King Iames should bee brought to a happie ende that oftentimes in many mens hearings hee protested hee had rather die then be any way negligent herein Which as some thinke by all likelihood came indeede so to passe To wit that too earnest study and paines about the translation hastened his death and brought it on sooner Now as he liued so in his profession in his writings in his translating as though all the floods of many waters had neuer comn ' neare him euen so also he died During the short time of his sickenesse hee carried himselfe as alwaies before humbly mildly quietly constantly One of his louing friends standing by his bed and saying M. Liuely I pray God you may haue patience and hope and especially faith vnto the ende He lifting vp his hands said heartily and cheerefully Amen Little he vsed to speake and more he could not say for the paine and impediment of his squinsey Which though it made a speedie ende of him as the apoplexy did of the good Emperour Valentinian yet how could any death be sodaine to him whose whole life was nothing els but a meditation of death and whom the Lord whensoeuer he came might finde doing his dutie Wherefore no reason wee should lament his departure out of this world He liued blessedly he died blessedly in the Lord. Rather you Reuerend and learned Vniuersitie-men lament for this that you haue lost so famous a Professour and so worthy a writer Lament you translatours beeing now depriued of him who no lesse by his owne merit and desert then by the priuiledge of his place was to order and ouersee all your trauailes Lament you poore orphans 〈◊〉 poore children of you which he left 〈◊〉 him as Christ 〈◊〉 left eleuen Disciples bereâ—â—â—â— of your kinde and deare Father destitute of necessaries for your maiâ—â—enance to seeke of all helpe and 〈◊〉 but onely as poore folkes vse to speak such as God and good friends shal proâ—ide Lâ—â—ent lament all of you of the Toâ—ne as well as of the Vâ—â—â—ersitie because our Schoole hath lost sâ—ch a singular ornament of this age because our Churches haue lost such a faithfull and syncere seruant of Christ. Questionlesse as it should seeme by the taking away of this man almightie God is greatly angry with vs all for our sinnes Christ Iesus our Master as though he meant no more to care for vs seemeth to lie fast a sleepe in the ship while we most miserably in the flood of many waters are tormoiled and tossed Wherfore let vs in time crie aloud and awake him with our prayers Or rather indeede he is not a sleepe but awake alreadie We haue awaked him not with our prayers but with our sinnes Our sinnes haue cried vp to heauen And the Lord beeing awaked as a gyant comes forth against vs and as a mighty man refreshed with wine For not onely those are waters which are in the chanell or in the sea but as waters are here vnderstood euen those fires are waters those fires I say which very lately awaked vs at midnight and affrighted vs at noone day which raged on the South-side and anone after on the North-side of the Towne It was but a fewe mens losse but it was all mens warning And what shall we make nothing of this The plague the small pocks and the squinsey that one kind of disease deuoureth vp the Townesmen â—n other the schollers This is now the tenth course of Schollers which within this month hath beene brought foorth to buriall not one of them dying of the plague whereas heretofore if one or two schollers haue died in a whole year out of all Colledges it hath beene accounted a great matter This and such like grieuous iudgements beloued doe plainely declare that the Lord beeing awaked with the cry of our sinnes is greiuously displeased and offended at vs. Wherefore let vs nowe at the length in the name of God rowse vp our selues and awake out of our deadly sinnes Let this that our holy brother did so sodainly in a manner fall asleepe be a loud O yes as it were to awake vs all Let euerie one of vs amend one iudge one accuse one condemne one that we be not all condemned of the Lord. Let euery one of vs I beseech you crie vp to heauen for mercie and say â—ith Dauid I haue sinned and done wickedly Or with Ionas Take me for I know that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you Then our most mercifull father shall blesse vs all as he hath done this holy Saint both in our life and in our death by the pardoning of our offences couering all our sinnes with the bowels and blood of Christ. And though in this world we be euer subiect to a flood of many waters yet hee shall drawe vs still out of many waters as hee did Moses Surely in the floode of many waters no more then they did to Ionas they shall not come neare vs. Neither onely shall we be safe in the flood of death but also in the flood of the day of iudgement For that also is a flood and a terrible fearefull one too To wit not of water but of fire As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be at the comming of the son of man In the first flood they which had not an arke ranne vp to the toppes of houses to the toppes of trees to the toppes of mountaines because they desired to hold vp their heads aboue the still rising raging water In the second they which are not found in Christ shall say to the mountaines Fall vpon vs and to the Caues Cauer vs and hide vs from the wrath of the Lambe Then they shall be glad to creepe into euerie holâ— and corner that they may auoide the bâ—rning of fire But we that confesse our sinnes and forsake the same shall lift our heads to no other mountaine but to Christ from whom commeth our saluation we shall desire to be couered with no other rocke but onely with that out of which came the blood and water of life For neuer did Noahs flood so clean wash away all wicked men from the face of the earth as the blood of Christ shall purge vs from all our sinnes and present vs blamelesse before the face of our father onely if we be faithfull vnto death For then the next thing is felicity and the crowne of life Which God for his mercie sake graunt vs all that as we make no doubt but this our holy brother now triumpheth with Christ so all and euery one of vs after we haue waded through this world as a flood of many waters may inherit that kingdome of glory which our louing Lord Iesus hath purchased for vs with his deare blood to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for euermore Amen FINIS A SERMON PREACHED at Whitehall before the KING on Twesday after Lâ— Sunday 1604. 2. COR. 3.18 But all we
