THE HAPPINESS of the Church. OR, A Description of those Spiritual Prerogatives wherewith Christ hath endowed her. Considered in some contemplations upon part of the 12. Chapter to the Hebrews. Together with certain other Meditations and Discourses upon other portions of holy Scriptures: the titles whereof immediately precede the Book. Being the Sum of diverse Sermons preached in S. Gregory's London: By Thomas adam's, Preacher there. 2. Corin. 12. 15. I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls. LONDON, Printed by G. P. for john Grismand, and are to be sold at his shop near unto the little North door of Saint Paul's, at the sign of the Gun. 1619. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR HENRY MOUNTAGVE, the Lord Chief justice of ENGLAND, my very good Lord. RIght Honourable, my allegiance to the Almighty King necessitates my endeavours to glorify his Great Name. My Profession hath imposed on me all ministerial services. My filial duty to our blessed Mother the Church, hath taught me to help forward her cause, both with tongue and pen. My thankfulness to your Lo. ties me to seek your honourable authorising of all these labours. They run to you first, as if they waited your manumission of them to the world. If books be our children, and the masculine issue of our brains; than it is fit that your Lo. who have the patronage of the father, should also vouchsafe a blessing to the children. Nor is this all: there is yet a weightier reason why they should refuge themselves under your Lo s. protection. The world is quickly offended, if it be told of the offences: men study courses, & practise them; and if the Clergy find fault, yea if we do not justify and make good what they magnify, & make common, they will be angry. It is the most thankless service to tell men of their misdeeds. Now a business so distasteful requires a worthy Patron: & whose Patronage should I desire but your Lo s. whose I am, and to whom I owe all duty & service? whose but your Lo s. who are in place to reform vice, and to encourage goodness: to make that practical and exemplary, which is here only theorical and preceptory? God hath entrusted to your hands his Sword of justice: draw it in his defence against the enemies of his Grace & Gospel. You sit at the common stern, and therefore are not so much your own as your Countries. Help us with your hands, we will help you with our prayers. The God of majesty & mercy, sanctify your heart, rectify your hand, justify your soul, and lastly crown your head with eternal glory. Your Lordship's observant Chaplain, Tho. adam's. To the worthy Citizens of Saint Gregory's Parish, sincere lovers of the Gospel, present happiness, and everlasting Peace. I Owe you a treble debt, of love, of service, of thankfulness. The former, the more I pay, the more still I owe. The second I will be ready to pay to the uttermost of my power; though short both of your deserts, and my own desires. Of the last I will strive to give full payment; and in that (if it be possible) to come out of your debts. Of all I have in this volume given you the earnest: as therefore you use to do with bad debtor, take this till more comes. You see I have venturously trafficked with my poor talon in public, whilst I behold richer graces kept close at home, and buried in silence: liking it better to husband a little to the common good, then to hoard up much wealth in a sullen niggardice. I censure none: if all were writers, who should be readers? if none, idle Pamphlets would take up the general eye, be read and applauded, only through want of better objects. If the grain be good, it doth better in the market, then in the Garner. All I can say for myself is, I desire to do good; whereof if I should fail, yet even that I did desire it, and endeavour it, shall content my conscience. I am not affrighted with that common objection of a dead letter: I know that God can effectuate his own ends, and never required man to appoint him the means. If it were profitable being spoken, sure it cannot be unnecessary being written. It is not unknown to you, that an infirmity did put me to silence many weeks: whilst my tongue was so suspended from preaching, my hand took opportunity of writing. To vindicate my life from the least suspicion of idleness, or any such aspersions of uncharitable tongues, I have set forth this real witness, which shall give just confutation to such slanders. If it be now condemned, I am sure it is only for doing well. I very well know the burden of preaching in this City: we may say of it in another sense, what Christ said of jerusalem, O thou that killest the Prophets. Many a Minister comes to a Parish with his veins full of blood, his bones of marrow; but how soon doth he exhaust his spirits, waste his vigour! And albeit there are many good souls, for whose sake he is content to make himself a sacrifice: yet there are some so unmerciful, that after all his labour would send him a beggar to his grave. I tell you but the fault of some, quitting your particular selves: I speak not to diminish the credit of your bounty, which I have found, and here with a thankful profession acknowledge it. In testimony whereof I have set to my hand, and sent it you a token of the gratitude of my heart. Receive it from him that is unfeignedly desirous of your salvation: and if he knew by what other means soever he might bring you to everlasting peace; would study it, practise it, continue it; whilst his Organ of speech hath breath enough to move it. Your unworthy Preacher, Thomas adam's. The Contents. The Happiness of the Church. Hebr. 12. 22. But ye are come unto Mount Zion. The rage of Oppression. Psal. 66. 12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads. The victory of Patience. Psal. 66. 12. We went through fire and through water. God's house. Psal. 66. 13. I will go into thy House. Man's Seedtime and Harvest. Gala. 6. 7. Whatsoever a man sows, he shall reap. Heaven-gate. reve. 22. 14. And may enter in through the gates. The Spiritual eye-salve. Ephe. 1. 18. That the eyes of your understanding. The Cosmopolite. Luke 12. 20. But God said unto him, Thou fool. The bad Leaven. Gala. 5. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Faith's Encouragement. Luke 17. 19 And he said unto him, Arise. The Saints meeting. Ephe. 4. 13. Till we all meet in the unity of the faith. Presumption running into despair. reve. 6. 