOD made but one was it because he could make no more or because he would make no more Certainly not because he could not for he had aboundance of Spirit then it was because he would not And indeed all GODS workes ad extra as the Schooles call them the workes of Creation Prouidence Redemption are all arbitrarie they come from his Will but such a Will as is not blind it is guided by his Wisedome and his Will prescribes nothing whereof his Wisedome cannot yeeld a reason and sometimes he is pleased to shew that reason to vs who otherwise are bound to rest satisfied with the signification of his holy Will Therefore the Prophet goeth on in his arguing wherefore one What is the reason of this Will of GOD And he answereth by the direction of GODS Spirit that it was expedient it should be so two wayes expedient First Expedient in Nature God sought for seed he would haue men multiply and increase which could not be except he had made one and if he had made more then one it could not well haue beene Secondly It was expedient in Grace also for though GOD would haue men multiply yet would he not haue them multiply otherwise then beseemed the children of GOD he sought a holy seed For these ends was GOD pleased thus to order his workes and vpon this doctrine of the ends doth the Prophet ground an exhortation it consists of two parts because in the case of mariage we owe a double respect one to our selues another to our mate The respect we owe to our selues is that we must watch ouer our better part take heed to our Spirit The respect we owe to our mate is we must not violate the faith plighted to her let no man deale treacherously with his wife especially if she be the wife of his youth that is he married her when he was young the longer they haue beene marryed together the more back-ward should they be from dealing falsely one with the other You see the particulars of the Text and of the Sermon that we may better vnderstand them and their fitnesse for this occasion I will open them a little more fully I pray GOD I may doe it profitably also Come we then to the Text of the Law to the matter contained therein I will not trouble you with the diuers translations and varietie of interpretations suitable thereunto leaue that to the Schooles our CHVRCH hath made a choyce and that choyce agrees well with the Originall we will rest contented with that and according to it frame our obseruations I told you that the words set before vs a Worke and a Workemaster yet neither doth plainly appeare they are onely pointed at here but exprest Gen 1. whence I supplyed the name of ADAM and the name of GOD whereof the first is the Worke and the second the Workmaster so that then the words will sound thus God made one Adam Let vs take these parts asunder The name of ADAM is not to be vnderstood vulgarly but as the Holy Ghost vseth it and so it comprehends both sexes so we read Gen. 1. GOD created ADAM male and female made he them in the 5 of Genesis more plainly God made man male and female and called them Adam so that the name ADAM being but one is commonly two the male and the female As they are one in name so are they in nature also we read Gen. 2. that GOD made the female out of the rib of the male for he would haue her to be like him De Paradiso Cap. 10. and he confest her to be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Nec illud otiose saith St AMBROSH it is worth our marking that GOD did not make the woman of the same Earth whereof he made man but he made EVE of the rib of ADAM to giue vs to vnderstand that there is but one body in them both and that one body the onely Fountaine of all mankind Plat. Do Conuiuio Leo. Heb. The Platonists Androgunos is but a corruption of this truth As man was by creation made two but of like substance and so continued still one both in name and nature so by a second work they were made yet more one that is by marriage Gen. 2. for that maketh two one flesh two I say the Septuagint adde that word vnto MOSES his Text and CHRIST approues it in the Gospel Math. 19◠1 Cor. 6. Eph. 5. St PAVL therein followeth CHRIST and the words of marriage are the man shall cleaue to his wife therefore doth the Apostle call the wife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the husband 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7. Lesse then one there could not be and be a naturall propagation and more then one there should not be and that propagation be orderly But this onenesse is principall or accessorie the principall is onenesse of coniugall power and coniugall affection Coniugall power for though in other things the man is superiour to the woman the husband to his wife Rom. 7.1
into the Congregation of Israel vnto the third generation Cap. 3. The Booke of Wisedome amplyfieth this point the children of Adulterers shall not come to perfection and the seed of the vnrighteous bed shall be rooted out the like you may read Eccl. 23. but because those Bookes are Apochryphall Cap. 31. ◠here what IOB saith of Adulterie It is a sinne to be condemned it will deuour vnto destruction and it would root out all my posteritie And no wonder that GOD dealeth so with Bastards for which of vs if he haue Land entailed entailes it otherwise then vpon heires lawfully begotten If we thinke Bastards vnworthy to inherite our Lands here on Earth shall GOD thinke them worthy to be heires of the Kingdome of Heauen I will not condemne all Bastards to Hell I know IEPHTA found fauour with GOD and so no doubt haue many others but that commeth to passe by GODS extraordinarie mercie ordinarie Promise we haue none that they shall doe well Yea obserue and you shall find that they seldome keepe a meane if good verie good and if they be bad they are verie bad and parents of such children haue reason rather to feare the worst then hope the best for though GOD at after-hand doth often pardon sinnes yet before-hand he giues no encouragement to sinners You that are the Penitent take this to heart your second match being plaine Adulterie the children borne in such wedlocke must needs be bastards and being Bastards they are not the holy seed yea they are a seed that is cursed so cursed for your fault that as much as in you lyeth you strip them of all blessings on Earth and in Heauen they are fauoured by the Law neither of God nor men And so great wrong done to them should goe to your verie heart you haue sinned against your children not onely against your owne body And let this suffice concerning the doctrine that is in the Prophets Sermon I come now to the exhortation which he deduceth therefrom The exhortation is double according to the double respect which we owe. The first is to our selues keepe your selues in your Spirit or take heed to your Spirit We must take care of our whole man the outward and inward for touching the outward the Apostles rule is 1 Thes 4.4 1 Cor. 3. 1 Cor. 6. We must keepe our vessels in honour we may not defile the Temples of God We may not take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot we must be chast propter carnem Christi as IGNATIVS speaketh because we are bone of Christs bone and flesh of his flesh But as we must take care of our bodyes so must we much more take care of our soules for it is in vaine to keepe the body chast and to retaine an adulterous heart for an adulterous heart though it be peccatum sine teste it hath no man to witnesse it yet is it peccatum Athanasius God will doome it for sinne Yea if a man stop not lust in his heart Math. 15. he will not be master of it in his body for ex abundantia cordis out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh out of that commeth Adulteries and Fornications But qui adinngit Spiritui adimit carni the better the Soule is the better will the body be therefore is temperance properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a keeping of a man in his right wits because so long as a man hath his wits about him he is master of his lusts but no sooner hath Dalilah brought that Sampson asleepe but the Philistims will be vpon him and depriue him of his strength he will be ouertaken with this lustfull Epilepsie and prophane the Temple of the Lord. But to open this point a little farther we must obserue that as we haue sensuall and reasonable faculties so it was Gods pleasure that those actions which are Elicitae or come naturally from the sensuall faculties should also be imperatae ordered and limited by the rationall therefore is the rationall facultie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guid and gouernour of our life and he deserues not the name of a man whose sense is not subiect vnto reason But the Spirit doth not onely note the reasonable soule but in an argument concerning the CHVRCH it meaneth that Soule as it is regenerated by Grace and then it putteth vs in mind that the care of our Soules must be more then reasonable it must be spirituall and not onely the best wit of man which is corrupt as appeares in the vnchast chastitie of the Heathen but the sanctifying Grace of God must set bounds to our lusts which will suffer them to passe no farther then they are allowed by Gods Law A man is an excellent creature if he be but a man if he keepe his reasonable Spirit how much more excellent would a Christian man be if he could continue a Christian and preserue in himselfe the Spirit of Grace I may not omit the word keepe it willeth vs to set a watch because we are apt to run riot whether the Spirit signifie Reason or Grace we must watch If reason we must watch that we admit not into our imaginations nor suffer our wits to discourse vpon