which is set to not of men or by men but divinâ manu by the hand of God Himself which drew the first copy and pattern For this is true Religion apud Deum patrem with God and the Father and as he gave witnesse to his Son from Heaven This is my beloved Son so doth he also to Christiain Religion of which he was the Author and Finisher Haec est This is it and in this I am well pleased Pure Religion and undefiled before God c. Let us now in order view these and these two To do Good and abstain from Evil our charity to others in the one and our charity to our selves in the last in being as those Dii benefici those Tutelar Gods to the Widows and Fatherlesse and those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keep all evil from our selves I call the effentiall parts of Religion without which it can no more subsist then a man without a soul For as the body without the spirit is dead even so faith without works is dead also Not that we exclude Faith or Prayer or Hearing of the Word for without faith religion is but an empty name and it comes by hearing and is increased by devotion Faith is a foundation upon a Foundation for as Truth is the foundation of faith Amb. in Psal 118. so is faith the Foundation of an Holy Conversation in this we edifie our selves and in this we sustain and uphold others in this we stand and in this we raise up others From faith are the issues of life from this as from a fountain flow those waters of comfort which refresh the widow and fatherlesse and that water of separation Num. 31.23 which purifies us keeps us unspotted as white as snow But our Apostle mentions none of these and I will give you some reason at least a fair conjecture why he did not And first not Faith we see here where he tells us what Pure Religion is he doth not so much as name it for indeed it is the ground of the whole draught and portrayture of Religion and as we observe it in Pictures it is in shadow not exprest out yet seen supposed by Saint James writing not to Insiders but to those who had already given up their names unto Christ And it is like those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Mathematicks which Tully calls Iuitia Mathematicorum the beginnings and principles of that science which if we grant not we can make no further progresse in that science In the sixth to the Hebrews Saint Paul calls it a principle of the Doctrine of Christ and what necessity was there for my Apostle to commend that unto them which they already embraced to direct them in that in which they were perfect to urge that which they could not deny not deny nay of which they made their boast all the day long No Saint James is for Ostende mihi he doth not once doubt of their faith but is very carnest to force it out that it may evaporate and shew it self in their works of piety Then faith is a starre 2 Tim. 1.19 and when it streams out light and the beams are the works of charity Then faith is as a ship when Pure Religion is the rudder to steer and guide it that it dash not on a rock and ship-wrack Then faith is the soul of the soul when by its quickning and enlivening power we run the wayes of Christs commandments pure creduat pure ergo loquantur faith the Father Their belief is right therefore let their conversation be sincere no other conclusion can naturally be deduced from faith and of it self it can yeeld no other and this it will yeeld if you do not in a manner destroy it and spoyle it of its power and efficacy for what an unnaturall inconsequence is this I beleeve that Christ hath taught me to be mercifull as my heavenly Father is mercifull That charity hath the promise of the world to come Therefore I will shut up my bowels this I am sure is one part of our belief if it be not our Creed is most imperfect and yet such practicall conclusions doth our avarice and luxury draw Our faith is spread about the world but our charity is as a candle under a bushell the great errour and folly of this our age which can shew us multitudes of men and women which as the Apstle speaks are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth which have con'd their Creed by heart but have little skill or forgot their skill they have in the royall Law who cry up faith as the Jews did the Temple of the Lord and are very zealous for it yet suffer it to decay and waste till it be dead as my Apostle speaks cat out the very heart of it by a carelesse and prophane conversation as the Jews with their own hands did set fire on that Temple which they so much adored And this may be a second reason why he mentions not faith in his character of Religion for having every where preacht up the power and efficacy of faith men carnally minded did so fill their thoughts with the contemplation of that fundamentall vertue that they left no roomfor other vertues not so efficacious indeed to justifie a sinner yet as necessary as faith it self did commend extol the power of faith when it had none at all in them nay which is the most fatall miscarriage of all did make it an occasion Rom. 6.6 through which sinne revived which should have destroyed in them the whole body and juncture of sin it being common to men at last to fix and fettle their minds upon that object which is most often presented to their mindes as the Countrey peasant having heard much talk of the City of Rome began at last to think there was no other City but that If we look forward to the second Chapter of this Epistle we shall think this more then a conjecture for there he seems to take away from faith its saving attribute Numquid fides potest salvmn sacere Can faith save a man What an Heretick what a Papist would he be that should but put up this question in these our dayes wherein the sola justificat hath left faith alone in the work of our salvation and yet the question may be put up and the resolve on the negative may be true It cannot save him certainly that saith he hath faith and hath not works And thus though he dispute indeed against Simon the sorcerer and others as we may gather out of Irenaeus yet in appearance he levels his discourse against Paul the Apostle for not by works but by saith faith Saint Paul not by faith but by works saith Saint James and yet both are true the one speaking to the Jews who were all for the Law the other to those who were all for faith and to them who had buried all thought of good works in the
reacht it forth and not burden it with our own fancies and speculations with new conclusions forced out of the light to obscure and darken it for when this burden is upon it it must needs weigh according as the hand is that poyseth it And what necessity is there to ask whether it consist in one or more acts so I do assure my self that it is the greatest blessing that God ever let fall upon the children of men or whether it be perfected in the pardoning of our sinnes or the imputation of universall obedience or by the active and passive obedience of Christ when 't is plain that the act of justification is the act of the judge and this cannot so much concern us as the benefit it self which is the greatest that can be given I am sure not so much as the duty which must fit us for the act It were to be wisht that men would speak of the acts of God in his own language and not seek out divers inventions which do not edifie but many times shake and rend the Church in pieces and lay the truth it self open to reproch which had triumphed gloriously over errour had men contended not for their own inferences and deductions but for that common faith which was once delivered to the Saints And as in justification so in the point of faith by which we are justified what Profit is it busily to enquire whether the nature of faith consists in an obsequious assent or in appropriating to our selves the grace and mercy of God or in the meer fiduciall apprehension and application of the merits of Christ whether it be an instrument or a condition whether a living faith justifies or whether it justifies as a living faith what will this add to me what haire to my stature when I may settle and rest upon this which every eye must needs see that the faith by which I am justified must not be a dead faith but a faith working by charity which is the language of faith and demonstrates her to be alive My sheep heare my voice saith Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Basil they heare and obey and never dispute or ask questions they taste and not trouble and mud that cleare water of life It is enough for us to be justified it is enough for us to be saved which we may be by pressing forward in the way which is smooth and plain and not running out into the mazes and Labyrinths of disputes where we too oft lose ourselves in our search and dispute away our faith talk of faith and the power of it and be worse then infidels of justification and please our selves in unrighteousnesse of Christs active obedience and be to every good work reprobate of his passive obedience and deny him when we should suffer for him of the inconsistency of faith and good works in our justification and set them at as great a distance in our lives and conversations and because they do not help to justify us think they have no concurrence at all in the work of our salvation For we are well assured of the one and contend for it and too many are too confident of the other There is indeed a kind of intemperance in most of us a wild and irregular desire to make things more or lesse then they are and remove them well-neer out of sight by our additions and defalkations and few there are who can be content with the truth and settle and rest in it as it appeares in that nakednesse and simplicity in which it was first brought forth but are ever drawing out conclusions of their own spinning out and weaving speculations thin unsuitable unfit to be be worn which yet they glory in and defend with more heat and Animosity then they do that truth which is necessary and by it self sufficient without this additionall art For these are creatures of our own shaped out in our fancy and drest up by us with all the accuratenesse and curiosity of diligence that we fall at last in love with them and apply our selves to them with that closenesse and adherency which dulls and takes off the edge of our affection to that which is most necessary and so leaves that neglected and last in our thoughts which is the main as we read of Euphranor the painter Val. Max. 8.12 who having strecht his fancy and spent the force of his imagination in drawing Neptune to the life could not raise his after and wearied thoughts to the setting forth the majesty of Jupiter for when we are so lively and overactive in that which is either impertinent or not so considerable nor much materiall to that which is indeed most materiall we commonly dream or are rather dead to those performances which the wisdome of God hath bound us to as the fittest and most proportioned to that end for which we were made And these I conceive are most necessary which are necessary to the work we have to do and will infallibly bring us to the end of our faith and hopes Others which our wits have hammered and wrought out of them may be peradventure of some use to those who are watchfull over them to keep them in a pliablenesse and subserviencie to that which is plain and received of all but may prove dangerous and fatall to others who have not that skill to manage them but favour them so much as to give them line and sufferance to carry them beyond their limit and then shut them up in themselves where they are lost to that truth which should save them which they leave behind them out of their eye and remembrance whilest they are busie in the pursuit of that which they overtake with danger and without which the Apostles of Christ and many thousands before them have attained their end and are now in blisse Certainly it would be more safe for us and more worthy our calling to be diligent and sincere in that which is plainly revealed to believe and in the strength and power of that faith to crucify our flesh with the Affections and lusts Hic labor hoc opus est then to be drawing out of Schemes and measuring out the actions and operations of God safer far to make our selves fit to be justified then too curiously to study the manner how it is wrought in which study we are many times more subtle then wise in a word to make our selves capable of favour and mercy for then the work is done and the Application made for all Gods promises are yea and Amen and fall close with the performance of the duty and as to apply them to our selves is our comfort and joy our heaven upon earth so to be able and fit to apply them is the work and labour of our faith and love whilest we abide in the flesh But besides these points of doctrine vvhich are but inferences and deductions made by men whereof some are easie and naturall and hold correspondence and affinity with