16. They said to the Mountains. Majesty in misery. Math. 27. 51. And behold, the vail of the Temple. The Fool and his sport. Prou. 14. 9 Fools make a mock at sin. The fire of contention. Luke 12. 49. I come to send fire on the earth. The Christians walk. Ephe. 5. 2. Walk in love. loves Copy. Ephe. 5. 2. As Christ loved us. A Crucifix. Ephe. 5. 2. He hath given himself for us an offering. The good Politician directed. Math. 10. 16. Be wise as Serpents. The way home. Math. 2. 12. And being warned of God in a dream. Semper Idem. Hebr. 13. 8. jesus Christ the same yesterday. God's bounty. Prou. 3. 16. Length of days is in her right hand. The lost are found. Luke 19 10. For the Son of man is come to seek. A Generation of Serpents. Psal. 58. 4. Their poison is like the poison of Serpents. Heaven made sure. Psal. 35. 3. Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. The Souls refuge. 1. Pet. 4. 19 Let them that suffer according. The end of the Contents. THE HAPPINESS OF THE CHURCH. HEBR. 12. Ver. 22. But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and to the City of the living GOD, the heavenly jerusalem; and to an innumerable company of Angels: 23. To the general assembly, and Church of the first borne which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect: 24. And to jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things then that of Abel. THEY that make comparisons, alteram partem deprimunt, ut res alterius emineant; debase the one part, that they may advance the honour of the other. Our Apostle abates the glory of the Law, that he may give more glory (where it is more deserved) to the Gospel. a 2 Cor. 3. 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. The sum of the comparison is spent in these three generals. 1. There were, Omnia terrena, et externa: all things outward and savouring of earth: ver. 18. A Mount that might still be touched, etc. Here, all Interna et coelestia, spiritual and heavenly. 2. There are all Obscura et caliginosa, dark and difficult: Blackness & darkness, etc. Here, all Clara et illustria, clear and conspicuous: therefore the Prophet called Christ solemn justitiae, b Mal. 4. 2. The Sun of Righteousness: and john Baptist styled him c john. 1. 8. That light, which lightens every one coming into the world. 3. There, all were Terribilia, fearful and amazing: not only to the people, ver. 19 who entreated that the Word should not be spoken to them any more. But even to Moses, ver. 21. So terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake. Here, all Amabilia et laeta, lovely as Rachel, delightful as Music: the Gospel is called the Message of peace. Our Apostle therefore preacheth a double quantity in the Gospel; Magnitudinem Gloriae, multitudinem gratiae: the greatness of Glory, to work in us reverence: the multitude of Grace, to work in us love & obedience. d joh. 1. 17. The Law was given by Moses, but Grace and Truth came by Christ jesus. The excellency of Christ above Moses, is exemplified in the third Chapter of this Epistle, Heb. 3. 6. Moses verily was faithful in all God's house as a servant: But Christ as a Son over his own house, etc. To the words; the parts are generally two, the Access, and the Object. First, for the Access, Ye are come. What, on your own feet without a Guide? No; e Paraeus. Accessistis, hoc est, fide evangelica perducti estis. Ye are come, that is, ye are brought by the faith of the Gospel. There is one that brings you; God: every person in the blessed Trinity. It is Opus Patris; f joh. 6. 44. No man can come except the Father draw him. Opus filii, g Can. 1. 4. Draw me, we will run after thee. Opus spiritus sancti, h Psal. 143. 10. Let thy good spirit lead me into the Land of righteousness Man is by nature in Zedechias case, i 2. Kin. 25. 7. blind and lame: Blind, Non invenisset viam, nisi via invenisset eum: unless the way had found him, he could never have found the way. Lame, he may know that the Temple of heaven hath a k Acts 3. 2. beautiful gate; Grace: but cannot come thither till God brings him, loo sen his stupefied joints, and put into his hand the Alms of mercy. This done, he may enter into the Temple, walking, and leaping, and praising GOD. Thus first he gives the Soul eyes, understanding; then feet, gracious affections: and now expects that he should come. God hath not so done all for thee, that thou shouldest do nothing for thyself. A Deo sine te factus, à te fine Deo infectus, A Christo sine te refectus, non à te fine Christo, nec à Christo sine te perfectus: God did create thee without thyself, thou didst lose thyself without God: without thyself Christ did redeem thee; but neither thyself without Christ, nor Christ without thyself shall perfect thee. Potest Dominus inveniri, adveniri, non praeveniri: There may be a finding of God, a coming to God, but Ber. no preventing of God. Have faith. l Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God, must believe: and that of thine own, for there is no coming on another's foot. Thus that we might come to Christ, Christ came to us. Non de coelo merita nostra, sed peccata traxerunt: Not our merits, but our maladies drew that great Physician from heaven to us. Ye are (not coming, but) come: it is rather a time perfectly passed, then expectantly future. Which plainly demonstrates, that this is a description of the Church in her militant estate, so well as triumphant. Indeed either hath a relation to other, a communion to other; and the inestimable privileges of them both are wrapped up together. The connexion of Glory to Grace is so infallible, that they often change names: Heaven is called the kingdom of Holiness, and Holiness is called the kingdom of Heaven. m Rom. 8. 24. Ye are saved by hope: and n john 5. 24. He that believeth, hath everlasting life, and is passed from death to life. So sure, as if they were already in Heaven. So Paul, o Phil. 3. 20. Our conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for our Saviour jesus Christ. The object or place of our arrival is described by many excellent and honourable titles. First, it is called a Mount: but is there so much happiness in that? Feriunt summos 1 fulgura montes: the highest Mountains are most dangered to the violences of Heaven. ver. 18. There was a Mount burning with fire. This is no Mountain of danger, or terror, but Zion: safe, pleasant, delightful Zion; the joy of the whole earth, the beloved of GOD: the john that leaned on the bosom of Christ. p Psal. 87. 