lustfull fancies we liue in the middest of temptations and none are more insinuating then those that are pleasurable we must take heed therefore that our reason be not betwitched by them they will cunningly euchant vs and transforme vs into beasts before we are aware wherefore we must keepe a watch ouer our Reason and not onely ouer Reason but ouer Grace also that we grieue not the Holy Spirit that we quench him not that we doe not dispite him Ephes 4.30 ◠Thes 5.19 for the Holy Spirit of discipline will not abide in a Soule that is disposed vnto sinne Adspicis vt veniant ad candida tect a columbae the doue-like spirit delighteth to dwell in doue-like persons himselfe being chast in those that are chast Wherefore we must keepe our spirits that for our vnchastitie the Spirit of God forsake vs not You haue the first branch of the exhortation the second followeth This biddeth vs be carefull of that respect which we owe vnto our mate Let no man deale treacherously with his wife A wife a little before my Text is called a mans companion and the wife of his couenant Now you know that fraud in fellowship is abominable especially if that fellowship be established by couenant as wedsocke is and no fellowship vpon straiter couenants then wedlocke for therein there is a double couenant pactum hominis and pactum Dei the persons contracting doe plight their faith each to other that is pactum hominis Then God he commeth in as a partie to knit the knot and will haue this mutuall stipulation made in his sight and in his name so that both stand bound to God not onely to themselues neuer to loose this knot till death them
make vs see how much better he is then we dreame of him Looke vpon the fore-cited places the wicked thinke that God is like vnto them Mal. 3. What saith GOD there I will reproue thee and set thy sinne before thee So likewise in Malachy they thought that GOD fauoured men the more the worse they liued but GOD tels them that in the day when he made vp his Iewels they should returne and see the difference betweene them that feare God Math. 25. and them that feared him not And the vnthriftie seruant was refuted before his face for his Master gaue to the thriftie seruants each what he had gayned vpon his Masters goods But as GOD doth thus refute affirmatiue blasphemies so may you perceiue in the verie same places that the Blasphemer doth defraud himselfe of that which GOD proues to be his perfection and leaues him to be more vile then he thinketh GOD to be So likewise what gayneth the negatiue Blasphemer but this that he putteth himselfe out of the protection of those Attributes whereof he would but cannot rob GOD. GOD will euer haue an vnderstanding eye though not to watch ouer him but to enquire into him he will haue a hand of power not to relieue but to plague him and he will neuer cease to be prouident but the Blasphemer shall neuer be the better for it What shall we say then to these things Surely considering our duty considering our danger we must thinke better vpon and take more care to fulfill that Petition of the Lords Prayer Hallowed be thy Name That we may performe our dutie that we may auoid the danger let vs all and you especially that are the Penitent daily ioyne with the Angels 〈…〉 and beare a part in their Hymne singing Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heauen and Earth are full of thy glorie For shall not mortall man adore that Name which is so reuerenced by Cherubins and Seraphins It is his honor to be admitted to it and a horrible contempt if he doe it not yea doe the contrarie The kind of blasphemie is not here exprest neither doe I thinke it sit to enquire into it seeing the Holy Ghost is silent such sinnes are better concealed then reuealed therefore doe not I publish this Blasphemers sinne And I wish you not to be inquisitiue after it Our concupiscence is like tinder it will quickly take fire especially the catching fire of Hell St Paul hath a good rule Such things should not so much as be named amongst Christians Yea blasphemie was so detested of old that whereas it had a name yet they did expresse it by an Antiphrasis and vsed the word blessing in stead of cursing I would our tast of words were as good as theirs was I haue done with the proper blasphemie Tract 27. in Ioh. I come now to speake a word of the occasionall Here take St Austins rule Rarò inueniuntur qui blasphemant lingua multi qui vita few haue gone so farre as this Penitent who hath properly and directly blasphemed GOD. But there are more then a good many that haue obliquely and occasionally blasphemed yea and doe daily euen all those whose conuersation is not answerable to their profession For they without the CHVRCH who heare vs professe that we are the children of GOD and haue for our guid the Word of GOD when then they see vs doe that which common reason doth condemne as wicked they conclude Like children like â—ather like liues like Lawes they open their mouthes against GOD and against his holy Word Wherefore we must by well-doing stop the mouthes of gaine-sayers and let our light so shine besore men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our Pather which is in Heauen or else we shall goe for occasionall Blasphemers as did Dauid and also did the Iewes 2 Sam. 12. Rom. 2. And let this suffice for the sinne I come now to the punishment And here we must see first What it is and then On whom it is inflicted The punishment is set downe here first in generall he shall beare his sinne By sinne is meant punishment the Holy Ghost by so speaking intimates the knot that in Iustice should be betweene them none should be punished but for sinne and no sinne should be vnpunished Which is also true when this word signisieth a Sacrifice for the originall of a Sacrifice was sinne and sinne in the Old Testament was not expiated but by a Sacrifice As you must obserue these two things in the word sinne so are there two like things a ceremoniall and a morall in those words he shall beare his sinne for thereby in this place the Holy Ghost signifieth that a Blasphemer may not redeeme himselfe from punishment by any ceremoniall Sacrifice the Law hath prouided no Sacrifice for so crying a sinne whereas pettie sinners might be ransomed by Sacrifice a Blasphemer may not so vnburden himselfe he must beare his owne sinne Num. 15. for Blasphemie is one of those sinnes which are committed with a high hand As the phrase doth debarre the Blasphemer of this ceremoniall reliefe so doth it put him ouer to the Ciuill Magistrate and yeelds a good morall Note which is that we must vnburden the State vpon the malefactor for sinne committed by one that is a member of the Common-weale by reason of the Communion that is betweene the parts of the politique Body maketh all the Body guiltie Nouel Constiâ— 77. if it be haynous which Iustinian the Emperour obserued well in his Preface to the Law which he made against this sinne for this sinne saith he doth God send Famine Pestilence the Sword vpon a Common-weale neither can it put off the guilt and preuent the punishment but by laying them vpon the malefactor making him to beare his owne sinne lest they also beare a part of it A good remembrance for Magistrates to quicken their iustice in such cases and teach them that they cannot be mercifull to a Blasphemer except they will be cruell to their Countrey But I shall touch at this point againe before I end and therefore I will goe on The Punishment is not onely set downe in generall but in speciall also the speciall punishment is two-fold First It is Ecclesiasticall for the malefactor must be carried out of the Tents so GOD commanded a little before my Text and in the end of this Chapter it was so practised And when in the Holy Land they dwelt in Cities in stead of Tents which they vsed in the Wildernesse they obserued the same course for they cast Blasphemers out of the Citie as appeares in the storie of Naboth 1 King 21. and of St Stephen Act. 7. who were calumniated for Blasphemers 1 Tim 1.20 Now this was a kind of Excommunication and so vile persons were cast out De Malâ—die c. Statuimus to note that they were vnworthy not onely to liue but euen to dye also amongst the people of GOD