oft enough Yea if others do not commend vs also wee doe so wonderfully please our selues in it that we are ready presently to praise our selues for it But heere we may all of vs learne true humility t Humilitas animis sublimitas Christiani Lâ—o. which is true magnanimity of S. Paul Paul had a most noble and most stately heart higher then the very poles of heauen it selfe All that euer hee had done hitherto or could doe he thinkes too little nay he counts it nothing He was not a whit inferior to the very chiefest Apostles u 2 Cor. 12.11 yet hee forgets it Hee laboured more then they all x 1 Cor. 15.10 yet hee forgets it Hee spake with tongues more then they all y 1 Cor. 14 18. yet hee forgets it Hee had care of all the Churches z 2 Cor. 11.28 yet hee forgets it Hee fought with beasts at Ephesus a 1 Cor. 15.32 yet hee forgets it Hee troad satan that vile beast vnder his feet b Rom. 16.20 yet hee forgets it He spake wisdome among them that are perfect c 1 Cor. 2.6 yet he forgets it He was rapt vp to Paradise into the third heauen where he first learned that among the Angels which afterwards hee taught amongst men d 2 Cor. 12.4 yet hee forgets it All this is nothing with him All this 〈◊〉 forgets and saith I FORGET THAT VVHICH IS BEHIND This is the second degree to perfection TOuching the third he saith I stand not still but I ENDEVOVR MY SELFE TO THAT VVHICH IS BEFORE S. Bernard writing to Haimericus Chancelor of Rome in his very first salutation wisheth him e Quae retro sunt obliuisci ad ea quae ante sunt Apostolum sequi Ep. 15. to forget those things which are behind and to follow the Apostle to those things which are before Which no man can do that either stands still or is idle Wherefore Hermes saith generally Nothing in the whole world is altogether idle f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dial. 11. The wise man hath allowed a time for euery thing else but for idlenesse he hath allowed no time Moses Arke had rings barres within the rings g Exod. 24.14 to signifie that it was not made to stand still but to bee remoued from place to place Iacob â— ladder had staues h Gen. 28.12 vpon which he saw none standing still but all either ascending or else descending by it Asend you likewise to the top of the ladder to heauen there you shall heare one say My Father doth now work and I work also Wherupon Basil noteth that king Dauid hauing first said Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernable addes then i Psal. 15.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not he that hath wrought righteousnesse heretofore but he that doth now worke righteousnesse euen as Christ saith My father doth now worke and I worke also Descend you likewise to the foote of the ladder to the earth and there you shall heare that fig-tree accursed which did beare leaues and no fruit Whereupon Theophylact noteth that Iohn Baptist hauing first said The axe is laid to the roote of the Tree addes then k Mar. 3.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not euery tree that hath not brought forth goodfruit heretofore but euery tree that doth not now bring forth good fruit shall be cut downe euen as that fruitlesse fig-tree was cut downe and cast into the fire Therefore we must so walk as God seeing our continuall fruitfulnes may say of vs I see men walking like trees l Marke â— 24 Men walke like trees when as men are neuer idle but alwaies abounding in the worke of the Lord m 1 Cor. 15.58 As the tree of life euery month bringeth forth twelue manner of fruits n Reu. 22.2 For so Christ said vnto him whom hee healed o Mark 2.10 Take vp thy bed and walke Hee saith not Take vp thy bed and stand still like a stone but take vp thy bed and walke like a tree Otherwise to them whom he found standing still he said in his wrath and in his sore displeasure why stand yee stil all the day idle why are ye like Moab setled vpon your lâ—es p Ier. 48.11 and not powred from vessell to vessell we must make account to giue account for euery idle word wee speake q Mat 12.36 And much more then for euery idle houre wee spend Hee hath called the time against mee saith Ierusalem r Lam. 1.15 So that for the very time which wee haue contemned wee shall be condemned and for euery day which wee haue spent idely wee shall be shent seuerely The Israelites were commanded not once in a weeke or once in a moneth but euery day to gather Manna except only the sabboth day s Exod. 16.26 To teach them and all vs that till wee come to the Sabboth of our euerlasting rest in heauen we must neuer stand still but euery day bee doing somewhat Wherefore Apollos posey was this Let no day passe without a line t Nulla dies sâ— nâ— linea Be sure euery day thou do some good then draw one line at the least According to that u Esay 28.10 Line vpon line line vpon line And Pythagoras posey was this x Chaeneci ne insideas Sit not still vpon the measure of corne Do not looke to eate except thou sweare for it According to that y 2 Thes. 3.10 He which will not worke let him not eate In my Fathers house saith Christ are many mansions z Ioh. 14.3 So that no man may sing his soule a sweet requiem saying with that cormorant in the Gospell Soule take thy rest For in heauen onely which is in our Fathers house there are many mansions to rest in In this world which is out of our fathers house there are not many mansions no not any mansions to rest in but onely vineyards to worke in We are come saith the Authour to the Hebrewes a Heb. 12.13 to the spirits of iust and perfect men in heauen So that no man may sue out for himselfe a Quietus est saying with the Church of Laodicea I am rich and haue enough For in heauen onely are the spirits of iust and perfect men which are rich and haue enough In this world wee must neuer thinke we are rich but we must alwaies be poor in spirit we must neuer think we haue enough but we must alwaies hunger and thirst after righteousnes Wherfore if thou haue a talent c Luke 19.20 put it not into a napkin but into the bancke if thou light a candle d Marke 4.21 set it not vnder a bushel but vpon a candlestick If thou build a citie e Math. 5.14 place it not vnder a dale but vpon a hill if thou seeke Christ f Can. 3.1 seek him not in thy bed but in the gardeÌ„ Lie not stil Sit not