2. The Lord loves the gates of Zion better than all the dwellings of jacob. But though a Mount, though Mount Zion, yet it might be a solitary and unfrecuented Hill: like that whereunto q Math. 4. 8. the Devil took Christ, and showed him the kingdoms of the world: where a man can only see glory, not enjoy it. Or like that mount r Deu. 34. 4. Nebo, or top of Pisgah, whereon Moses might only stand, and behold the Land of Canaan. Not so, but on this Mount there stands a City: a populous 2 City, and full of buildings: like that, wherein Christ says s joh. 14. 2. there are many mansions. But now whose City is this? For it may be some poor decayed thing, that hath only some ruins of remaining monuments: No, it is the City of GOD. They are superlative things, that have attributed to them the Name of God. Saul's sleep was called S●…por Domini, a sleep of God. t Gen. 30. 8. Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled: Hebr. the wrestlings of God. u Psal. 36. 6. Thy righteousness is like the great Mountains: Hebr. the Mountains of God. x jon. 3. 3. Niniveh was an exceeding great City: Hebr. a City of God. This Hebrew dialect our Apostle follows to the Hebrews, and calls this excellent City, the City of God Not that it is only Gods ●…y way of as●…ription, but even by foundation, and everlasting possession: but to vindicate it from any obscurene●…se, it is the City of God. But there were many concei●…ed gods; it may be this belonged to some Idol, as Peor●…id ●…id to Pa●…l, and Ekron to Baalzebub: No, these were all ●…ead gods; this is the Living GOD. The Psalmist calls ●…hem 〈◊〉: y Psal. 106. 28. They did eat the sacrifices of the dead: but this God is called Uivens, a Heb. 9 14. the Living: and Deus viventium, b Mat. 22. 32. the GOD of the living. Well, yet what is the name of this City? Is it a City, a City on a Mount, a City of God, and doth it want a name? Not a great man but if he build a fair house, he will give it some name: Perhaps c Psal. 49. 11. call it after his own name. The name is jerusalem, famous, blessed jerusalem; a City of Peace. But there was a jerusalem on earth, whereof we may only say, Fuit, It was. That was fulfilled on it, which Christ foretold against it; d Mat. 24. 2. There shall not be left one store upon another. But this City is built with no other stones than jaspers', sapphire, Emeralds, and Amathysts. reve. 21. 19 It is here distinguished from that terrene, by the name of Heavenly; above the wheel of changeable mortality, it is not subject to mutation. The celestial jerusalem. But yet, though it be a City on a Mount, though jerusalem, 3 though heavenly; yet the perfection of all may be impaired through the want, either of Inhabitants, or of good Inhabitants. There be Cities eminent for situation, glorious for building, commodious for traffic: yet have all these benefits poisoned by evil Citizens. When Alcibiades would sell a house, among other conveniences for which he praised it, he especially commends it for this; that it hath a good neighbour. Who be the neighbours in this City? Angels, glorious & excellent creatures, the great Kings Courtiers; here, our Guardians, there, our companions. Yes, you will say, one or two Angels: yea a company; not like David's at Adullam, nor Absalon's in Hebron; but innumerable, Myriads of Angels. Are there none in this City but Angels? what habitation 4 is there then for men? Yes, there is an Assembly of men: not some particular Synod, nor Provincial Convocation, nor national Council; but a General assembly. What do you call it? The Church. Of whom con●…sts it? Ex Primogenitis, Of the first borne. But than it may seem that younger brothers are excluded: No, the first borne of the world may be a younger brother in Christ, and the first borne in Christ may be a younger brother in the world. Be they younger or elder, all that are written in heaven, if their names be in the Book of life, their souls are in the bundle of life: All they, & none but they. e Reu. 21. 27. Then shall enter into it no unclean thing: but only they which are written in the lambs Book of life. But now is it a City, so pleasant, and peopled with such inhabitants, and hath it no Governors? Yes, God, 5. judex universorum 〈◊〉 judge of all. But here is more matter of fear then comfort: we may quickly offend this judge, & so be quite cast out of this City: the very name of a judge implies terror. No, for it is the part of a just judge, Parcere subiectis, & debellare superbos: to punish obstinate Rebels, and to protect peaceable and obedient subjects. Somewhat was said of adopted Citizens, such as were strangers borne, and by grace naturalised. What manner 6. of creatures are they, that GOD hath admitted to dwell there? Spirits. Why, Devils are spirits: No, spirits of Men. But many men have wicked spirits, and shall such dwell there? No, the spirits of Just men. Why, Solon, Aristides, Photion, Scipio, were just men: they were morally just, but not truly justified, not perfected. These are just spirits made perfect. How came they to be thus perfect? By jesus, f Rom. 4. 25. who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our 7. justification. What is this jesus? A Mediator. Man was guilty, God was angry: how should they be reconciled? A Mediator must do it. For this purpose Apparuit inter mortales peceatores, & immortalem justum, mortalis cum hominibus, justus cum Deo. He appeared between mortal Aug. sinners, and the immortal judge, mortal with men, just with God: so was a perfect Mediator. Whereof? Novi foederis, of the new Covenant. The old was forfeited, a new one comes by him that renews all. Not Do this and live: but g john 3. 16. believe on him that hath done it for thee, & live for ever. How is this Covenant confirmed? It is sealed with Blood. How is this blood applied? Aspergendo, by sprinkling: as the dore-posts sprinkled with the blood of the Paschall Lamb, caused the destroying Angel to pass over the Israelites: So the aspersion of this immaculate lambs blood upon the conscience, shall free us from the eternal vengeance. But what's the virtue of this blood? It speaketh better things then that of Abel. That blood cried for vengeance; this cries for forgiveness. The voice of that was, Lord, see and judge: the voice of this is, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. Thus briefly have I paraphrased the Text. Now for methods sake, in the tractation we may consider generally these five points. 