vpon whom this Law was made blasphemed but in his rage as appeares yet he dyed for it Wonder not at GODS seueritie he measureth no more to himselfe then he doth to Parents Exod. 21 to Magistrates He that curseth his father and his mother the parents of his flesh must be vsed so and shall not he be vsed so much more that curseth the Father of his Spirit He that speaketh euill of the Ruler of the people must be vsed so and shall not he that speaketh euill of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords The comparison maketh Quicunque in GODS case to be most iust To which root we shall refer your Blasphemie that are the penitent I know not in charitie we hope the best we hope that it commeth from a mixture of grosse ignorance and vnruly passions for these doe rayse euill thoughts and murmurings That it doth so let it appeare in your repentance St Paul in conscience of his Fall by ignorance gaue himselfe no better a title when he had occasion to mention it then Maximus peccatorum the most grieuous of sinners euen when he lead a most holy life he could not forget his fall in the hight of GODS grace And of St Peter the Ecclesiasticall Storie reports that at the crowing of the Cocke the Remembrancer of his Fall euerie night during his life he did wash his bed and water his couch with his penitent teares GOD make you so mindfull and so sorrowfull otherwise you will betray that your Blasphemie sprang from malice and then be sure that the same GOD that commanded such seueritie to be executed here on earth will himselfe execute much greater vpon all those which through irrepentance goe to Hell Yea haply he may euen in this world make you a Spectacle of a forlorne wretch to the terrour of others as he did Sennacherib Hercdot â—â—b 8. vpon whose Statua there is this Inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let euerie one that looketh vpon me learne to be godly Such a Spectacle I say may he make you if by often recounting and bewayling of this crying sin you doe not quench the fire of his wrath and preuent his iudgements For God will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine The last point is that it must be done without all indulgence Moriendo morietur he shall surely dye surely be stoned We may not with Eue turne surely into ne fortè lest the Diuel worke vpon vs and we prouoke GOD as Saul did in Agags case and Ahab in Benadads You haue heard the Law A word of those to whom it was giuen and so I end In the entrance of my Text you find that it was giuen to the Israelites the Israelites were the people of GOD and surely it concernes them if any to be most zealous of his glorie who is their Glorie But did it concerne them onely Then it is dissolued because their Common-weale is at an end Take therefore a Rule That if a Law which in the institution thereof was Nationall to the Iewes in the equitie of it be Oecumenicall euerie Christian nation is bound to giue it a Reuiuor though they may varie the punishment as they find it expedient for their State And indeed this hath receiued such a reuiuor in most Christian States Iustinian the Emperour of Constantinopâ—e made it capitall The wise Gothes inflicted an hundred stripes for it and in disgrace shaued the delinquents head and beard and imprisoned him during life Fredericke the Emperour cut out the tongue of all that offended in this kind St Lewis of France caused their tongue to be bored with a hot Iron wishing that his owne tongue might be so vsed if euer he did blaspheme Philip of Vuloys caused their lips to be slit And touching our owne State I haue nothing to say in excuse thereof for that it hath all this while left this sinne onely to Ecclesiasticall censure and hath not prouided some corporall punishment for it but that of Solon who being demanded why he made no Law against Parricide answered that he thought none in his Common-weale would euer be so impious to commit it So I thinke our State thought there would neuer rise such lewd persons amongst vs But seeing there doe it is high time we had some sharpe occasionall Statute to represse them If holy Iob were so carefull to sacrifice for and sanctifie his sonnes ne fortè lest peraduenture they had sinned with what zeale should we be stirred vp when we see the fact is most apparent I conclude Let all Blasphemie be put out of all our mouthes yea and hearts also and let vs pray GOD to set a watch before our lips and keepe the doore of our mouthes that his grace may rule in our hearts that he may be our feare and his prayse may be our talke that praysing him here on Earth we may be admitted into the number of his Saints which with heart and voyce prayse him for euermore in Heauen A penitent Prayer for a Blasphemer MOST Sacred and most dread Almightie Euerlasting God to whom the Angels continually doe cry Holy holy holy Lord God of Hoasts the glorie of whose admirable and comfortable wisedome reacheth from one end of the world to another mightily and sweetly ordereth all things J the vnworthiest of men the most grieuous of sinners humbly sorrowfully prostrating my deiected disconsolate both soule and body before thy holy eyes pray that the sighes and groanes of a broken and contrite heart may not be excluded from thine offended eares Lord J haue beene deepe in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie Sathan hath filled my heart therewith and out of the aboundance thereof my tongue hath sent forth many flashes euen of the fire of Hell as a brood of the Serpent J haue set my mouth against Heauen J haue blasphemed the holy the reuerend Name of my God and vilified his vnchangeable vnchallengable Prouidence Haddest thou dealt with me as I deserued fire and brimstone from Heauen should haue consumed me or the Earth should haue gaped and swallowed me downe quicke into the pit of Hell J deserued to be made a spectacle of thy iust vengeance that gracelesse wretches seeing my iudgement might feare my offence J confesse this ô Lord J confesse it vnfainedly penitently but woe is me if J haue no more to confesse but these my euill deserts Thy long-suffering towards me putteth me in better hope yea this medicinall confusion whereunto thou now puttest me puts me in good hope that thou hast not forgotten to be mercifull vnto me neither hast thou shut vp thy tender mercie in displeasure Lord J doe not despise this goodnesse of thine that leads me to repentance that workes in me remorce of conscience And from that penitent Blasphemer that proued a most worthy Apostle from his mouth doe J take vnto my selfe that saying worthy of all men to be receiued That Iesus Christ came into the world to saue
by many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of Heauen we must be baptised with CHRISTS baptisme and drinke of his cup And if you marke the eight beatitudes in the first Sermon of CHRIST you see that they run almost all of them vpon a passiue obedience and place blessednesse in the Crosse A blessednesse then there is in suffering but few would affect it did they not hope for a better after it therefore St Iames addeth what hereafter they are to expect and that is the crowne of life This I told you is a full definition of blessednesse a definition that better resolueth then those many but different that are found in Philosophy Blessednesse presupposeth life and the life is not blessed without a Crowne But the life and the crowne may either be considered in diuers times or knit together in one time If they be considered at diuers times then life belongs to this world and the crowne to that which is to come so that the Apostle saith that the crowne to come is for the life that is past and a man that lookes for the crowne must haue a care of this life Cap. 8.10 Cap. 3.11 For he shall be crowned that striueth lawfully therefore CHRIST in the Reuelations saith Esto fidelis tibi dabo coronam and againe hold fast that none take thy crowne 2 Tim. 4. and St Paul I haue fought a good fight I haue kept the faith from hence forth there is layd vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse c. Haec vita est negotiatio they that here exercise their faith and hope by charitie shall find a reward in Heauen But if we ioyne life and the crowne and referre them both to the time that is to come then doth the crowne expresse the condition of the life in Heauen For though the word life of it selfe vsed absolutely doe signifie a blessed life as appeares in many passages of Scripture yet the crowne doth more distinctly represent vnto vs the manner of that life and it represents three things the perpetuitie the plentie the dignitie thereof The perpetuitie for as a Crowne hath neither beginning nor ending so is it the liuely Image of Eternitie and in this respect it is called an immarcescible and immortall crowne and a Kingdome that cannot be shaken En Ps 6. Talia sunt Dei dona saith Chrysostome valida decore plena at in hominibu◠non ita est sed qui est in gloria non est securus qui autem securus non est in gloria in Deo vtraque concurrunt Secondly the crowne notes the plentie because as the Crowne compasseth on euerie side so doth that which is plentifull satisfie on euery part and nothing is wanting in this life therefore the Scripture in seuerall places runneth ouer euerie part of our body and power of our soule and sheweth how euerie one shall haue his content the eye in beholding GOD the eare in hearing the musicke of Heauen the tongue in praysing c. The last is the dignitie and that is principally noted by a crowne as it appeares by the vse that is made thereof on Kings heads And indeed what is eternall life but a Coronation day the Scripture indescribing it remembreth all parts of a Coronation the robes long white robes of righteousnesse which we shall put on then the oyle of gladnesse wherewith we shall be annointed then the Scepter which CHRIST shall put into our hands to bruise therewith all Nations the Throne whereupon we shall sit with CHRIST the Feast whereat we shall eat and drinke with him finally in steed of a Bishop or Archbishop to performe these ceremonies we shall haue the great Bishop of our soules IESVS CHRIST and he shall doe it in the presence not of earthly Peeres but of the heauenly both Saints and Angels Ad hereunto that this Crowne is significantly called a crowne of life to distinguish it from the Crowne of mortall Princes which is but a dead crowne whereas this is a liuing In a mortall Kings Crowne there is gold and flowers and pretious stones but all are dead the gold and flowers and pretious stones whereof our Crowne consists are all liuing for the Lord himselfe is the Crowne In that day shall the Lord of Hosts be for a Crowne of glorie Esay 28. and a Diadem of beautie to the residue of his people and the people shall be a Crowne of glorie in the hand of the Lord and a royall Diademe in the hand of GOD. And no maruell for the life to come is the marriage day wherein the Spouse shall receiue her Crowne vpon her resurrection as CHRIST receiued his Crowne at his