it quickeneth a bodie consisting of many different members all which it setteth on worke the eye to see the eare to heare the foot to goe c. euen so though the grace of God which is the soule of the soule of man be but one yet doth it animate the whole man and doth as truly communicate good manners to the parts as the Soule doth Life Titus 2. The grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all mâ—n teacheth vs to denie all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world Ephes 6. hereupon Saint Paul biddeth vs put on the whole armour of God and to cast away all workes of darknesse and in another place Whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are holy Rom. 13. Philip. 〈◊〉 whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are of good report thinke vpon these things Wee must haue not only a disposition to doe well but remember that wee are to doe well more wayes then one The same God that commandeth one vertue commandeth all and he will not haue any part or power of man exempted from his seruice Which must bee heeded by vs because there are few that are of Saint Pauls minde Philip. 3 13. to forget those things that are behind and make forward no sooner haue wee brought forth one good worke but we fall in loue with that and there take vp our rest and thinke that may serue insteed of all suffering Gods graces to be idle which are aswell able to make a chastâ—cie as a sober tongue and an obedient eare as a diligent hand Much more good might come from euery man if he did not thinke hee did good enough therefore let vs remember that nothing must bee accounted enough that is lesse then all and that wee set not straighter bounds to our duties then those which are in Gods Law But we haue not now to doe in generall with good workes my text restraineth me to workes of repentance I come then nearer to those And although I hane alreadie opened vnto you the nature of repentance yet must I wade a little farther in it and branch it as it were into its kinds The Law of God hath two parts the Precept and the Sanction The Sanction sheweth vnto vs the danger of sinne obliging vnto punishment from which wee are not free but by Iustification and this Iustification is attended with Repentance Repentance that looketh vnto the guilt of sinne which cleaueth vnto the Act thereof This Repentance is that which is practised in the times of Humiliation when we deprecate Gods wrath which is vpon vs or hangeth ouer vs by reason of enormous sinnes of the whole state and of particular persons 〈◊〉 2. Ionah 3. such is that which is called for in Ioel and whereof wee haue the practice in Ionah The Primitiue Church was well acquainted with it as appeareth by the Ecclesiasticall storie the Canons of the first Councels the writings of Tertullian Origen Cyprian and others our Church taketh notice of it in a part of the Liturgie and wisheth the publike restitution of it Tantae seueritati non sumus pares But it is rather to bee wished then hoped for Notwithstanding what is not done in publike by malefactors should be supplied by better obseruance of those dayes which are appointed weekly and of those weeks which are appointed yearely to be Poenitentiall to be dayes and weekes of Fasting and Praying Wee cannot denie but crying sinnes are daily committed and therefore Gods wrath might daily bee inflicted The way to stay it is to shew that wee are not guiltie thereof and as he is not guiltie by the Law of man which had no hand in sinne so by the Law of God none goe for not guiltie except they doe expresse a penitent sorrow that any should bee so wretched as to commit the sinne You remember how one Achan troubled all Israel and his sinne is layed to all their charge Ioshua the seuenth and they were all made to sanctifie themselues from that sinne and how the vnknowne murder was expiated wee reade Deut. 21. there must bee a feeling in vs of other mens sinnes a religious feeling seeing thereby they put not only themselues but vs to in danger of Gods wrath and therefore though our conscience haue no speciall burden of its owne yet must it haue of others and endeuour to ease both it selfe and the whole state thereof And how may priuate men better doe this then by those solemne acts of Humiliation the only attonement which by faith in Christ we can make with God But Saint Pauls complaint may be renewed 1. Cor. 5. It is reported commonly that there is fornication wee may adde Murder Adulterie and any other enormeous sinne the seates of Iudgement can witnesse that our Land is fertile of all sorts but as Saint Paul said so will I all men are puffed vp and who doth sorrow The emptinesse of our Churches vpon Fridayes and Wednesdayes and other Fasting dayes sheweth how litle feeling there is in vs of the crying sinnes of our State It were well if we had some feeling of our owne But where is that Drunkard where is that Adulterer where is that Murderer where is that Blasphemer that Vsurer that Oppressor that commeth into Gods House bathed in his teares broken in his heart stript of his pride humbled in his bodie and making a reall crie for mercie in the eares of God No wee come not so farre as a vocall our tongues crie not God bee mercifull to mee a Sinner which is but the voice of man much lesse doe our sighes doe it which are the voice of Gods Spirit we shame not to sinne Regis admirabilem virtutem fecit multò splendidiorem c. but to repent wee are ashamed Ashamed of that whereof we should glorie surely Theodoret thought better of King Dauids repentance when he pronounced of it There were many Heroicall vertues in King Dauid but for none is he so illustrious as for his repentance so much more illustrious by how much it is a rarer thing to see a King come from his Throne clothed in sackcloth sitting in dust and ashes feeding vpon the bread of sorrow and mingling his drinke with his teares then to see him in state either vttering Prouerbs like a Solomon or triumphing ouer his foes as at other times he also did Stultum est iâ—e eo statu viuere in quo non audet quis Mori or doing any other act in the maiestie of a King But most men are ashamed of this glorie and chose rather to glorie in their shame vnto whom I will vse Saint Austines words It is grosse folly to liue in that state in which a man would bee loth that death should take him hee addeth That the man which dareth goe to bed with a conscience charged with the guilt of one enormous sinne is much more desperate then he that dareth lie vnarmed with seuen
errours in Chronologie I will not trouble you with enumeration of them they that are learned may find them in the Chronologies the ignorant may find enough in the common Almanackes That which I will obserue vnto you is That our mercifull God hath so done his wonderfull workes that they ought to be had in remembrance and amongst other helpes of memorie God vseth this of Chronologie We should not thinke of these dates of times but we should refresh our memorie of that which was done at the beginning of that date God was pleased that the Israelites should so bee remembred of their deliuerance out of Egypt And the Church by whose ordinance the yeere of the Lord is so familiar in our tongues and in our pens would haue vs still thinke how much we are bound to God for the Incarnation of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Descend to smaller matters but yet of good regard when you find in your Almanacke the generall Earthquake the yeere eightie eight the Gun-pouder treason c. Consider with your selues that neither Gods iudgements nor his mercies ought to bee forgotten by vs. Yea this Chronologie must put vs in mind that neither our being nor our being that which we are be it good or bad was alwayes the same There was a time when it was otherwise with vs and the memorie thereof must not be buried in obliuion least we proue vnthankfull as certainely we will if we make not so good vse of the Chronologie And let this suffice concerning the first circumstance the circumstance of time the Beginning and Ending thereof Let vs now come to the second Circumstance of Place And here wee must first see Whence the Israelites came immediatly they departed from Rephidim a place of pressure and the last place where they conflicted with difficulties before they receiued the Law Exod. 17. Numb 33. There was no no water and there Amaleke set vpon them But God relieued them supplying them with water and giuing them victorie ouer their Enemies God did not giue them a Law before hee had giuen them good proofe of his gracious power hee made them feâ—â—e the extraordinary reliefe of his hand before hee spake vnto them with his voice thus dealt hee in deliuering of the old Testament And thus dealt Christ in deliuering of the New hee wrought miracles before hee preached Sermons And indeed this is a very likely way to preuaile with men to haue their reason first subdued before their faith bee informed When reason is first brought to confesse that which is done cannot be done but by a diuine power then will faith easily beleeue that what is spoken Iohn 3. is a diuine word Learne this of Nicodemus Master wee know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man could doe that which thou doest except God were with him Act 14 v. 16. So were the men of Lystra the jaylour and others brought to beleeue Another note is that there is great difference betweene Gods dealing with them before they came to Rephidim and when they came there For before they came there their deliuerance from their enemies was wrought by God without any concurrencie of theirs Exod. 14. v. 13. Feare you not saith Moses stand still and see the saluation of the Lord which hee will shew you to day But afterward when Amalek came and fought with Israel Exod. 17. v. 9. then Moses said vnto Ioshua Chuse vs out men and goe out fight with Amaleke c. I will pray Though God was pleased to deliuer them from their enemies yet not without their owne labour of body yea and deuotion of mind too after he had once set them free Therefore it was fit they should now haue a Law to guide them in their actions and in their deuotions and God giueth them one And vs whom preuenting grace doth first make Christians without any cooperation of ours afterward will God haue to be instruments to cooperate with him and that in this cooperation we follow his direction for hee loueth not wil-worship and therefore that wee may doe what pleaseth him in the seruice wherein hee vseth vs hee giueth vs for our Guide his sacred Law Thirdly whereas God first gaue them Victorie and Water at Rephidim and when they were free from bodily danger and prouided of food then God gaue them the Law We may here obserue Greg. Niss de vit mos p. 17â— that Homo supponitur in Christiano and our animall life must be prouided for that we may intend our spirituall Come we at length to the last Terme of this second Circumstance and that is the Place whether they came and where they setled This place was the wildernesse of Sinai they pitcht before that mount First the place was a wildernesse Philo Iudaeus inquires the reason De Deâ—â—log why God would giue his Law not in some Citie but in a vast Desert And though hee resolue modestly what is the true reason God onely knoweth yet doth he yeeld some likely reasons One is this because the worldly imployments of Citizens wherein their thoughts and desires are for the most part taken vp make all sinnes abound there both against the first and second Table and men so prepossest are not capable of good lawes Retirednesse from such imployments and solitarinesse which silence those clamorous and disturbing thoughts and affections open mens eares and hearts better to listen to God When wee are weaned from the world we are fitter to bee Gods Disciples to learne what he teacheth therefore God saith Ose 2. v. 14. ducam vos in solitudinem loquar ad Cor. This made many in the Primitiue Church to forsake Cities and the frequencies of people and in solitarie places to to giue themselues to spirituall contemplation Which custome degenerated long since into superstition whereof the Church of Rome hath too many spectacles in there Anchorites and Ermites mâ—ere hypocâ—ites which abuse the credulitie of the simple with their seeming holinesse A second reason which he giueth is that as Nauigators before they set to Sea are prouided of Tackling and other necessaries which they must vse at Sea so God was pleased to furnish the Israelites in their way with those Lawes which they were to make vse of when they came into the Holy-land You may if you please improue this reason mystically Canaan was a type of Heauen the wildernesse a type of the world which we must passe through the grace whereby we must liue in the world to come we must be furnisht with in this present world Glophy 〈◊〉 To leaue Philo Iudaeus take another from Cyrillus Alexandrinus Desertum typus Ecclesiae militantis a Desert is a type of the militant Church certainely this Desert was it did most liuely represent to the Israelites what they were by Nature and what they became by Grace This wildernesse was of it selfe a disconsolate place it had neither meate nor drinke for reasonable creatures yet did
made steward of Gods house a disposer of the secrets of the Kingdome of God an Oecumaenicall both Steward and Disposer Et ad haec quis idoneus No man that is not qualified by grace and by grace not only called but inabled thereunto as St. Paul was that was not only an Apostle but had also Apostolicall gifts But I said I would haue an eye to this present occasion wherefore I will enlarge this point as fitteth the present Auditorie The grace of a Minister is eyther inherent or assistant the first giueth Abilitie the second Authoritie by grace inherent hee vnderstandeth the Scripture by grace assistant hee hath power to retaine and remit sinne Of these two graces both are requisite to the being as it were of a Pastor there should be a sufficiencie in him vnto whom authoritie is giuen and hands should not be imposed on them which haue not a competencie of gifts And yet it falleth out too often that through the ambition of ignorant men and ouer-facilitie of those that haue power to lay on hands many weake yea wicked ones are honoured with that sacred calling whereunto themselues are no meane dishonour who in regard of the grace of inherence cannot say with St. Paul by the grace of God I am that I am inward grace in this kinde they haue plainely none I would they would redeeme this shame and not liue to bee scandalls of our Church But the sinne of such doth not impeach their power they are true though they are not fit Ministers Which must bee considered by those which factiously refuse or scrupulously forbeare to be Sheepe vnder such Shepheards or to communicate with them in sacred things although hee come short in regard of grace inherent yet God is not wanting to him in regard of grace assistant whether he dispence the Sacraments according to Gods ordinance or present according to the ordinance of the Church the peoples deuotion vnto God And let this suffice touching St. Paules Endowment I come now to his Employment And here I told you first that St. Paul did not neglect Gods gifts Gods grace bestowed vpon him was not in vaine Vaine is eyther emptie or idle emptie is that which hath a shew but no substance idle is that whose efficacie is not answerable to its abilitie The grace that St. Paul had was neither way vaine for he had Gods spirit indeed not in shew onely and his deeds did beare witnesse that Gods spirit was in him In this place the Apostle meaneth not so much emptinesse as idlenesse for though whatsoeuer is emptie must needs be idle yet whatsoeuer is idle is not emptie otherwise there could be no sinne of negligence whereof notwithstanding there is too much in the world Negligence of both kinde of graces of the grace of Adoption which is common to all the Church for how many be there whose vnderstanding God illightneth with the knowledge of the truth that neuer make vse of it in ordering of their liues but liue as if they knew neyther Creede nor ten Commandements how many good motions doth God kindle in the hearts of many a man who notwithstanding liueth frozen as it were in the dregs of his owne impure lusts and those good motions set him not a whit forwarder towards heauen Nay as water that hath beene warmed is apt to bee bound faster with the frost so after-lusts are the more violent by reason of former good motions But this is a foule neglect of Gods good gifts Wherfore let me remember you all in the Apostles words to follow his good example not to receiue the grace of God in vaine St. Paul did not the more grace he had the better he liued and so must we if there be light in vs it must shine forth from vs and they must feele the heat of our inward zeale that conuerse with vs outwardly in the world In a word wee must all walke in that spirit by which wee liue they that boast of Gods gifts let them shew the effects of them for I haue chosen you saith Christ that you may goe and beare fruit Gods grace that makes vs other men must make vs also profitable men As none of the Church must neglect the grace of Adoption so must not the Ministers neglect their grace of Edification they must not hide their talent consult with flesh and blood bee disobedient to the heauenly visions they must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stirre vp the grace of God blow off the ashes that would ouer-cast it sound the trumpet and giue timely Alarums be instant in season and out of season being salt wee must euer be seasoners of the world being light we must euer be dispelling the darkenesse of men being Architects wee must euer be building of Gods house being Husbandmen wee must euer bee labouring in Gods field finally being Shepheards we must euer be attending on Christs flocke so was St. Paul so must we Otherwise Gods grace is bestowed on vs in vaine our conscience cannot yeeld vs this good testimonie which St. Paul giueth here vnto himselfe it will rather challenge vs of our neglect and the grieuousnesse of our neglect will bee answerable to the gifts which wee receiue from God And God knowes there is too much of this neglect of our calling in many at whose hands God will require the blood of many perishing soules But I will dwell no longer vpon this first branch of St. Paules employment St. Paul did not neglect the gifts of God but vnto his vse of them there concurred more workers than one he doth specifie them and the preheminencie of eyther of them The workers are two St. Paul and Gods grace And here I must put you in minde that though in our first conuersion we are only passiue yet being conuerted we become actiue also God onely maketh vs new men but being new he will haue vs make vse of our new vnderstanding and our new will and our new affections he will haue vs vse them all And it were grosse for vs to neglect our selues when God hath giuen vs abilities which we may employ yea honoured vs so farre as to enable vs to work out our saluation and walke the waies that leade vnto eternall life neither doth hee euer deserue to come there that will not set forward that way And yet many such wretches haue you that leaue themselues to be carried to heauen by God while they giue themselues ouer-securely to fulfill their owne wicked lusts that hope well of God but themselues doe no good at all And as there bee such carelesse Christians so are there carelesse Ministers also who presuming vpon dabitur in illa hora do all things extempore preach pray and what not as if premeditation and studie did not concerne them but the spirit of God would alwaies supply them and giue them an extraordinarie abilitie But this is grosse presumption and dangerous also euen the high way vnto Enthusiasme Anabaptisme and all those mischieuous Sects the