within a span and when immortality is offer'd affect no other life but that which is a vapour Let us not rayse that swarme of thoughts which must perish Colos 3.3 but build up those works upon our everliving Saviour which may follow us follow us through the huge and unconceivable tract of eternity Doth our Saviour live for evermore and shall we have no spirit in us but that which delights to walk about the earth and is content to vanish with it Eternity is a powerfull motive to those who never have such pensive thoughts as when they remember their frailty and are sick even of health it self and in a manner dead with life when they consider it as that blessing which shall have an end Eternity is in our desire though it be beyond our apprehension what he said of time is truer of eternity if you doe not ask what it is we know but if you ask we are not able to answer and resolve you or tell you what it is when we call it an infinite duration we doe but give it another name two words for one a short Paraphrase but we doe not define what it is And indeed our first conceptions of it are the fairest for when they are doubled and redoubled they are lost in themselves and the further they extend themselves the more weary they are and at greater losse in every proffer and must end and rest at last in this poore unsatisfying thought that we cannot think what it is Yet there is in us a wild presage an unhandsome acknowledgment of it for we fancy it in those objects which vanish out of sight whilst we look upon them we set it up in every desire for our desires never have an end Every purpose of ours every action we doe is Aeternitati sacrum and we doe it to eternity we look upon riches as if they had no wings and think our habitations shall endure for ever we look upon honour as if it were not Aire but some Angel confirm'd a thing bound up in eternity we look upon beauty and it is our heaven and we are fixt and dwell on it as if it would never shrivel nor be gathered together as a scroule and so in a manner make mortality it self eternall And therefore since our desires doe so far enlarge themselves and our thoughts doe so multiply that they never have an end since we look after that which we cannot see and reach after that which we cannot graspe God hath set up that for an object to look on which is eternall indeed in the highest Heavens and as he hath made us in his own image so in Christ who came to renew it in us he hath shewed us a more excellent way unto it taught us to work out eternity even in this world in this common shop of change to work it out of that in which it is not which is neer to nothing which shall be nothing to work it out of riches by not trusting them out of honour by contemning it out of the pleasures of this world by loathing them out of the flesh by crucifying it out of the world by overcoming it and out of the Divell himself by treading him under our feet For this is to be in Christ and to be in Christ is to be for evermore Christ is the eternall Sonne of God and he was dead and lives and lives for evermore that we may dye and live for evermore and not onely attaine to the Resurrection of the dead but to eternity Last of all let us look upon the keys in his hand and knock hard that he may open to us and deliver our soule from hell and make our grave not a prison but a Bed to rise from to eternall life or if we be still shut in we our selves have turn'd the key against our selves for Christ is ready with his keyes to open to us and we have our keys too our key of knowledge to discerne between Life and Death and our key of Repentance and when we use these Christ is ready to put his even into our hands and will derive a power unto us mortalls unto us sinners over hell and death And then in the last place we shall be able to set on the Seal the Amen be confirmed in the certainty of his Resurrection and power by which we may raise those thoughts and promote those actions which may look beyond our threescore yeares and ten through all successive generations to immortality and that glory which shall never have an end This is to shew and publish our faith by our works as S. James speaks this is from the heart to believe it as S. Paul for he that thus believes it from the heart cannot but be obedient to the Gospel unless we can imagine there could be any man that should so hate himself as thus deliberately to cast himself into and to run from happinesse when it appeares in so much glory He cannot say Amen to life who kills himself for that which leaves as soul in the grave is not faith but fancy when we are told that honour cometh towards us that some golden shower is ready to fall into our laps that content and pleasure will ever be neer and wait upon us how loud and hearty is our Amen how do we set up an Assurance-office to our selves and yet that which seemes to make its approch towards us is as uncertain as uncertainty it self and when we have it passeth from us and as the ruder people say of the Devil leaves a noysome and unsavoury scent behind it and we look after it and can see it no more but when we are told that Christ liveth for evermore and is coming is certainly coming with reward and punishment vox fancibus haeret we can scarce say Amen so be it To the world and pomp thereof we can say Amen but to Heaven and Hell to eternity we cannot say Amen or if we do we do but say it For conclusion then The best way is to draw the Ecce and the Amen the Behold and our assurance together so to study the death and life the eternall life and the power of our Saviour that we may be such proficients as to be able with S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to meet the Resurrection Phil. 3.11 to look for and hasten the coming of the Lord when his Life and Eternity and Power shall shine gloriously to the terrour of those who persecute his Church and to the comfort of those who suffer for Righteousnesse sake when that Head which was a forge of mischief and cruelty that Hand which touched the Lords Anointed and did his Prophets harm shall burn in hell for ever when that Eye which would not look on vanity shall be filled with glory that Eare which hearkned to his voice shall heare nothing but Hallebujahs and the musick of Angels and that Head which was ready to be laid down for this living everliving
is a greater penalty and vexation than that which we undertook for its sake How many rise up early to be rich and before their day shuts up are beggers how many climb to the highest place and when they are neer it and ready to fit down fall back into a prison But in this we never faile the Spirit working with us and blessing the work of our hands making our busie and carefull thoughts as his chariot and then filling us with light such is the priviledge and prerogative of Industry such is the nature of Truth that it will be wrought out by it nor did ever any rise up early and in good earnest travell towards it but this spirit took him by the hand and brought him to his journeys end If thou seekest her as silver Prov. 2.4,5 if thou search for her as for had treasure which because it is hid we remove many things turn up much earth and labour hard that we may come to it then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God in which work our industry and the Spirits help are as it were joyned and linked together You will say perhaps that the Spirit is an omnipotent Agent and can fall suddenly upon us as he did upon the Apostles this day that he can lead us in the way of truth though we sit still though our feet be chained though we have no feet at all but the Proverb will answer you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If God will you may sail over the sea in a sieve but we must remember the Spirit leads us according to his own will nad counsel not ours that as he is an Omnipotent so he is a free Agent also and worketh and dispenceth all things according to the pleasure of his will and certainly he will not lead thee if thou wilt not follow he will not teach thee if thou wilt not learn nor can we think that the truth which must make us happy is of so easie purchase that it will be sown in any ground and as the Divels tares grow up in us Nobis dormientibus whilest we sleep The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 method or an orderly proceeding in the wayes of truth for as in all other Arts and Sciences so in our spirituall wisdome and in the school of Christ we may not hand over head huddle up matters as we please but must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep an order and set course in our studies and proceedings our Saviour Christ hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6.33 seek first the kingdome of God and in that kingdome every thing in its order there is something first and something next to be observed and every thing is to be ranked in its proper place the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews tells us of principles of Doctrine which must be learned before we can be led forward to perfection Heb. 5.13,14 of milk and of strong meat of plainer Lessons before we reach at higher Mysteries nor can we hope to make a good Christian veluti ex luto statuam as soon as we can make a picture or a statue out of clay Most Christians are perfect too soon which is the reason that they are never perfect they are spirituall in the twinkling of an eye they know not how nor no man else they leap over all their alphabet and are at their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their end before they begin are at the top of the ladder before they have set a foot to the first step or rown they study heaven but not the way to it they study faith but not good works repentance without a change or restitution Religion without order they are as high as Gods closet in heaven when they should be busie at his foot-stool study predestination but not sanctity of life study assurance but not that piety which should work it study heaven and not grace and grace but not their duty and now no marvel if they meet not with that saving truth in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this so great disorder and confusion no marvel when we have broke the rules and order not observed the method of the Spirit if the Spirit lead us not who is a Spirit that loveth order and in a right method and orderly course leads us into the truth The last is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exercitation and practice of the truths we learn which is so proper and necessary for a Christian that Christian Religion goes under that name and is called an exercise by Clem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strom. l. 4. Al. Nyssen Cyril of Ilierusalem and others and though they who lead a Monasticall life have laid claim to it as their own they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet it may well belong to every one that is the Spirits Scholar who is as a Monk in the world shut up out of it even while he is in it exercising himself in those lessons which the Spirit teacheth and following as he leads which is to make the world it self his monastery A good Chritian is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet Arrian l. 3. c. 5. and by this daily exercise in the doctrines of the Spirit he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Stoicks speak drive the truth home and make it enter into the soul and spirit for as Auaxagoras said well manus causa sapientiae 't is not the brain but the hand that causeth knowledge Talis quisque est qualibue delectater inter artisicem artificium mira cognatio est and worketh wisdome for true wisdome that which the Spirit teacheth consists not in being a good Critick or in rightly judging of the sense of the words or being a good Logician in drawing out a true and perfect definition of Faith and Charity or discoursing aptly and methodically of the Lessons of the Spirit or in being a good Oratour in setting out the beauty and lustre of Religion to the very eye No saith the son of Syrach He that hath no experience knoweth little Ecclus. 34.10 Ex mandato mandatum cernimus by practising the command we gain a kind of familiarity a more inward and certain knowledge of it If any man will do the will of God he shall know the Doctrine Joh. 7.17 in Divinity and indeed in all knowledge whose end is practice that of Aristotle is true Those things we learn to do we learn by doing them we learn devotion by prayer charity by giving of alms meeknesse by forgiving injuries humility and patience by suffering temperance by every day fighting against our lusts as we know meat by the taste so do we the things of God by practice and experience and at last discover heaven it self in piety and this is that which S. Paul calls knowledge according to godlinesse 1 Tim. 6.3 we taste and see how gracious the Lord is we do as it were see with our