resurrection St Paul is plaine for it Hebr. 2. This phrase then of the Crowne of life is more then a militarie phrase the Souldiers in triumph wore Insigne sine regno but here Insigne ceniungitur cum regno and the name of Crowne is vsed rather then any other ornament because ornamenta caetera membrorum sunt singulorum capitis ornatus totius corporis est dignitas You haue heard what is Patience and what is the Recompence thereof one thing remaineth that the patient man may know vpon what ground he may expect this recompence That is set downe here by the Apostle in two Verbes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof each hath his Nowne annext vnto it to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is annexed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresly and betweene this nowne and that verbe there is a strong coniunction for the Lord is so great a person as by the Law may command our patience and yet so good a person is he that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath promised a recompence See then our title it is from GOD but grounded not vpon the Law but the Gospel And indeed if you looke into St Paul we shall find that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word proper to the Gospel especially in the Epistle to the Galathians so that we must not stand vpon desert but acknowledge GODS mercie for as it is Psal 103. Coronat te miserationthus 2 Tim 4.8 It is true that St Paul calleth it Coronam iustitiae but there is Iustitia fidelitatis as well as aqualitatis The ground of merit euen in the Creation was GODS Contract which he vouchsafed to make with his Vassall notwithstanding the Obligation of his naturall alleageance This Contract consisted of mutuall Couenants which Couenants were proportionable to the Contractors Mans Conenant was of workes but workes proportionable to the abilities of man that is meane and finite GODS Couenant was of life proportionable to the magnificencie of GOD so that there was apparantly a proportion betweene the workes and the Worker the Rewarder and the reward but betweene the worke and the reward none at all Hence it is that betweene Adams obedience and GODS recompence thereof there could be no merit of condignitie which properly vnderstood compares and equalleth the
saith the Apostle that you are the Temple of God speaking of our whole person But lest question should be made of any part in the sixth Chapter he distinctly expresseth both Body and Soule He that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one Spirit with him that is cleere for our soule And lest we should vnder-value our worser part Know you not saith he that your bodyes are the Temples of the Holy Ghost So that no question can be made of either part of our person both are liuing stones 1 Pet. 2. and built vp into a Spirituall House And if we be Spirituall Houses then God is in vs of a truth 2 Cor. 6. for so the Apostle collecteth Ye are the Temples of the liuing God saith GOD and I will dwell in them and walke in them St Peter is not afraid to say 2 Pet. 1. We are made partakers of the Diuine nature and the Fathers that we are deified Although there be no personall vnion betweene vs and GOD as there is in CHRIST yet such a mysticall one there is that Philo Iudaeus his words are verie true Deus est animae bonorum incola malorum tantum accola though GODS generall influence be wanting to no Creature yet his gratious inhabitance is the prerogatiue of the Church And all they to whom GOD commeth so neere haue presently erected in them an Oracle and an Altar the Spirit by the Word reuealeth their eyes to see the maruailous things of GODS Law they are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They haue an vnction that teacheth them all things 1 Iohn 2. 1 Cor. 2. yea they haue the verie mind of Christ yea the same Spirit that erecteth the Oracle erects an Altar also an Altar of Incense in their hearts which sendeth forth Prayers intelligibiliter suaueolentes Spirituall but acceptable vnto GOD. as Origen answereth Celsu◠obiecting to the Christians that they had no Altars And how can we want an Altar of burnt sacrifice when our broken and contrite hearts offer vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable to GOD which is our reasonable seruice of him This is enough to let you vnderstand that we are if we are Christians Houses of God answerable vnto Christ I would it were enough also to perswade vs so to esteeme our selues as such grace requireth at our hands for what an improuement is this to our persons and what a remembrance should this be to euerie one to keepe his Vessell in honour but more of that anon I must first speake a little of the description of the Market it is in my Text called an House of Merchandize GOD that made vs Men made vs also sociable and vsed our wants as a Whetstone to set an edge vpon that propension but we should liue together as Merchants ordered by commutatiue Iustice whose Standard is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it requireth that men barter vpon euen tearmes otherwise one man will deuour another and the Common weale cannot continue To preuent this mischiefe GOD hath appointed distributiue Iustice the vertue of the Magistrate who dispencing praemium poenam Reward and Punishment should set euerie man a thriuing but suffer no man to thriue to the preiudice of others The euill of the dayes wherein we liue doe giue me occasion to complaine not onely that there is varietie of corruption in Trades dangerous because some are ouer-thriuing but also of the decay of Trades no lesse dangerous because there are so many thousands that haue no meanes to thriue at all Gouernours giue order for Houses of Correction and no doubt but if they were better vsed vagrants might be restrayned thereby but there must be moreouer an increase of Trades that must employ the Common-people multiplying as they doe in this blessed time of peace while the Gentleman depopulates the Countrey and the Vsurer and Victualer are become the chiefe Trades-men of Incorporations what wonder if contrarie to GODS Law and the Kings the whole Land be filled with miserable poore There is no true at least no full remedy for this euill but they to whom the care of distributiue Iustice is committed must reuiue and quicken the Commutatiue and make our Land according vnto that good opportunitie which GOD hath giuen vs an House of Merchandize This by the way vpon occasion of the phrase where out you may gather that in the Market the world taketh vp most of our thoughts and our dealing there is for worldly things Hauing sufficiently opened the description of the Temple and the Market The difference betweene them is euident to a meane conceit he will easily apprehend that the one place is Heauenly the other Earthly the one for the Communion of Saints the other for the Common-weale in the one place we need be no more then Men in the other we must shew our selues to be the Children of God And is it not a great fault to confound these things which GOD hath so distinguished Surely it is and it was the Iewes fault CHRIST doth open it as he doth forbid it for if we may beleeue the Rabbines the Law was pronounced in the eares of Malefactors while stripes were layed vpon their backes and it is most likely that while CHRIST expelled the Merchants with his whip he spake these words vnto them Make not my Fathers House an house of Merchandize Let vs come then to this Prohibition The best places are subiect to abuse Heauen was and so was Paradise no wonder then if the Temple be And seeing abuse can be excluded no where we must be watchfull euerie-where yea the better a place is the more doth the Diuel solicit vs to abuse it because he will doe GOD the more despite and worke man the more mischiefe Therefore the better the place is the more circumspect must we be It is a soule fault to dishonour GOD any where but specially in his owne House In estimating our owne wrongs we aggrauate them by this circumstance Esay 26 Ier. 11. and shall we neglect it when we ponder the sinnes we commit against GOD Nay rather the greatnesse of our contempt ariseth with the greatnesse of his Maiestie which appeareth in that place and the more gratious he sheweth himselfe there the more gracelesse are we if we yeeld him not a due regard Now what doth that due regard require at our hands Surely that we bring not so much as the world into the Temple we may not doe legitima in illegitimo loco saith St Austin we may not doe lawfull things in a place appointed for better vses Caelum est Caelum ingrederis Nilus the Temple is Heauen as you are taught before when thou entrest the Temple thou must suppose thou art entering into the Kingdome of Heauen Now in Heauen there is neither eating nor drinking marrying nor giuing in marriage buying nor selling therefore we must neither thinke of nor meddle with these things while we enter into that place 1 Cor. 11 Haue you not