1. There is a City; jerusalem, the City of the living God. 2. The situation whereon it is built, Mount Zion. 3. The Citizens, who are Angels and men: an innumerable company of Angels, and spirits of just men. 4. The King that governs it; GOD the judge of all. 5. The Purchaser that bought it, and gave it us, jesus, the Mediator of the new Covenant. But now the situation hath the first place in the words, therefore challengeth the same in my discourse. And indeed on good cause should the foundation go before the building: we first seek out a fit ground, and then proceed to edify on it. Mount Zion. Not literally that Mount Zion whereon Solomon built the Temple, and David his Palace. That local Zion became like Shiloh: first, exceedingly and superlatively h Psal. 87. 2. loved, afterwards i Psa. 78. 60. abhorred and forsaken, like the Tabernacle of Shiloh, the Tent that he pitched among men. This was threatened to that sacred place, as a just punishment of their rebellious profaneness. Therefore will I do unto this house, that is called by my Name, as I have done to Shiloh. It lies in the power of sin, to make the most blessed places accursed. k Psal. 107. 34. God turns a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of the inhabitants that dwell therein. Civitatis eversio morum, non murorum casus. The ruin of a City is not the breach of the walls, but the apostasy of manners. Were our Fences stronger than the sevenfolde walls of Babylon, the sins within would hurl down the Bulwarks without. If there be Pravilegium among us, there is no Privilegium for us. This Zion then stands not on earthly foundations; for at the general dissolution, l 2. Pet. 3. 10. the earth with all the works in it, Cities, Castles, Towns, Towers, shall be burnt up. If it were built on a m Mat. 7. 27. sa●…dy foundation, when the rain, the floods, and winds shall conspire against it, it would fall, and the fall of it would be great. But Zion is built on Christ: n 1. Pet. 2. 6. Behold, I say, in Zion a chief corner stone, elect and precious, he that believeth on him, shall not be confounded. This is conspicuous by the Antithesis of Mount Zion with the Gospel, to Mount Sinai with the Law. The Apostlecals that montem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a mount that might be touched: if this had been upon earth, it had also been contrectabilis, touchable: but it is only spiritual. He alludes to God's Prophecies and Promises, evangelium proditurum de monte Zion, that the Gospel should come out of Mount Zion. This is manifest to those that will consider and confer these places, Obad. vers. 21. Esa. 2. 3. Mie. 4. 2. Come, let us go up to the Mount of the Lord; for out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the word of God from jerusalem, Esa. 59 20. with Rom. 11. 26. There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from jacob. Sinai gave thraldom by Moses, Zion gives freedom and salvation by jesus. These two words give us two comforts of grace. Fortitudinem quia mons, Beatitudinem quia mons Zion. Security, because it is a mountain; Felicity, because it is Mount Zion. 1. here is considerable, the validity and strength of grace that comes by Christ: we are not built in a valley, but on a mount. A mountain hath ever been held the place of safety. o Psal. 30. 8. I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved. What is his reason? Lord, thou of thy favour hast made my mountain so strong. But alas, what are all the mountains of the earth to mount Zion? p Amos 6. 1. Woe to them that trust in the mountains of Samaria. The profane Edomite stands on his q Esa. 21. 11. mountain, and derides the judgement of God. The Syrians thought God only Deum montium, r 1. King. 20. 23. a God of the mountains. It was upon s jerem. 3. 6. the high mountain that Israel played the harlot. Many sit on their mountains, and give defiance to heaven. The covetous man's mountain is his riches, there he thinks himself safe; t Luk. 12. 19 Soul rest, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. The ambitious man's mountain is his honour, and who dares find fault with so promontorious a celsitude? yes, u Esay 40. 4. Every mountain shall be brought low. Sensuality is the voluptuous man's mountain, there he refugeth himself against all reproofs. But when the judgements of God shall come upon the earth, in vain they shall cry x Luk. 23. 30. to the mountains, Fallon us, and to the hills, Cover us. As neither against the waters in the former Deluge, so nor against the fire in the latter dissolution, shall the mountains defend; only this Mount Zion shall save us. The mountain of worldly confidence hath not more strength of defending against the assaults of men, than danger of exposing to the violences of heaven. here is the difference betwixt the worldling's building, and the Christians. 1. They think themselves only to build high, aspiring to an equality with mountains: and as low builders, poor, dejected, and rejected creatures. But indeed they build low, for all sublunary things are low buildings, only he that builds on this Mount Zion, builds high and sure; when all oppositions, and adversary forces have done their worst, he stands firm a Psal. 125. 1. like Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth fast for ever. The b Sen. Wise man's mind is ever above the Moon, yea, above the Sun. What turbulencies soever be in the world, all is peace there. c john 14. 2. In my Father's house there are many mansions. In domo, it is a house, not a Tabernacle: Of my Father, for if he hath afforded such a house for his enemies, how glorious is that he hath reserved for himself, and his friends! Patris mei, saith Christ, My Father: your Father is able to give you a cottage for your short life: My Father gives a house for ever. There are Mansions, à manendo; not movable tents, but mansions. Many, enough for all, none shall be troubled for want of elbow-room. Therefore let all Mountains stoop to this. d Esay 2. 