pleasing but deceitfull contemplation of faith he speaks no other language but do this and exalts charity to the higher place that their vain boasting of faith might not be heard for faith saith he hath no tongue nay no life without her and thus in appearance he takes from the one to establish the other and sets up a throne for charity not without some shew and semblance of prejudice to faith For last of all to give you one reason more Faith indeed is naturally productive of good works For what madnesse is it to see the way to eternity of blisse and not to walk in it Each article of our Creed points out as with â—e finger to some vertue to be wrought out in the minde and publisht in the outward man If I beleeve that Christ is God it will follow I must worship him If he died for sinne the consequence is plain enough we must die to it If he so loved vs the Apostle concludes we must love one another charity is the proper effect of faith and upon faith and charity we build up our hope if we beleeve the promises and perform the condition if we beleeve him that loved us and love him and keep his commandments we are in heaven already But yet we may observe that the corruption of our hearts findes somthing in faith it self to abate and weaken her force and power and to take off her activity and so makes the very object of faith an encouragement to evil and which is a sad speculation the mercy of God a kinde of temptation to sinne Mercy is a pretious oyntment and mercy breaks our head mercy blots out sin and mercy revives it mercy is our hope and mercy is made our confusion we should sin no more but we sin more and more because his mercy endureth for ever we turn the grace of God into wantonness and make this Queen of his glorious attributes to wait on our lust of a Covering a purging a Healing a saving I tremble to speak it we make it a damning mercy for had we not abused it had we not relied upon it too much had we not laid upon it all our uncleannesse our impenitency and wilfull obstinacy in sinne it would have upheld us and lifted us up as high as Heaven but our bold presumption layes hold of it and it flings us off and we fall from it into the bottomlesse pit This then we may take for a sufficient reason why our Apostle puts not faith into his description of Pure Religion and in the next place as he doth not mention faith so he passeth by in silence rather then forgets those other excellent duties of prayer and hearing the word For these two whatsoever high esteem we put upon them howsoever we magnifie them till they are nothing till our selves are worse than nothing worse than the beasts that perish yet are they not the end and their end is perdition who make them so and think that to aske a blessing is to have it when they put it from them or to hear of God is to love him to hear of that happinesse which he hath laid up is to be in Paradise The perfection of the creature saith the Philosopher is ad naturae suae sinem pervenire to attain to the end for which he was made and the end of the Christian is to be like unto Christ that where he is He may be also that is his end that is his perfection Now to draw this home these two to Hear and to Pray do not make us like unto him but are sufficient means to renew the image of God in us that so we may resemble him they are not the haven to which we are bound but are as prosperous and advantagious windes to carry us to it Quod per se bonum est semper est bonum that which is good in it self and for it self is alwayes good as true piety true Religion but those duties which tend to it have their reward or punishment as they reach or misse of that end what is hearing if it beget not obedience what are prayers if they be but the calves of our lips Oh 't is a sad question to be ask't when we shall see Christians full of malice and deceit Have they not heard they have heard that malice shall destroy the wicked that deceit is an abomination that oppression shall eat them up yet will be such monsters as if they never heard oh 't is a sad expostulation to the wicked Have they not heard and as sad a return may be made to our prayers we may stretch out our hands and God may hide his eyes from us we may make many prayers and he not hear we may lift up our hands and vocie unto Heaven and our minde stay below wallowing in the mire of foul pollutions mixt and ingendering with the vanities of the world for as we may fast to strife and debate so we may pray to strife and debate as there may be a politick Fast so our prayer may have more in it of craft than devotion we may make it a trade a craft an occupation and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stoutly labor and holdout not to take the kingdom of Heaven but to devour widows houses make this Key of the Gates of Heaven a picklock to open Chests and so debase it to these vile offices which is a sin cujus non audeo dicere nomen for which I have no name bad enough to give it and what is Prayer then what are the means if we rest in them as in the end what are they if we draw and force them to a bad end what are they if we make no use of them at all or make this sad and fatall use of them if our Prayers bring down a curse our hearing flatter us in our disobedience if we Hear and Pray and Perish These two and what else of this nature have their worth and efficacy from Religion from charity to our selves others which are as the two wings on which our prayers ascend and mount to the presence of God to bring down a blessing from thence These sanctifie our fasts these open the ears of the deaf that hearing they may hear and understand These consecrate our Pulpets and are the best panegyricks on our Sermons and make them indeed the word of God powerfull in operation and without these our prayers are but babling and the Sermons which we hear but so many libels against us or as so many knells and sad indications that they that hear them are condemned and dead already For again to visit the fatherlesse and widows in affliction that is to be full of good works and to renounce and abstain from the pleasures of the world for those pleasures we dote on those riches we sweat for are those that bespot us is a far harder task then to say a hundred pater no sters or to continue our prayers as Saint Paul did his preaching
untill midnight or to hear a Sermon every day Bid the wanton leave the lips of the harlot Acts 20. bid the ambitious make himself equall to them of low degree bid the mammonist be rich in good works and if he do not openly profess it yet the conjecture will be easy and probable that the wanton would chuse rather to fast twice in the week with the Pharisee than to make himself an Eunuch for the Kingdom of Heaven the ambitious and covetous rather say their prayers for such can but say them then to stay themselves in the eager pursuit of their ends but so long as to give an almes the ambitious will pray and hear and do any thing rather than fall lower and the Miser chain his ears to the Pulpit rather than to open them to the complaint of the poor S. Basil observed it long since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Grat. ad Ditescentes and tels us that he knew many who without any great pains might be brought to fast and pray and to perform all parts of Religion which were not chargeable but could not be wonne with the most powerfull eloquence or strongest reason to any part of it which did cost them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but one half-peny 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cheap Religion is as easy as cheap but Go sell all that you have and give to the poor is a better pill which we hardly let down and with a sowre countenance and should we prescribe it now to men of this Iron age would they not as S. Paul speaks in another case say that we were out of our wits And therefore in the last place These two if they be truly in us are never can never be alone but suppose faith which is sigillum bonorum operum Serm. 23. as Chrysologus speaks the seal to every good work to make it currant and authentick and he that is perfect in these cannot be to seek in the rest He that can govern a ship in a storm when the Sea rages and is unquiet may easily mannage a cockboat in a calm he that can empty himself to his brother that thinks the bellies of the poor the best granaries for his corn and the surest treasury for his money that can give unto God the things that are Gods and return them back by the hands of his Ambassadours the poor who beseech us in his Name he that is an exile at home and hath banisht himself from the world he lives in so uses it as if he used it not he that hates sin as an infectious plague and in a holy pride will keep his distance from it though it bow towards him in the person of his dearest friend that can detest sacriledge though his father were intricht by it and passed it over to him as an inheritance He that can thus keep himself unspotted of the world will lift up pure hands and beat down his body and be ready to hearken what the Lord God will say he that sends up so many sacrifices to God he that thus makes himself a sacrifice will offer up also the incense of his prayers he that can abstain from sinne may fast from meat he that hath broke his heart will open his car In a word he that approves himself in these two cannot but be active and exact in the rest And now having shewed you what is but shadowed in this picture and description of Religion let us look upon the picture it self so look upon it that we may draw it out and expresse it in our selves in every limb and part of it that they that behold us may say God is in us of a truth and glorifie him at the sight of such religious men And first we see Charity stretching forth her hand and casting her bread upon the waters the bitter waters of Affliction going about to the widow and fatherlesse and doing good doing all those things which Jesus began to teach walking in love as Christ loved us Ciem 2. strom 404. And this we may well call a part of Religion and a fair representation of it for by this the image of the likenes of God is repaired in us saith Bern is made manifest in us and as it were visible to the eye For in every Act of charity he that dwels on High comes down in the likeness of men speaks by the tongue gives by the hand of a mortal man moves in him moves with him to perfect this work This makes us as God in stead of God one to another for Homint homo quid