hath liued a thousand yeares for he is readie for God and the longest time of our Pilgrimage if it be Methusalems age it can but make vs readie I will then enquire not how many dayes I haue spent but how much I haue profited profited in the waies of God And I haue profited so farre as to acknowledge that of my selfe I am but an vnprofitable seruant what I should I cannot doe but I doe that which I should not so that if I guesse at my readinesse by mine owne worth I am most vnreadie But I haue another valuation by my being in Christ my faith is stedfast in him my Hope hath cast an anchor in Heauen I feare not Gods iudgement against which my faith doth hearten mee I expect a Kingdome which my Hope doth promise mee And as for my loue though the world doth wooe me and my flesh doth often yeild to dally there with yet hath it none to whom it is deuoted with whom it is contented in comparison of God And what greater readinesse can I desire my Audit is made my arrerage paid I haue a Quietus est why doe I feare to come to my triall Nay the bargaine is made Heauen is purchased for mee I haue the Conueyance why doe I stay from taking possession Am I so senslesse as to affect the worse that am offered the better shall I dote vpon this house of clay my youth maketh it seeme better then clay though indeed it is no better a glased pitcher notwithstanding the lustre is but a pitcher and the verdure of youth is but a glosse set vpon a lumpe of earth cunningly wrought by the hand of the Potter age that weareth that glosse will discouer this clay And why should I murmure at God that is pleased to let me see quickly what in time I must needs see That I am brickle Neither am I onely brickle but the world is fraile also and all the things of this life whatsoeuer they promise they performe no perpetuitie to me Seing then sooner or later the world must leaue me and I must leaue the world let me leaue it rather sooner then later the lesse acquaintance the lesse griefe at the parting and indeed the longer I liue the more vnwilling shall I be to dye Now peraduenture I leaue behind me a father and a mother and leaue griefe vnto them for the losse of a child but I cannot so feelingly grieue as they when I depart from my parents because loue descendeth more then it ascendeth If I liue I may marrie and marriage doubleth the bitternesse of death when they that of two became one by death of one are made two againe And if God blesse me with posteritie how much more vnwilling shall I bee to die How hardly shall I indure to be rent from mine owne bowels I say nothing to the common infirmitie of Age which seemeth to haue appropriated vnto it selfe couetousnesse and who knoweth not how hardly the loue of money and death consort together But these are the weakest holdfasts that the world hath on me there are much stronger the hookes of sinne which where they catch so fasten euen vpon the Will which is in it selfe most free that it maketh men desire rather to bee slaues vnto Pharoah so they may feed on the flesh pots of Aegypt then to endure the difficult passage into Canaan though when they come there they shall be Princes of a land which floweth with milke and honie God then that knoweth what may alter me and of readie make me vnreadie dealeth more mercifully with me hee preuenteh that euill that might stay me from him and hauing prepared me calleth me vnto him Lord all seasons are in thy hand and thou hast appointed vnto me this season I blesse thee for it I submit my selfe to it if I bee ripe in thy Iudgement gather me though in mine owne Iudgement I am greene And thou which feest that although I now stand yet I may fall least I fall take me whilst I stand It doth not grieue me I am most willing to change earth for heauen to haue those windowes of my senses all broken downe that my Soule may be at libertie hauing no agent for the world to sollicite me from God I shall more freely more fully giue my selfe vnto him my vnderstanding to know him my heart to loue him and more shall I learne in one daies sight of God then in many thousand yeares I could haue gathered out of the Glasse of the world or Riddle of the Scripture And how base spectators are men on earth in comparison of the Saints in heauen who shall witnesse my seruice and behold my glorie Doe I loue my Parents I goe to better my best Father is in heauen and my best Mother is Hierusalem aboue the ioy that I foretaste for seeing them maketh me insensible of the heauie farewell I take of these I am not moued with their wealth which they haue stored vp for me and the land which they haue purchased is as nothing in mine eyes I shall haue a more induring substance a lot is fallen vnto me in a more pleasant place I haue a more goodly Heritage And why The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance and of my cup the Lord maintaines my lot Lord then teach me so to number my daies that I may measure them by righteousnesse and let me so interpret this thy summons by death as a warning to take shelter before a storme Hasten me on by grace that I be not long on my way to heauen and in my way lest I decline shorten more and more my passage so shall I be as willing in this morning of my age as I should be in the euening thereof to change my state and come to thee to passe from earth to heauen * ⎠* The old Mans Meditation PSALME 91. VER 16. With long life will J satisfie him and shew him my saluation EVerie man if a child of God is a double man and so leadeth a double life and longeth for a double good a corporall a spirituall that hee may hold out long in regard of the life of nature and withall be ponest of the life of grace Thus doubly happie would euerie one be but it is not the portion of euerie one Many haue shortned either the one life or the other if they haue liued vnto God their dayes in the world haue beene but few and of those which haue liued many dayes in the world how few of them haue they liued to God O my Soule then how blest art thou whom God hath blessed both wayes Blest thee in thy naturall life thou art growne till thou art ripe blest thee in thy spirituall life thy eyes haue seene the saluation of God The greatest blessing that God bestoweth vpon earth he hath bestowed on thee thou hast experienced the truth of the Apostles speech Pietie hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come For this life God
Saint Paul Rom. 6. speaking of Baptisme expresseth by Planting and he calls a Man newly baptised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 newly planted which word is frequent in the Councels Our note is We must acknowledge the prerogatiue of a Christian aboue other men which must carrie with it an acknowledgement of Gods speciall care vouchsafed the faithfull whereof Infidels haue no proofe they continue Wild whereas wee are Planted trees they lie in the dregs of Nature whereas we are brought to the state of Grace The second Good that is done to the Tree appeares in the Choice that is made of the Soyle It is no small benefit for a Tree to be planted but that is not enough it must also be fitted with conuenient ground otherwise much care might be ill spent here we haue choice ground it is locus irriguus well watered ground and such is commended for the growth of Trees especially if the waters bee artificially diuided and carried round about the Trees that they may yeeld nourishment to the root which way soeuer they spread and such is the site of our Tree it is not onely planted by the waters but also by the diuisions of waters it hath iuyce enough and that well disposed This is the outside of the resemblance but the inside teacheth vs that as we Christians are beholding to God the Father by whose care we are planted so are we to God the Sonne by whose Spirit wee are watered For indeed by Baptisme we are incorporated into Christ He is the soyle that beares the spirituall Trees Cap. 13. Hee is the Fountaine opened to the house of Israel for cleansing mentioned in Zacharie Cap. 4. He is a Well of liuing waters springing vnto eternall life whereof we read in Saint Iohn Hee is the waters that streaming from the Sanctuarie ran into the Dead Sea Ezek. 47. and were both Sanantes and Viuificantes healed the Trees that grew on the bankes thereof and made them beare fruit abundantly both which properties are necessarily required for a transplanted Tree that it may cease to bee what it was and become what it should be And wee doe finde a mortifying and a quickening grace in Christ abolishing our Old Man and reuiuing the New Finally there are in Christ Riui aquarum Ioh. 7. He that beleeueth in me saith Christ out of his belly shall flow riuers of waters of life yea as wee haue manifold diseases and wants so may wee finde manifold remedies and supplies in Christ His grace doth compasse vs on euerie side and is at hand euerie where to steed vs. So good choyce hath God made of the Soyle wherein to plant the Trees and so well are Christians prouided for that are made members of Christ And so haue I opened vnto you the good that is done for this Tree let vs now goe on and see what good comes of it And wee shall finde that as it receiued so it yeelds a double good for it proues welll and is well approued it proues well whether you looke to the Principall or to the Accessorie Good which is expected of a Tree The Principall Good is to beare good Fruit and so doth this it bringeth forth fruit Fructus comes from fruor it must bee such a thing as is vsefull not briers or thornes that scratch and spoile of which kinde there is more then enough appearing as well in mens liues as growing vpon Trees Whereupon it comes to passe that the Prouerbe is changed and in stead of Homo homini Deus wee may now say Homo homini Daemon Men liue not for their mutuall good but ruine As that which a Tree beares must be Fruit so must hee bring it forth Those that are planted in the Church must not conceale the grace they haue receiued no more then a Tree doth his sap Wee glorie in the discouerie of rich metals and precious stones that nature hath buried in the earth and the sea wee suffer nothing of this great world to lye hid we loue to bring it forth to behold to shew it so should we deale with the gifts and graces which God hath treasured vp in this our little world No Tree should striue more to send forth fruits then wee to bring forth workes But we must looke that the Works be good as the Fruit of this Tree is It hath the two markes of good Fruit set vpon it it is kindly it is timely Lignum rationale saith Hilarie dat fructum non confusè non importunè As the naturall so the spirituall Tree bringeth forth fruit neither confusedly nor vnseasonably Let vs behold these two properties first in the Naturall then in the Spirituall Tree First let vs see how kinde it is Profert fructum suum Suum is a Relatiue and lookes backe vnto the good that is done for the Tree the first appeares in the care of him that of a wilde Tree madâ— it a planted Tree and it must not degenerate againe and beare Fruit answerable to his former stocke being a generous Vine it must not beare wilde Grapes nor sower Oliues being made partaker of the Sweetnesse of the true Oliue Tree The Children of God must not liue like the Sonnes of men neither must the members of the second Adam liue as if they were members of the first We are offended when we see such degenerating in the Trees of our Orchard it were to be wished we dâ—d not approue it in our selues that are of the garden of God The ouerflowing of Atheismes Heresies and impurities doe testifie to the world that we beare vnkindly fruit But Suum His fruit refers not onely to the Husbandmans care but also to the fruitfulnesse of the soyle and so requires not onely a good nature but a good measure also For a Tree to beare scant fruit where there is good store of iuyce must needs be vnkindly and it is not kindly for men to be sparing in doing well who are rooted so neere vnto the Fountaine of grace For him that hath fiue talents to yeeld but two or him that hath ten to yeeld but fiue will make but a bad accompt seeing God expects that men shall render according to that which they doe receiue Moreouer Suum doth import a respect to the doer and also vnto others as it is ioyned with Profert Looke vpon it and you shall finde that grace gâ—ueâ— abilitie to doe well but the Faculties of our soule seasoned with grace are they that are exercised in well doing therefore is the worke reputed ours as the Fruit is reputed to be borne by the branch of the wilde Oliue though it be beholding to the new stocke of whose fatnesse and sweetnesse it doth partake for that it is able to beare such Fruit It is no small honour that God doth vs in that he makes his gifts so become ours But as Suum giues vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Possession and Proprietie of the worke so Prefert cals for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or
this respect wee may loue our selues more then others But to shut vp this point with some few obseruations The first is That seeing our Loue towards our neighbour must bee such as you haue heard you see how little brotherly and neighbourly Charitie there is in the world there bee few that obserue the Measure prescribed by Nature scarse any dreame of that which is prescribed by Grace Secondly you see that the loue of our neighbour must not bee mercinarie as for the most part the worlds is for who is hired to loue himselfe Or who seeketh for any other reward of that affection but only the loue of himselfe The Loue of our neighbour should be as free yea it should be cloathed with all the properties which before I specified First Sinceritie secondly Realitie thirdly Tendernesse and fourthly Constancie Thirdly you see that we must not loue our neighbour either in peccato or ad peccatum we must neither cherish any man in sinne neither may we tempt him to commit it And why We must not so loue our selues Qui amat iniquitatem odit animam suam such an affection is not Loue but hatred deadly hatred which leadeth vnto eternall death Fourthly and lastly you see that as we must bridle our selues and our lusts least we sinne and afflict our Soules if we haue sinned so must wee deale with our Neighbor also hold in as many as we can though against their wils to preuent their sinning And if they haue fallen we may not suffer their wounds to fester though we put them to smart and paine yet must we endeauour their reformation De Trinit S. Austins rule is worth our obseruing Potest odium blandire charitas saeuire radicem inspice attende verba illa blanditur vt decipiat Psal 141. haec saeuit vt corrigat Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindnes let him reproue me it shall be a excellent oyle which shall not breake my head Christ doth so chastise his Church and God those whom he reputes children and not bastards Heb. 12. But enough of the limitation A word or two of the comparison and so I end I told you it is not a comparison of equalitie because this second Commandement is but like the first And indeed how should there bee equalitie in the Loues when there is so much inequalitie in the Persons But Christ putteth it out of all doubt in the Gospell when he telleth vs that We must forsake yea hate father mother brother sister yea euen our owne selues and liues if they come in competition with our Loue of Christ and the Gospell which is all one with the Loue of God Though there be no equalitie betweene the Loues yet there is a good Correspondencie for the second Commandement is like the first it floweth from it and beareth the very Image of it so like that Saint Iohn concludeth that He that doth not loue his brother whom hee hath seene 1 Iob 3. neuer loued God whom he hath not seene It is the best way to know whether a man be a counterfeit in his obseruance of the first Commandement by trying how he keepeth the second But take notice of three or foure points wherein the likenesse standeth First in Obiecto for a man in his Neighbour must loue nothing but God Secondly in Subiecto for this Loue must take vp all the powers of man as the Loue of God did though with a subordination And it makes the straitest knot straiter then either consanguinitie or affinitie or any other kind of societie Thirdly in Fructu a double fruit for it bringeth forth all the duties of the second Table as the Loue of God did the duties of the first It bringeth them forth most readily most cheerefully for what will hee sticke at that Loues Mat. 25. And it reapeth the very same fruit which the former did which is eternall life When I was an hungred yee fed me saith our Sauiour come yee blessed possesse the kingdome c. Fourthly in Duratione It lasteth as long as the other doth that is it is euerlasting for Charitie neuer fals away no more then doth the communion of Saints I omit other resemblances onely this I note concerning both Charities that they must be begun in this life Gal 5. otherwise wee shall neuer haue them in the life to come for it is a fruit of the Spirit after this life God giueth not his spirit therefore he giueth not Charitie from hence men carrie the Spirit and with it Charitie in hell there can be no charitie because none carrie the spirit thither I conclude The Ecclesiasticall storie reporteth that S. Iohn the Euangelist the beloued Disciple and chiefe Doctor of Loue as appeares by his Epistles when he grew so old that hee was caried to Church and could Preach no longer vsed to say nothing at all Church meetings to them that came to him but onely Filioli diligite inuicem Children Loue one another Children loue one another and being asked why he reiterated it he said Quia preceptum Domini est sisolum fiat sufficit Hier. in Epist ad Gal. there needed no other lesson to keepe all things well Sure I am there is no lesson more needfull in these bloudy in these malitious dayes and therefore insteed of a longer conclusion I will vse to you and I pray God I vse it not in vaine a Tautalogie or sacred ingemination not much vnlike vnto that of S. Iohn Loue your neighbors as your selues Loue your neighbors as your selues Loue your neighbors as your selues This Grace God graunt vs all for the publike good of Christendome and the priuate of euerie Societie through Iesus Christ To whom with the Father c. The ninth Sermon MATT. 22. VERSE 39. Vpon these two depend all the Law and the Prophets IN our inquiries wee desire to know not only what is true but also vpon what ground we may acknowledge it to be so neither are our doubts fully satisfied except we be informed of both Therefore our Sauiour Christ that vouchsafed an answere to the Pharisees question so answereth that he leaues no place for farther dispute for what he affirmed that hee confirmes he proues soundly that the Loue of God and our Neighbour so described as you haue heard deserue to bee accounted the Great Commandement and the proofe is contained in these words that now I haue read vnto you The summe of it is this That which is the briefe of the Bible may well goe for the great Comandement but the loue of God and our Neighbour are such a briefe therefore there is no question but they may iustly challenge that title of preheminence and we must acknowledge what Christ saith in Saint Marke that there are none greater then these But to open the Text a little more fully wee will consider therein first seuerally the parts of the Bible which are the Law and the Prophets and the contents of those