treading vpon it trampling it vnder their feete they feede onely vpon the bread of life For these Lyons can easily conceiue that if at that time fiue loaues being blessed by our Lord did satisfie fiue thousand then much more our blessed Lord himselfe can satisfie euery heart which hungreth and thirsteth for him Therefore these Lions saue the very fragments of this feast keepe them in their hearts as in baskets knowing that all the grasse of the world cannot doe them halfe so much good as the very least crumme of Christs comfort For so onely on sayes among the rest My soule refuseth comfort But when I remember God I am y Psal. 77.4 Memor fuâ— Dei delectatus sum delighted As if he should say I haue a Lyons heart in me my soule refuseth to feed vpon the grasse of the world it goes against my stomacke I cannot brooke it I cannot digest it that 's but a cold coÌ„fort My soule refuseth all such comfort But when I remember God I am delighted Though I cannot see preseÌ„tly before me yet if I doe but remember him if I doe but meditate of him if I do but think of him if I do but dream of him I am z Annon toties comfortaris quoties recordaris Aug. delighted though I cannot haue a whole loafe yet I can get but a fragmeÌ„t if I caÌ„ get but a shine if I can get but a morsel If I can get but any little crum of comfort that fals from the table of the Lord my heart is sufficiently refreshed and fed But as God onely feedeth the heart so God only filleth the heart For the heart of man as for the manner of dyet it is like the heart of a lion so for the bignes of it it is like the hart of the Ibus Oris Apollo writeth that the Egyptians when they would describe the heart paint that bird which they cal Ibis Because they thinke that no creature for proportion of the body hath so great a heart as the Ibis hath But mee thinkes they might better paint a man Because no creature no not the Ibis it selfe hath so great a heart as a man hath For the eie is neuer filled with seeing nor the eare with hearing and much lesse the heart with desiring But euen as the Poets fain that the fiftie daughters of king Daâ—â—â—â— killing their husbands are enioyned for their punishment in hel to fill a tunne with water that is boared full of holes which though they labour neuer so much about it yet they can neuer bring to passe a Vide prouerbium Danaidum dolium apud Erasm. semblably Eccles. 1.8 he that would go about to fill his heart with worldly delights were as good pâ—ure water into a sine as we say for any pleasure hee shall haue after all his labour and paines Salomon hauing had a long time tryall of all transitorie pleasures at length frankly confessed that they were so farre from beeing a contentation to his heart that they were a very great vexation to his spirite Nay Alexander though he had conquered the whole world yet still he saide with the King of Spaine Non sufficâ—â— orbis b All the whole worlde is not enough for me yea in the ende hee grew to be very male content found himselfe greatlie grieued because there were not for sooth many more worlds for him to conquere By which example of Salomon and Alexander though otherwise a heathen it doth plainely appeare that if it had pleased God to haue created as many worlds as there are creatures in this one worlde which he might haue don with the least word of his mouth yet this infinite number of worldes which should haue beene created could not haue filled the verie least heart of any one man without the Creator himselfe This Orontius an excellent Mathematitian sheweth who describing the whole world in the forme of an heart leaueth many voyde spaces in his hart which he cannot fill vp with the world For as a circle can neuer fill a triangle but alwaies there wil be three emptie corners in the Triangle vnfilled if there be nothing else to fil it but the circle so the round world which is a circle can neuer fill the heart of man which is a triangle made according to the image of the Trinity but alwayes there wil be som eâ—pty corners in the triangle of the heart vnfilled if there be nothing else to fill it but the circle of the World Onely the glorious trinity filleth the triangle of the heart and filleth euery corner of it and filleth euery corner of it fuller then it can possibly c Anima nostrae ita facta est capax maiestatis tuae quod a te solo a nullo alio possit impleri Cum autem habet te plenum est desiderium eius iam nihil aliud quod desideret vlte ius restat August l. Soliloq cap. 30. holde For suppose al mightie God should nowe worke a miracle and giue some one man a hearte as large and as huge not onely as all the hearts of all the men that euer were are or shall bee but also as all the affections of all the angels and heauenly powers aboue yea I will say that which shall bee yet much more maruellous if this one heart were so greate that it could at one instant actually containe in it more corporall and spirituall things then are in all the deepes beneath in the vallies in the mountaines and in all the heauens aboue yet as true as God is in heauen this so large and so huge a heart could not be able to holde the very least part of the perfection of God but if one droppe of his deitie and glory were powred into it by and by it would burst in a hundreth pieces and fly a sunder as an olde vessel filled with new d Behold the heauens and the heauens of heauens are not able to contaiâ—e thee 1. Reg. 8.27 wine O what a wonderfull strange thing is this what shal we deuise to say of it Tenne thousand worlds cannot fill one heart and yet tenne thousand hearts cannot hold one God Therfore as much as one heart is too good and too great for ten thousand worlds so much is one God too good and too great for ten thousand e Deus maior est corde nostro 1 Ioh. 3.30 hearts So fully doth the Lord nothing but the Lord feede and fill thy soule and giue thee all nay more then all thy heart can desire Wherefore Delight thy selfe in the Lord and hee shall giue thee the desires of thy heart Thus much for the promise in these wordes And hee shall giue thee the desires of thy heart Now then deare brother Delight and not delight onely but Thy selfe also and not thy selfe onely but In the Lord also Delight thy selfe in the Lord and againe I say Delight and againe I say Thy selfe and againe I say In the