his Successe is a performance so much is GODS mercie more forward then mans dutie And is not this a remarkable Successe Surely it is and so much is signified by Selah for Selah interpreted morally is a note of some great and some constant truth and such is that which is contained in my Text. You see the particulars whereof this holy Scripture doth occasion me to speake that we may all be the better for that which shall be spoken let vs by GODS assistance with Christian audience listen againe vnto them as they shall now be vnfolded briefly and in their order I begin at King Dauids Practise wherein the first thing obserued was the matter confessed and that is Sinne. Peccatum confitetur vt Publicanus non iustitias vt Pharisaeus he appeares befor GOD in the humilitie of the Publican not in the pride of the Pharisee He had many Prerogatiues for he was a man after GODS owne heart the Father of faithfull Kings the sweet Singer of Israel a liuely Type of our Sauiour CHRIST but he fixed his eyes vpon none of these neither came any of these into his mind he remembreth nothing but sinne And what doth this intimate but that his guid was not nature but grace For by nature we not onely desire to heare from others but also our selues would be Heralds of our owne vertues yea and are contentedly deceiued by setting and seeing them in a false light to haue others admire them but specially our selues to dote vpon them Euerie man naturally is a Laodicean and thinkes himselfe rich and increased in goods and in regard of his spirituall estate to want nothing But what our Sauiour CHRIST replyed to that Church is spoken to vs all Thou doest not know that thou art poore wretched blind and naked No man doth thinke on these things by nature and therefore when any man doth it is a signe of grace as it was in K. Dauid that thought rather what he wanted then what he had rather how vile then how good he was And indeed where grace is it fareth with our soules as it doth with our bodies If a man be sicke haue he neuer so stately reabes they cannot shelter haue he neuer so daintie fare it cannot rellish haue he neuer so soft a bed yet cannot rest his diseased body feeles nothing but the afflicting peccant humour Euen so when the remorse of conscience workes all our guifts be they neuer so great they appeare not they cannot couer our nakednesse they cannot satisfie our haunger and thirst neither doe they ease our torture though we haue them yet for the time we haue no vse of them we see we heare we feele nothing but sinne as experience teacheth them that haue beene assistants to soules distressed in this kind But it is not onely Sinne but Pâ—shang haynous and ennormous sinne that is here remembred King Dauid is as ambitious to amplyâ—ie his sinne as others are to amplysie their vertues for this word sigâ—ifieth Reuolt and Rebellion the highest improuements that can be of sinne You will acknowledge it if you distinguish inter Legemet Legis latorem euerie trespasse is a violating of the Law but to set at nought the Law-giuer and set our selues against him what is it but High-treason If men satisfie particular lusts they commit but particular sinnes as in Theft Adulterie Murder but Treason is vniuersâ—lis iniustitia it includes all kind of ennormities What then could King Dauid say more against sinne then to make it the character of the sonne of Belial that breakes GODS bonds and casts his cords from him peruersè imitatur Createrem suum vt sibi ipsi lex sit vsurps the Throne of GOD Yea because there is no neutralitie in this case for he that is not with GOD is against him and auersenesse from GOD is attended with aduersenesse to him for rebellion is that whereat the Diuel aymeth in reuolt Sinne doth muster vs in the Armie of the Dragon and ranketh vs with the malignant brood of the Serpent so much doth King Dauid signifie by this word and by so amplifying teacheth vs that we may noâ— mince sin but as we consider the Law which we transgresse so must we also the Law-giuer to whom our sinne doth reserre and we shall find that commonly it is of a higher nature then we suppose and is a plaine spirituall Treason Oh that all Adulterers and Murderers would herein be Dauids Schollers and then no doubt but out of that detestation which they haue of Treason they would profitably conclude how odious they deferue to be in the eyes of GOD themselues deserue to be for the sin which King Dauid amplyfieth is his owne he makes bold in this case with none but himselfe It is a strange peruersenesse of our conscience to be sharpe sighted a farre off when we view others but to be purblind at hand when we looke on our selues our perspectiues multiply the motes that are in other mens eyes and make them appeare as great as beames but the beames that are in our owne eyes they so diminish that they scarce â—â—peare so bigge as moates How doe we detest that in others which we suffer in our own brests And how many would we send to Hell for that where-with our selues hope to climbe to Heauen Sic nemo in sese tentat descendere nemo selfe-loue is perswaded that all is well at home But euerie man is best knowne to himselfe and therefore euerie man should study himselfe most and if he doe though haply others be bad yet will he find himselfe to be worse and confesse with St Paul 1 Tim. 1◠〈◊〉 Sam. 24. Peccatorum ego primus and say as this King doth in another place I haue sinned I haue done wickedly but what haue these sheepe done No mans sinne will appeare greater then our owne And so much of the matter confessed I come now to the manner of confessing The word vsed by the Psalmist is borrowed out of the Law Leuit. 5. and Numb 5. and so alludes to the Ceremoniall Sacrifice wherein the offerer was to lay his hand vpon the Sacrifice in acknowledgement of what he deserued and wherewith he was to be relieued The words of my Text containe the Morall of that Ceremonie which teacheth that we must manifest a sense of our sinne and in that manifestation must first lay the blame where it is deserued and then seeke onely to him in whom we may find succour Confesse we must that is the manifestation but the confession must be made against our selues who onely are blame-worthy and we must present our confession vnto the Lord from whom onely we may expect succour But a little more fully to rip vp these points The Septuagint hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sheweth that in Confession there must be a concurrencie both of soule and body and both must arraigne vs at the Barre for it is verbum forense If it were onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the
therefore hath in the Liturgie restored it to its natiue puritie Onely it were to be wished that so farre as the Church allowes it we would practise it for I am perswaded that many liue and dye in enormous sinnes that neuer made any vse of it nor receiued any comfort from the power of the Keyes The confessing to the Lord doth not exclude confessing vnto man so the due limitation be obserued But enough of the Confession There is one point more to be obserued before we come to the Successe and that is that this confession of King Dauid was onely in purpose he was come no farther then dixi a sense he had of his sinne but he was not yet come so farre as to vtter it though he was disposing himselfe thereunto But dixit was not onely verbum oris but cordis also promptitudinem alacritatem hoc verbo notat saith St Bernard he was willing and ready to make his confession he adds Saul dixit peccaui sed quia non dixit antequam diceret corde priusquam ore as King Dauid did non audiuit Deus transtulit pecâ—atum tuum he heard not so good newes from Samuel as King Dauid did from Nathan The Lord hath put away thy sinne The lesson rising hence is pij non trahuntur ad Tribunal Dei sed sponte accedunt knowing that there is no shelter against GOD but onely in GOD we must preuent our summons and resolue vpon a voluntarie apparance Finally putting the Purpose to the Confession we see that the children of GOD vse not to continue in their sinnes but so soone as they are roused the principles of grace doe worke and they humbly shreeue themselues to GOD. And so haue you the first maine point in this Text which openeth vnto vs King Dauids Practise I come now to the Successe thereof which is the forgiuenesse of the sinne Where we may first see the difference betweene Triâ—unals on Earth and the Tribunall of Heauen On Earth Non est confessi causa tuenda rei Confession is the cause of condemnation it is not so at the Tribunall of GOD there though it be not the cause as Papists straine it yet it is the meanes of absolution Whereby you may perceiue that the word here vsed is a phrase of the Gospell and not of the Law For iudgements of men tread the steps of the Law of GOD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no reliefe for a poore sinner to be found in the Law he that will haue it must seeke iâ— in the Gospel And yet the word here vsed is borrowed out of the Law but it is the Ceremoniall Law and the Ceremoniall Law is if not wholly yet for the most part Gospel But more distinctly to handle this point We must obserue the Matter forgiuen and the Manner of forgiuing The matter forgiuen is the Iniquitie of his sinne It is disputed what is meant here by â—â—â—quitie whether culpa or poena Some vnderstand poenam and thinke that an allusion is made in this word vnto the message of Nathan wherein GOD doth remit the heauiest stroke of his wrath but yet retaines some part in punishing the child and permitting Absolon to rebell and abuse king Dauids concubines so Theodoret Deus non condigna poena Dauideni puniuit Some vnderstand culpam and will haue this phrase to be an amplification of that as if Superbia defendens or Taciturnitas celans or Impietas contra Deum assurgens or some such great guilt were meant by this phrase But as I doe not censure these opinions which may well stand So I thinke the phrase lookes backe vnto that word which was in the Confession The sinne confessed was Peshang and this is but an analysis of this word for Gnaon Catai what is it word for word but the peruersenesse of my aberration Catah is an aberration from the Scope or Marke whereat we ayme all men ayme at felicitie