whose hands he knew he should haue no thankes for his labour So to confesse must needes be an ingenuous Confession And indeed such an ingenuous Confession doth well beseeme all in debates of Religion For it fals not out in them as it doth in the Games of Actiuitie wherein onely he that conquereth is crowned the conquered also shall haue his crowne in this case if being conuicted hee acknowledge and submit himselfe vnto the truth It were to bee wished that the World would imitate this Ingenuitie that God might forgiue vs our infirmities and giue vs grace to profit in the way of eternall life But the World is possest with a spirit of obstinacie so that men will not be perswaded though they bee perswaded nor conuicted when they are conuicted bee it in head or heart When wee deale with Papists or Anabaptists we haue too lamentable proofe hereof they carrie themselues like deafe Adders they stop their eares and will not heare the voyce of the Charmer charme he neuer so wisely But to leaue the absent and direct my speech to our selues that are present Are our Hearts better disposed then their Heads I would they were but experience teacheth that though our sinnes bee laid neuer so clearely before vs and Gods Law that condemnes them often applied close to our Conscience yet few there are that become sensible as Dauid was vpon Nathans reproofe or as the Niniuites were at the preaching of Ionas The want of this Ingenuitie is the cause why drunkards sweareas adulterers all wicked liuers notwithstanding all our instruction continue still like vnto themselues But let them take heed their obstinacie will one day cost them deare they will be put vnto a worse shame for perseuering in sinne Eccle 4 Aust Epist â—8 then euer their Repentance coulde bring vpon them You haue heard one branch of the Scribes Ingenuitie manifested in his acknowledgment of the truth when he heard it But hee doth not onely acknowledge but he doth iustifie it also hee sheweth that he is able soundly to confirme it And indeed this is compleate Ingenuitie when a man doth not onely yeeld when he hath nothing to say against the truth but also goeth farther and becomes an Aduocate thereof shewing the reason that moues him and may moue others to subscribe vnto it See how this Scribe doth it To loue God with all our heart saith he and our Neighbour as our selfe is better then all burnt offering and sacrifice Nothing could come in competition with Morall Law but the Ceremoniall giuing it then preeminence aboue the Ceremoniall he giues it absolute preeminence and so prooues Loue to be the great Commandement following herein the direction of God himselfe in Esay Osea Amos Cap. 1. Cap. 6. Cap. 5. Cap. 7. and Ieremie I haue handled this point vpon the fiftie one Psalme and therefore intend to passe by it at this time onely giuing you this rule whereby you may the better iudge of his proofe Charitie pleaseth God immediately of it selfe Sacrifices please not but in vertue of Charitie But marke how with this his Reason hee doth perstring his fellowes You know the Pharisees were for their Corban Irenie i. â— c. 323 and taught children to disobey and destitute their parents rather then not to performe their sacrifice which Doctrine of theirs this Scribe acknowledgeth to be most peruerse a fruit of couetousnesse Of whom we may learne this good lesson that we must not perfunctorily read the Scriptures but learne by them how to argue for them by knowing what is contained in them and weying what will follow vpon them Secondly marke that whereas this Questionist came as a Tempter he so profited by Christs answere that hee went away a commender of Christ which ingenuitie of his makes it probable that of himselfe hee was well disposed but carried away with ill companie of which sort no doubt but there are many in the Church of Rome many that rather follow the streame then their owne iudgement whose vnhappinesse it is to be so vnhappily yoked which must teach vs to take heed how we sort our selues with malicious aduersaries of the truth least wee become like vnto them at least be made instruments of theirs Finally obserue that Christ hath a greater conquest ouer the Pharisees then he had ouer either the Herodian or the Sadducee for he onely put them to silence so that it was left wholy to the Auditorie to iudge whether they were fully answered or no but the Scribe that thought to speed better is driuen to a harder straight hee is driuen to confesse and that before the people that Christ had answered the truth hee that thought to procure his disgrace is made the trumpet of his prayse and glorie so strangely doth God worke in the hearts and consciences of men according to that in the Psalme He receiued gifts for men euen for his enemies that the Lord God might dwell amongst them and to this purpose are his arrowes said to be verie sharpe and to pierce the hearts of the Kings enemies Psal 45. the preparation of the heart is of man but the answere of the tongue is of the Lord Baalam went to curse the Israelites God made him blesse them Saul went to take Dauid God made him prophesie of his succession the messengers went to take Christ but they returned with this commendations of him Neuer man spake as he speaketh Saul went to persecute the Christians of Damascus but on the way hee was so changed that when he came thither he preached the Gospell So doth the rage of man turne to Gods praise and the fiercenesse of their Spirits doth he refraine hee turneth Lyons into Lambes And thus much shall suffice to be spoken of the Scribes Ingenuitie I come now to Christs Clemencie the clemencie wherewith he entertained that Ingenuitie the Text saith first that he tooke notice of it he saw that he answered discreetly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is significant as one hauing a reasonable soule The proper obiect of our vnderstanding is Truth it is naturally carried thereunto and so is the will to Good the the naturall obiect thereof But these reasonable abilities are diuerted and peruerted by our sense and sensuall appetite which beset vs and which we are desirous to please Whereupon it followes that though men be reasonable creatures yet are their resolutions for the most part carnall so that it is no small commendation for a man to bee able to sequester in his consultations the better part from the worse and notwithstanding the solicitations of the worse to follow the direction and inclination of the better as did this Scribe And what he did Christ saw his piercing eye discerned not onely the words which he spake but the fountaine also from whence they sprang otherwise he would not haue spared after his custome to haue told him plainely that hee was an hypocrite But Christ is so farre from blaming him that hee seemeth rather
to encourage him For which is a second branch of his Clemencie he tels him that he is not farre from the Kingdome of God There are two things in the Law first the Depth and secondly the End of it both which the Pharisees misunderstood The Depth as it appeares Matth. 5. where Christ shewes how shallowly they did vnderstand it The End for that they so rested in the perfection of the Law that they litle thought of the reliefe which mans inability to perform the same was to receiue from the Gospell and therefore they stumbled at the doctrine of Christ who neuer meant to derogate ought from the Law considered in it selfe but to discouer mans weaknesse the conscience wherof should make him flie vnto the Gospell This Scribe seemes to haue had a reasonable vnderstanding of the Depth of the Law but hee was not come so farre as to haue an vnderstanding of the End thereof Notwithstanding because the knowledge of the Depth is a good step to the knowledge of the End therefore our Sauiour Christ tels him he is not farre from the Kingdome of God By the Kingdome of God or of Heauen the Scripture vsually vnderstands the Gospell that is the way vnto eternall blisse Now seeing Christ is the end of the Law and the Law is a Schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ he that doth well vnderstand the Law how the Morall exceeds the Ceremoniall and how much the Morall requireth at the hands of men as this Scribe did if he do but trie himselfe thereby he will see what need he hath of the Gospell and may be perswaded to embrace it Therefore doth Christ tell him that hee is not farre from the Kingdome of God Non abest procul abest tamen A man that is almost at the top of the water may aswell bee drowned as hee that lieth in the bottome therefore a man must not content himselfe to bee almost a Christian as Agrippa did he must be altogether if he meane to be saued Therefore Christ in these words wils the Scribe to build forward and to supply that which he wanted of the meanes to life Obserue here how Christ would not breake a bruised reed nor quench a smoking flaxe because of his ingenuitie hee handled him gently Teaching vs how odious vnto him a Romish butcherie is and that we in dealing with Aduersaries of the Truth must follow the Apostles rule In meeknesse instructing them that are contrarie minded 2 Tim. c. 2. if God at any time will giue them repentance vnto the knowledge of his truth Especially if we see them preferre the truth before their owne priuate affections and not resist the Holy Ghost What became of this Scribe the Scripture doth not teach vs it is not vnlikely but that afterward he beleeued in Christ and that his ingenuitie made good vse of Christs clemencie I haue opened vnto you the comfortable confusion of him that moued the question they that set him a worke also were confounded but their confusion was damnable For though their mouthes were stopped yet their heart was not stopped their heart was not changed they continued malicious still They asked him no more questions no more serpentine questions otherwise questions they did aske him but hauing by their perplexing temptations laboured in vaine for that still they had the worst Yea and which vexed them more Christ by answering them got honour amongst the people who wondred at his readinesse and wisdome Luke 13. they therefore gaue ouer playing the Serpents and turned Lions The next newes wee heare of them is that they contriue and compasse the death of Christ And this is the right Method of the world when disputations and bookes will not make good a bad cause nor beare out errour and falsehood then the sword is set a worke to doe what the tongue or pen cannot and the bloud of Gods seruants is spilt to satiat cruell minds This Age hath too lamentable proofe thereof all our neighbour countries be turned into shambles of the Church But wonder not at it for Venena inuidiae possunt superari sed difficulter quiescere Malice may be ouerawed but it will neuer bee idle if it may worke with opportunitie Therefore I told you that their confusion was Damnable Damnable seeing their reason was conuicted and yet they persecuted Christ I will dwell no longer vpon this point because I toucht it in part before in this and also in the first Sermon Onely obserue that which Saint Paul hath God maketh the wisedome of this world foolishnesse and taketh the craftie in their wilinesse so that we may say with him Where is the Scribe God puts into the mouthes of Christs aduersaries such an answere as that they confirme his Doctrine and Testimonium ab Aduersario validissimum Moreouer their answere cleares the innocencie of Christ when they were still confounded that sought to haue iust cause against him And no wonder for he that foyled the Father of temptations could not be foyled by any of his Children One point more and so I end It is a note of Saint Chrysostomes tentando Iudaei sibi acquisiuerunt confusionem nobis prouiderunt salutem the Temptations wherewith Christ was exercised by the Iewes occasioned him to deliuer many excellent lessons for the instruction of his Church So did God bring light out of darknesse and how many excellent tracts haue the Fathers written which had neuer come from them if their industrie had not beene whetted by the enemies of the truth And the same prouidence at this day sets the Orthodoxe a worke to looke more and more into the mysteries of the Kingdome of Heauen enabling them to stop the mouthes of gaine sayers and to bring their Charge forward to the measure of the age of a perfect man in Christ I conclude you haue heard of exemplarie discretion and confusion discretion of Christ confusion of Christs aduersaries You shall doe well to imitate Christs discretion learne of him to be not onely Innocent as Doues but wise as Serpents If our words be poudred with such salt they are most likely to yeeld grace vnto the hearers As for the confusion of Christs aduersaries let vs take heed of the damnable confusion that doth but helpe men forward to fill vp the measure of their sinnes in this world that they may haue the greater measure of plagues in the world to come But let vs set before vs the comfortable confusion let vs be euer ready to shew our ingenuitie that we may haue experience of Christ clemencie Onely let vs take care not onely to begin well but also to goe on not onely to come neere vnto but also to enter into the Kingdome of God that Christ which is as ready to encourage as to discerne our good disposition may establish vs in grace and crowne vs with glorie who onely can so worke vs readily to obey that he may blesse our endeauours and receiue vs in the end with those comfortable words
the more choice God had the more grace hee vouchsafed to them whom hee chose so that wee must resolue the words thus Although all the world be mine yet thou shalt be to me and so the Offer will appeare absolutely free What shall we say then vnto these things Surely as God hath little cause by reason of our vilenesse to ioy that wee are His so wee haue great cause by reason of our happinesse to ioy that God is ours who would be ambitious after any woddly thing that may be partaker of this gracious prerogatiue And all Nations may partake of it It is true that these words were spoken to Israel and therefore the Iewes at this day count all Nations slaues beside themselues appropriating vnto themselues this Prerogatiue but their pride should blush when it considers that God hath so many hundred yeares stript them of their spirituall ornaments and made them corporall slaues to all the World 1 Epist 2. Saint Peter applies this very text vnto Christians and the foure and twentie Elders confesse thus vnto Christ Reuel 5. Thou hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud out of enerie kindred and tongue and people and nation and hast made vs vnto our God Kings and Priests These words then belong to Vs Rom. 11.20 yet must wee not bee high-minded but feare Gen 49. if Israel lost his primogeniture so may we God may say to vs as Iacob said to Reuben for his sinne Non excelles thou shalt bee disinherited Hos 1.9 Gnammi may become Lo-Gnammi they are Gods people may cease to bee his people What is the way to preuent it Surely dutie to consider of this gracious Prerogatiue and indeuour carefully to partake thereof If we esteeme it as it deserues and desire it as we ought we shall not faile to haue it and by it be entred into the houshold of Saints those Saints whose memory wee solemnize this day for they became such by this Prerogatiue and this Prerogatiue will make vs such if wee bee Gods peculiar treasure here on earth wee shall be it much more in the kingdome of heauen by how much our gold shall be freer from drosse and no cloud shall dimme our precious jewels If we be Kings here in the state of grace our kingdome is but like that of Dauid full of warre but when wee come to heauen our kingdome shall be like that of Salomon it shall bee a kingdome of peace And our Priest-hood which is now often interrupted and neglected often shall neuer depart from before God and wee shall sacrifice to him day and night Finally holy wee are now rather in the good purpose of our minde then in the performance of our life but then we shall bee Trees of life euer laden with kindly fruit fit to honour to cheare both God and men LEt vs all pray for and God grant vnto vs all such a beginning of this gracious Prerogatiue in this life that we may haue the full consummation thereof with all the Saints departed in the life to come Amen Remember me O Lord with the fauour of thy people visit me with thy saluation That I may see the felicitie of thy chosen and reioyce in the ioy of thy people and glorie with thine inheritance Psal 116. The fifth Sermon EXODVS 19. VERS 5. Now therefore if yee will obey my voice c. Then shall yee