praestat one man is not superiour to another as he is a man for in the Heraldry of Nature all are of the same degree all are equal for all aremen but when charity filleth his Heart and stretcheth forth his Hand he takes the higher place the place of God is his Embassadour and Steward not of the same Essence with God but bearing about with him his Image saith Clem. Al. Put you on saith S. Paul bowels of mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the elect of God when we have put them on we then are indeed the elect of God endowed with his spirit carrying about with us the mercies of God sent as it were from his mercy seat with comfort and relief to those who are minished and brought low by oppression affliction sorrow we may flatter our selves and talk what we please of Election and if we please intail it on a Faction but most sure it is without charity our election is not sure and without bowels we can be no more Elect then Judas the traytor was Elect that is by interpretation the sons of perdition It is doing good alone that makes us a Royall priesthood and this Honour have all his Saints the kings of the Gentiles saith our Saviour exercise authority upon them and they that exercise authority over them are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benefactors or gratious Lords are called what they should be not what they are for if they were gratious Benefactors then were they kings indeed annointed with the oil of mercy which is sent down from Heaven being from the Heaven Heavenly that day when this distilled not from him on others Titus the Emperour did count as lost Diem perdidi so it is in Sueton but Zonaras hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have not reigned to day this day I was not Gods vicegerent we read in the book of the Kings that God gave Solomon a large Heart and Pineda glosses it liberalem fecit He made him liberall and mercifull we read that David was a man after Gods own heart and Procopius upon that place gives this as the probable reason of this denomination that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of the poor mercifull as he is merciful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imitation gives us a kinde of neernesse and familiarity with God that in which we represent him Synes Epist
Truth and sollidity of the things themselves which is in Christ These three are all Et haec tria unum sunt and these Three are One I may say these Three Cautions and directions are but one at least drawn up and collected in this one which I have read unto you Three severall lines but meeting in this Center sicut accepist is walk in Christ as you have received him which is as a light from Heaven to direct us in our way that we be not taken by the deceit of Philosophy That we stoop not to the glory of Angels That we catch not at the shadow when we should lay hold on the substance In a word This keeps us close to Christ and his Doctrine which must not be mixed or blended either with the Law or Philosophy or that voluntary Humility and worshipping of Angels which is Idolatry As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walke in him At the very hearing of which Exhortation I know every man will say That it is good and wholsome counsell well fitted and apply'd by Saint Paul to the errors and distempers of that Church to which he writ but not so proper nor applyable to ours For so farr are we from being ensnared with Philosophy that we see too many ready to renounce both their sense and reason to be lesse then men nay to be inferior to the beasts neither to discourse nor see not to see what they see nor to know what they cannot be ignorant of that they may be Christians as if Christ came to put out our eyes and abolish our Reason And for voluntary worship there is no feare of that in them who will scarce acknowledge any Obligation and can with ease turne a Law into a Promise will that profane person ever stoop to an Angel who is thus familiar with God himself And the Law it goes for a Letter a Title and no more for Ceremonies they were but shadows but are now monsters Christ in appearance left us two and but two and some have dealt with them as they used to do with monsters exposed them to scorne and flung them out so that this Counsell now in respect of us will not appeare as an Apple of Gold with Pictures of silver Prov. 25.31 but may seem to be quite out of its place and Season But yet let us view it once again and we shall find that it is a generall Prescript looking forward and applyable to every Age of the Church an Antidote against all Errors and deviations and if we take it as we should will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 look round upon all and either prevent or purge out all error whatsoever For though our errors be not the same with theirs yet they may proceed from the same ground and be as dangerous or worse peradventure we may bee in no danger of Philosophy but we may be of our selves and our self-love may more ensnare us then their subtilties can doe wee may be too stiff to bow to an Angel but our eyes may dazle at the Power and excellency of men and wee may be carried about from Doctrine to Doctrine from error to error with every breath of theirs as with a mighty wind and though we stand out against the Glory of an Angel yet we may fall down and miscarry by the example of a mortall man in a word we may defy all Ceremonies and yet worship our own imaginations which may be lesse significant then they Let us then as the Apostle elsewhere speaks suffer this word of Exhortation let us view and handle this Word of Life and it will present us with these two things 1. A Christian mans Duty in these words Ambulate in Christo walk in Christ Secondly The Rule by which we must regulate our motion and be directed in our walk sicu◠accepistis we must so walk in Him as we have received him which two stand in flat opposition to two maine Errors of our life For either we receive Christ and not walke in him or walke in him but not with a Sicut not as we have received him Of these in their order As you have received c. In the handling of the first we shall point and levell our discourse at these two particulars 1. Shew you That Christianity is not a lazy idle Profession a sitting still or standing a speculation but a walke 2ly Wherein this walke or motion principally consists And first we find no word so expressive no word more commonly used in holy Writ then this To walke with God Gen. 16. To walk before God Gen. 24.40 to walke by Faith 2 Cor. 5.7 To walke in good Works Ephes 2. and in divers other places For indeed in this one word in this one syllable in contained the whole matter the end and summe of all All that can be brought in to make up the perfect man in Christ Jesus For first This brings forth a Christian like a Pilgrim a Traveller forgetting what is behind and weary of the place he stands in counting those few approaches he hath made as nothing ever panting and striving gaining ground and pressing forward to a higher degree to a better place As there is motus ad perfectionem a motion to persection so there is motus in perfectione a motion and progresse even in perfection it self the good Christian being ever perfect and never perfect till he come to his journeys end Secondly It takes within its compasse all those essentiall requisites to action 1. It supposeth faculty to discover the way 2ly A power to act and move in it 3ly Will which is nothing else but principium actionis as Tert. calls the beginning of all motion the Imperiall power which as Queen commands and gives act to the understanding senses Affections and those faculties which are subject to it And besides this to walke implies those outward and adventitious helps Knowledge in the understanding and love in the Will which are as this Pilgrims staffe to guide and uphold him in his way his knowledge is as the day to him to walke as in the Day and his Love makes his journey shorter though it be through the wildernesse of this world to a City not made with hands nor seen For faculty without knowledge Hebr. 11. is like Polyphemus a body with power to move but without eye-sight to direct and therefore cannot chuse but offend and move amisse and faculty and knowledge without love and desire are but like a Body which wanting nourishment hath no sense of hunger to make it call for it and therefore cannot but bring leanness into the soul For be our naturall faculty and ability what it will yet if we know not our way we shall no more walk in it then the Traveller sound of body and limbe can goe the way aright of which he is utterly ignorant Againe be our Abilities perfect and let our knowledge be absolute yet if we want a mind and have no love if
to follow him The Prosperous Traitor is in Heaven already his present successe is a fair earnest of another inheritance that God that favours him here will Crown him hereafter Every man can do what he list and be what he list do what good men tremble to think of and yet sear not at all but expect the Salvation of the Lord first damn and then Canonize himself For the greatest part of the Saints of this World have been of their own Creation made up in the midst of the land of darknesse with noise with Thunder and Earthquakes we may be bold to say if Despair hath killed her thousand presumption hath slain her ten thousand Foolish men that we are who hath bewitched us to lay hold on Christ when we thrust him from us to make him our own and impropriate him when we crucifie and persecute him every day that we had rather fancy and imagine then make our election sure that will have health and yet care not how they feed or what poison they let down that make salvation an arbitrary thing to be met with when we please and can as easily be Saints as we can eat and drink as we can kill and slay good God what mist and darknesse is this which makes men possest with sin which is an enemy ready to devour them to be thus quiet and secure could or would we but a little awake and consult with the light of our faith and reason we should soone let go our confidence and plainly see the danger we are in whilst we are in our evil wayes and find fear tied fast unto them so saith Saint Paul but if you sin fear For Christian security and hope of life is the proper and alone issue of a good conscience through faith in Christ purged from dead and evil works if we will leave our fear we must leave our evil works behinde us Assurance is too choice a piece to be beat out by the fancy and to be made up when we please at a higher price then to be purchased with a thought it is a work that will take up an age to finish it the engagement of our whole life to be wrought out with fear and trembling not to be taken as a thing granted as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so set up as a pillar of hope when here is no better basis and foundation for it then a forced and fading thought which is next to air and will perish sooner the young man in the Gospel had yet no knowledge of any such Assurance office and therefore he puts up his question to our Saviour thu Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may enter into life He saw no Hope of entring in at that narrow Gate with such prodigious sinnes and our Saviours answer is Keep the Commandements that is Turne from your evill waies Be not envious malitious Covetous Cruel False Deceitfull Despaire is the Daughter of sinne and darkness but confidence is the Emanation of a good Conscience what flesh and Blood makes up is but a Phantasme which appeares and disappeares is seen and vanisheth so soon gone that we scarce know whether we saw it or no there can be no firme hope rais'd but upon that which is as Mount Sion and standeth fast for ever which is our best guard in our way nay which is our way in this our life and when we are dead will follow us nothing can beare and afford it but this unum arbustum non alit duos Erithacos Eras Adag Sinne and Assurance are Birds too quarrelsome to dwell in the same Bush and therefore if you sinne Feare or rather