but most men stray from it because they are not led by that Law that guides vnto it the violating whereof is called Catah But some doe stray out of meere ignorance and they onely breake the Law some out of stubbornnesse which will not submit themselues to the Law-giuer these mens sinne is called peruersenesse which GOD is said here to forgiue So that Dauid did not confesse more against himselfe then GOD includes in his pardon well may GOD exceed our desire he neuer doth come short thereof if it doe concerne our spirituall our eternall good as he doth exclude no sinner that doth confesse so doth he except against no sinne that is confessed You haue heard the Matter of the pardon now heare the Manner And the manner makes the Remission answerable to the Confession The Confession had an inward sense and an outward euidence so hath the Remission For GOD spake the word by Nathan to resolue king Dauids faith but he also gaue a tast of his truth by working ease in King Dauids heart Both are included in the word but specially the latter for Nasa signifieth to vnburden as if the soule were burdened with sinne And indeed sinne is a burden a burden as King Dauid else-where speakes too heauie for him to beare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heauier saith Chrysostome then any lead And no wonder For if euerie euill doe make a heauie heart much more spirituall euill cloggeth the Spirits makes a man sincke inwardly and bow outwardly you can haue no better character of such a deiected soule then that which we find in the penitentiall Psalmes It is verie true that many walke lightly and skip frolickly as if they bare no weight though they be fraught with sinne but the answer is plaine Nihil ponderat in loco suo while sinne resides in that part which commits the sinne it giues such content to the concupiscence that dwels therein as being the desired obiect thereof that it presseth not at all neither is it euer burdenous till it be brought vnto the conscience which onely hath an eye to discerne it a scale to weigh it and a sense wherewith to iudge of that weight and when GOD inhibendo with-holding those vanities which hinder the conscience from weighing and exhibendo putting the whole measure of sinne into the scales doth rouse vs then the most carelesse and the most senslesse shall be driuen to acknowledge that indeed it is a great burden But the penitents comfort is this that as he feeles it so he hath one by whom he may be eased of it the putting on the hands vpon the Sacrifice did ceremonially testifie as much but the morall thereof is in St Iohn Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Qui tollit a plaine translation of Nasa But CHRIST speakes it more plainly Mat. 11. Come to me all ye that labour and are heauie loaden and I will ease you Where also we find that it is the Lord onely that forgiueth sinnes They spake truly in the Gospel that excluded all
of a Contracter it is plaine that wee may not neglect the Regard which wee must haue vnto the Articles of his Contract especially seeing the Contract is founded in Christ whose Merit ouer and aboue Gods word doth embolden vs to relie thereon But yet this Rule we must hold We must obey Quia bona Lex prius quam quod Nobis commoda our first respect must be vnto the Precept of the Law and then to the Sanction and we must obserue the Precept absolutely and for it selfe but the Sanction onely conditionally and because God is pleased to adde it and being conscious to our selues of our owne defect we must presume not vpon our own performances but vpon Christs and claime not for our owne Merits but for His in whom we are vouchsafed an interest But to leaue the Partie and come to his Article The Article is in effect this If a man be dutifull in performing his Vow God will be gracious in giuing a Reward Touching this Reward we are here taught what it is and what is the euidence of it It is set downe in one word Blessed And indeed Blessednesse containes the whole substance of our Reward But how shall it be knowne who is Blessed Surely here are euidences by which it may bee proued and the euidences are as many as there are degrees of Blessednesse thereof there are two degrees for men are Blessed either in this life or that which is to come How it may bee knowne whether a man is Blessed in this life wee are taught in the third and fourth Verses where we are taught the difference betweene Good and Bad men in this world Good men are compared to a Tree whereof wee haue here set downe the Kind and the Vertue the Kind it is not a Natiue but a Satiue Tree Planted by the Riuers of Waters And the vertue therof is double it is profitable it is acceptable profitable for it brings forth its fruit in due season and his Leafe neuer failes acceptable Looke whatsoeuer he doth it prospers As for the Wicked Non sic wee must remoue all this from them the Kind and the Vertue of the Plant. And what are they then Nothing else but winnowed Chaffe Chaffe which the wind driues too and fro This is the first euidence the euidence of Blessednesse in this world The second is the euidence of Blessednesse in the world to come In the world to come two speciall times are obseruable the beginning and the continuance thereof The Godly differ from the wicked in both in the beginning that is the time of the generall Iudgement for then the Righteous shall stand the wicked flie in the continuance the Righteous shall be of a Congregation whereunto the wicked shall not come Now this double difference proceedes from a double Act of Gods Prouidence an Act of his wisdome which doth distinguish these persons Hee knoweth the wayes of the righteous and an Act of his power The way of the wicked shall perish but wee must marke that the first of these Verbes that expresseth Wisdome includes Power and the second that expresseth Power includes Wisdome These be the particulars which are to be obserued concerning the Reward the Nature the Euidence of it whereof I shall now onely vnfold that word which expresseth the Nature and that word is Blessed Ashre This word in the Originall respects our steps and touching them obserues two things their praise and their Comfort their praise is to be straight and that the word signifieth primarily their comfort is to be happie and that the word signifieth secondarily Heb. 13.14 Wee haue here no abiding place but are wayfaring men we may not we cannot stand still wee shall be euer in our way onely our care must be what steps we tread and this word implies the two Characters whereby wee may discerne such steps as we should chuse they must be straight and happie first straight then happie What a straight step is we may learne of the Harbinger of Christ who doth not onely call vpon the people to prepare the way of the Lord Esay 40 3 â— and make his path straight but also shewes what is opposite to straight if there be any Hils they must be taken downe if there be any Vallies they must be filled vp if there bee any crookednesse declining to the one side or the other it must be set euen These are shadowes of better things That which maketh a man goe out of the wayes of God is either Presumption which maketh him to swell like a Hill or Desperation that maketh him to sinke like a Vallie or else he is too much besotted with Prosperitie which is leaning to the right hand or else murmureth in Aduersitie which is leaning to the left hand So many wayes to say nothing of the particulars contained vnder these seuerall wayes may wee decline from straight steps There is both a Variation and Declination of the compasse of our life A second thing that we must marke is That whereas the wayes of God lie straight and Recta linea est breuissima inter eosdem terminos that God doth not toyle vs out but setteth vs in the next way to Heauen if we fetch a compasse and trauell by the crooked line the fault is our owne that will goe aside when wee might keepe forth right as the Prodigall Childe Luke 15. that might haue stayed at home with his Father who would needs try the world and come after a long time home to that Father from whom he went The third thing that we must marke is that Rectum is index sui obliqui we must ghesse how farre we are out of the way by comparing our course to the straight way Looke how farre we are distant from that so farre we are out Here Praeter and Contra which the Church of Rome distinguisheth concurre in one that which is Praeter viam is Contra viam because we should keepe in the right way and what more vsuall in the Scripture then to charge vs not to decline either to the right hand or to the left as if so to decline were a sinne and a violation of the Law and a doing contrarie to that which the Law commands for the Law commands vs not to decline The patronage of Veniall sinne then which it borroweth from the preposition Praeter is but weake for to goe Praeter viam is to doe Contra Legem As our steps must be straight so if they be straight they will be happie for Holinesse and Happinesse concurre in God and by his Ordinance they concurre in man Gen. 1. When God made his Creatures hee beheld them and saw they were all good and because good therefore hee blessed them and euer since hath Blessing been an inseparable companion from Good In the Law God by Moses telleth the Iewes Deut. 28. that if they hearken to his voice and keepe his lawes they shall be blessed the like doth God pronounce by