2. The mountain of the Lord shall be established in the top of mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all Nations shall flow unto it. This is God's Mountain, who hath chosen of all Nations, Israel; of all Tribes, juda; of all Cities, jerusalem; of all Temples, that of Solomon; of all Mountains, Mount Zion. 2. The worldlings think this Mountain is but a dream, because they cannot see it, nor touch it. But our Apostle says, it is intrectabilis: it cannot be touched with earthly fingers; no profane feet must tread in those holy Courts. Natural men's understandings are led by their senses; Plus oculo quam oraculo: they will believe no further than they see. Give me good cheer, says the Epicure, this I can see and taste: and tell not me of your spiritual banquet in heaven. Give me good liquor, says the Drunkard, the blood of the grape: this gives colorem, saporem, odorem; colour to the eye, savour to the palate, odour to the sent: heaven hath no Nectar like this. Give me honour, saith the Ambitious, which may advance me: that from this Mountain of preferment I may overlook the inferior world, and behold vassals prostrate to my Celsitude; this I can feel and see: tell not me of your invisible kingdom, and e Psal. 149. 9 Such honour have all his Saints. Give me gorgeous apparel, says the proud: this will make me admired, & give me admission among the great ones: tell not me of our rob of Glory. Give me gold, says the Covetous, this I can see; it is my Sun by day, and my Moon by night. I can spend my time delightfully in telling, feeling, treasuring this: never tell me of your treasure in heaven. Well, if there be no remedy, but Sense must be your Religion, and this world your God; take your choice; these gross & palpable things; trust you in these Mountains: but Lord give us this Mount Zion, which our Lord jesus Christ hath established for us. Now, sith we are built upon a Mountain, let us know that we are conspicuous; all the world takes notice of us. The faithful are not ordained to live in corners, unobserved: but are set on a Mountain, as examples of goodness to all. f Mat. 5. 14. A City that is set on a hill cannot be hid. God meant you notable, take heed you become not notorious. As Mount Zion g Psal. 48. 2. is the joy of the whole earth, so it is the light of the whole earth. If that light become darkness, how great, & how greatly to be condemned is that darkness? This was that great exception God took against Israel, that h Rom. 2. 24. through them his Name (which should have been honoured) was blasphemed among the Gentiles. You are founded on a Mountain, therefore i 1. Pet. 2. 12. have your conversation honest among men, that by your good works which they behold, they may glorify God in the day of visitation. 2. The felicity that comes by Christ, insinuated by Zion, which was a place of blessedness. This is either Praemissa, or Promissa: already sent into our hearts, or certainly objected by promise to our faiths. It is either assumed, or assured. Inre, or in spe: either that we have, or that we shall have. The happiness we have already by this Mount Zion, consists in three privileges: the Favour of God; joy of the holy Ghost; and peace of Conscience. 1. In the Favour of GOD, which is to Zion, as the k Exod. 10. 23. light was once to Goshen: shining there, and no where else. Or as to Gedeon, the l jud. 6. 37. Fleece on the Mountain is wet with the dew of Heaven, when all the earth is dry besides: This Lux vultus tui, m Psal. 4. 6. the light of thy Countenance, which puts more gladness into our hearts, than the abundance of earthly fruits rejoice the covetous: The wicked shall never see it, unless so much as may increase their anguish, when they must depart from it for ever. 2. In the joy of the Spirit, which is (hilaris cum pondere virtus) a gladness that can neither be suppressed, nor expressed. Sentire est cordis, dicere non est oris: The heart doth feel it, the tongue cannot tell it. It is that n Reu. 2. 17. Stone with the new Name written in it, which no man knoweth, saving be that receiveth it. There is much rejoicing in the world, but the matter of it is mutable. These lower delights are more sensitive, but more fluid. They sooner cloy us; Magna foelicitas est à felicitate non vinci. It is a great happiness not to be overcome of happiness. Corporal Sen. delights work in us a great hunger till they are attained. But Spiritual, cum non habentur sunt in fastidio: cum habentur in desiderio: Whiles we have them not, we Greg. care not for them, but when we have them, we more eagerly desire them. There is no hunger of it, till we taste it. In illis appetitus generat saturitatem saturitas fastidium. In istis appetitus parat fruitione●…, fruitio parit appetitum. In carnal pleasures, appetite begets fullness; fullness, loathing: in spiritual, desire prepares fruition, fruition begets desiring. Voluptuous pleasure, is like a blister: it begins first with an itching, but at last it swells, & breaks forth in anguish and putrid corruption. There are two observations able to keep us from over-affecting the joys of this world, and from vilipending the joys of Zion. 1. First, resolve every carnal delight in the first matter and principle of it, and there will be more likelihood of despising, than danger of much desiring. The Covetous makes o job. 31. 24. gold his hope, and says to the Wedge, Thou art my confidence: and what are those precious metals he so worshippeth, but veins of the earth better coloured. T●… Ambitious builder, that erects a p Dan. 4. 30. Babel for the honour of his own Majesty, thinks all eyes standamazed at his magnificence. And what are those sumptuous monuments wherein he so glorieth, but monumental witnesses of his folly, a little hewn timber, some burnt and hardened earth? The Adulterer admires the beauty of his harlot, kneels to a pledge of her memory, by wanton sonnets Idolises her, turns his soul to an Elephant, and worships this Sun. Now what is that stately building of a human lump, but the same earth his foot treads upon, better tempered, because painted worse; when it wants the guest, the soul that quickens it worst of all? The proud dotes on his costly robes, centres his eye upon himself, as if no second object was worth looking on; the Tailor's hand hath made him a man, and his purse makes the Tailor a Gentleman. And what are those curious rags, but such are given of worms; and consumed of moths? Consider the materials of your lower joys, & if you will persist in their dotage, you shall do it without our envy. 2. Observe their Conclusion; look from their beginning to their end. Delectatio vulnerat, & transit: infoelicem Ambr. reddidit, & reliquit. Pleasure, like an Irish man, wounds with her dart, and is suddenly gone: it makes a man miserable, and so leaves him. Mors in ollâ; behold laughter concluded in tears. The protasis delights, the apodosis wounds. The Conscience receives a long vexation, for a transient delectation: for an unperfect content, perfect torment. This is a hard pennyworth, so little pleasure for so much repentance. He that for a little joy, gives that Christ bought with so much pain, Stultum Aug. Christum reputat mercatorem; thinks Christ a foolish buyer; but the event proves him a foolish seller. Esau bitterly repented this bargain. This for the world: but now the joys of Mount Zion are for matter spiritual, for substance real, for use universal, for continuance eternal. 