Turne from your evill wayes and then you shall have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boldness and Confidence towards God We must therefore sink and fall low and mitigate our voice and speake more Faintly and Remisly when we call after the presumptuous sinner to Turne as if his last period were neere and it were almost too late for him to begin not magnify Repentance too much lest he make it a Passe and Warrant to sinne againe and have more need of it And we may tell him what is most true Repentance is a command indeed but praeceptum ex suppositione as Aquinas speaks a command not absolute but upon a Si a supposition for we are not commanded to repent as we are to beleeve as we are to feare God and Honour our Parents but upon supposition If we sinne we have an Advocate that will plead for us The command which is absolute is to doe his will Repentance is Tabula post naufragium saith Saint Hierome Naz. O. 15. is as a plank reacht out after Shipwrack but it is better to ride in the ship in a calme then to hang on the Mast in a Tempest Repentance is a virtue but of that nature that the lesse we stand in need of it the more virtuous we are it is a purgative potion but 't is better never to be sick then to rise from our beds by the help of a Physitian It was commendable in him that could say He thanked God he was now reconciled to his Mother but he was more praise-worthy who replyed That he thanked God That he was never reconciled to his for he never offended her It is good to Repent but it is better not to sinne Oh it is a great Happinesse to be restored to the Favour of God but it is a greater never to lose it it is good to appease him but 't is our safest course never to anger him in a word it is better to be ever with him then by Famine or Pestilence to be forced to returne better not acquire an Evil Habit then shake it off better never set a step in evill wayes then to be called out of them with so much noise better never erre then Turne For conclusion It will concerne us then not to put too much Trust and confidence in our Helps not to be carelesse of our health upon presumption of Remedy not to sinne because grace hath abounded not to spend prodigally Rom. upon hope of supply not to oblige our selves too farre because we see a hand of â—lercy ready to cancell the Bill How many have these Hope 's deluded How many have been betray'd by their helps how many Cities had now stood Fit ut eâ parte capiantur urbes quâ sunt munitissimae Polyb. l. 7. had they had no other Walls but their men for whilst we trust in these we neglect our selves and so make them not onely useless but disadvantagious to us and we are soyled by our strength poysoned with our Physick lost and betrayed in the midst of our Fort with all our succours and Artillery about us we Trust in God and offend him look stedfastly towards the Mercy-seat and fall into the Bottomless Pit And therefore in the last place let us not be too bold with his Mercy Hos 3. v. last but learne To
else but the Flattery of our Sense because when I breake the Law my will stoops downe to please my sense and betray my reason but yet when I please my sense I doe not alwayes sinne for I may please my sense and be Temperate I may please my eye and make a Covenant with it I may please my Tast and yet set a knife to my Throat I may please my sense and it may be my Health and Virtue as well as my sinne so in like manner to please men against God is the basest slattery and Saint Paul flings his Dart at it but to please men in reference to God is our Duty and takes in the greatest part of Christianity for thus to please men may be my Allegiance my Reverence my meekness my Longanimity my charitable care of my Brother I may please my superior obey him I may please my obliged Brother and forgive him I may please the poore Lazar and relieve him I may please an erring Brother and convert him and in thus doing I doe that which is pleasing both to God and man What then is that which here St. Paul condemnes Look into the Text and you shall see Christ and men as it were two opposite Termes If the man be in Error I must not please him in his Error for Christ is Truth If the man be in sinne I must not please him for Christ is Righteousness And in this case we must deale with men as Saint Austin did with his Auditory when he observed them negligent in their Duties we must tell them that which they are most unwilling to heare Quod non vult is facere Bonum est saith he That which you will not doe That which you are afraid of and run from That which with all my Breath and Labor I cannot procure you to love That is it which we call to doe good That which you deride That which you Turne away the care from with scorne That which you loath as poyson That which you persecute us for Quod non vultis audire verum est That which you distast when you heare as gall and Wormwood That which you will not Heare That which you call strange Doctrine That is Truth As Petrarch told his friend Si prodessevis scribe quod Doleam Petrarch l 7. de Re. F c. ult If you will profit and Improve me in the wayes of Goodnesse let your Pen drop Gall write something to me which may trouble and grieve me to read so when men stand in opposition to Christ when men will neither heare his voice nor follow him in his wayes but delight themselves in their owne and rest and please themselves in Error as in Truth to awake them out of this pleasant Dreame we must trouble them we must thunder to them we must disquiet and displease them for who would give an Opiate Pill to these Lethargiques To please men then is to tell a sick man that he is well a weak man that he is strong an erring man That he is Orthodox in stead of purging out the noxious Humour to nourish and increase it to smooth and strew the wayes of Error with Roses that men may walk with case and Delight and even Dance to their Destruction to find out their palate and to fittit to envenom that more which they affect as Agrippina gave Claudius the Emperor Poyson in a Mushrome what a seditious Flatterer is in a Common-wealth that a false Apostle is in the Church For as the seditious Flatterer observes and learnes the Temper and Constitution of the place he lives in and so frames his speech and Behaviour that he may seem to settle and establish that which he studies to overthrow to be a Patriot of the Publick good when he is but a Promoter of his private ends to be a servant to the Common-wealth when he is a Traytor so do all Seducers and false Teachers They are as loud for the Truth as the best Champions shee hath but either substract from it or adde to it or pervert and corrupt it that so the Truth it self may help to usher in a lye when the Truth it self doth not please us any lye will please us but then it must carry with it something of the Truth For Instance To acknowledge Christ but with the Law is a dangerous mixture It was the Error of the Galatiams here To magnisy Faith and shut out Good Works is a Dash That we can doe nothing without Grace is a Truth but when we will doe nothing to impute it to the want of Grace is a bold and unjust addition To worship God in Spirit and Truth our Saviour commands it but from hence to conclude against outward worship is an injurious Defalcation of a great part of our Duty The Truth is corrupted saith Nyssen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 1. Cont. Ennom To stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free The Apostle commands it but to stand so as to rise up in the Face of the Magistrate is a Gloss of Flesh and Blood and corrupts the Text Letevery soul be subject to the higher Powers That 's the text but to be subject no longer then the Power is manag'd to our will is a chain to bind Kings with or a Hammer to bear all Power down that we may tread it under our Feet and when we cannot relish the text these mixtures and Additions and Substractions will please us These hang as Jewells in our Eares these please and kill us beget nothing but a dead Faith a graceless life not Liberty but Licentiousnesse not Devotion but Hypocrisy not Religion but Rebellion not Saints but Hypocrites Libertines and Traytors And these we must avoid the rather because they goe hand in hand as it were with the truth and carry it along with them in their Company Tert. de Proscript as Lewd persons doe sometimes a Grave and Sober man to countenance them in their sportiveness and Debauchery De nostro sunt sed non nostrae saith Tertul. They invade that Inheritance which Christ hath left his Church some furniture some colour something they borrow from the truth something they have of ours but Ours they are not And therefore as St. Ambrose adviseth Gratian the Emperor of all Errors in Doctrine we must beware of those which come neerest and border as it were upon the truth and so draw it in to help to defeat it self Because an open and manifest Error carries in its very forehead an Argument against it self and cannot gain admittance but with a vaile whereas these Glorious but painted Falshoods find an easy entrance and begge entertainment in the Name of truth it self This is the Cryptick method and subtill Artifice of men-pleasers that is Men-deceivers to grant something that they may win the more and that too in the end which they grant not rudely at first to demolish the truth but to let it stand that they may the more securely raise
eyes and with our hands handle the word of truth In a word we manifest the truth and make it visible in our actions and the Spirit is with us and ready in his office to lead us further even to the inner house and secret closet of truth displayes his beames of light as we press forward and mend our pace every day shining upon us with more brightnesse as we every day strive to increase teaching us not so much by words as by actions and practice by the practice of those vertues which are his lessons and our duties we learn that we may practice and by practice we become as David speaks Psal 119.99 wiser then our teachers to conclude day unto day teacheth knowledge and every act of piety is apt to promote and produce a second to beget more light which may yet lead into more which may at last strengthen establish us in the truth and so lead us from truth to truth to that happy estate which hath no shadow of falshood but like the Spirit of Truth endureth for evermore THE FIRST SERMON JAMES I. Vers ult Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is This to visite the fatherlesse and widdows in their affliction and to keep himselfe unspotted from the World NOthing more talkt of in the world then Religion nothing lesse understood nothing more neglected there being nothing more common with men then to be willing to mistake their way to withdraw themselves from that which is indeed Religion because it stands in opposition to some pleasing errour which they are not willing to shake off and by the help of an unsanctified complying fancy Multi fibi fidem ipsi potiut constitunut quam accipiunt dum quae velunt sapiunt nolunt sapepere quae vera sunt cum sapientiae haecveritas sit ea interdum sapere quae nolis Hilar. 