〈◊〉 tho◠〈◊〉 forgiue him Therefore as I am boâ—â—dâ— to forgiue my brother in deâ—d though hee doâ— not â—â—ke me forgiuenes but I am not bound to goe to him and tell him I forgiue him except he first come to 〈◊〉 and tell me He repents but if he doe 〈◊〉 then am I boâ—nd also to tell him I forgiue him so the Lord though in the gracious degree of his fatherly adoption he haue sealed vp the remission of all our sinnes yet he doth not open the bagge shewâ— the treasures of his mercie 〈…〉 ward in it till he see vs become new 〈◊〉 For then he hath bound himselfe by his loâ—ing promise and hath giuen vs his word that he will forgiue vs our sinne At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth saith â—e z Ezec. 18.21 and watereth his Couch with his teares I will remember his iniquities no more Naaman the Syrian was willed 〈◊〉 wash himselfe seauen times in 〈◊〉 52 2. Reg. 5.10 VVhy seuen times was not 〈◊〉 time enough Yes surely For him it was enough but not for vs. For that was done rather for our example then for his benefite Seeing his malady was onely a leprosie but our soule is leprous with sinne And therefore if hee for one leprosie washt himselfe seauen times how much more ought wee euery time we sin to be sorry for it and if wee doe not wash our selues seauen times for one sinne yet at the least wise to wash our selues seauen times for seauen sinnes seeing the most iust of vs all as Salomon witnesseth a Prou. 24.16 may seauen times fall in one day Or rather many men in the world haue not onely seauen deadly sinnes but euen seauen diuels in them b Luk. 8.2 which they can no waies wash out but by bitter weeping and watering their couch with their teares To the angel of Ephesus thusâ— saith the spirit 53 Reu. 2.5 Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe the first workes or else I will remooue thy candle sticke out of his place So that if wee let our sinne stand still our candle-sticke shall be remoued but if we would haue our candle sticke stand still our sinne must be remoued We must repent and doe the first workes not those which wee must repent of but those which wee are fallen from Wonderfull are the words of the Apostle God hath committed the worde of reconciliation vnto vs therefore wee are Christs embassadoâ—rs and God entreating you as it were by vs wee beseech you in the name of Christ that you would be recoÌ„ciled to God 54 2 Cor. 5.20 What may some man say were not the Corinthians reconciled alreadie wherefore then is the Apostle so earnest about nothing I but they doe not vnderstand the Apostle which make this obiection Hee knew wel enough they were reconciled before But he knew as well the best of vs all can not stande in Gods fauour one minute of an hower without a good mediatour For since our first reconciliation to God we haue so often offended his maiestie that if wee doe not plie him with humble supplications and daily petitions and hearty repentance and vnfained teares he and wee cannot possibly bee friends And therefore the Apostle calles vpon the Corinthians so earnestly and cries to them and saies Take heede Feare God Offend him not Yee can gette nothing by falling out with him But in case you haue beene ouertaken with any sinne c Gal. 6.1 ye haue an aduocate with the father d 1 Ioh. 2.1 Fly vnto him for succour If you be wise bee reconciled to God as soone as you can God entreateth you O mercifull Lord doest thou sue seeke to vs and is there any thing in the world that wee can pleasure thee in can our goodnesse reach vnto thee e Psalm 16.2 and doest thou entreat vs yee saies hee God entreateth you and we his ambassadours in the name of Iesus Christ beseech you that you would be reconciled to God Be reconciled â—o God and though you haue offended him neuer so much hee will bee reconciled to you Assure your selues you may lay your life of it hee will presently turne vnto you if you in true repentance will turne vnto him and water your couch with your teares For so this our Prophet did no sooner confesse his fault but Nathan proclaimed his pardon 55 2. Sam. 12 13. Whereupon hee himselfe also hath these wordes 56 Psal. 32.5 I saide I will confesse my wickednesse vnto the Lord thou forgauest the iniquity of my sin As the Lionesse hauing bin false to the Lyon by going to a Libard and the Storke coÌ„forting with any other besides her owne mate wash themselues before they dare returneÌ„ home in like manner the prophet here before he can be reconciled to God after this great breach by adulterie and murther f 2 Sam. 11.4 and 15. is faine to wash his bed and to water his couch with his teares But here a question may arise If the faithfull be subiect neither to eternal condemnation when they doe sinne not yet to final impenetency when they haue sinned what neede they at all either auoide sinne for which they shall not be condemned or else hasten their repentance of which they shall not bee depriued This question consisteth of two parts The one touching condemnation the other touching impenitency To the former part I say as before Though there be sin in them yet there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus g Rom 8.1 But how this is no thankes to them that sin thereby making themselues guilty of sin as much as in them lieth subiect also to condemnation for the same but onely to God who wrappeth vp all the sinnes of his children in the bowels of his deare sonne that they appeare not in his sight to condemne them either in this world or in the world to come As Shew went backwarde and couered his fathers nakednes h Gen. 9.23 so God casteth our sinnes behind his backe and doth not impute them to vs. Howbeit though condemnation neede not be feared yet there are reasons enough besides to perswade all those to hate sinne that loue God One is because God doth vsually withdraw the outward signs of his â—â—â—our from them which forget their duty towards him The whole booke of Iob is proofe sufficient Especially in one place i Iob. 7.20 he saith I haue sinned what shall I do vnto thee O thou preseruer of men why hast thou set me as a marke against thee so that I am a burden to my selfe And Dauid k Psal. 44.24 Why standest thou so farre off O Lord and hidest thy selfe in the needfull time of trouble For as Ioseph made himselfe strange to his Brethren and spake vnto them roughly l Gen. 42.7.3 though he loued them wel enough euen so the Lord though he take not his mercie from his children yet