3. In the peace of Conscience. There is little outward peace in the world; we have either an Esau with his hand, or an Ishmael with his tongue, bend against us. q Gal. 4. 29. As then he that was borne after the flesh, persecuted him that was borne after the Spirit, even so it is now. So it is, and so it will be to the end of the world. This is the difference betwixt Mount Zion militant, and Mount Zion triumphant. In heaven are all comforts without any crosses: in hell are all crosses without any comforts: on earth comforts and crosses, joy and grief, peace and trouble, misery and mercy are blended together. We may say of a Christian, as Lorinus the jesuit writes of an Archbishop of Toledo, who weighing the much disputed controversy, whether Solomon was saved or damned, and not being satisfied with the arguments of either side, caused Solomon to be painted on the walls of his Chapel, half in Heaven, and half in hell. So the Christian in respect of his outward calamities, seems to be half in hell, but in respect of his inward comforts, he is the better half in heaven. Howsoever, r Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by Faith, we have peace with God. And wheresoever we are dispersed, or howsoever distressed, the Peace of God which passeth all understanding, and surpasseth all commending, preserveth our hearts in jesus Christ evermore. But all this in Possesso, we have already: there is something more in Promisso, which we shall have: s 1. john 3. 2. We are now the sons of God, but it appears not yet what we shall be. Hast thou here much peace? there is more: here we have desiderium pacis, there pacem desiderij: here a desire of peace, there the peace of our desires. Hast thou here some joy? there is more: now joy with sorrow, checker-worke, white and black; roses, but thorns with them: then joy with safety, safety with eternity; such joy t joh 16. 22. as shall never be taken from us. There Rex veritas, Lex charitas, Aug. pax foelicitas, vita aeternitas. If u Psal. 84. 10. one day in lower Zion be better than a thousand days in the tents of wickedness, than one day in upper Zion, is better than a thousand years in this valley of tears. If Peter was so ravished with x Mat. 17. 2. Mount Tabor, where only Christ was transfigured, what is he with this Mount Zion where all are glorified? y Psal. 84. 1. How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord! If God's Tabernacles be so lovely, what is his mansion? If there be such joy in the remission of sin, what is there in the abolition of sin? If there be now such sweet peace in thy heart, such music in thy conscience, what mayst thou think there is in heaven? But because non capimus illa, illa capiant nos: we cannot comprehend those pleasures, let those pleasures comprehend us. Good servant, (the joy is too great to enter into thee, therefore) a Mat. 25. 23. enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. This Mount Zion did God give to Christ, and Christ to us. God to his Son, b Psal. 2. 6. Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. The Son to us; c Reu. 14. 1. A Lamb stood on Mount Zion, and with him 144. thousand, etc. A Lamb in figure, slain from the foundation of the world. A Lamb in fact, d Acts 8. 32. led like a Lamb to the slaughter, standeth, sits not idle, nor lies asleep: e Psal. 121. 4. he that keepeth Israel, neither slumbers nor sleeps: whereon? not as the two beasts his opposites, that rise out of the earth and Sea, but on a Mount. What Mount? not Sinai, but Zion. Other mountains quake at his presence. f Psal. 97. 5, 8. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord. But Zion heard and was glad, and the daughters of juda rejoiced. Other mountains in homage to this, have skipped and danced about it. g Psal. 114. 4. The mountains skipped like Rams, and the little hills like Lambs. He stands, therefore is willing to defend; on a Mount, therefore able to defend; on Mount Zion, therefore ready to defend, because he is in the midst of his own, and sees his Church round about him. So that though all the red Dragons on earth, and black Devils in hell, rage against us, yet the Lamb on Mount Zion will defend us. There now he stands, calling us by grace, there we shall one day behold him calling us to glory, until he give this glory to us; yea, then and ever, let us give all glory to the Lamb that stands on Mount Zion. This is the place which the Lord chose and loves. He refused the Tabernacle of joseph, and chose not the Tribe of Ephraim, h Psal 78. 68 But chose the Tribe of judah, the Mount Zion which he loved. This praise did inherit and inhabit Zion: i Psal. 132. 13. The Lord hath chosen Zion, he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it. Let the precedent of God's affection work in all our hearts a zeal to Zion. The Lord that chose Zion, choose us to Zion; he that desired it his habitation, make it the habitation of our desires. It is his rest, let it be ours, that we may rest with him: Here will I dwell, saith he; let us all prey to dwell there. Though it be a hill, a high hill; though pains and toil in getting up, yet let us ascend, for above there is eternal joy. The City of the living God, the heavenly jerusalem. I come from the Situation, to the City: you hear where it is, hear now what it is. A City in a Mountain. k Psal. 48. 4. etc. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the City of our God, in the Mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion, on the sides of the North, the City of the great King. God is known in her Palaces for a sure refuge. here be four circumstances. 1. Quae sit, not a Village, but a City. 2. Cuius, not man's, but Gods, not a feigned, but the living Gods. 3. Qualis, not earthly, but heavenly. 4. Quo nomine, not Sodom or Samaria, but the City of peace, jerusalem. The City. The Church may be compared to a City for three resemblances; of Safety, Unity, Paucity. 