8. de Trin. V. 22. to frame one of their own and call it by that name That which flatters their corrupt hearts That which is moulded and attempered to their bruitish desigus That which smiles upon them in all their purposes which favours them in their unwarrantable undertakings That which bids them Go on and prosper in the wayes which lead unto death That with them is True Religion In this Chapter and indeed in every Chapter of this Epistle our Apostle hath made this discovery to our hands Some there were as he observes that placed it in the ear did hear and not do and rested in that some did place it in a formall devotion did pray but pray amisse and therefore did not receive some that placed it in a shadow and appearance Verse 25. seemed to be very religious but could not bridle their tongue and were safe they thought under this shadow others there were that were partiall to themselves despisers of the poor that had faith and no works in the second Chapter and did boast of this others that had hell fire in their Tongue and carried about with them a world of iniquity which did set the wheel the whole course of Nature on fire in the third Chapter and last of all some he observed warring and fighting killing that they might take the prey and divide the spoil in the fourth Chapter And yet all religious Every one seeking out death in the errour of his life and yet every one seeming to presse forward towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus To these as to men ready to dash upon the rock and shipwrack doth our Apostle cry out as from the shore to turn their compasse and steer their course the right way and seeing them as it were run severall wayes all to meet at last in the common gulph of eternall destruction He calls and calls aloud after them To the superstitious and the prophane To the disputer and the scribe to them that do but hear and to them that do but babble To them that do but professe and to them that do but beleeve the word is Be not deceived This is not it but Haec est This is pure Religion is vox à Tergo as the Prophet speaks Esay 30. a voice behinde them saying This is the way walk in it This is as a light held forth to shew them where they are to walk as a royal Standard set up to bring them to their colours This doth Infinitatem rei ejicere as the Civilians speak Take them from the Devils latitudes and expatiations from frequent and fruitlesse hearing from loud but heartless prayer from their beloved but dead faith from undisciplined and malitious zeal From noise and blood from fighting and warring which could not but defile them and make them fit to receive nothing but the spots of the world from the infinite mazes and by-paths of Errour and brings them into the way where they should be where they may move with joy and safety looking stedfastly towards the End Let us now hear the conclusion of the whole matter whatsoever Divines have taught whatsoever Councels have determined or the schoolmen defined whatsoever God spake in the old times whatsoever he spake in these last dayes That which hath filled so many volumes and brought upon us Fatigationem Carnis that weariness of the flesh Ecclesia 1 2.12 which Solomon complains of in reading that multitude of Books with which the world doth now swarm with That which we study for which we contend for which we fight for as if it were in Democritus his Well or rather as the Apostle speaks in Hell it self quite out of our reach or if there be any truth that is necessary or any other commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying even in this of Saint James Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit c. I way call it the picture of Religion in little in a small compasse and yet presenting all the lines and dimensions the whole signature of Religion fit to be hung up in the Church of Christ and to be lookt upon by all that the people which are and shall be born may truly serve the Lord May it please you therefore a while to cast your eyes upon it and with me to view First The full proportion and severall lineaments of it as it were the essentiall parts which constitute and make it what it is and we may distinguish them as the Jew doth the Law by Do and Do not The first is Affirmative To do Good to visit the fatherlesse and widdows in their affliction The second not to do evil to keep our selves unspotted from the world And then secondly to look upon as it were the colours and beauty of it and to look upon it with delight as it consists First in its purity having no mixture Secondly in its undefilednesse having no pollution And then thirdly the Epigraph or title of it the Ratification or seal which is set to it to make it Authentick
withdraw his grace that we might fall from him and perish And therefore Hilarie passeth this heavy censure upon it impiae est voluntatis it is the signe of a wicked Heart and one quite destitute of those graces and riches which are the proper Inheritance of beleeving Christians to pretend they therefore want them because they were not given them of God A dangerous errour it is and we have reason to fear hath sunk many a soul to that supine carelessnes to that deadnesse from whence they could never rise again for this is one of the wiles of our enemy not onely to make use of the flying and fading vanities of this world but of the best Graces of God to file and hath hammer them and make them snares and hath wrought temptations out of that which should strengthen us against them Faith is suborn'd to keep out Charity the spirit of truth is named to lead us into errour and the power of Gods Grace hath lost its authority and Energie in our unsavorie and fruitlesse Panegyricks we hear the sound and name of it we blesse and applaud it but the power of it is lost not visible in any motion in any Action in any progresse we make in those wayes in which along grace will assist us floats on the Tongue but never moves either heart or hand For do we not lie still in our graves expecting till this Trump will sound do we not cripple our selves in hope of a miracle Non est honae solidae fidei omnia ad volumatem Dei referre ut non intelligamus aliquid esse in Nobis ipsis Tertul. Exhort ad Castitatem do we not settle upon our lees and say God can draw us out wallow in our blood because he can wash us as white as snow do we not love our sickness because we have so skilful a Physitian and since God can do what he will doe what we please This is a great evil under the Sun and one principal cause of all that evil that is upon the earth and makes us stand still and look on and delight in it and leave it to God alone and his power to remove it as if it concern'd us not at all and it were too daring an attempt for us mortals the sons of Adam to purge and clense that Augaean stable which we our selves have filled with dung as if Gods wisdom and Justice did not move at all and his mercy and power were alone busie in the work of our salvation busie to save the adulterer for though he be the member of an Harlot yet when God will he shall be made a member of Christ to save the seditious For though he now breath nothing but Hail-stones and coals of fire yet a time will come where he shall be made peaceable whether he will or no to save them who resolve to go on in their sin for he can check them when he please and bring them back to Obedience and holinesse in a word to save them whose Damnation sleepeth not I may say with the Father utinam mentirer would to God in this I were a lier but we have too much probability to induce us to beleeve it as a truth that they who are so ready to publish the free and irresistible power of Gods Grace and call it his Honour dishonour him more by the Neglect of their duty which is quite lost and forgot in an unseasonable acknowledgement of what God can and a lazy expectation of what he will work in them and so make God Omnipotent to do what his Wisdom sorbids and themselves weak and impotent to do what by the same wisdom he commands and then when they commune with their heart and finde not there those longings and pantings after piety that true desire and endeavour to mortifie their earthly members which God requires when in this Dialogue between one and himself their hearts cannot tell them they have watched one houre with Christ flatter and comfort themselves that this emptinesse and nakednesse shall never be imputed to them by God who if he had pleased might have wrought all in them in a moment by that force which flesh and blood could never withstand And thus they sin and pray and pray and sin and their impiety and devotion like the Sun and the Moon have their interchangeable courses it is now night with them and anon 't is day and then night again and it is not easie to discern which is their day or which is their night for there is darknesse over them both They hear and commend vertue and piety and since they cannot but think that vertue is more then a breath and that it is not enough to commend it they pray and are frequent in it pray continually but do nothing pray but do not watch pray but not strive against a temptation but leave that to a mightier hand to do for them and without them whilst they pray and sin call upon God for help when they fight against him as if it were Gods will to have it so for if he would have had it otherwise he would have heard their prayers and wrought it in them and therefore will be content with his Talent though hid in a napkin which if he had pleased might have been made ten and with his seed again which if he had spoke the word had brought forth fruit a hundred fold Hence it comes to passe that though they be very evil yet they are very secure this being the triumph over their Faith not to conquer the world but to leave that work for the Lord of Hosts Himself and in all humility to stay till he do it for they can do nothing of themselves and they have done what they can which is nothing and now they are heartlesse feeble and if I may so speak this do-nothing devotion which may be as hot on the tongue of a Pharisee and tied to his Phylactery must be made a signe of their election before all times who in time do those things of which we have been told often that they that do them shall not inherit the kingdome of Heaven I do not derogate from the power of Gods grace they that do are not worthy to feel it but shall feel that power which shall crush them to pieces they rather derogate from its power who bring it in to raise that obedience which comming with that tempest and violence it must needs destroy and take away quite for what obedience is there where nothing is done where he that is under command doth nothing vis ergo ista non gratia saith Arnobius this were not grace or royal favour but a strange kinde of emulation to gain the upper hand We cannot magnifie the Grace of God enough which doth even expect and wait upon us John 1. ep 2 c. 27. v. wooe and serve us it is that unction that precious ointment Saint Iohn speaks of but we must not poure it forth upon the
the flesh persecuted him who was born after the spirit even so it is now The vail is drawn and you may behold presented to your view and consideration a double parallel 1. Of the times But as then so now 2. Of the occurrences the acts and monuments of these times divided between two the Agent and the patient those that are born after the flesh persecuting and those that are born after the spirit suffering persecution The them was not long it began and ended in a scoff for Sarah saw Ismael mocking of Isaac Gen. 21.9 and yet this scoffe began those 400. yeers of persecution foretold by God Gen. 15.13 and is drawn down by our Apostle to the times of grace But the now is of larger extent and reacheth even to the end of the World from the Angels Antheme to the last Trump when Christ shall resigne all power into his Fathers hand But because we cannot well take a full view of them both and the Church of Christ is one and the same from the first just man Abel to the last man that shall stand upon the earth though different in outward Administration as Tertul. speaks upon another occasion Tertul. de pallio nunquam ipsa semper alia etsi semper ipsa quando alia because receiving degrees of perfection yet alwayes one and the same when in some respects it appeared not the same we will therefore draw both times together both the then and the now the time under the Law and the time under the Gospel within the compasse of this one position and Doctrine That though the priviledge and prerogative I may say Royalties of the Church be many yet was she never exempted from persecution but rather had intailed it on her as an inheritance And when we shall have made this good 1. from the consideration of the quality of the persons here upon the stage the one persecuting the other Suffering the one born after the flesh the other after the spirit 2. From the nature and constitution of the Church which in this World is ever Militant 3. From the providence and Wisdom of God who put this enmity between these two seeds betwen