be c. IN the first message which from mount Sinai God sent by Moses vnto Israel I haue told you heretofore that there are contained two remarkable points the first sheweth what God requires the second what God offers I told you then also that the Text leadeth me to consider these two points first seuerally then ioyntly I haue already considered them seuerally I haue shewed you what they meane it remaineth that I now consider them ioyntly that I shew you how they depend one vpon the other And this Obseruation I draw from the reference of these two particles If and Then If yee shall obey my voice c. Then yee shall be vnto me c. But to deale more distinctly Out of this reference we may draw too good Obseruations The first Wee must not exspect what God doth offer except we performe what God doth require for thus speaketh the Text If yee shall heare my voice and keepe my Couenant Then shall yee bee vnto me c. The second We may not slicke at that which God requires because that which God offers doth infinitely exceed it that will be euident if wee compare them as they are laid downe in the Text Yee shall be vnto me a peculiar treasure aboue all people a Kingdome of Priests an holy Nation If you heare my voice and If you keepe my Couenant Now there is no comparison betweene these Out of these two Obseruations doe arise two other for this reference will teach vs that Our faith and our Charitie must goe before our Hope for wee must heare Gods voice which is the worke of faith and keepe Gods Conenant which is the worke of Charitie before we can exspect to be Gods peculiar treasure a Kingdome of Priests an Holy Nation which blessings are the matter of our Hope And backe againe Our Hope must keepe in heart both our Faith and Charitie for he that is thus resolued that he shall bee Gods peculiar treasure a King to him and his Priest finally Holy to the Lord no doubt no danger will stay him will quell him from hearing Gods voice and keeping Gods Couenants he that so hopeth will beleeue and loue God These are the particulars wherewith I will endeauour God willing to order and quicken yours and mine owne faith hope and charitie I pray God wee may all so listen to them as those that meane to liue by them But before I open them vnto you I must acquaint you with a difference of Gods spirituall promises of them some are Absolute some are Conditionals wee may not confound them Absolute are all those prophecies of the Messias to come and the worke of Redemption foretold and presigured in the Old Testament whereof in the New we read the full accomplishment they take vp the first part of our Creed and of all these absolute promises Gods saying in Esay is true My counsell shall stand and I will accomplish all my will Cap 46. mauger all the infidelitie of man and the machinations of Satan without great absurditie yea impietie cannot these promises bee conceiued to depend on the will of any ereature Angell or man Conditionall promises are those which concerne particular persons or states participation of Christ incorporation into the Church fruition of crernall life of all these the rule of Saint Austin is true Quifecit te sine te non saluabit te sine te euerie person euerie state must put their hands to this worke or else it would neuer goe forward My Text doth containe a Promise of this later sort a Conditionall not an Absolute
God then it can be by any man The second difference is in the measure a double measure of the stroake and of the time Touching the stroake Nazianzen obserues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naziá Orat. 15. p. 228. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in this world God doth allay his seueritie with mercie but they that shall be punished in the world to come shall drinke the very dregges of the cup of his wrath the iudgements in this life are but the smoke of wrath the preface vnto torments such stripes as Schoolemasters giue vnto little children that learn their A.B.C. But the iudgments in the world to come they are more then smoke they are the flaming fire it selfe read Mal. 3.4 they are more they the preface to torments they are the torments themselues so we read of the rich Glutton that he was in the torments Finally they are more then childrens smart they are the stripes of the oldest Truants such as are prouided for the Deuill and his Angels Eâ—eck 8.18 Then God will deale in his furie his mercie will not spare neither will hee haue pitie and though they crie in his eares with a loud voice hee will not heare them If any bodie desire to know more of the measure of the stroake let him reade the Prophets they are copious in amplifying the terrour of the Lords Day Besides this measure of the stroake there is a measure also of the time for in this world afflictions are but momentanie in the world to come they are eternall here heauinesse may continue for a night but ioy commeth againe in the morning as God doth not suffer all his indignation to arise so is he very quickly reconciled so quickly that it scarce can be remembred that he was offended certainly it is too vsually forgotten But in the world to come wrath is permanent Affliction as Nahum speaketh ariseth not the second time the worme neuer dieth neither doth the fire euer goe out This being the oddes in the measure it proueth that in comparison that which is inflicted in this life deserueth not the name of wrath especially if you adde the third difference the difference in the End Saint Austine doth giue vs a distinction of wrath Conâ— 2. â—â— Psal 58 â—a consunâ—ptiâ—nis Ira consummationis and telleth vs that there is a wrath consuming and a wrath consummating a wrath which God inflicts to make men the better and a wrath which God inflicts therewith vtterly to destroy men that is the wrath which he inflicteth in this life and this is the wrath which hee inflicteth in the life to come And indeed God in this life doth not punish man but the Deuill God reserueth mans punishment to the life to come The corruption that is in our nature is the Deuils possession in working out that God worketh out him and it is his intent to worke him out his stroakes here are like a physicall potion giuen to a sicke bodie not to abide in him but when it hath drawne vnto it selfe the matter of his disease to be cast out againe with the humour that did offend him This is the true end of Gods chastisements in this world But it is as true that this physicke doth not alwayes sort this effect the fault is not in the potion but in the stomacke that taketh it if the stomacke haue strength to make vse of the potion then doth it recouer thereby but if it want strength then doth the potion increase the peccant humours and augment the patients disease The wicked for want of grace are the worse for their punishment it proueth vnto them wrath of consumption but they that haue grace are the better wrath to them is better then laughter as the Preacher speaketh because by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better â—celes 7. and chastisement bringeth forth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse to them that are exercised thereby Heb. 12.11 yea Maior ira quädo Deus non requirit Saint Austine obserues well God is most displeased with vs in this world when hee is displeased least and his long patience here doth prognosticate his heauier vengeance hereafter it maketh it suspitious that we are bastards and no sonnes if seeing such is our infirmitie that wee cannot but sinne wee bee not timely reclaimed by chastisement of sinne But to shut vp this point that which proceedeth from loue and is executed with so tender a hand to so good a purpose as is our perfection doth not deserue the name of wrath this name belongeth more properly to that punishment which proceedeth from Gods hatred and is executed without mercie to the eternall destruction of man and that is The wrath to come therefore is the day thereof properly called The day of wrath and the persons that suffer then are properly The vessels of wrath In the number of which that we may not be we must harken to the Remedie And the Remedie is flying flie from the wrath to come if the Remedie be flying then there is no standing to it no trauersing of our indictment no bribing of our Iudge no priuiledge of our persons no reliefe from our strength no standing to it by these or any other meanes we must flie But flying is either corporall or spirituall the corporall will be attempted it should seeme so by Christs relation in the Gospel and Saint Iohn saith in the Reuelation Reuel 6 that Captaines and rich men and great men shall flie to the rockes to the hils and desire to be couered to be hid from the wrath of the Lambe but all in vaine for they are reiected by rocks and hilles And indeed whether should they flie then when all the world becommeth Gods jayle and euery creature becommeth his jaylour yea the showre that doth attend Christs comming to judgement is a showre of snares Psal 7. Amos 5.19 and the Prophets Amos especially doth excellently shew the vanitie of this flight It shall be as if a man did flie from a Lion and a Beare met him and he runneth from the Beare vnto a wall and there a Serpent biteth him that is whithersoeuer he turne he shall find those that will seize vpon him he cannot possibly escape not by flying corporally He must then flie spiritually and indeed it is spirituall flight that is the Remedie But what is spirituall flight Surely wee must conceiue and bee in trauell with amendment of our liues and neuer stop vntill we haue brought forth a compleate spirit of saluation that is we must flie from sinne and flie vnto grace in both which consisteth the flight from wrath Quem poenit et peccati iram Der mortalem facit Lactantius de ira Dâ—â— Hee that iudgeth himselfe in this world he whose heart is prickt with remorse of sinne whose heart trembleth melteth and is broken with the feare of Gods wrath hee that singeth the song of mercie and layeth hold vpon the Mercie-seat desiring
to be made a vessell of mercie this man flyeth and the more he exerciseth himselfe in these the swifter he flyeth from the wrath to come But to come closer to the text flight from the wrath to come is the benefit of Baptisme for these Iewes came to the Baptisme and Saint Iohn mouing then this question thereupon doth shew that flight from the wrath to come is the right vse of Baptisme Baptismus aqua est sed quae igneÌ„ aeternum possit extinguere which Nazianzen doth wittily intimate when he saith that Baptisme is such a water as is able to quench the eternall fire Saint Peter more plaine in his Paralel of Baptisme to Noahs Arke sheweth that in Baptisme there is to be considered not the washing away of the filth of our flesh but a good Conscience maketh request vnto God through the resurrection of Iesus Christ This is the manner of flight But from what must wee flie Marke From wrath from wrath to come From wrath there is the stroake which wee feele and the stampe of Gods displeasure in that stroake that wherewith wee must be moued most and from which we must especially flie is Gods displeasure which is the sharpest part of the stroke As good men out of grace in this world when they repent doe grieue more for that they haue offended God then that they haue cast themselues in danger of Hell so by Gods prouidence to the damned shall the losse of Gods fauour be more gricuous then the torments of Hell which is answerable to the nature of sinne wherein auersion from God is more grieuous then the conuersion to the world therefore in our flight our eye must bee principally not vpon the stripes which wee might feele but vpon Gods disfauour Thus must we flie from wrath And our flying from it must be whiles it is yet wrath to come no flying from it when it is present there is no Oyle to bee bought by the foolish Virgins when the Bridegroome is come Noah entred the Arke before the floud came Lot went out of Sodome before it rained fire and brimstone the children of Israel sprinkled the bloud of the Paschall Lambe on their doores before the destroying Angell slue the first-borne of Egypt in Ezekiel in the Reuelation the seruants of God are marked and sealed before Gods wrath is executed all these are but Types signifying that if we meane to escape wee must take aduantage of the time agree with our Aduersarie in the way Luke 12. left hee passe vs ouer to the Iudge the Iudge to the Serieant the Serieant to the Goaler neuer to bee released vntill wee haue paid the vtmost farthing then hath God no eares to heare our crie no eyes to pitie our state but Wisdome will laugh at our destruction and reioyce when our feare commeth wherefore prouide Phisicke before thou art sicke and Righteousnesse before Iudgement You haue heard the Euill and the Remedie the miserie of these Iewes was this that they wanted this Remedie and why They wanted one that should forewarne them to flie Wee can cast our selues into danger but foresee that whereof we are in danger wee cannot it is the Deuils policie to hoodwinke vs in this respect or to busâ—e vs with other obiects lest we should be reclaimed by this therefore it is Gods second mercie that wee haue forewarners The word signifieth to shew and to foreshew Intus apparens excludit alienum to shew to Sense and Reason Touching our Sense that Axiome is true If there be any Obiect that busieth it other Obiects are not discerned by it Now hee that draweth vs into sinne taketh order that wee shall not want varietie of other obiects therefore this obiect needeth a Remembrancer we need haue a Map of Hell to bee set before vs not such an apish or rather impious one as is depainted in the Iesuites Chamber of Meditations whereby they make Proselytes treacherous Proselytes such as this Age hath had too much proofe of but such a Map as the Scripture maketh and which by the finger of the Spirit is able to make a solid impression in our soules as it is excellently described in Iob. Chap. 33. So must he shew to Sense There is a shewing also to Reason for euen when we see these things flesh and bloud hath sophisters wherewith to stay this flight they that doe not denie there is a Hell yet thinke that Gods prouidence doth not see them amongst so many thousands or cares not for that which they doe therefore there must be a confutation of that sophistrie such a one as is Psal 94. Vnderstand yee brutish among the people and yee fooles when will yee be wise He that planted the eare shall not he heare and he that framed the eie shall not hee see Hee that chasteneth the Heathen shall not hee correct Thus must the forewarner shew Neither shew only but foreshew also for if there bee no flying but from the wrath to come then before the wrath come it must be shewne for when it is present it shall need no shewing the testimonie of our owne conscience shall the cleere our fancie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and resolue our reason our sense shall then haue nothing else to apprehend neither shall our reason cast any doubts of the truth thereof whosoeuer then is iudged of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall also be condemned of his owne conscience he shall set to his seale That God is true and that his Iudgements are most iust you haue such a confession in the fift of Wisdome Foreshew then he must But all foreshewing is not enough for many can indure to see it afarre off Amos 6.3 as they in Amos that did not denie but put farre off the euill day and so the euill seruant in the Gospel My Master will come but after a long time therefore the word here vsed signifieth to foreshew a thing imminent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath foreshewed you to flie from the wrath hanging ouer your heads that the Iudge is at the doore that yee are at the gate of Hell such a kind of foreshewing is that that will shake off carnall securitie and will if any thing make men betake themselues to this flight Finally marke that the forewarning must be not only of the wrath to come but also of the flight If the forewarning were only of the wrath to come and wee had only the torments of Hell set before our eyes what could this doe but make vs at our wits end and ouerwhelme vs with despaire but here is the comfort of the forewarning that it setteth before vs the flight also and as it fixeth one eye vpon the danger to humble vs so doth it the other vpon the Remedie wherewith it is Gods pleasure to relieue vs. The Ministers for they are chiefly these Forewarners haue two branches of their power to bind to loose to bind the obstinate to the wrath to come and