1. For safety: Cities have ever been held the securest places. So Let said of little Zoar; l Gene. 19 20. Let me escape thither, & my soul shall live. Cain fearing the execution of his curse, built him a m Gen. 4. 17. City for refuge, and called it Enoch. The motive that caused those wicked to build a City, was security, n Gene. 11. 4. lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. The Israelites had their Cities of refuge, and a Law of their protection. Num. 35. 27. But there is no City of sure refuge, but this City of the living God. It is ordinary with men, to put too much trust, like Israel, in their walled Cities. o Psal. 127. 1. Except the Lord keep the City, the watchman waketh but in vain. p jere. 22. 15. Shalt thou reign because thou closest thyself in Cedar? Thou thinkest thyself secure, because an inhabitant of this famous London. No, thou livest in an Island, therefore in danger of the Sea: in a Christian Island, therefore in danger of the Turk: in a Protestant Island, therefore in danger of the Pope: in a chief City of this Island, therefore in danger of the devil. The City is perilous for pride: the more spectators, the more acclamations: the larger the Theatre, the louder the applause. The solemn assembly in Cesaria, puffed up ambitious Herod to his own destruction. The people shouted q Acts 12. 23 Vox Dei, but the worms confuted their flattery, & his folly. Simon Magus ventured that flight in a City, to which in an obscure Village he had neither been tempted, nor would have attempted. And whether quick comings in of money, make not this City unsafe to many souls, miserable experience hath evinced. Praeceps locum, princeps damnum: sudden profit is capital loss. But suppose men care not so much for the safety of their souls, are their bodies secure? thieves, homicides, fires deny it. But if they scape all these fires, yet not the last fire. Your buckets may quench other fires, not this: no milk nor vinegar can extinguish that wild fire. As in the days of Noah, a Dove could not set down her foot for water, so nor at this day for fire. Let this meditation like a fortunate storm drive you to harbour: the weakness of all Cities in the world to the safety of the City of God. 2. For unity; Familiarity hath the name, Quasi eiusdem familiae, as it were of the same family. Concord and agreement is taught by the Corporation of one City. r Psal. 122. 3. jerusalem is built as a City well compacted together. Here is no need of Lawyers, all are at peace. Not a tell-tale, not an Incendiary in it. Inferior Cities have good orders for unity, but all will not embrace the unity of order. Saepe inter cives turbaverit amnia dives. It must be as the rich will have it, or there is no rule. These Citizens are not Urbani, but Turbani. It was David's care to s Psal. 101. 8. cut off such wicked doers from the City of GOD. Here they t Mat. 10. 23. persecute us from City to City, going over the Cities of Israel: not leave us till we are driven to this City, then shall we rest in peace: every one loving another, and the Lord jesus loving us all. 3. For Paucity: indeed a City is great compared with a Village, but what is it in respect of the earth? u Luk. 13. 23. Are there few that shall be saved? No, there are many: x Rom. 8. 29. Christ is the first borne among many brethren. y Rom. 7. 9 Lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all Nations, and languages, stood before the Throne. Are there many that shall be saved? No, few: a Mat 10. 16. Many are called, but few are chosen. Christ's is a b Luke 12. 32 little flock. The best courses have the fewest followers: Numerus paucior, numerus melior. God's reservation is c Esay 1. 9 a very small remnant: a very Tenth. d Esay 6. 13. In it shall be a Tenth, many leaves, the sap is but a Tithe. e Esay 17. 6. As the shaking of an Olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough; four or five in the outmost fruitful branches. They are compared to the f Esay 24. 13. Gleaning of the Grapes after the Vintage. It was the Church's complaint; g Mich. 7. 1. Woe is me, for I am as the glean. This was God's collection, h jere. 3. 14. I will take you one of a City, and two of a family. God is a Shepherd that saves some from the Lion; i Amos 3. 12 taking out of his mouth two legs, or the piece of an ear: rescues a few from that universal Apostasy. Of the 600. thousand that came out of Egypt, but two entered into Canaan, Caleb and joshua. Even the best is but Titio ereptus ab igne, a brand snatched out of the fire. k Gene. 6. 12. All flesh had corrupted their way, only Noah escaped. Not one righteous in Sodom, but Lot. Four hundred and fifty Prophets for Baal, but one for the Lord: four hundred flatterers for Ahab, one Michaiah for the truth. l Esay 8. 18. Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel. So few and rare, that they are gazed on for Monsters. When they sat in council against Christ, none spoke for him but m joh. 7. 51. Nicodemus. Paul answering before Nero, n 2 Tim. 4. 16 no man stood with him, but all men for sook him. But to the Idol all consent, Exod. 32. From young to old given to Sodomy, Gen. 19 Pilate ask what shall be done with jesus, All cry, Crucify him. There was a general shout for Diana two hours together, o Act. 19 34. Great is Diana of the Ephesians. p Reu. 13. 16. All, both small and great, rich & poor, free & bond, received the mark of the Beast in their foreheads. q 1. Kin. 20. 27. The children of Israel are like to little flocks of Kids; but the wicked like the Syrians fill the Country. But those few Innocents speed best. r Rom. 9 27. Though the number of Israel be as the sand, a remnant shall be saved. Among us many rob the Church, few add to the dition of it: there are many Usurers, few restorers. Lord, s reve. 3. 1. thou hast but a few names in Sardi. That of Esdras concerning Israel, is true of this mystical City. t 2. Esdr. 5. 