will I speake that I may take breath m Iob. 3â— 19 As Elibu then kept silence some while euen from good wordes though it were paine and griefe to him but at the last the fire kindling and his heart beeing hotte within him spake with his tongue n Psal. 39.3 so the spirit of God in all the elect of God is like wine put into a bottle which will haue a vent to spurge out or els it will burst the bottle or like fire rakte vp in embers which will haue a passage to burne out or els it wil consume the whole house o 1. Ioh. 2.9 And therefore Saint Iohn likewise saith Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not sinne for his seede remaineth in him neither can he sinne because hee is borne of God Marke yee this well The Apostle thinketh it not enough to say Hee doth not sinne but addeth moreouer He cannot sinne What is that To witte presumptuously without feare hee doth not sinne and desperately without remorse he can not sinne He can not sin I say presumptuously as Pharaoh did desperately as Caine did malitiously as Iudas did blasphemously as Iudas did He cannot hee cannot sinne thus Why so Because the seede of God remaineth still in him And what is the seede of God It is the spirit of God of which S. Paul saide euen now The spirit lusteth against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the same thing that yee would Yee doe not sinne nay yee cannot sinne as the flesh would haue you ye cannot doe the same things that ye would but yee doe nay ye can not choose but doe manie times as the seede of God remaining in you and as the spirit of God lusting in you would haue you So that this is a legall kinde of preaching to say Take heede you sinne not yee may happen so to loose your faith to loose all the iustifying grace which God hath giuen vs to be for euer excluded out of the Kingdome of heauen This is to be sayde to vassals to drudges to slaues not to sonnes To sons this may bee better sayde p Heb. 12.5 vobis vt filijs Take heed yee sinne not God hath adopted you giuen you the earnest of his spirite q 2 Cor. 5.5 Therefore grieue not this sweete spirite whereby yee are sealed vp to the day of redemption r Eph. 4.30 If yee be louing children indeed though there were no hel to feare no heauen to hope for no torments to dread no rewards to expect yet wee will obey your good father be the sorrow-fullest Creatures in the world if you haue but once displeased him onely for the meere loue yee beate towards him and for the vnspeakeable loue hee hath shewed towardes you s Diligenti deuÌ„ sufficit ei placere quem diligit quam nulla maior expeteuda est remâ—â—etatio quom ipsa dilectio Leo Magnus Serm. 7 de Ieiunio For if he gaue his onely begotten sonne to die for you wheÌ„ ye were his enemies t Rom. 5.10 now you are sons and such deare sonnes in his dearest Sonne u Eph. 1.6 what duty will you denie him what loyaltie will you grudge him what heartie thankefulnesse and good will is there which you will not afford him what faithful honour and seruice is there which you will not yeeld him In one word ye holie ones of God I speake now to you all beloued he which stands much vpon this obiection hath no faith no repentance no iustifying grace at all in him For the faithfull will neuer make that liberty which Christ hath purchased for them with his precious bloud a cloake to couer their wickednesse x 1. Pet. 2.19 but rather a spurre to incite them to godlinesse y Luk. 1.74 Liberamur vt seruiamâ—s ei Neyther will they at any time reason thus z Rom. 6.15 VVe will sinne because wee are not vnder the Law but vnder grace nor yet thus a Rom. 6.2 We will continue in sinne that grace may abound but alwaies thus b Rom. 6.11 By that wee are deade to sinne wee gather that wee are aliue to God or else thus c Tit. 2.11 The grace of God hath appeared teaching vs to deny vngodlines and worldlie lusts Thus you see then howe the regenerate man euerie new acte of sinne must be bewailed by a new acte of Repentance For God wil not forgiue me except I repeut no more then I am bound to tell my brother I forgiue him except hee tell me He repents Naaman must wash himselfe seauen times before he can bee cleane the Angell of Ephesus must rise from his fall and doe the first workes or else his Candlesticke shall bee remoued the Church of Corinth though it bee neuer so Holie yet by sinne violating Gods loue must oftentimes bee reconciled anew euen king Dauid in this place though he were a man according to Gods own heart yet before Nathan would absolue him he was faine to crie Peccâ—â—â— and before God would forgiue him he was faine to confesse his wickednes and to water his couch with his teares The second note is That a great act of sinne must be bewailed with a greate acte of Repentance I meane not that anie paine or griefe of ours can make satisfaction for the least of our sinnes or that one contrition can be any cause of remission but onelie that where sinne hath abounded there sorrowe sholâ—d abound also that Grace may superabound at the last d 5. Rom. 10. The Schoolmen shewe heere that great griefe may bee considered two waies According to a mans appretiation and according to his intension e Vide Bellar. de Pâ—â—itentia libro 2 â— 11 As the Patriarke Iacob in his intension did lament his sonne Ioseph whom he thought to be dead more pittifully then he did any sin that we read of f Gen. 37.34 but in the appretiation or estimation which hee had of the â—aynousnesse of sinne certainly he would rather haue lost tenne sonnes then once haue sinned against God Therfore howsoeuer in intention sorrow for sinne bee none of the greatest yet in appretiation they would euer haue it excessiue But we neede not borrow such vncoth wordes of the Schoolemen to expresse our meaning if we can tel how to vse those words which we haue of our owne For if wee looke narrowly into this place wee shall see that the Prophet Dauid is both waies in the highest degree sorrowfull First by how much the more dearely he esteemed Gods loue and friendshippe then the health of his body by so much the more is hee grieued that that is violated then that this is endangered And yet againe how intensiuelie and bitterlie he bewaileth not so much the sicknesse of his bodie as the cause thereof the sinne of his soule appeareth in that he trisâ—eth not but washeth his bed and waterâ—â—â— his couch with his