Esay Chap 3. Say vnto the righteous man it shall goe well with him so true is this that this word Ashre doth therefore signifie Happinesse because Happinesse is annext to Holinesse Moreouer wee must note that this word is plurall so is it euer read in the Originall the Holy Ghost intimating thereby that as a man is compounded of soule and bodie a bodie of many parts a soule of many faculties that which must make happie must containe a manifold Blessing which must giue content to euerie Part and Power and withall checking the vaine either definitions of Philosophers or elections of Men which haue recommended vnto vs or haue addicted themselues vnto a maimed Blessednesse But more of that anon when I shall open the nature of Blessednesse By the way I may not omit to obserue how in this Reward the Holy Ghost doth refute the vulgar opinion For vulgarly men are of their opinion 〈◊〉 3.14 whom Malachi speakes of who account it a vaine thing to serue God and say what profit is there in walking humbly before Him we account the proud blessed and they that set light by God are lifted vp and in the Booke of Wisdome the vngodly say Chap. 5 4. They accounted the righteous mans life madnesse and his end without honour the Apostle telleth vs that Christians seeme in this life 〈◊〉 15.15 to be of all men most miserable the vnthriftie seruant did not sticke to challenge his Lord to his face that hee was a hard man and gathered where hee hath not scattered reaped where hee had not sowen Matth. 25.24 So farre are worldly men from thinking that the Children of God are encouraged by any Reward to be constant in performing of their Vow that they hold them most miserable because they keepe the same Read Esay 53. vers 1 2. c. But in the afore-cited places you shall finde an Answer to their Exceptions and they are sufficiently answered where they are brought in so blaspheming But you will not wonder at their errour if I open vnto you the ground thereof Wee must obserue then that they frame vnto themselues false Notions of Blessednesse and according vnto them doe they iudge of euerie mans state For Example hee that placeth Happinesse in Riches what wonder if he hold all poore men to be wretches and if any make his Belly his God will hee not thinke basely of Daniel Dan. 1. and the three children that liue with water and pulse Marke the forecited places and you shall finde that euerie one of these made his owne choyce the measure of his Iudgement and contemned all others that were not like vnto himselfe Wherefore that we be not lead away with their errour and that wee may be as wee ought affected towards our Reward it is behoofefull that we better vnderstand the nature of Blessednesse All men naturally desire to bee blessed and hee were a monster and not a man that were contented to bee a wretch but that which in common wee all desire when we come to determine most doe mistake Not to tire you with the enumeration of mistakes in this kinde De Ciuit Dei lib. 19. c. 1 whereof Varro as Saint Austin reports made a long Catalogue In few words Blessednesse is the enioying of the Soueraigne Good What the Soueraigne Good is wee must iudge by these two Characters it must be Optimum and Maximum it must bee the best that can be and the most complete if it be not the best it will not sistere appetitum we shall not leaue shifting of it it will neuer giue vs content wee will euer be longing vntill wee light vpon that beyond which there is nothing that wee may long for And if it bee not Maximum the most complete it will not implere appetitum wee shall not be satisfied therewith we shall be hungring and thirsting still though we desire no other thing yet of that thing wherein wee take content wee shall still desire more and more vntill our vessell is filled vntill we haue as much as wee are capable of Now these two Characters of the Soueraigne Good belong onely vnto God He by the verie Heathen is stiled Optimus Maximus and the Scripture that tels vs There is none good but God only and that He only is Almightie doth confirme vnto him these attributes as also doth that title of his Shaddai All-sufficient and therefore as the Apostle speakes 2. Timoth. ◠15. only Blessed Whereupon wee may conclude that hee only is our Soueraigne Good for if by enioying of himselfe hee make himselfe blessed hee must needs bee the Fountaine of Blessednesse to all others And indeed Saint Austin expresseth this religiously vnto God Confess lib. 2.5.1 Fecistinos Domine ad te inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat inte Whom haue I in heauen O Lord but thee and there is nothing on Earth which I desire with thee my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer Psal 73. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be still praysing thee Psal 84. But God is Essentia simplex of an vncompounded nature the nature of man is many wayes compounded how then can this single nature satisfie our compound Especially seeing before you heard that it is a manifold good that must make a happie man We must helpe our selues with a Schoole distinction A good may be manifold either Formaliter or Eminenter in Kind or in Vertue As for Example there is a vegetable Soule in a Plant there is a sensitiue Soule in a Beast the Soule of Man hath not these in their kind yet hath hee them in Vertue for the reasonable Soule is endued with faculties which in his Body performe both vegetation and Sense a man hath an Eye and an Eare a Hand and a Foote to see to heare to worke to goe an Angell hath none of these Formaliter according to their kind yet hath he them all Eminenter his nature is such as hath the Vertue of seeing hearing mouing and doing and that in a more excellent sort then man is capable of Euen so the single nature of God may giue full content to the manifold capacities of man seeing no created good proceedes from God which is not eminently in him for there is no Effect that is not an Image of the Efficient though created Effects are Images of the vncreated Efficient no otherwise then if wee consider them defecated or purged from those imperfections whereunto the condition of a Creature a mortall Creature doth subiect them seuer them and then whatsoeuer good they haue is an Image of that which is in God Whereupon it followeth that if any sense of our Body or power of our Soule find any good in the creature it shall enioy the same though in a more eminent sort if it enioy the Creator Hauing found the Soueraigne Good It followes that we now see how
a passing of our bounds Our lusts are apt to range and exceed God sets bounds vnto them by his Law hee would hold them in but it will not be we are Sonnes of Belial we will beare no yoake we breake Gods bands and cast his cordes from vs. Psal 2. The first euill of sinne is it maketh a lawles man and who doth not know that liueth in a society what an vnhappie libertie the lawles haue But why will man be lawles forsooth he thinkes that the more hee hath his will the more hee shall compasse his owne ends he thinks so but it proues not so that appeares in the next name of sinne that is Chata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and noteth a shooting cleane besides the Marke When wee become Masterles the vpshot of our endeauour is to mistake euill for good and reape woe where wee looked for rest The wicked Wisd 5. confesse this truth and all Histories are but Chronicles of it they testifie that lawlesse men haue finally missed of that whereat they aymed yea that they haue therein bin deceiued most wherein they seemed vnto themselues to haue succeeded best And doth not this Name of Sinne then argue a sinner to be a Wretch But that which is the height of Euill in Sinne is noted in the third word Gnaon Peruersenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeed Sin is nothing but the peruerting of a Creature God made the Great and the little World to set forth his owne Glorie but sinne turneth both to his dishonour God made the little World to be Lord ouer the great and Sinne turneth the Lord into the Seruant and the Seruant into the Lord God made Man a Consort for Angels Sin doth range Man with the Feinds of Hell Finally God made Man after his owne Image Sin doth change him into the Image of the Diuell most wretched peruersnesse Now seeing this threefold Euill is found in sinne as the Names thereof giue vs to vnderstand we cannot doubt but Sinne doth make a Miserable Man hee that is infected with it will confesse it though he be a King Certainely King Dauid doth He was at this time a King a victorious a glorious King obeyed by many Nations abounding in al kind of worldly prosperity Add thereunto that same gracious Entaile of his Crowne sent vnto him from God 2. Sam. 7. the verie crowne of blessings But see being stung with the Conscience of Sinne hee is sensible of none of these neither doth hee finde Comfort in any of them notwithstanding all these he confesseth himselfe a Wretch Wherein wee may obserue by the way the difference betweene the iudgement of flesh and blood and of a Child of God concerning that which maketh Happie the one placeth it in the Things of this life the other in the Peace of God And indeede so long as it is not well betweene God and vs all the World can giue vs no Content the consciousnes of sinne if we haue as feeling hearts as King Dauid had feeling the mischieuous nature of sinne wee will account our selues but Wretches and wee will with him fall to our Miserere mei Haue Mercie vpon me c. which is the second part of my Text. The Correlatiue of Miserie is Mercy as there were no neede of Mercy were there no Misery so because there is Miserie there is a remedie prouided for it and that is Mercy The Verbe doth properly signifie Be gracious to mee Grace is free loue so teacheth Saint Austin Non est gratia