he is entitled he hath none except he partake of the same grace that was in the Patriarke These two must concurre they cannot bee seuered without danger danger not to the Couenant for God will be true though all the World be lyars Rom 3 4. but vnto so many as were gracelesse Iewes although they vaunted that they were Abrahams seede yet were they neuer to come into Abrahams bosome Wherefore seeing the Iewes did diuorce these things which God would haue conioyned Saint Iohn aduiseth them to correct this errour and to begin to tread Abrahams steps least otherwise they be nothing the better for being Abrahams sonnes So then the Baptists exhortation hath two parts the first teacheth what these Iewes ought to intend the second vpon what they may not stand That which they ought to intend is Penitencie that whervpon they may not stand is their Pedigree at this time only of the former That which the Iewes ought to intend is exprest in these words Bring forth therfore fruits worthy of repentance wherin we are to obserue first the Inference then the Argument The Inference S. Iohn gathereth this counsell out of his former reproofe and wisheth them to take a better course because they were in so bad a case this is the force of the particle therefore In the argument we haue the workes and an answerablenesse that must be betweene them the workes are two Gods and mans God giueth Repentance which man must imploy in bringing forth fruites The answerablenesse is Mans worke must keepe good correspondencie with Gods Men must bring forth fruites such as are worthy of repentance Of these points briefly and in their order I begin with the Inference Although in the fits and heate of our passions it seeme otherwise yet is it a grounded truth that there is no man except he be giuen ouer to a reprobate sense which doth not naturally abhor to be either wicked or a wretch You may perceiue it by his iudgement in cold bloud And â—o peccanti oâ—endere mala suâ— vitia si non excidero inhibeho Seneca Epist 40 certainely reason doth acknowledge this to be so true that Seneca thought one of the best meanes to reclaime a man that goeth a stray was to set his case before him though I shall little please saith hee yet I will bee bold to let him that erreth know his fault for it is likely that thereupon if hee doe not presently turne Tunc melius proteruns coriqimus c Greâ— Mag in astor yet hee will at least make a stand Gregorie the great a better Authour speaketh in the voice of Religion we cannot take a better course to reclaime vntoward natures then if wee shew them how ill they doe when they suppose they doe well and turne their vaine glorie into a profitable shame The holy Ghost master both of reason and Religion is the guide vnto them both For in the Scriptures wee find that the Prophets seldome shew what God requires before they haue shewed the Iewes what they want they preface the doctrine of that which they should be with a former doctrine of that which they were the instances are euerie where to bee found I will alleadge some few God himselfe when he dealeth with Adam after his fall beginneth with Where art thou The fathers Commentarie is not vnfit Non modo vbi loci sed vbi conditionis God demandeth of him not onely in what place but in what case he was Surely their Commentary is made probable by Adams answere for Adam doth answere as well in what case I was naked as in what place he was I hid my selfe Wisedome in the first of the Prouerbes dealeth thus plainely with men How long yee simple ones will yee loue simplicitie and yee scorners delight in scorning Our Sauiour Christ vseth the same method in his Epistle vnto the Church of Laodicea 〈◊〉 3. Thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Thus they all set before their eyes with whom they deale as Saint Iohn Baptist doth their poore and wofull case But they rest not therein but proceed from the reproose vnto the remedy as S. Iohn Baptist doth least other wise they should seeme rather to reproach then to reproue to insult vpon them rather then to correct them Nemo prudens punti quod peccatum sit sed ne peccetur It is not so much as good Policie much lesse Pietie to punish because men haue offended they should rather prouide by punishments that they offend no more and therfore are chastisments called corrections because they are not so much afflictions for as preuentions from committing sinne Now reproofes are Verball punishments therefore they must imitate them so shew a disease as that withall they prescribe the cure thereof 1. Sam 2.6 imitating God who as Anno speaketh killeth and maketh aliue againe Certainely he which asked Adam where are thou Relieued him againe with the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head and Wisedome that began with How long will yee fooles delight in folly c. concludeth with Turne you at my reproofe I will powre out of my spirit vpon you I will make knowne my words vnto you And our Sauiour Christ least he should seeme to vpbraid the Laodiceans offereth them a present supplie of gold of rayment of eye-salue Rnuel 3. of whatsoeuer they did want Certainely if so be we adde the meanes how they may recouer whom we reproue we are most likely to speed of their amendment for the remedie prescribed is an euidence that the reproofe proceeded from Loue and the reprehender may say with S. Paul 1. Cor 4 I wrote not these things to shame you but as my beloued I warne you and Loue is so necessarie in reproofe that Saint Austin is of opinion That no man should reproue except he first strictly examine his conscience whether hee doe it out of Loue I adde that this Loue must bee made euident by the care that we shew of the reproueds good The reason is plaine for although the inborne principles before specified I meane our naturall desire of goodnesse and happinesse make vs capable in our worst case of good counsell yet whether the counsell that is giuen vs be for our good wee argue oftner from the person then from the things and our iealousie of the person is a preiudice to his words and stoppeth vs from deliberating vpon the truth of his reproofe whereas on the contrarie side the Loue of the person doth open our eares and be his words neuer so tart they sinke downe into our soule and our most stubbourne affections are contented to bee wrought by them Let the righteous reproue me saith the Psalmist and it shall be a precious balme and Saint Austin Loue me and say what thou wilt let it appeare that they meane our good and it shall not grieue vs if we be blamed so much as wee deserue I note this the
sit hominem scire arbitror neminem nisi forter cui spiritus diuinitus estenderet Austin de Ciuit. Des lib. 2. cap 16. Non quareâ—dum vbi Gebennae ignis situs sit sed magis quo pacto enitari possit Chrysost Hom. do prâ—mys sanct â—om 1. pag 443. Cyril Alexanâ—in p. 710. and worse Historiographie haue deliuered a great deale of vngrounded stuffe concerning the nature and place of this sire but wee shall doe well to follow the sobrietie of the Fathers Greeke and Latin Touching Hell fire what kind it is of and where in what region of the earth I thinke no man can tell except hee to whom God will bee pleased to reueale it saith Austine and Chrysostome We must not be curious to know where is the place of Hell fire but studie rather how is auoid it Only let vs learne of Nazianzen that there is a double vse of fire for therewith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men are doomed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or they are purified We haue not now to doe with the purgatiue but with the correctiue vse of fire and seeing that fire is the symbol of plagning we must from our fire learne two properties of fire it searcheth most and spareth least it leaueth no part vnseized vpon and looke whereon it seizeth it afflicteth to the vttermost which Nabuchadnezer knew that chose that wherewith to torment the seruants of God yea God himselfe doth shew who therewith destroyed Sodome and Gomorra certainly in the Valley of Hinnom it was so dreadfull that the Holy Ghost was pleased to vse it as a symbole of the tortures of Hell which leaue no part of the tormented vnpained and paineth euery part extreamely Only when we looke vpon our fire wee must obserue two differences betweene that and the fire of Hell First Hell fire goeth farre beyond it in degree well may the torments be like they are not equall Secondly they are vnlike in durance for ours consumeth and is consumed but Hell fire neither wasteth his fuell nor is wasted it selfe both are euerlasting so that let ours afflict neuer so painfully Sie perit â—t possit saepe perâ—â—e Horaque erit tant is vltima nulla malâ—â— it cannot afflict long but hee that is in Hell fire endureth an euerliuing death The tree that growes in the field growes for fuell and it is no wonder to see it proue so but a heauie thing it is for a tree to to become fuell that grew to beare fruit But in this case the case of a barren fruit tree is worse then a tree of the field because a tree of the field may bee cut downe not for fuell but for building but fruit trees are not fit for building and nature hath made this their ineptnesse a priuiledge against the Axe when for the building of stately Palaces the trees of the field goe downe they stand and are not cut downe vntill they giue ouer-bearing fruit and then they are cut downe only for fuell for they are good for nothing else Ezechiel hath a whole Chapter of it wherein as in a glasse wee may behold the condition of a sinner If you put these parts of the Iudgement together you may easily perceiue that they amount to a totall a finall eradication It is totall for if a tree bee cut vp by the roots there is no hope of the branches because the branches haue no life but deriuatiue from the root cut a tree as close to the root as you will Iob will tell you there remayneth still hope of him but it is past hope when the root is dead As the Iudgement is totall so it is finall Chap. â—4 we neuer heard of the second grasting of a tree certainly not of these trees The Parable of the foolish Virgins sheweth that there is no getting in when the doores be shut and that there is no passage from Hell to Heauen Mâ—t. 25. Lâ—â—e 17. Abraham telleth the rich Glutton burning in those flames But of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reprobation of and Bill of Diuorce giuen to to the Iewes I spake enough when I spake of that which they were willed to flie which in former words of this Sermon is called wrath to come wherefore I forbeare to enlarge this point any farther only wishing vncurable Impenitents herein to behold what a feare full thing it is to sall into the hands of the liuing God You haue heard of the persons and the Iudgement that the one of them doth denounce against the other But the Iudgement is not onely threatned but threatned that it shall come vppon them speedily and ouertake them vniuersally the speed is intimated in the first word Now now is the Axe laid to the roote of the tree all the words are present Now is put Now is cut which carrie with them an Emphasis and hasten the repentance of the hearer Before it was calied Wrath to come least therefore they should put it farre from them as the wicked in Amos and the bad seruant in the Gospel and grow Atheisticall scoffers as some doe in Esay and others 2. Peter 3 he is instant wiih them and proposeth this Iudgement as imminent But this seemeth to be a Paradox Iohn was the Harbinger of Christ and with Christ began the Kingdome of grace and how doth he then make it the time of Iudgement so terrible a Iudgement We must therefore obserue that God neuer did any publike remarkable good to magnifie his mercie but he did withall shew the world some notable spectacle of his wrath therein to magnifie his Iustice when Noah was saued the world was drowned and fiue Cities burnt when Lot was deliuered how were the Egyptians destroyed when Israel was set free And when the Gentiles were receiued into the Church what a desolation did hee bring vpon the Iewes God will haue feare and hope still to liue in the hearts of the sonnes of men Adde hereunto that Christs comming is the last offer of Grace both to Iewes and Gentiles he that refuseth now shall neuer speed marke this point pressed by the Apostles both to the Iewes and to the Gentiles This is the reason why the Baptist Christ his Apostles beginne their Preaching with Repent Aâ—â— 13 Acts 14 17. this is as the greatest so the last manuring the tree that proueth not now must needs downe needs into the fire But is not God alwayes putting the Axe to the tree yea verily he maketh daily spectacles of them but to whole Nations he putteth not the Axe euery day hee forbeareth them vntill they haue filled vp the measure of their sinne But if they abuse his patience and long-suffering whereby hee laboureth to draw them to Repentance then they shall find that they haue treasured vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath Rom 2 the Axe shall goe vnto the root But in this Iam there are two other remarkable things the one is noted by Saint Ambrose Hine disce quà m Philanthroâ—os
Deus fit Cuâ— etâ—iraâ—catur thâ—wineâ—ur adhuc relinquit locum aueriendi vltionem Hence learne how gracious God is that euen when he threatens irefully yet leaues place for mercie It is not with God as it is with men men cannot checke their passions nor hold their stroakes God can and he leaueth it to our choice whether he shall strike or no for to that end doth he forewarne and his messengers so temper their speech as if they would haue vs feare they would not haue vs despaire The Axe saith Iohn is layed to he doth not say it is entred into the roots The second is noted by Saint Chrysostome A man would thinke that the Iudgement being so neare the time were too short to beare any fruit Non est taâ—â—â—â— fâ—uctus 〈…〉 rationalium quaâ—s 〈…〉 liuu◠〈◊〉 uimiram tâ—mpus expectaâ—s sed viâ—e suntaxat 〈◊〉 statim 〈◊〉 eâ—uâ—pit in gerâ—ina Eccles 5. Vrou 1. But the fruit of Rationall trees is not such as that of Irrationall it needs not so long time to ripen be willing and by and by thou maist be said to fructifie Wherefore we must not put off from day to day when will we repent if not when the stroke is at hand Punishments worke the more the more they are imminent on them-on whom they will worke at all let vs bee sure that if wee will not turne God hath whet his sword bent his bow prepared the Instruments of death When the Axe is cutting thou shalt call and I will not heare saith Wisdome Therefore wee must take aduantage of our Iam our Now euery man must for the Iudgement is denounced vniuersally Euery tree that beareth not good fruit though he be a child of Abraham Esay doth excellently amplifie this figuratiuely Saint Paul to the Corinthians and Saint Iohn in the Reuelation expresseth it plainly There is no Prerogatiue no respect of persons Euery barren tree shall beare his punishment Although there be difference betweene fruit trees in regard of quantitie yet fruit of the same qualitie will bee expected of all Neither may we thinke that the Eradication did seize vpon euery particular Saint Paul hath taught the contrarie there were amongst them remainders of grace but their state perished irrecouerably and I thinke they are much deceiued that thinke they shall euer become a Nation againe From the beginning of the Gospel God hath euermore as they became Christians mingled them with the Gentiles and so I thinke will doe vnto the worlds end But to leaue them and come to ourselues This Sermon was preached vnto the Iewes this Iudgement was denounced against them But our Sauiour Christ hath giuen vs a good obseruation when they told him of certaine persons Luke 13. â— Thinke you saith hee that these were the only sinners Nay I tell you that except you repent you shall likewise perish Repentance then concerneth Vs no lesse then them and here is a good motiue vnto repentance to thinke on these things how great an euill it is to bee excluded Heauen what a miserable thing it is to burne in Hell It is a sure way saith Prosper to make a man renounce all vice to refraine all allurements of the flesh specially if we adde hereunto this Humilitie not to presume of any good fruit excepting that of Iesus Christ that will profit vs if we want our owne or rather that also prositeth no man in whom it doth not worke some of his owne When Saint Iohn had ended this Sermon the Chapter goeth on and telleth vs that many came to him saying Master what shall we doe Quomuis malus nec timore corrigatur tamen bonus nisi timuerit perihit Ergo denunciatio irae etsi in malis nihil agat tamen à malis bonos segregat Although saith Chrysostome a wicked man will not be reclaimed no not with plagues yet a good man except hee feare shall perish therefore denunciations that profit not the wicked doe notwithstanding discouer the difference that is betweene the good and bad Saint Iohn had diuers kinds of Auditors his Sermon did good to some though to othersome it did no good the Scribes and Pharisees were none of them that asked What shall wee doe the Publicans and Souldiers the common people were euery one of them had his question and receiued his answere You perceiue whom I wish you like in these dayes so like those of Noah and Lot O that we knew those things that belong vnto our peace the Axe hath beene often put to our branches if we profit it shall not come to our root but it will not faile to strike as deepe as the root if wee proue not more fruitfull for the pruning of the branches Let vs inquire into our selues before God make his inquirie and prouide that we be not found fruitlesse lest Fructus in Iudaeis â—â—uenire non potuit vtinam in nobis inueniat we that haue the honour to be grafted in their steed that are broken off for like sinne be subiect to the like doome both of Losse and Paine I end with Saint Ambrose words Christ came and could find no fruit in the Iewes I would hee might find some in vs. Let vs pray the good Husbandman that he would mediate for vs that space and grace may be bestowed vpon vs that the sentence may be respired and we againe manured lest we also proue fruitlesse and be vsed as vnfruitfull trees O Lord who only canst correct our nature and dispose our hearts let the diew of thy grace so inable vs and thy assistance so stili guide vs that we may so fructifie in this Paradise of Grace that we may be transplanted into the Paradise of Glorie there to beare the fruit of Holinesse and reape the fruit of Happinesse for euer AMEN A SERMON PREACHED at Pauls Crosse Anno 1623. Vpon Luke 18. Verse 7 8. BY The Right Reuerend Father in God ARTHVRE LAKE the late L. Bishop of Bath and Wells LONDON Printed by W. STANSBY for Nathaniel Butter 1629. A SERMON PREACHED AT PAVLS CROSSE ANNO 1623. LVKE 18. VERSE 7 8. 7. And shall not God auenge his owne elect which crie day and night vnto him though he beare long with them 8. I tell you that he will auenge them speedily Neuerthelesse when the Sonne of man commeth shall he find faith on earth THis Scripture doth apply a storie which is reported immediatly before The storie setteth before vs the proceeding of an vniust Iudge as a glasse wherein wee are to behold the dealing of our most righteous God The Iudge though hee had no conscience was ouercome by importunitie and at length relieued a poore widdow against her oppressor only that he might rid himselfe of a suitor which would not be said nay So God though he forbeare long will in due time repay the persecutors of his suppliant Church if her deuotion neuer giue him ouer This wee are taught in the words that now I haue read vnto you