thought and beleeued they flung the infant also body and soule into an earthly fire and into hell fire all at once This is the crueltie of man He would if he could pull some out of heauen after they are buried and thrust some into hel before they are borne But God hath predestinated vs. And not only before we were borne Ephes. 1.4 but also before the world was created hath chosen vs in Christ. Euen as Christ shall say at the last day Come ye blessed of my Father Matth. 25.34 inherit the kingdome of heauen prepared for you before the foundations of the world For looke how carefully parents prouide for their children Primâ—sius in a Tim. â— 1. in illa Ante tempora secularia Arator Doâ—â— prius tempora dedit and put them in their will before they are borne so God giues vs the grace to liue with him before he giue vs time to liue here Euen as the Sonne saith Feare not little â—â—ock for it is your Fathers will to giue you a kingdome And the father himselfe I euen I am he that comfort you who 〈◊〉 thou then that fearest a mortall maâ— who fadeth away as grasse Therefore euery couragious Christian may comfort his heart in God and say with the Prâ—â—â—â—y Prophet The Lord is my light and my saluation whome then shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whoÌ„ then shall I be afraid when the wicked euen mine enemies and my foes come vpon me to eat vp my flesh they stumbled and fell Though an hoast of men were laid against me yet shall not my heart be afraid though there rose vp warre against me yet wil I put my 〈◊〉 in him I will not be afraid of ten thousand of the people that haue set themselues against me round about Yea though I walke thorough the valley of the shadow of death yet will I feare no euill â—or thou O Lord art with me thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me So that I may boldly say The Lord is my helper neither will I feare what 〈◊〉 can doe vnto me The Lord of hoaste with vs the God of Iacob is our refuge And if the Lord of hosts haue predestinated vs vnto life what can man doe against vs what before we liue what while we liue what after we liue If God be with vs who can be against vs The second enemie against vs is the world Which assaileth vs as well by aduersitie Qusd est mundus nisi agon plenus cetraminum as by prosperitie What is the world saith S. Ambrose but a race or a course full of trials troubles It is a field wherein is little corne but much cockle It is a garden wherein are few roses but many thornes Yet these thornes of aduersitie doe not so much oftentimes endanger vs as the baites of prosperitie Mundus peririculosior est blandus quam molâ—stuâ— magis cauendus eunse â—lliâ—â—t diligi qaâ—m cum ad monet cogitqueâ—ontemni Epist. 144. The world is more dangerous saith S. Austin when it flattereth then when it threateneth and is more to be feared when it allureth vs to loue it then when it enforceth vs to contemn it For euen as Iudas by a kisse betrayed his master so the world is a very Iudas It meaneth most falsly when it embraceth most friendly Wherefore the Apostle saith thus of Demas Demas hath forsaken vs and imbraced this present world So that the immoderate embracing of this world is a flat forsaking of Christ and his Gospel Vnskilful swimmers when they begin to sinke if they catch hold of weeds in the bottom Qui mundum amploctuntur similes sunt illis qui submerguntur in aquis Bern. de Adnent setm. 1. the faster they hold the surer they are drowned in like sort they that shake hands with the world and embrace the pleasures and prosperitie thereof most greedily plunge themselues most deeply into destruction But God hath called vs. And therefore neither aduersitie nor prosperitie can hurt vs. Maruell not saith our Saâ—iour though the world hate you It hated me before it hated you If you were of the world the world would loue you but because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore doth the world hate you Well as the world hateth vs so weâ— must hate it againe As it contemneth vs so we must contemne it againe According to that of S. Paul The world is crucified to me and I vnto the world I am crucified to the world that is The world contemnes me the world is crucified to mee that is I contemne the world The world contemnes me 〈◊〉 I contemne it Moral senn 10. c. 2. Qui nihil habet in mundo quod appetat nihil est quod de mundo pertimesent Cyprian Quis ei de secullo metus est cui in seculo deus tutor est For as Gregory sayes He that hath nothing that he loues in the world hath nothing to feare of the world And Cyprian What neede he to feare the world who hath God his protector his tutor his defendour in the world He that is of God ouercommeth the world And this is our victorie whereby we ouercome the world euen our faith Whereupon our Sauiour saies Be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world and behold I am with you euen vnto the ende of the world So that the world and the trouble we shall haue in the world shall haue an ende but the comfort we haue in God shall haue no end Behold I am with you saith he And if God be with vs and haue called vs out of the world what can the world doe against vs If God be with vs who can be against vs The third enemie against vs is the flesh Prou. 30.22 Salomon saith this is one thing which maketh the earth euen tremble when a seruant beginneth to beare rule The flesh is and ought to be a seruant Yet it beareth rule in the vnregenerate Yea it striueth to beare rule and beginneth to beare rule euen in the godly A mans enemies are they of his owne house It is mine owne familiar friend that lifteth vp his heele against me This familiar friend was Paul much troubled withal when be said I see an other law in my members Rom. 7. rebelling against my minde and leading mee captiue vnto death And Lot who beeing a iust man that could not be ouercome with all the sinnes of Sodom by immoderate drinking of wine fell to follie And Samson who otherwise impregnable yet yeelded to Dalila Therefore in the 〈◊〉 it lieth which striueth to lay our honour in the dust But God hath iustified vs. And hauing iustified vs in some measure also hath begunne to sanctifie vs. So that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh in so much as we cannot doe as we would Not onely the flesh against the spirit but