vllo modo si non sit omni modo gratuita that fauour deserueth not the name of Grace that can be either merited or requited But yet there are two sorts of this Grace one Quae datur non merenti another Quae datur immerenti The first was the Grace of Creation it proceeded from the free Goodnes of God for there was no possibilitie of Mans Deseruing before hee had his Being therefore was his Being a guift of Grace The second is the Grace of Redemption this proceeds also from Gods free Goodnesse this was vouchsafed to Man when he deserued the contrary he deserued eternall Death but God vouchsafed him eternall Life This speciall kind of Grace is called Mercy Therefore considering the Argument the Translator did not amisse in restrayning the amplitude of the words and rendring it Haue Mercy for Euangelicall Grace is Mercy and it is such Grace that is meant in this place But this Mercy is considered either in Affectu or Effectu as it is in God or as it manifests it selfe vpon Man The Remedy of Misery is Mercie but that Mercy must containe not only a Gracious disposition towards man but a powerfull operation vpon him God must be well affected so as that Mans state also may be altered In Miseries plea for Mercie these two cannot be seuered without Impietie or Blasphemie 1. Blasphemie for Sin Compassion are incōpatible if the one be not conceiued as the remouer of the other but he doth not so conceiue them that looks only to the Affection looketh not also for the Action of Mercy therefore he blasphemes the Author thereof Secondly there is Impietie in it for it argueth that a Man would be free from Gods displeasure but he would not part with that which offends his pure eyes Hee loueth to be a sinner And this is plaine Impietie But what are the effects of Mercy euen as many as are the euills of Sin In sin then there are two Euills the Guilt and the Corruption thereof the Guilt is resembled to a Debt 〈◊〉 1◠indeed it is a plaine Debt a double Debt for in euery sinne that wee commit we grow in arrerages vnto God in regard of the duty which wee owe him and God growes in Arrerages vnto vs in regard of the punishment that is due vnto vs. Now of these debts God keepeth a Booke all our misdeeds are recorded before him 〈◊〉 5. and of these Bookes there is mention made in the Reuel where the Soone of Man is represented vpon his Tribunall iudging all the World according to those things that are found in the Bookes that are open before him As in regard of the Guilt Sinnes are compared to Debt so in regard of the Corruption they are compared vnto Staines Staines of all sorts to Froth to Foame to Scumme to Drosse to Mire to all sorts of diseases and impurities of the flesh And indeed how can they bee other seeing they are the insection that wee receiue from the vncleane Spirit This being briefly obserued Let vs now consider of Dauids Prayer his Prayer for the Affection and Operation of Mercy First for the Affection in these Words Miserere Haue Mercy The Affection is the Roote from whence springs the Operation wee learne it in another Psalme Psal 80. Cause thy face to shine and we shall be saued therefore he doth well to make sure of that first because no hope of the other if hee speede not
Souldiers brought them direct word of it but see what a peruerse choice they made Matth. 28. rather then they would giue glorie vnto God by acknowledging the truth they bribe the Souldiers to out-face it with a grosse lie This seruilitie of there will is more plainly set downe in the Acts 4. Chap. where after Peter had healed a Creeple in the Name of Iesus they therefore apprehended him and Iohn and fall to this consultation What shall we doe to these men For that indeed a notable miracle hath beene done by them is manifest to all them that dwell at Ierusalem and wee cannot denie it a man would expect that their will should yeeld vnto such cleere euidence yet doth it not for marke how they resolue That it spread no further amongst the people let vs straightly threaten them that they speake henceforth to no man in this name O seruile will Neither are these principall faculties only but their attendants also seruile First the concupiscible or that faculty whereby we ensue what wee suppose good the seruilitie thereof is most palpable God made all these visible creatures to serue vs and vs to serue only himselfe but what creature is there which man doth not aduance aboue himselfe Yea deifie that he may be a drudge vnto it Our meates and drinkes so rauish vs that Esau sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage our money and wealth how base doth it make vs Chap. 1â— There is nothing worse then a couetous man saith the Sonne of Syrach for such a man will sell his Soule for a morsell of bread The Apostle calleth the couetous man a plaine Idolater which is nothing else but a slaue to an Idoll And to whom is not an ambitious man a slaue Whose eyes are obseruant of euery mans lookes whose eares attend euery mans tongue whose tongue pleaseth euery mans humour whose feet goe whether whose hands doe what euery man will that can inch him forward to the place whereunto hee aspires Finally looke whatsoeuer humour possesseth vs there is no slauerie which for the satisfying thereof wee doe not willingly affect yea marke that the baser things are the stronger are mens affections that bow to them as we see in Epicures Wantons Couetous and other wicked ones it is hard to see a man so humbly so earnestly to serue God as they doe serue their earthly lusts Neither is the irascible or the facultie wherewith we encounter difficulties while we pursue good lesse seruile then the concupiscible is in pursuing of vanitie and toyes it maketh Pigmies seeme Gyants vnto vs euery danger is as vgly as death euery frowne will ouer awe vs and the least terrour cast vs into a Feuer If we be put to it whether we will lose Heauen or Earth God or the World we will quickly betray with what resolution we are carried vnto the best things and how hardly we brook walking in the narrow way though it lead vnto the Kingdome of Heauen how hardly we endure momentany afflictions though they worke vnto vs an exceeding and eternall weight of glory 2. Cor 5. Read the Storie of the Israelites passage from Egypt to Canaan in them you may read what man-hood we haue Seruilitie hath so cowardized all our Fortitude that we set lightly euen by God himselfe if we may not possesse him easily and speedily I need say no more by this time you see what a base and seruile spirit we haue certainly by nature it is most base and seruile I haue amplified this that you might see there is great reason why King Dauid should make this Prayer and perceiue better what that is which hee desireth and what he meaneth by a free spirit Hee meaneth not a Libertines freedome hee would not bee a sonne of Belial haue a cloake for licentiousnesse but hee would bee enthrawled to none but God And indeed his seruice is perfect freedome he would haue his iudgement free he would walke by no light but by the light of Heauen his vnderstanding he would haue captiuated only to the wisdome of God and then he is sure he shall neuer mistake his true obiect truth because Gods Word is truth and he can neuer erre whom God doth guide and verily hee is the wisest man that maketh Gods Commandement the rule of his iudgement his iudgement is free indeed And what is a free-will Sure that which chuseth the only good that whose souereigne good is only God he chuseth all that chuseth him so that hauing him the will misseth nothing of her proper obiect let it pitch vpon other goods and it will bee if not deluded yet certainly skanted because nothing can satisfie which is lesse then that for which the will was made As grace doth thus free the reasonable facultie so doth it the sensitiue also it freeth our desires though there be no Law to compell yet doth a man readily run the way of Gods Commandements he thinketh hee cannot speed fast enough nor haue enough of that good which a holy will guided by a wise iudgement recommends vnto him vnto him Modus diligendi Deum est diligere sine modo hee drinkes himselfe drunke at the riuer of diuine pleasures and is so vnsatiable in that that he passeth in the World for a foole and a mad-man This is the freedome of desire it made King Dauid daunce in an Ephod before the Arke it made Abraham follow God whithersoeuer hee did call him and many holy men to affect solitarinesse that they might haue the more of the societie of God and his Angels Such a desire is no hireling it loueth good for good and will serue God onely out of the content it taketh in his seruice and such seruice God requireth and such a desire is a free desire The last facultie that is free is the irascible the courage of a man must be made free Saint Paul hath exprest that excellently Rom. 8. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword No I am perswaded that neither death nor life neither Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Behold a free courage such a Martyrs courage as will readily obey and runne to Christ though he must be loaden with the Crosse that will be contented to hate Father and Mother Wife Children if they hinder him from being Christs Disciple Put these together and you may reasonably conceiue what King Dauid meaneth by a free spirit And such freedome is to be desired by vs all we must all desire to be so free in our iudgement will desires courage and so we shal become generous persons such as stoupe to no base things and shall sticke at the bestowing of nothing we haue though it bee our owne selues whereby we may compasse the