Iewes were pricked at the heart when St. Peter preached vnto them Acts 2.37 and as perplexed in conscience cried out Men and Brethren what shall we doe before they receiued the comfort of the Gospell Saint Paul was stricken downe to the ground from Heauen before he was conuerted The Goaler came trembling to him and Silas Acts 16. Esay 67. before he was baptized It is a broken and contrite heart that must make vs capable of grace neyther will the filiall feare enter except way bee made by the seruile This may bee the reason why the holy Ghost by whose power the Apostles were to conuert the world Acts 2. Cap. 4. came vpon them at first in fire and with a mighty winde and a second time with an earth-quake which shaked all the house wherein they were It shewes how their Ministry should shake the hearts and consciences of the World for in omnes terras exiuit sonus eorum Besides this spirituall Luke 12. the Nations had a corporall shaking I came saith Christ to send a sword into the World No sooner had he begunne the Gospel but wee see how the Herodians the Sadducees the Pharisees bestirre themselues against him and against all the Apostles The Apostles intimate as much when in their prayer they repeat those words of the Psalme Psal 2. Acts 4.25 Why doe the Heathen so furiously rage together and the People imagine a vaine thing the Kings of the earth stand vp and the Rulers take counsell against the Lord and against his anointed And how furious was the Dragon against the Woman Reu. 12. because shee had borne a Man childe I will not trouble you to reckon vp the Heathenish or Hereticall Persecutions of the Primitiue Church Gen. 3. Ponam inimicitias I will put enmity betweene the Woman and the Serpent and betweene their seedes is the true ground of this shaking and it holdeth in all ages No sooner is the vanity of Oracles of Idols and of false worship discouered and deserted but the Diuell in reuenge of his quarrell will set Nation against Nation Family against Family Kindred against Kindred and a mans enemies shall be those of his owne houshold Wee haue wofull proofe of it in this age the bloody warres which haue beene and are in these westerne parts whence haue they sprung Gal. 3.1 but from Christs comming amongst vs in the truth of his Gospell which St. Paul to the the Galathians termeth a second forming of Christ in vs and as it were a crucifying of him before vs. But the enuious man that sowed tares cannot bee contented that hee should bee so ouer-topped with good eares of corne therefore there will follow a shaking I haue sufficiently shewed you that both Worlds were shaken but I may not forget a difference which is between their shaking though both are rowsed and giue their attendance at the first comming of Christ yet the great world doth it only effectu it serues to the honour thereof but not knowing what it doth But the little World attends also affectu it is sensible of that which it doth And indeed the shaking of the great World is only to worke a sensible shaking in the little World Which as it is wont to be wrought in other cases as when vpon the sight of Eclypses and blazing Starres men are affrighted and prognosticate vnto themselues Famines Pestilences Waâ—res Confusion of States which is likewise done by them vpon the sight of Earth-quakes So God would haue it also in this case he would that men should be obseruant and feeling of his extraordinary Workes wrought vpon the Heauens and the Earth in honour and testimony of his comming into the world who is the Sauiour of the world I haue done with the shaking I will onely giue you an obseruation or two vpon it and so passe on to the Time The first is St. Chrysostomes Hom. 14. in Mat. c. 14 Hom. 1. ad Rom. God when hee doth any great Worke in the world non solet subrepere stealeth not vpon the World but giueth signification before hand So did he before he brought on the Floud before hee deliuered his People out of Egypt before he gaue the Iewes ouer vnto the Babylonian captiuity We cannot reade those Stories but we must needes finde in them Gods palpable harbingers So that if men be surprised it is not because men are not forewarned but because they will take no warning The old World though the Arke was building before their face yet were they eating and drinking marrying and giuing in marriage till the floud came Though Moses told Pharaoh what euill God would bring vpon him yet did Pharaoh still harden his heart and the Iewes mocked the Prophets that early and late told them of their captiuity neyther would they beleeue it vntill they were past recouery 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospell be hid saith St. Paul it is hid vnto those whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that they should not beleeue Acts 26 2â— for as hee told Agrippa the things which they preached were not done in a corner As the corporall Sunne doth not rise without a dawning of the day so Christ came not into the world without some prognostication thereof Iewes and Gentiles that doe not beleeue are without all excuse because God hath so plainely shaken both the Worlds Neyther shall we haue ought to pleade for our selues if we neglect or forsake the Truth which God hath brought vnto vs because he hath accompanied it with so wonderfull deliuerances and comforts vs in honour of it with so many diuers blessings God hath vouchsafed many wayes to premonish vs let vs take heede that wee dis-regard him not The second Obseruation is this Mat. 5.18 No Creature can hinder the performance of Gods will Heauen and Earth shall passe rather than one iot of his word shall be vndone Wee neede not feare any opposition on the worlds part notwithstanding it is the common feare of worldly men because all the world is in Gods power hee can shake and shiuer it at his pleasure Of this God doth often put his People in minde by the Prophets and biddeth them bee bold thereupon And wee may say Si Deus nobiscum quis Rom. 8.31 yea and quid too contra nos Quid Is it the great World God can shake Heauen and Earth the Sea and the dry Land Quis Is it man God can shake him also hee can shake all Nations therefore we neede not feare what eyther World can doe vnto vs. And thus much of the manner of the Preparation I come now briefly to shew you the time thereof When a man heares of such great matters hee will be inquisitiue after this circumstance he will desire to know how often how soone And the holy Ghost doth here resolue both those questions How often Nazianz. orat 37. p. 607. â—rat 21. p. 388 if you aske he answers Yet
round world and they that dwell therein It is true that the Diuell shamed not to Christs owne face to say All the Kingdomes of the earth are mine and theirs to whom I will giue them Luke 4. but that was but the vaunt of the father of lies Nabals speech was a speech beseeming a Nabal 1 Sam. 25. Shall I take my flesh and my bread and giue it vnto men whom I know not the diuell experienced Christs right and so did Nabal too Christ stripped them both of that which they had and he threatneth no lesse vnto the Iewes and Israelites Ezek. 16. Hos 2. when they became so gracelesse as to deriue his title to others to their Louers as the Prophet cals them be they idols or men I will open this point a little more fully There is ius ad rem and ius in re propertie and possession right to a thing and power ouer that thing These are many times seuered in men many a man hath right to that ouer which he hath no power he is kept out with a strong hand Wisd 2.11 and many a man hath power ouer that whereunto hee hath no right his strength is the Law of all his righteousnesse It is not so with Christ property and possession meete both in him and hee hath power ouer whatsoeuer hee hath right vnto both right and power extend vnto all things His right Iohn 1. Heb. 1. for hee is the onely begotten of the father therefore heire of all things In the second Psalme he that said Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee said also Aske of mee and I will giue vnto thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Neyther is Christ an inheritor only but a purchaser also Rom. 14. He therefore dyed and rose againe that he might be Lord of quicke and dead that he might be King of kings and Lord of lords A double right then hath Christ vnto all by birth by purchase And his power is as wide as his right Mat. 28.18 by birth-right hee is an all-mighty God and by purchase all power is giuen vnto him both in heauen and earth therefore Iob saith cap. 1. The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh the Psalmist Promotion commeth neyther from the east nor from the west Psal 75.6 but the Lord setteth vp one cap. 2. 5. Psal 115. and taketh downe another Daniel Blessed be the name of the Lord for euer and euer for wisedome and might are his hee changeth times and seasons he remoueth kings and setteth them vp he doth whatsoeuer hee will both in heauen and in earth Out of this which I haue told you concerning Christs right you may learne many good Lessons first from the propertie If he haue right to all in whosoeuers hand it is then no man should come vniustly by his goods for he that defraudes his brother defraudeth not man but God Euen as a master that putteth his goods into his seruants hand is the principall partie that is wronged if his seruant be eyther deceiued or oppressed and as the Master will pursue his right against the wrong doer so will God also take vengeance vpon all vniust persons hee will in the world to come nay he doth in this world for what Chronicle is there that doth not iustifie the prouerbe de malè quaesitis non gaudet tertius haeres will gotten goods neuer prosper As Christs propertie in our goods teacheth vs not to get them vniustly so doth it teach vs also not to vse them vnreasonably A tenant that holdeth land from a Lord may not vse it otherwise than according to the couenants agreed vpon if hee doe hee forfeiteth euen so is it betweene God and vs the grant which he maketh vs of his creatures is but conditionall wee may take conuenient foode for our sustenance decent cloathing to shrowd vs from the iniuries of the weather and we may bestow our money to supply our own and other folkes necessaries To these ends wee may vse Gods creatures but wee may not riot with our meate and drinke we may not be fantasticall in our apparell neyther may we with our wealth grinde the faces of the poore we haue no couenant that warrants any of these and therefore the doing of any of these is a forfeit to him that is proprietarie And how often might Christ re-enter vpon our goods if he would take aduantage of our daily abuses yea he daily doth re-enter if wee had grace to see it for what goodly patrimonies daily come to nought by drunkennesse pride oppression I would the world did take as much notice of it as euery place doth giue them iust occasion to doe for what countrey what shire what citie yea what village aboundeth not with examples hereof These lessons Christs right to our goods doth yeeld vs. His power ouer our goods will yeeld vs as many for seeing our goods are not in our owne power but in Christs wee may not trust in them but in him It is the Apostles rule 1 Tim. 6. Wee may not trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God Our wealth may be taken from vs as Iobs was or we may betaken from our wealth cap. 1. as the rich man in the Gospell who while hee was inuiting his soule to eate and drinke because he had store laid vp for many yeares heard that vnpleasing message Thou foole this night shall they take thy soule from thee Luke 12. and then whose shall all these things bee Our selues are not in our owne power much lesse our goods therefore it is good trusting in neyther of them but in him that hath power ouer both Secondly this power of God ouer our wealth must remember vs that to our honest endeauours wee adde our deuout prayers for Psal 127.1 for except the Lord build the house they labour but in vaine that build it Wee may plant wee may water it is God that must giue the increase if hee bee close-handed euery thing will famish and he filleth euery liuing creature with his good gifts when hee openeth his hand It is his blessing as Salomon teacheth Pro. 10.22 that maketh men rich Ioyne Christs right and his power together and gather what wretches they are that for wealth forsake him who hath right to it and power to bestow it and betake themselues vnto the diuel who is but a pretender of right and when by Gods permission he hath done his best for them hee cannot keepe them in possession And no wonder the Gospell teacheth that Christ with a word did cast him out how then should hee be able to keep others in Secondly when Gods children are in want wee may not argue therehence that Christ is vnable to relieue Psal 78.19 Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse was the voyce of infidelity for God is Shaddai all-sufficient it is one of his essentiall Attributes and
be otherwise minded will they nil they they shall one day finde that they haue no exemption from them Thus saith the Lord is our warrant regard not our persons regard that Lord whose Embassadors wee are receiue the words wee speake so long as we speake his Words not as the words of men but as the Word of God Finally couple Thus saith with the Lord of Hosts The Lord of Hosts noteth Gods Power Thus he saith noteth his Will Our soules shall finde little rest on Gods Power if it be not sure of his Will for God can doe many things which he will not doe though he cannot will any thing which he cannot doe Luke 3.8 God could raise vp Children vnto Abraham of stones but hee would not but the many miracles which he hath wrought shew that hee can doe what he will The coupling then of these words Thus saith the Lord of Hosts imports Gods willing power and powerfull will which amount vnto an authority fit to build our Faith vpon and to giue law vnto our Conuersation I haue sufficiently shewed you What the warrant is wee must now in few words see Why it is repeated so often For I dare say you shall not finde any passage in the Scripture where Thus saith the Lord is so often read in so few lines The reason is the weightinesse of the matter whereunto it is annext Mortall Princes vse not to signe Bils the contents whereof are triuiall matters many things are done by vertue of their Authority whereunto their signature is not vsed Euen so ordinary matters passe in the Word of God without nay speciall vrging of his Authority when that is prefixt the point is of great regard and if it be often ingeminated it giueth vs to vnderstand that we must take speciall notice of euery clause of it What must wee gather here then but the weightinesse of euery branch of this Text And indeede if you haue not forgotten what hath been obserued on euery part thereof you will easily confesse that there is not one of them which is not so weighty as to deserue Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Was not the shaking of Heauen and Earth the shaking of all Nations a weighty point and therefore deserued it not to be signed with Thus saith the Lord of Hosts If the shaking did deserue this signature much more did the Comming of the desire of all Nations especially seeing he came to fill the Temple with glory and as it deserued so it was signed with Thus saith the Lord of Hosts If the giuing of Glory were a matter of great moment what shall wee say of the degree of Glory Surely it required a great ability so great as we would hardly haue beleeued had we not bin heartened by Thus saith the Lord of Hosts and it must proceed from so great bounty as may be testified by the same Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Finally the peace wherein we possesse whatsoeuer good is contained in Christs presence doth so passe mans vnderstanding that to establish his heart in the beliefe thereof he needes this signature Thus saith the Lord of Hosts At length to conclude You haue heard in the former Sermons What in this Whom you must beleeue you must not separate Whom from What that which we must beleeue doth no doubt most pleasantly affect vs because it is our good but he whom we must beleeue doth most firmely secure vs because he is the Author of that good As then when wee gather fruit from a tree we doe not fixe our eyes onely vpon the boughes from whence we immediately gather it but also thinke vpon the roote which feeds those boughes and maketh them to bee fruitfull so in our religious meditations we must couple the Author with the Matter of blessings that God may be glorified as well as our soules are benefited If we say with Saint Paul I know whom I haue beleeued then we shall be secure that he will safe-keepe whatsoeuer any of vs committeth vnto him hee will keepe our soules keep our bodies and all that which himselfe hath bestowed vpon them Grace and Peace Christ will keepe them vntill his day his second day the day wherein the great and the little world shall receiue their last shaking Then shall the desire of all Nations which at first came in Humility returne againe in Glory hee shall returne to fill his House his Church with glory conformable to his owne Glory Then hee will open vnto vs all his treasures of siluer and gold and therewith adorne his Spouse which being Triumphant shall infinitely exceed her selfe as she was Militant Then shall our Peace come to the full and none shall be able to take our blessednesse from vs because none shall be able to separate betweene vs and Christ They shall not if we build our Faith vpon Gods reuealed Will vpon his Almighty Power vpon my Text Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Now let vs that are a handfull of his Host while we are militant so giue glory vnto the Lord of Hosts that we may hereafter bee triumphant and hauing palmes in our hands and crownes on our heads with harpes and tongues wee may sound and sing ioyntly and cheerfully Halleluiah Praise ye the Lord and with the whole Host of the Kingdome of Heauen saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heauen and Earth are full of thy Glory Amen יהוה A SERMON PREACHED Vpon the ANNVNTIATION day LVKE 2.28 Haile thou that art highly fauoured the Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among women THis is a part of the Gospell appointed for this day and this day goeth commonly for the Annuntiation day whether the day haue his right place in the Calender I leaue to be disputed by Chronologers what is meant by the Annuntiation is an argument fitter for Diuines certainly for the Pulpit the third part of this Chapter treats thereof and it is conceiued in forme of a Dialogue In the Dialogue there are two speakers the Angell Gabriel the Virgin Mary and each of them maketh two speeches the Angell to the Virgin and the Virgin to the Angell The Angell in his first congratulates the Virgin whom hee informeth from God that she shall bee the mother of Iesus Christ Good newes but strange strange that a Virgin should be a mother this Virgin the mother of that Childe The Virgin thought so nay she said so whereupon the Angell addeth his second speech importing that though the thing be wonderfull yet the meanes are powerfull these must be thought vpon as well as that and she must resolue that nothing shall hinder it because it is the Holy Spirit that will doe it So spake the Angell The Virgin replies vnto him to his first speech shewing her willingnesse to vnderstand the message which hee brought that is gathered out of her question Quomâ—do c. to his second shewing her readinesse to obey so soone as shee vnderstood it that appeares in her submission Ecce c.