with a garment dipt in blood can not be angry either with him or with vs but when we are dead in sinne quickneth vs together in him by whose grace we are saued and raised vs vp and maketh vs for his sake sit in the heauenly places aboue Marcus Seruilius a valiant Romane who had fought three and twenty combates of life and death in his owne person and had alwaies slaine as many of his enemies as challeng'd him man to man when as the people of Rome resisted Paulus Emilius triumph Plutarch in Paulo Aâ—melio fine stood vp and made an oration in his behalfe In the midst whereof he cast open his gowne and shewed before them the infinite skarves and cutâ— he had receiued vpon his breast The sight of which so preuailed with the people that they all agreed in one and graunted Emilius triumph After the same fashion Christ hath spoiled â—â—â—â—cipalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his crosse yeâ— and yet now beareth about in his bodie the markes and tokens of this triumph that a finall agreement and attonement being made betweene God and vs by his onely mediation and meanes we also may be more then conquerours in him that loueth vs and may euery one of vs say with Saint Paul Now thanks be vnto God which alwaies maketh vs to triumph in Christ. Among other ornaments of the Sanctuarie there was a golden censer full of holes by which the sweete odours fumed forth when Aaron once a yeare burnt incense therin No other high Priest doe we acknowledge but Christ the true Aaron Heb. â— 4 who hath not entred into any Sanctuarie made with hands but into heauen it selfe And his golden censer is his own body which through the wounds that are in it as through chinks or holes suâ—eth forth alwaies a pleasing and a sweete â—auour in the nosthrils of his father The signe of the couenant which God made with Noah was a rainebowe in the cloud And indeede that is a sure token vnto vs that the world shall neuer be drowned againe with a generall flood of water Gen. 9 16. as it was in Noahs time But the rainebowe which assureth vs we shall neuer be drowned in the pit of euerlasting perdition is no such thing Why may some man say what is it Mane it is the blood of Christ which maketh as it wâ—re a rainebow in his side For the other rainebow is but a transitorie signe which shall passe away with the cloudes and with the world But this rainebowe whereof the other is but a shadow shall continue for euer in the sight of God as the author to the Hebrewes sai's that Christ is entred into heauen vt appareat nunc vultui Dei pro nobis to appeare now in the fight of God for vs. Therefore S. Iohn in the Reuelation witnesseth that he sawe a doore open in heauen aud a rainebow round about the throne of God Hee sawe a doore open in heauen to teach vs that we can haue no accesse vnto the Father but by Christ neither yet by Christ simply but as he is crucified and hath set open a doore in his side for vs to enter by him He sawe a rainebowe round about the throne of God to teach vs that the throne of God would be altogether a throne of iustice a throne of wrath a throne of anger and indignation were it not that the blood of Christ spinning out as I may say still liuely and freshly in the sight of his father maketh a rainbowe round about his throne putteth him in minde of his couenant appeaseth his displeasure and so maketh his throne to all vs that loue him Gen. 30.37 a throne of grace a throne of compassion a throne of fauour and mercie in Christ. We read that Iacob pilled certaine rods which beeing laid in the watering troughes before the sheepe made them bring forth such lambes as afterward fell to his own share So likewise if we sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes The marke of the roddes in his wounds laid open in the sight of God ingendreth and breedeth in him a loue and a liking toward vs so that he conceiueth well of vs and seuereth vs as good sheepe from the goates and in the blood of the lambe is pleased and appeased and satisfied for our sinnes This blood is the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 which speaketh better things then that of Abel For Abels blood vpon earth cryed out once for vengeance but Christs blood in heauen cries continually for mercie One deepe calleth another because of the noise of the water pipes Christs woundes are the watering troughs and the water-pipes by which all graces flowe vnto vs. So that one deepe calleth an other because of the noise of the water pipes because the wounds of Christ make a continuall noise in the eares of his father and the depth of the extreame misery which he was in vpon earth calleth for the depth of Gods bottomlesse and infinite mercy in heauen Thus these holy wounds of Christ pacifie and appease his father For now Moyses standing in the gappe sues for pardon the poore creeple lying at the beautifull gate begg's an almes Ezechias spreading open his letters makes his supplication Salomon stretching out his hands offers vp his prayer Epaminondas being wounded mooues Agâ—sipolis to saue Pelopidas Seruilius discouering his wounds perswades the people to grant Emilius triumph Aaron burning incense in his golden censer perfumeth the whole Sanctuarie Noah pointing to his rainebowe putteth God in mind of his promise Iacob laying forth his roddes make most of the lambes his owne Abel holding vp his blood cals and cries for mercie Christ shewing his hands and his side appeaseth his father As if our Sauiour should say thus vnto his Father O my louing father looke vpon the face of thine annointed looke vpon the hands looke vpon the side of thine annointed The hands of thine anointed how cruelly they are mangled the side of thine annointed bow wofully it is wounded Behold and see if there be any sorrowe like to my sorrow These hands can signifie what exceeding sorrow I haue suffered this side can shew that I haue humbled my selfe and haue been obedient vnto death euen vnto the death of the crosse Therefore O my deare father Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and as thou art not faithlesse but faithfull so be not mercilesse but mercifull for my sake and pitifull to thy people So much for the second cause which is to appease his Father The third cause why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his bodie is to confound his enemies When Saint Paul the Apostle before his conuersion persecuted the Church of God Christ called to him from heauen and said Saul Saul why persecutest thou