those that are born after the flesh and those who are born after the spirit When we have passed over these we will in the last place draw it down to our selves look back upon persecution brandishing it's terrors upon them both and so learn to take up and manage the weapons of our warfare and prepare our selves against the day of trial But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted c. 1. The persons That no priviledge of the Church can exempt her from persecution we may read in the persons themselves the one born after the flesh the other born after the spirit the reason is hid but visible enough in their very Attributes For as the flesh lusteth against the spirit and these two are contrary Gal. 5.17 i.e. are carried by the sway of their very natures to contrary things so the children of the one and of the other are contrary Of the first our Apostle will tell us that they killed the Lord Jesus and killed their own prophets and persecuted the Christians and the reason follows 1 Thes 2.15 which indeed is against all reason but was the best motive they had for as they hated God so were they contrary to all men looking with an evil eye upon the graces of God in others and whatsoever savored of the spirit like Hannibal in the story can part with any thing but war and contention can be without their native Country but not without an Enemy and the reason is plain for that which is born of the flesh is flesh that is Hath all the qualities and malignity of flesh is full of the works of the flesh which are the very principles of contention and persecution From whence are wars and tumults saith Saint James Jam. 4.1 are they not from those lusts which fight in their members From envie and malice from Covetousnesse and ambition which are the works of the flesh and are raised from the flesh as one creature is from another of the same kinde or rather as a Serpent is out of carryon or a scarabee out of dung which if they cannot finde occasion of doing evil will work and force it out of good it self so Cain the first disciple of the dvil as Saint Bas calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eas de ◠invidia 1 John 3.12 slew his brother for no other reason but this because his works were evil and his brothers good for he was saith the Text of the wicked one for to be born of the flesh and to be born of the devil are one and the same thing From the father of envy though not as the Rabbies fancy born of the very filth and seed which the Serpent conveighed into Eve If there were no evil men there could be no persecution for I cannot see how ' its possible for good men to persecute one another It is more probable that Satan should rise up against Satan and one devil cast out another Evil men may rage against evil men a covetous man may rob and spoil a covetous man and a proud man may swell against a proud man and an ambitious man lay hold on him that is climbing and pull him back into the dust for that which made them brethren in evil may make them enemies Herod and Pilat may fall out and then be reconciled and joyn their forces as one man against Christ and then fall asunder and be at distance again The wicked may gather together and with one Heart and with one Soul pursue the innocent and hold out their swords together and joyn their forces to rob and spoile them and then when they are to divide the spoil turn the points of their sword at one anothers breasts for they cannot make way to the end of their hopes but by striking down them that seem to stand in their way cannot be rich but by making others poor cannot be at liberty but by binding others cannot soare to their desires height but by laying others on the ground cannot live at ease unlesse they see others in their grave which are the several kindes of persecution as it were the strings of that Scorpion For that which is born of the flesh is flesh Take covetousnesse and ambition the proper and natural issues of the flesh and as the Apostle joynes it every where with uncleannesse so may we with hatred and persecution for these make that desolation upon the earth the onely Incendiaries in a Church or Common-wealth and the great troublers of the peace of Israel These destroy the walls and break down the towers of a City these rend the Vaile nay dig up the very foundation of the Temple the spirit is named but from the flesh is the persecution For what did the Husband-men set upon the Lord of the Vineyard
when we awake we watch to look about and see what danger is neere when we work wee watch till our work be brought to perfection That no Trumpet scatter our Alms no Hypocrisy corrupt our Fast no unrepented sinne denie our prayers no wandring Thought defile our Chastity no false fire kindle our zeal no Lukewarmnes dead our Devotion when we strive we watch that lust which is most predominant and Faith if it be not Dead hath a restless Eye an eye that never sleeps which makes us even here on Earth like unto the Angels for so Anastasius defining an Angel calls him a reasonable Creature but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a one as ver sleeps Corde vigila Fide vigila spe vigila charitate vigila saith St. August an active Faith a waking Heart a lively hope a spreading Charity assiduity and perseverance in the work of this Lord these make up the vigilate the watching here These are the seales Faith Hope and Charity set them on and the Watch is sure But this is to Generall To give you yet a more particular acaccount we must consider 1. That God hath made man a Judge and Lord of all his Actions and given him that freedom and Power which is Libripens emancipatià Deo Boni Tert. l. 2. cont Marcion which doth hold as it were the ballance and weigh and poyse both good and evill and may touch or strike which Scale it please that either Good shall out-weigh Evill or Evill good for man is not evill by Necessity or Chance but by his will alone See I have set before thee this Day Life and Good Death and Evill Therefore chuse Life Deut. 30.19 Secondly he hath placed an apparency of some good on that which is evill by which he may be wooed and enticed to it and an apparency of smart and evill on that which is Good Difficulty Calamity persecution by which he may be frighted from it But then thirdly he hath given him an understanding by which he may discover the horror of Evill though colour'd over and drest with the best advantage to Deceive and behold the Beauty and Glory of that which is good though it be discolour'd and defaced with the blacknesse and Darkness of this world He hath given him a Spirit Prov. 20.27 which the Wise man calls the Candle of the Lord searching the inward parts of the belly his Reason that should sway and govern all the parts of the body and faculties of the Soule by which he may see to eschew evill and chuse that which is good adhere to the Good though it distast the sense and fly from evill though it flatter it By this we discover he Enemy and by this we conquer him By this we see danger and by this we avoid it By this we see Beauty in Ashes and vanity in Glory And as other Creatures are so made and framed that without any guide or Leader without any agitation or business of the mind they turn from that which is Hurtfull and chuse that which is Agreeable with their Nature as the Cocles which saith Pliny carent omni alto sensu quam Câ—bi periculi C. 9. N. 1 Q. c. 30. have no sense at all but of their food and of Danger and naturally seek the one and fly the other So this Light this Power is set up in man which by discourse and comparing one thing with another the beginning with the end and shewes with Realities and faire Promises with bitter effects may shew him a way to escape the one and pursue life through rough and rugged wayes even through the valley of Death it self And this is it which we call vigilancy or watchfulness Attende tibi ipsi saith Moses Deut. 4.9 Tom. 1. Take heed to thy self and Basil wrote a whole Oration or Sermon on that Text and considers man as if he were nothing else but mind and soul and the Flesh were the Garment which cloth'd and coverd it and that it was compast about with Beauty and Health Sicknesse and deformity Friends and Enemies Riches and Poverty from which the mind is to guard and defend it self that neither the Gloty nor Terror of outward Objects have any power or influence on the mind to make a way through the flesh to deface and ruine it and put out its light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take heed to thy self prae omni custodiâ serva cor tuum Keep thy heart with Diligence ab omni cautione so 't is rendered by Mercer out of the Hebrew from every thing that is to be avoided ab omni vinculo so others from every tye or bond which may shackle or hinder thee in the performance of that Duty to which thou art obliged whether it be a chain of Gold or of Iron of pleasure or paine whether it be a fayre and well promising or a black Temptation keep it with diligence and keep it from these Incumbrances and the reason is given For out of it are the Issues of Life processiones vitarum the Issues and Proceedings of many lives for so many Conquests as we gaine over Temptations so many lively motions we feele animated and full of God which increase our Crown of joy All is comprehended in that of our Saviour Math. 26.41 Watch and pray lest you enter into Tentation If you watch not your heart will lie open and Tentations will Enter and as many Deaths will issue forth Evill Thoughts Fornications Murders Adulteries Blasphemy as so many Locusts out of the Bottomlesse Pit To watch then Philip. 2. is to fixe our mind on that which concernes our Peace To work out our Salvation with fear and trembling to perfect holiness in the Feare of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Heb. 12.28 2 ep John 8. to serve him with Reverence and Godly Feare That we lose not those things which we have wrought so that by the Apostle our Caution and watchfulness is made up of Reverence and Feare and these two are like the two Pillars in the Porch of the Temple of Solomon Jachin and Boaz. 1. of Kings and the second to establish and strengthen our Watch For this certainly must needs be a Soveraign Antidote against sinne and a forcible motive to make us look about our selves when we shall Think that our Lord is present every where and seeth and knoweth all Things when we consider him as a witness who shall be our Judge That all we doe we doe as Hilary speaks in Divinitatis sinu in his very presence and Bosome when we deceive our selves and when we deceive our brethren when we sell our Lord to our Feares or our Hopes when we betray him in our craft crucify him in our Revenge defile and spit upon him in our uncleanness we are even then in his Presence if we did firmly beleeve it we would not suffer our eyes to sleep nor our eye-lids to slumber For how carefull are we how anxious how sollicitous in our behaviour how