conquest did attend his Chariot and were disposed at his pleasure Lo here our Sauiour Christ his person is lifted vp on high and it doth not ascend single but leades captiuitie captiue and diuideth the spoyle He gaue gifts to men such an Ascension was a Triumph indeed And as it was a Triumph so was it a deserued one for Christ descended before he ascended yea he ascended not so high but he descended as low for he that ascended aboue all heauens descended before to the lower parts of the earth the same person did both and so became the Ascension the reward of his descension And so haue you the Contents of the first branch of my Text whereof I shall now God willing vnfold so many as the time will permit I beginne at the Gift And the gift is called grace and grace is a free gift it is such a gift as can neyther bee deserued before hand nor bee required after it is receiued Between men there passe three sorts of gifts The first is Salarium when a man giueth that which another hath earned of which the rule is The labourer is worthy of his hyre such a gift grace is not for though God impose workes vpon vs yet are they not as they ought done by any of vs Adam failed much more doe we we can claime no salarie The second kinde of gift is Honorarium it is such a gift as testifieth the inferiours reuerent regard of his superiours eminencie such a gift grace is not for if the Angels light be darkenesse in comparison of God and their perfection is imperfection as Iob teacheth how vile and base is man who is but dust and wormes meat there is nothing which God should honour in him The third gift is called Eleemosynarium the almes which the rich giues to the poore this comes nearest to the nature of grace and yet it comes farre short of it For the rich are bound to relieue the poore partly by Gods Law and partly out of a consideration reflecting vpon themselues that be they neuer so rich they may become poore and stand in neede of the same reliefe which they afford to others But God is bound to none neyther can he possibly neede the helpe of any therefore his gift and only his is properly grace and comes within St. Austines definition that tels vs that Non est gratia vllo modo si non sit omni modogratuita no gift deserues the name of grace except it be absolutely free and such are Gods gifts The more are we indebted if we receiue them and the lesse proud should wee bee for whereof should he be proud whose tenure is altogether pura perpetua Eleemosyna meere Almes and the most free Charity of God Nay the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Loue of God for the Gift proceeding from loue doth put vs in mind that our eyes should not be fixt so much on that which we haue as on him that gaue it and we must not take so much content in our owne state as in his fauour But it is moreouer to be noted that grace in the Scripture is contradistinct to nature and the workes thereof are different from those of the creation and preseruation of the world It is true that all the workes of God wherein hee doth communicate of his goodnesse vnto the world spring freely from his fauour for hee might haue chosen whether hee would at all haue made the world or bestowed such excellent endowments vpon any man but yet the Holy Ghost is pleased to vnderstand this word of those blessings which belong to the second Couenant the Couenant of the Gospel it is an Euangelicall word and signifieth only those gifts wherein the Euangelicall Couenant doth consist and whereby it is furthered They are of two sorts in the Schooles the one is called gratia gratum faciens the other gratia gratis data not but that both are gratis datae freely giuen for in that respect the members of the Distinction are coincident but because they are not reciprocall all grace that is freely giuen is not that grace which doth recommend vs vnto God This is the peculiar of the grace of adoption the grace of aedification reacheth not so farre But that which we must principally note is the heeding of the Pelagians Heresie who confounded nature with grace and grace with nature who as they did too shallowly thinke of the Fall so they did derogate much from the fauour which God vouchsafed in restoring of man But we must learne as to neglect no gift of God so to set a right estimate vpon the gifts of the Gospel these gifts are by an excellencie called Grace And thus much of the nature of Grace wee come now to the property thereof which is to fill Some refer this word vnto the person of Christ as if that did fill all places and indeed it liued on earth descended into hell and so did enter into heauen it was successiuely in euery of these places Others straine it too farre that would haue the Manhood to communicate with the Deity in vbiquitie and to be at the same time in euery place But as we grant Attributa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that supernaturall endowments in the highest degree were conferred vpon the Manhood of Christ so may we not admit any Attributa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therein we may acknowledge no Attributes that destroy the nature of his Manhood the truth of his Manhoode is the greatest comfort of a Christian whether wee respect what he hath done for vs or the blessed conformitie that we shall haue to him It is true that these words of filling doe concerne Christs Manhoode or rather his person as hee was no lesse man than God for it speaketh of some thing that Christ did after his Resurrection there is no doubt but he filled all things with his Godhead before which is euer infinite but the Manhood making one person hath diuers prerogatiues by vertue of the Hypostaticall vnion First it is euery where present though not with yet to his Godhead and Christus is totus vbique though totum Christi is not vbique the whole person fils heauen and earth though the manhoode be finite Secondly both the natures are associat in their Actions the Manhood is priuie vnto and consents with the Godhead in all the works of Christ yea and the merit of Christ whereunto the Manhood concurred doth moderate all the Actions of the Mediatour Thus farre wee may safely speake of an Vbiquity of Christ but the proper sense of this place is not of the person but the worke it is true that he that fils is Christ but that wherewith he fils is his grace And grace is the only thing that fils And it fils two manner of waies first sistendo appetitum for whereas all other things which wee desire grow quickly loathsome and tedious vnto vs and wee are faine to shift because wee
to giue so hee may giue as much or as little as hee will for hee may doe what hee will with his owne but hee doth not onely follow his Will but the counsell of his Will as this Apostle teacheth vs Occumenius and the counsell of his Will or his Wisedome doth respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the endowment of the Church As in our body naturall God hath ioyned beauty and commodity in framing the limmes so that euery one hath that proportion as is most comely and vsefull so the Church though vna yet is varia though it be but one body yet hath it diuers members and though the one body be quickned with the same spirit yet in euery member the spirit doth varie his gifts and the Church thereby is the more beautified and benefited so that no man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficient of himselfe but hee is thereby vrged to desire the Communion of Saints wherein stands our mutuall comelinesse and comfort Seeing then Christ giues as hee thinkes meete euery man is bound to thanke him for that which hee hath and enuie must not make him murmure for that which hee hath not It is absurd for a man to dislike with the dispensation of Christ it is as if the members of the body should grudge that they haue not the endowments each of the other wherein if God should satisfie them the deformity and discommodity which would follow would quickly make them weary of their desires Though Christ be thus discreet in giuing yet is hee kindly bountifull also for he giues to euery one St. Ambrose hath a good rule In donis officiorum diuer sitas est non Naturae all drinke of the same spirit though they drinke not the same draught As in our naturall body there is no member that liues not by the soule no more is there in the mysticall Bodie any member that liues not by the Spirit Christ will haue euery one haue some token of his loue and will haue euery one stand the Church in some stead The Church I say for the particle All is limited by Vs. There are gifts that are bestowed vpon all the world as wee acknowledge in our daily grace The eyes of all things looke vp vnto thee O Lord and thou giuest them their meate in due season thou openest thy hand and fillest with thy blessing euery liuing thing Psal 145. but the graces here meant are the peculiar of the Church you heard it in the Gospell this day The spirit is such a thing as the world cannot receiue but the Church seeth and knowes him and he shall abide with her for euer for it is onely the Church that can say The Let is fallen to her in a faire ground she hath a goodly heritage But the gifts that as vpon this day descended on the Apostles were visible gifts and they had corporall effects speaking in diuers languages casting out diuells curing of diseases treading vpon serpents c. these gifts we haue not how then haue we the spirit that descended this day Gregory the Great answereth well Thou hast it though it appeare in another sort Thou canst not speake diuers tongues but of what Nation soeuer thou art thou canst speake the language of Canaan and it is as great a miracle that all Nations vnderstand the same heauenly language as that the same person should speake all languages Thou canst not cast out Diuels out of mens bodies but out of their soules thou mayst and cure the diseases of their soule though thou canst not the diseases of their body yea bruise thou mayst the old Serpents head though thou canst not safely tread vpon a Snake In a word thou mayst doe many things inuisibly and spiritually which are not inferiour to those things which the Apostles did visibly and corporally and doubt not but if thou beare the fruit of the Spirit the Spirit of Christ doth rest vpon thee And if wee doe solemnize the memory of Saints how much more should we solemnize the memory of the Sanctifier wee are all bound to keep this day holy to the Lord because this day the Lord gaue that gift which doth concerne vs all Wherefore let vs all say BLessed be the Lord God euen the God of our saluation hee daily loadeth vs with his gifts euen the spirituall gifts of Grace Hee that giues them fill vs with them that as we are called to be so we may be indeed comely and profitable members of the mysticall Body of Christ and liue for euer conformable to our Head Amen THE SECOND SERMON On Trinity Sunday at an Ordination of Ministers EPHES. 4.11 He gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers THE passage of Scripture contained from the 7. to the 17. Verse doth informe vs of the reasons which perswade Christians to agree in Gods truth These reasons are two drawne the one from the meanes whereby the other from the end for which the Church receiues the spirituall gifts of God The meanes is Christ And touching Christ St. Paul teacheth vs in this passage what he doth and what right he hath to doe it That which hee doth is expressed three wayes but all yeeld but one sense 1. He giues grace 2. He bestowes gifts 3. He fils all things that is his gift is a filling grace Grace is a free gift a gift Donum non salarium not an hyre of our labour but an argument of Gods fauour And this gift is free it is grounded vpon no obligation all gifts of men are in part due as the reciprocall between equals for loue challengeth loue or those that are not reciprocall between vnequals be they Honoraria or Eleemosynaria whereof the inferiour oweth the former to his superior in acknowledgement of his eminency and the superiour owes the latter vnto his inferiour out of a fellow-feeling which hee must haue of his wants but Gods gifts can neither bee deserued nor requited neither doth he finde ought worthy his regard in vs neither doth any danger of his moue him to commiserate vs His gift then is absolutely free But this is common to the gifts as well of Creation as of Redemption but the Scripture restraines the word Grace vnto the gifts of Redemption which are not onely non debita but indebita whereof God owes vs no one but he owes vs the contrary that is plagues and therefore hee doth giue not only non dignis to those that are without all merit of good but also indignis to those that are full of the merits of sinne The word then is plainly Euangelicall and signifieth such blessings as accompany the New Testament those blessings are most properly termed Grace This grace hath a power to fill which no other thing hath and it fils sistendo and explendo desiderium it fixeth our wandring desires so that we desire no other obiect and this is able to satisfie to the full and satisfie the whole man Now
Nations comprehend both Iewes and Gentiles and in the Prophets the re-vnion of Iuda and Israel so often mentioned meaneth no other than the knitting of the Iewes and the Gentiles into one Church and making one Flocke of these two kinde of Sheepe The Oliue Tree will beare both branches Rom. 11. the Seale of God is to be set vpon both Reuel 6. and both make vp one peculiar purchâ—sed people of Christ one Houshold one Kingdome Ephes 2. all are Christs by the merit of his Passion and therefore the Apostles must goe to all euen to all that sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death Luke 1. and none are in any better case as St. Paul proueth to the Romanes they were dead in their sinnes and destitute of the glory of God All need the Gospell and therefore it must bee preached vnto all And that it might bee preached the Apostles were endued with all Languages The world is much troubled now about Vniuersall Grace the Resolution in short may be this that forbearing to bee ouer-busie with Gods Predestination who is not pleased to acquaint vs with his Counsell in his distinguishing persons in a Ministers Commission Grace is Vniuersall we should labour the conuersion of all and euery one neither should any man except himselfe but labour to bee in the number of that all to whom God sendeth One Note more before I leaue this point This large circuit was one of the Perogatiues of the Apostles they were not restrained to any Diocesse or Prouince as Bishops now are but as the Spirit led them and they saw cause they might euery one plant and water the Church euery where It is true that for conueniency and expedition of their message they diuided themselues into seuerall Quarters but without excluding each the other in this sense was Peter the Apostle of the Iewes Paul of the Gentiles yet did Peter preach to the Gentiles and Paul to the Iewes The power of Orders in their successors is not limited in it selfe actually all that are ordered are inabled to exercise their Function in any part of the world and they may be sent to conuert any Nation and it is but for the more orderly gouernment and edification of the Church that the exercise of euery mans Orders is restrained to a certaine charge and without leaue or a case of great necessity those that breake these Canons offend grieuously and there bee not a few that offend that way I hope that you which are now to be ordered will not proue such Hauing competently been told Whither the Apostles are sent it followeth that yee now heare Whereabout They must teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Text make Disciples And indeede it is not a bare Historicall narration that they must make of the Gospell they must seeke by morall instruction to winne the people vnto Christ so teach that their hearers may become the followers of Christ And here obserue first the wonderfull goodnesse of God The Iewes and the Gentiles conspired both to crucifie Christ they put him to a shamefull and a painfull death would not you feare least and looke that he should send messengers against both with fire and sword to take vengeance on them and worke their vtter desolation But see our sweete Iesu came not to destroy but to saue Luke 9. hee forgetteth and forgiueth not onely Peters deniall and the rest of the Apostles forsaking him but also the impious blasphemers of his holy Name and barbarous murderers of his sacred Person hee is ready to receiue them vnto Grace and admit them to be his Disciples A goodnesse so wonderfull that all the world may stand amazed at it Secondly all the world was rent into Sects the Iewes into Pharisees Sadducees Herodians c. the Gentiles they were distracted not only in their Philosophy but in their Diuinity also and had as manifold deuotion as they had opinions the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth that the time was now come that they should all grow into one and in point of Religion speake one and the selfe same thing and serue one and the selfe same God All Nations should remember themselues and be turned to the Lord Psal 22. the Prophets foretold it Esay 44. One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himselfe by the Name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord and surname himselfe by the Name of Israel so speake the Iewes but not the Iewes onely for in Zachary chapt 8. the Prophesie is deliuered thus The Inhabitants of one Citie shall goe to another saying Let vs goe speedily to pray before the Lord and to seeke the Lord of Hosts I will goe also Ten men shall take hold out of all Languages of the Nations euen shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iewe saying Wee will goe with you for we haue heard that God is with you And that they goe vp to be Disciples it is plainly affirmed by Esay chapt 2. Many people shall goe and say Come ye and let vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord to the House of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs of his wayes and wee will walke in his pathes In Micah you shall reade the very same All comes to that which our Sauiour Christ speaketh Be yee not called Rahbi for one is your Master euen Christ Matth. 23. And the weapons of the Apostles warfare were mighty through God to bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10. But those weapons were not carnall but spirituall It is for Mahumetans to make their Muselmans as they call them that is right Beleeuers if he beleeue aright that beleeues in the Alcaron a sinke of all senslesse and sensuall dreames by the sword But such a manner of making Schollars is fit for the matter they shall learne And I would too many Christians were not too neare followers of them in this barbarous course who pretend the reclaiming of Heretickes so they call the Orthodoxe but indeede would propagate their owne Heresies and what they cannot doe by the Word that they endeauour by the Sword Of this we may be sure that the Apostles neuer made Disciples that way neither would Christ haue Schollars come to him by constraint Teaching is the Heauenly meanes of Conuersion those that are Gods Schollars are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God and his Law is Thora a Doctrine Christ went about teaching Matth. 10. and it was by teaching that the holy Ghost led the Apostles into all Truth Iohn 14. 26. And indeede this is the most noble kinde of winning men to winne their vnderstanding and winne their will winne his reasonable faculties then you winne a man Not so if you force his body that may make him yeeld against his conscience but at best hee will be but an Hypocrite and you haue gotten but the worser part of him not a man but his Vizard