Lillie and you shall soone perceiue Marke saies our Sauiour z Matth. 5.24 how the lillies of the field doe growe they labour not neither doe they spinne yee doe I say vnto you that euen Salomon in all his royaltie was not cloathed like one of these Now if God so cloath the flowers of the field which growe to day and to morrow are cast into the ouen how much more shall he cloath Dauids enemies with shame but vpon himselfe make his crowne flourish For euen as in Salomons Temple fiue candlesticks at the right side and fiue at the left standing before the Oracle and being made for matter of pure gold for forme with branches and flowers did well nigh dazil the eyes of any that entered into the Temple a 1 Reg. 7. â—9 so the Lord here giues his word that the Kings crowne shall euer flourish in the house of our God disparkling and displaying those rayes of Maiestie those beames of beautie which shall amaze the world and be a wonder as well to Angels as to men Wherefore as I said euen nowe of his enemies shame that it should be threefold so here I repeat the same againe of his crownes flourishing His crowne shall flourish in his owne conscience in the world in the day of iudgement Touching his owne conscience the blessed Apostle calleth the Philippians his ioy and a crowne b Phil. 4.1 And to the Thessalonians hee writeth thus What c 1. Thes. 2.19.20 is our hope or ioy or crowne of reioycing Are not euen you it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming yes yee are our glorie and ioy Now if this precious vessell of honour reioyced in nothing so much as in the testimonie of his conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God hee had his conuersation in the world the power of Gods spirit working still most mightily by his ministerie to the conuersion of the world to Christ how much more shall the Lords anointed haue his conscience crowned with flourishing ioy with comfort with content with heauenly peace when he shall remember that not onely for matters of religion and Gods true seruice hee hath beene and still is with Saint Paul profitable to the Church but also is a strong bulwark and a tower of defence to maintaine euen the outward felicitie and prosperitie of Gods people yea the very particular right wealth life of euery one of them all this I say and a 100 things more when he considereth what a great and a glorious instrument he hath beene euery way of Gods glory O Lord God what a heauen shall he haue in his heart what a sweet paradise of pleasure in his soule what security what assurance of Christs loue what a confident and vndaunted hope of eternall glory what a flourishing crowne of reioycing shall he haue men in his very conscience vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish Touching the world our holy Prophet speaking to God though in the third person yet of himselfe saies Thou hast preuented him with liberall blessings and hast set a crown of pure gold vpon his head His honour is great in thy salvation glory and great worship hast thou laid vpon him Now that crowne which is of gold yea of pure gold must needes be very flourishing euen in the viewe and face of the world Neither is this to be vnderstood of Dauids person onely but euen of his posterity in all ages to come How was he himselfe crowned with conquests and victories ouer his enemies How was his sonne Salomon crowned with riches with wisedome with same glory iâ— the whole world which flourishing of 〈◊〉 soone as of a noble branch graced in a â—â—â—ner the â—etie rooâ—e of Dauid himselfe For as his worthiâ— sonne teacheth Childrens children are the â—ed one of the elders c. Prou 17.6 and the glory of the children â—re their fathers Therefore as children may â—ustly glorie of the renowne of their fathers vertue and honour so the excellent father is in a sort crowned with happinesse in this world when he sees his childrens children like to grow vp and flourish after him But vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish Lastly touching the day of iudgement then then shall all the righteous flourish when as hauing beene faithfull vnto the death they shall receiue the crowne of life A crowne as S. Peter calleth it immortall and vndefiled 1. Pet. 1.4 and that fadeth not away Denying that euer it fadeth away he affirmeth that it euer flourisheth I would here be bold if I might doe it without offence as I hope I may to shew you one goodly cluster of grapeâ— of vhe land of Canaan a land flowing with milke and honie whether you are now going before you enter into it D. Thomas Bodleius qui plurâ—mis pulcherrimis libris Oxoniensem bibliothecam instruxit A worthie and verâ—â—us gentleman whom I neede not name in this place because no doubt many ages will name him and renowne him hereafter giueth for his armes three crownes with this posey Quarta perennis erit As if he should say these three crownes which I beare in my coat are but the difference of my house and gentry but Quarta perennis erit the fourth crowne which I look for in heauen shall be euerlasting and immortall That â—ourth though it bee but one crowne yet shall be worth all those three crowns yea three thousand more such as these are The fourth shall be eternall Now if he and we that are such aâ— he no question is faithfull to God and loyal to the chosen seruant of God may well hope for a most flourishing incorruptible crowne of glory then much more may Dauâ—d himselfe reioyce in God his Sauiour and say Quinta aut sexta perennis erit The fift or the fixt shall bee eterâ—all This crowne which God of his grace with his owne right hand and his holy arme 〈…〉 vpon mine head is indeede thankes and praise hee giuen vote the sâ—me God a very flourishing crowne flourishing in mine owne conscience flourishing in the world both for my person and for my posteritie But it is nothing in respect of that flourishing crowne which I shall receiue at the day of iudgement For the g Psal. â— â—2 iust shall flourish like a palme tree and shal grow like â— Cedar in Lebanon Such as hee planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God And then indeede shall this bountifull promise of God be most fully performed But vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame but vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish To drawe then to an â—ode it may seeme very strange that Dauid had any enemies Yet oâ—â— of these words As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame it may be well gathered that some he had What had Dauid meeke Dauid Lord