and increasing our faith that it may be more apprehensive more operative more lively that it may even spring in our hearts at the mention of Christ at this representation of his body and blood as the babe did in Elizabeths womb at the Virgin Mary's salutation For our Faith as it may have its increasings and improvements so it may have its decreasings and failings may be weakned by the daily incursions which the world and the devil make upon it by presenting objects of Terror to daunt and enfeeble it objects of delight to slumber and charm it It may be weakned by the daily avocations and common actions of our life that we may not cleave so close unto Christ not eye him with that intention not love him with that fervour not obey him with that cheerfulnesse which we should but be in a disposition ready to fall off and let go our hold of him And therefore as we must at all times stir it up and actuate it so especially in our approaches to the Lords table for in this doth our preparation to it in this doth the benefit and power of the Sacrament principally consist for here doth our Saviour as it were again present himself to us opens him wounds shewes us his hand and his side speaks to us as he did to Thomas reach hither your fingers and behold my hands and reach hither your hands and thrust them into my sides take eat this is my body and be not faithlesse but believing here shake off that chilness that restivenesse that acedie that wearinesse that faintnesse of your faith here warm and actuate and quicken it that it may be a working fighting conquering faith For thus to do it is to do this in remembrance of him Secondly It takes in repentance by which we doe most truly remember Christ remember his birth and are born againe for repentance is our new birth remember his Circumcision and circumcise our hearts for repentance is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great circumcision saith Epiphanius goe about with him doing good for repentance is our obedience remember him on his Crosse for repentance setteth up a Crosse in imitation of his and lifts us up upon it stretcheth and dilates all the powers of our soule peirceth our hearts and so crucifies the flesh and the affections and lusts thereof Our repentance if it be true is an imitation of Christs suffering a revenge upon our selves for what the Jewes did to him the proper issue and effect to his love for what Christ worketh in us he first works upon us makes us see and feele and handle his love that we may be active in those duties of love which by his command and ensample we owe to him and in him to our brethren He dyed to be a propitiation for our sinnes that is that he might make sinne to cease for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implyes gives us strength by repentance quite to extinguish and abolish sinne Thus if we repent thus if we doe we doe it in remembrance of him And this we are to doe but then especially when we prepare our selves and make our addresses to Christs Table for though repentance be the fruit of a due examination of our selves yet we may and must examine our repentance it self and the time to doe it is now now thou art to renew thy Covenant and so must also renew thy repentance In the Feast of the Atonement the Lord tells his people Lev. 23.27 you shall keep it and he that doth not afflict his soul shall be cut off This is a day for it and in this day thou must doe it This is the season to ransack thy soule to see how many graines of hypocrisie were left behind in thy former repentance what hollowness was in thy groanes what coldnesse in thy devotion to see what advantage Satan hath since taken what ground he hath won in thy soule and then in remembrance of Christs love set afresh to the work of mortification wound thy heart deeper lay on surer blowes empty thy self of thy self of all that rust and rubbish which thy self-love left behind and then stir up those graces in thee which through inadvertency and carelessnesse lye raked up as in the ashes in a word refine every vertue quicken every grace intend thy will exalt thy faith draw neerer to Christ and so renew thy Covenant and sit down at his Table and thus if thou doe it thou dost it in remembrance of him I might here take in the whole traine the whole Circle and Crown of Christian graces and virtues and draw them together and shut them within the compasse of this one word remembrance for it will comprehend them all knowledge obedience love sincerity thankfulnesse from whence the Sacrament hath its name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my last payment and peace offering for he that truly believes and repents as he is sick of sinne so is he sick of love of that love which in the Sacrament is sealed and confirmed to us is full of saving knowledge is ever bowing to Christs scepter is sincere and like himself in all his wayes will meditate of it day and night will drive it ab animo in habitum as Tertull. speaks from the mind to the motions and actions of his body from the conscience into the outward man till it appeare in liberall hands in righteous lips and in attentive eares will breath forth nothing but devotion but prayers and Hallelujahs glory honour and praise for this his love and so become as the picture and image and face of Christ reflecting all his favours and graces back upon him as a Pillar engraven with Gods lovingkindnesses a Memoriall of Gods goodnesse thankfully set up for ever and thus to doe it is to doe it in remembrance of him And to conclude thus if we doe it if we thus remember him he will also remember us remember us and set us as seales upon his heart and signets on his right hand remember us as his peculiar treasure and as our remembrance of him takes up all the duty of a Christian so doth his remembrance of us comprehend all the benefits of a Saviour our love of him and his love to us are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be as matter and fuell to nourish and uphold this remembrance between us for ever Nazian or 17. we shall remember him in humility and obedience and he shall remember us in love and power we shall remember him on earth and he shall remember us in heaven and prepare a place for us he shall remember our affliction and uphold us he shall remember our prayers and make them effectuall our almes and make them a pleasing sacrifice he shall remember our failings and settle and establish us our teares and turn them into joy he shall remember all that we do or suffer all but our sinnes those he hath buried in his grave for ever And now we are drawing neere to his table
her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaffe and now she groanes Now the Mammonist locks his God up in his chest layes him down to sleep and dreams of nothing else and now the Thief breaks in and spoils him Now our feet are at liberty and we walke at large walk on pleasantly as in faire places Now the bitterness of Death is past and now the snare takes us Now we fancy new delights send our Thoughts afarr off dream of Lordships Kingdoms Now we enlarge our Imaginations as Hell Anticipate our Honors and wealth and gather riches in our mind before we grasp them in our Hand Now we are full now we are Rich now we reigne as Kings now we beat our fellow-servants and beat them in his name and in this type and representation of Hell entitle our selves to eternity of bliss are cursed and call our selves Saints and now even now he comes Now sudden surprisalls doe commonly startle and amaze us but after a while after some pause and deliberation we recover our selves and take heart to slight that which drove us from our selves and left us as in a Dreame or rather dead But this brings either that Horror or that joy which shall enter into our very bones settle and incorporate it self with us and dwell in us for evermore Other assaults that are made upon us unawares make some mark impression in us but such as may soon be wiped out we look upon them and being not well acquainted with their shapes they disturb our Fancy but either at the sight of the next object we lose them or our Reason chaseth them away the Tempest rises Aul. Gell. Nâ—ct Art l. 19. c. 1. the Philosopher is pale but his Reason will soon call bis blood again into his cheeks he cannot prevent these sudden and violent motions but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth not consent he doth not approve these unlookt for apparitions and Phantasies he doth not change his Counsell but is constant to himself sudden joy and sudden feare with him are as short as sudden But this coming of our Lord as it is sudden so it brings omnimodam Desolationem an universall Horror and amazement seises upon all the Powers and Faculties of the Soul chaines them up and confines them to loathsome and Terrible Objects from which no change of Objects can divert no wisdome redeem them No serenity after this Darkness no joy after this trembling no refreshing after this consternation for no coming again after this coming for it is the last And now to conclude veniet Fratres veniet Aug. Ser. 140. de Temp. sed vide quomodo te inveniet saith Aust He shall come He shall come my brethren his coming is uncertain and his coming is sudden it will concern us to take heed how he findes us when he comes Oh let him not find us digging of Pitts spreading of netts to catch our Brethren spinning the Spiders web wearying and washing our selves in vanity let him not find us in strange apparell in spotted Garments in Garments stained with blood Let not this Lord find thee in Rebellion against him This Saviour find thee a Destroyer This Christ who should annoint thee find thee bespotted of the world Let not an humble Lord find thee swelling a meek Lord find thee raging a mercifull Lord find thee cruell let not an innocent lord find thee boasting in mischief let not the Son of man Find thee a Beast But to day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts This is your Day and this day you may work out Eternity this is your hour to look into your selves o be jealous of your selves vereri omnia opera to be afraid of every word work and Thought every enterprise you take in hand for whatsoever you are saying whatsoever you are doing whatsoever you are imagining whilst you Act whilst you speak before you speak whilst you think and that thought is a Promise or prophecy of Riches and Delights and Honors which are in the approach and ready to meet you or a seale and Confirmation of those glories which are already with you whilst you think as the Prophet David speaks That your Houses shall continue for ever even then he may come upon you and then this Inward Thought all your thoughts perish or return again upon you like Furies to last and torment you for ever And therefore to conclude since the Premises are plaine the Evidence faire since he is a Lord and will come to Judge us Since he will certainly come since the Time of his coming is uncertain and since it is sudden He is no Christian he is no man but hath prostituted that which makes him so his Reason to his sense and Brutish part who cannot draw this Conclusion to himself That he must therefore watch which is in the next place to be considered THE SIXTEENTH SERMON MATTH 24.42 Watch therefore c. The last PART WEe have seen Christ our lord at the Right Hand of God consider'd him First as our Lord. Secondly as coming Thirdly as keeping from our eye and knowledge the Time of his coming and now what Inference can we make He is a Lord and shall we not feare him To come and shall we not expect him To come at an hour we know not and shall we not Watch This every one of them naturally and necessarily affords and no other conclusion can be drawne from them but when we consult with flesh and blood we force false conclusions even from the truth it self and to please and flatter our sensuall part conclude against Nature to destroy our selves Sensuality is the greatest Sophister that is works Darkness out of Light poyson out of Physick sinne out of Truth See what Paralogismes shee makes God is mercifull therefore presume he is patient Therefore provoke him He delayeth his coming we may now beat our fellow-Servants and eat and drink with the Drunken It is uncertain when he will come therefore he will never come This is the reasoning of Flesh and blood This is the Devils Logick and therefore that we be not deceived nor deceive our selves with these Fallacies behold here Wisdome it self hath shewn us a more excellent way and drawn the Conclusion to our hands Vigilate ergo He is a Lord and to come and at an Hour you know not of Watch therefore And this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vigilate is verbum vigilans as Aug. speaks a waking busy stirring word and implies as the Scholiast tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all manner of care and Circumspection and what are all the Exhortations in Scripture but a Commentary and Exposition of this Duty There we find it rendered by awaking working running striving Fasting Praying we shall find it to be Repentance Faith Spirituall Wisdome that golden chaine wherein all virtues and Graces that Vniversitas Donorum as Tert. speaks that Academy that world of Spirituall Gifts meet and are united