vs modest and not to insult vpon others that haue lesse Hauing found the originall of the Alteration we are now to see wherein the Alteration standeth I told you the first thing wherein it standeth is St. Paules Endowment the phrase that expresseth it is I am that I am where first I may not omit the phrase lest it bee mistaken I will shew you the true meaning of it For I am that I am is the stile of God and containeth as the Iewes well obserue the force of his incommunicable name his name Iehoua which giueth vs to vnderstand that all his Attributes are his nature that all in God is God which cannot be affirmed of any creature for all are compounded and consist of many things besides that which is their nature yea whereof they may be stripped and yet their nature remaine such as are in man the many qualities both in body and minde How then doth St. Paul vsurpe a style that is peculiar vnto God marke the addition wherewith he doth qualifie the phrase The addition is by grace this differenceth the words as they are applied vnto St. Paul from them as they are applyed vnto God God saith absolutely of himselfe I am that I am he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath his being of himselfe St. Paul also saith of himselfe I am that I am but hee addeth by the grace of God so that to the grace of God he oweth his being and it is he that hath made vs and not we our selues we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture But man hath many beings for hee is a little world hee hath abodie made of the elements like the stones vpon which you tread hee hath a vegetable being like the graffe and plants that grow in the field he hath sense and motion like beasts he hath vnderstanding and a conscience as all men haue in the world But none of these beings are properly here meant there is a being that goeth beyond all these the being of home theologicus the being of a man as Diuinitie considereth him and Diuinitie considers him as he is a part of the Church But I told you that the clause is short and darke I must therfore resolue it and cleare it that you may the better vnderstand it St. Paul then had a double being in the Church the being of a member and the beeing of a minister and he had both these beings by the grace of God The first was common to him with the whole Church I will speake of that first Arbor Scientiae spoliauit Adamum arbore Vitae no sooner did Adam taste of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill but presently hee lost all his being to Godward or the life of God his being holy and his being happy Now Grace doth properly repaire this being without which it were better not to bee than to bee In which respect by an excellencie this communion with God is termed our Being Wisedome saith Salomon Prouerbs 8. causeth them that loue her to inherit flesh that is Substance Circumcision saith St. Paul Gal. 5. is nothing nor vncircumcision but a new Creature and the Preacher Eccles 11. Feare God and keep his commandements this is a whole man When God then quickneth vs that are dead in sinnes and trespasses he calleth those things which are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as things that then begin to haue a being This is the cause why the three theologicall Vertues wherein consists the true being of a Christian haue giuen vnto them in the Scripture expresly or by implication the name of substance First Faith We are made partakers of Christ saith St Paul Heb. 3. if we hold fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning of our substance that is our Faith in Christ for hee infers it vpon this exhortation Take heed Brethren lest there bee at any time in any of you an euill heart of infidelitie to depart away from the liuing God Secondly Charitie If I haue no charitie I am nothing 1 Cor. 13. if without charitie there be no substance in man then charitie is his substance Thirdly Hope St. Paul describes that by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 8. for Hope is a ioyfull expectation of Gods performing what he hath promised so that substance of reioycing and ioyfull Hope are all one Cyril Bishop of Alexandria opening those words of the Apostle Lib 4. Comment in Esay ora◠2. My little children of whom I am in trauell againe till Iesus Christ be formed in you saith Formatur in nobis Christus Spiritu sancto diuinam quandam formam per Sanctificationem Iustitiam indente Sic enim in omnibus nostris elucet Character substantiae Dei which is all one in effect with that of St. Peter 1 Pet. 1. By grace we are made partakers of the diuine nature Aben Ezra a Rabbi of the Iewes hath a witty conceit of the Hebrew names that signifie man and woman Ish and Ishah they haue in them saith hee some letters that are part of the name of God Iehouah which if you take away there will remaine no other letters than those that make vp the word which signifieth fire the morall of the conceit is that their subsistence is in God and they will both come to ruine if they be seuered from him St. Paul Phil. 3. with whom wee haue now to doe speaketh more plainely though hee had many worldly things to stand vpon and which might seeme to make him some body yet he professeth that he accounted them all dung and loss◠in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ our Lord. I would we did all learne of him whence to take and how to make the estimate of our being we would not so ouer-value our nothing and vnder-value that which only can make vs something as commonly we doe Our true being standeth in our vnion with God and communion in his grace if any man without these thinke himselfe to bee any thing hee is indeed nothing but deceiueth himselfe in his vaine imagination be he worldly noble or rich wise or mightie if he measure his being by these things he deceiueth himselfe in his vaine imagination And let this suffice touching the part of St. Paules Endowment which is common to him with all the Church of his grace of Adoption He had another Endowment which is proper to the Clergie the being of a Minister And this was the gift of grace the grace of Edification and is though not solely yet principally intended in this place That it is a grace St. Paul obserues Rom. 1. Ephes 3. He receiued grace and Apostleship he doth not vsurpe hee was neyther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea in that he was an Apostle St. Austin calleth it abundantiorem gratiam an extraordinarie grace a speciall trust was reposed in him a weighty embassage was committed to him he was
Inauguration though it did not then make him but declare him to bee the King the Priest the Prophet of his Church But a little farther to enlarge this point distinguish Signum and Signatum In regard of the Signe the Holy Ghost came now vpon Iesus that he might point him out to St. Iohn Baptist for had not the Doue pitcht vpon IESVS the voyce from Heauen might haue beene misapplied but the signe put it out of all question who was meant If you looke to the thing signified then doeth St. Ierome giue a most comfortable note The Holy Ghost lighted vpon Iesus that he might inure himselfe more familiarly then before to dwell with the sonnes of men and make them new creatures for as St. Austin thinketh CHRIST did now vouchsafe to prefigure his Church wherein those that are baptized receiue the Holy Ghost and CHRIST receiued the Spirit aboue measure that of his fulnesse wee might all receiue grace for grace which S. Iohn seemeth to confirme when he saith that he descended and stayed vpon him in the signe vntill the word was spoken but in the grace vntill the worlds end Vntill the Worlds end shall CHRIST be those Oliue trees in Zacharie which feed the lights that burne in the house of GOD for he was anointed not onely Prae but Pro consortibus suis not onely aboue but also for his Church And although in the members of the Church grace may ebbe and flow yet in CHRIST is it alwayes constant and at the full Finally note the improouement of CHRISTS honour it was great when the Heauens opened and the Angels ascended and descended vpon him but when the Heauens opened and the Holy Ghost descended vpon him then was his honour much more great I haue done with the Visible signe and come now to the Audible Word The signe had beene but a dumbe shew without the Word for those signes that are sacred doe not signifie Natura sua by their owne nature but Diuino Instituto by diuine Institution and who knows it but hee that commands it and by his Word informes vs of his purpose Therefore GOD neuer appoints any Visible signe but hee addeth an audible word as appeares in Sacrifices and Sacraments which had precepts and promises annext shewing their vse and effects This light added to those shadowes did guide men to see their reference and correspondency the neglect whereof caused the carnall Iew and causeth the superstitious Papist to maime the mysteries of Religion and feed vpon beggerly rudiments and emptie ceremonies If wee will bee truely and fully religious wee must ioyne both and let both worke in their order our thorough edification But marke that the signe was from Heauen and so is the word from Heauen also and GOD is Author of both of the Vision and of the Reuelation no man may presume to be farther of GODS counsell then he is admitted or to fasten commentaries vpon his Texts without his instruction I should tire you and my selfe if I should shew you how Iewes and Christians haue lost themselues in such presumptuous contemplations But I rather chuse to impart vnto you the correspondency of the Gospel to the Law At the giuing of the Law there was Vox de coelo a voyce heard from Heauen so is there also at the deliuery of the Gospel that did containe a breife of the Law and this of the Gospel But there was moreouer this difference betweene the voyces the first was the voyce of Sinai the second the voyce of Sion De Baptismo Christs the first was a dreadfull but the second was a still voyce St. Cyprian concerning this second voyce mooueth this question Was there euer heard such a voyce before Whereunto the answere is ready certainely neuer so sweet so gracious a voyce you will confesse it when I haue shewed you whose and of whom the voyce was It was the voyce of GOD the FATHER Hoc non ego dico saith St. In c. 3. Lucae Ambrose when thou hearest these words This is my welbeloued Sonne c. know that it is not I who speake them to thee neither hath any man spoken them no nor GOD by an Angel or an Archangel Sed ab ipso Patre vox caelo demissa significauâ—t it is the FATHER himselfe that by a voyce doth notifie this vnto thee The Father I say for suppose by the Ministry of an Angel the voyce were framed yet certainely it was vttered in the Person of the FATHER Matth. 11. the Text doeth plainely intimate it in the words My Sonne But our Sauiour CHRIST doeth elsewhere confirme it with an vndeniable reason No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father and to St. Peter affirming Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Matth. 16. hee replieth Flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in Heauen Many testimonies went before concerning CHRIST of the Wisemen of the Shepheards of the Angels but none euer came neere this if we receiue the testimony of men of creatures the Testimony of GOD of the Creator is much greater What shall I say then to these things but onely exhort you in the Apostles words Heb. 12. See that you refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from Heauen especially when he vttereth so comfortable and gracious words as are those Thou art my Sonne Some difference there is betweene the Euangelists in relating the words some making GOD to speake vnto Christ some to the Hearers concerning CHRIST but the reconciliation is easie for euen when GOD bends his words to CHRIST his meaning is not to informe CHRIST of that which he already knoweth but to instruct vs in that which it is fit for vs to know as CHRIST elsewhere and in another case obserues This voyce came not because of mee but for your sakes so S. Austin doth well reconcile the Euangelists Iohn 12. But let vs come to the contents of the voyce Decensensu Euangâ—â—â—â— Iâ—b 2. cap. 4. That which the FATHER speaketh is concerning his Sonne he tells vs What hee is to Him what he doeth for vs first what he is to Him Filius and Dilectus his Sonne D. Baptis Christ â— and his Beloued Duo grata vocabula saith St. Cyprian two most contenting words specially if you adde the article to either of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Sonne is more then an ordinary Sonne and this Beloued is more then ordinarily beloued Tertullian de Trinit Looke vpon the words a sunder first the Sonne Christ was the Sonne of God two wayes considered Principalitas nominis Filij est in Spiritu Domini qui descendit the chiefe reason why Christ was called the Senne of God is because hee is God of God Light of Light begotten of his Father before all worlds but Sequela Nominis istius est in
madest me something vouchsafe to make me somthing that haue brought my selfe to nothing Yea worse then nothing for sinne is so it doth not onely abolish that good which thou hast giuen me but it filleth me with euill that is opposite to good yea to God And how much better is it at all not to be then to be a sinner To bee nothing then to be a feind of hell Neuer to haue seene the Sunne then to bee at enmitie with God This is the state where into I haue cast my selfe and thus farre haue I estranged my selfe from thee And how restlesse am I vntill I returne to thee O Lord Sinne forfeits many things besides God but let a man recouer all all besides will yeeld no content except a man recouer God And why Lord Thou art the soueraigne good and without thee nothing is good If I doe not partake the creature in reference to my Creator well may I haue it I shall haue no true comfort in it Take then all from me and leaue me God though I haue nothing yet shall I enioy all things for God is all in all Wherefore though I am sicke I doe not desire health I desire God and it is God that I desire when I am poore I doe not desire wealth I am senslesse of all other wants I hunger and thirst onely after God Seeing then thou Lord onely canst quiet canst satisfie my Soule if thou vouchsafe to turne me turne me vnto thee let me not make a stand before I come so far neither let me thinke my selfe recouered vntill I haue recouered thee Let others rest contented with the drosse of the earth or with the pompe of this world my originall is from heauen and I can find no rest vntill my affections rest there Therefore returne me vnto him from whom sinne hath estranged mee euen to thy selfe O God I beg this of thee because I can expect it from none but thee and from thee I am sure I shal not expect it in vaine For be I neuer so farre gone I cannot goe out of thy reach I can bee no more out of the reach of thy Grace then of thy Power as thou canst smite me so canst thou heale me and thou canst bring mee home as well as thou canst cast me out Lord I make no doubt of the successe if thou vouchsafe thy will for Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me whole onely thy power is equall to thy will and thou canst doe whatsoeuer pleaseth thee Be pleased then good Lord to put to thy helping hand that thy prodigall Child that by the first step of thy grace is come home to himselfe by a second step may come home to thee I desire no new blessing no such blessing as thou hast not vouchsafed to the sonnes of Adam yea to mee Thou madest Adam after thine owne Image and me in him holy and happie diddest thou make vs such sun-shine dayes were our former dayes cleare and warme without corruption without mortalitie though now we are both sinfull and wofull all our dayes are such euill dayes But thou O Lord that commandest at first light to shine out of darkenesse and dost continually exchange the night for day shine vpon mee let the Sunne of righteousnesse arise vnto me become my father make mee thy child giue me grace to serue thee and vouchsafe thou to blesse me create a new heauen and a new earth in this little world of mine wherein let righteousnesse dwell Yea and happinesse also let them rest on my bodie let them rest on my soule let them rest on both all the daies of this life vntill thou bee pleased to remoue both hence and consummate this thy fauour in the life to come Wherein my daies shall be though like yet much better then my dayes of old by so much better as glorification shall exceed the creation Thou seest O Lord the vpshot of my desire Now let my desire be a comfortable Prophesie of thy fauour disappoint me not of that for which thou hast made mee long so change me by grace here on earth that I may be what I hope to be by glorie in heauen where all things are made so new that they neuer can waxe oâ—d AMEN Meditation vpon Ecclesiast 41. VERSE 1. O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperitie in all things and is yet able to receiue meate WEe haue no abiding place on earth none haue but of those that would haue there are many Many there are O Lord that though they must die cannot indure to mind death nothing more vnsauorie to some then that their memorie should be exercised with the memorie thereof And who are they Surely they whom the earth most fauoreth are they that are best affected thereto where their goods are there they thinke it is good being And how should any bee willing to part from that wherein he findeth content and whereupon hee hath set his rest He it is that is not onely in but of the world not onely vseth but enioyeth the same and from that which is our ioy if we be seuered we cannot be seuered without paine Heauen is a blessed place and blessed is the state which all are promised that shall come thither But this truth we belieue we doe not see it surely the worldly happie man doth hardly credit it because he hath no sense thereof Sense that hath immediately to doe with the world as it is pleasured so doth it iudge thereof it iudgeth it the onely place of happinesse If it may be so happie as to be fed to the full with that which it desires if we haue goods and haue the vse of them what saith flesh and bloud should I wish for more And indeed what fuller definition can an earthly mind make of a blessed life then secure store and a comfortable vse of such goods which are the goods of this naturall life Although in themselues they are fleeting vanities yet sensuall reason honoureth them with the glorious title of substance it thinketh they are and are what they seeme because it iudgeth according as it wisheth and what it would haue them to be it holds them to be such And if man bee so vnhappily happie as to hold them without the opposition of enuie or malice and their wings are clipt from flying away the more proprietie we thinke we haue in them the more are we confirmed in our erroneous iudgement of them Nothing doth more roote a mans heart in the world then an ouer great calme wherin he sayles and rides at Anchor in the world worldly peace doth much helpe forward a worldly mind Especially if we bee lulled a sleepe by both charmes of this peace Securitie and Plentie if no bodie disturbe vs no bodie impaire what we haue gathered no casualtie no calamitie cloud the Sun shine of our day or sowre the