23. Of all the trees thou hast chosen thee only one Vine: of all the Lands of the whole world, thou hast chosen thee one pit: of all the flowers, one Lily: of all the depths of the Sea, thou hast filled thee one River: of all builded Cities, thou hast hallowed Zion unto thyself. Of all the fowls created, thou hast named thee one Dove: of all the cattle, thou hast provided thee one sheep: Among all the multitudes of peoples, thou hast gotten thee one people. If we should divide the world into thirty parts, scarce five of them are Christian. Of those five, the Pope challengeth (at the least) half. He says, I have one Church in Italy, one in Germany, one in Spain, one in France, one in England. One in England? Now the Lord one day convince him, and grant us he may have none in England. Now it is a quarrel betwixt us and Antichrist whether they or we belong to this City, we cannot agree about it. One day it will be a quarrel betwixt Antichrist and the Devil, and they shall agree about it. Now subdivide all these five parts of the world, whether theirs or ours, and scarce one is truly sincere. Hypocrisy hath one part, Heresy another part, Profaneness a third part, lukewarmness a fourth, God hath least that owes all. O the small number sealed up by the Spirit of the living God! Let this teach every one to suspect himself: when Christ said, One of you shall betray me, they presently all cry, Master, is it I? when he was asked, whether only few should be saved, he tells them of neither many nor few, but charged them to look to themselves, that they might be of the number; u Luk. 13. 14. Strive to enter in at the straight gate. x 2. Esd. 7. 6. There is a City built in a broad field, full of all good things, but the entrance thereof is narrow, besides the dangerous passage between a violent fire, and a deep water. Study, strive, pray, that thou mayst pass through the narrow way, by the sweet-guiding hand of Christ. Of God. God is the Proprietary of this City. Est una civitas, & una civitas: unus populus, & unus populus: vnu●… Rex, & Aug. unus Rex: una Lex, & una Lex. There are two Cities, two peoples, two Kings, and two Laws. For the Cities, there is a Reu. 18. 2. Babylon the great, and b Gal. 4. 26. jerusalem the Mother of us all. For the peoples, there is the seed of the woman, and of the Serpent, Corn and tars, Sheep and Goats, vessels of honour, and vessels of dishonour, jacob and Esau, Christ and Belial. Nec est tertius, nec ad tertium: there is no third person, nor designment to a third place. For the Kings, there is Christ, c Psal. 2 6. Yet have I set my King upon Zion the mountain of my holiness: and Satan d Ephes. 2. 2. the Prince of the power of the Air. The Prince indeed, not Mundi; sed tenebrarum mundi; not of the world, but of the darkness of the world, 2. Cor. 4. 4. you have both these Kings together; The god of this world had blinded the minds of unbelievers, that the light of Christ might not shine unto them. For the Laws, God's Law is, e 2. Tim. 2. 19 Let every ox that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity. Satan's Law is, f 1. Ich. 2. 16. the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. God's Law is, Thou shalt not swear: Satan's, thou shalt forswear. God's Law, Covet not; Satan's, covet all. Nihil praecipit Deus nisi charitatem, nihil Diabolus nisi cupiditatem. God commands nothing but love, the Devil nothing but lust. Now these two Cities were begun in Cain and Abel: Cain a Citizen of the world, Abel a Citizen of God. Their names signify their natures: Cain signifies a profession, and he built a City: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation, than the children of light. Iniqui mentem in amore praesentis vita figunt. Wicked men set Greg. their whole delight in this present world. What moved Cain to this? Not to be defended against wild beasts, which Plato says first moved men to build Cities; for then Abel would have builded so well as Cain. nor because man is animal sociale, a sociable creature; which Aristotle makes a special motive hereof: for then the righteous would also have builded. But because Cain was a fugitive, he builded for a protection against God's curse; especially because he had no expectation of a better City. Unlike to Abraham, who g Hebr. 11. 10. looked for a City that hath a foundation, whose builder and maker is God. The greeks say, that Cecropolis built by Cecrops, the Egyptians that Thebes, the Argives that Argos, was the first City. But it is manifest, that this City built by Cain was the first. He called the name of this City Enoch, but Henoch in the righteous line is the seventh; h jud. ver. 14. Enoch the seventh from Adam. So the wicked dedicate worldly possessions in the first place, the righteous in the last. Cain and Henoch had their possession and dedication here. But Abel signifies mourning, and he built no City. Our possession is in heaven, this City of God, invisible to the eye, incredible to the faith of the world, but infallible to all believers. And for Cain, it is not properly translated, Aedificavit, but Erat aedificator, as junius: erat aedificans, as the Septuagint; he began to build, but he finished not: he was still a runagate. So all worldlings are but aedificantes; like the Babel-erecters, they but began to rear the tower, but never could come to roof it. This man began to build, saith Christ, but could not make an end. They are persuaded, yea, i Psal. 49. 13. their inward thought is, that they build houses to all ensuing generations; but this their way is their folly. Aedificat mortalis, mors diruit aedificantem: Mortal man builds, and death pulls down both builder and edifice. You have heard it talked of Castles built by day, and still (no man knows how) pulled down again by night. That fabulous report is mystically true of the worldlings hope: what ever he erecteth in the day of his prosperity, the night of his ruin shall overthrow. Here are the two Cities: Omnis homo vel in coelis regnaturus cum Christo, vel in infernis cruciandus cum Diabolo. Aug. Every one shall either reign with Christ in Heaven, or be tormented with the Devil in hell. But how then is it said, that k 2. Cor. 5. 19 God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself? therefore the whole world is reconciled. But Saint john contradicts it, Mundus positus in maligno, l 1. john 5. 29. the whole world lieth in wickedness: therefore the world is not reconciled to this City. here qui bene distinguit, bene doeet; a proper distinction doth clear this difficulty. The world is sometimes taken for good, then Denominatio sequitur meliorem partem: often for evil, then Denominatio sequitur maiorem partem. In a word, saith Augustine, Amor Dei constituit jerusalem, amor mundi Babylonem. The love of God entitles us to jerusalem, the love of the world to Babylon. Thus may we distinguish the Citizens: for Bonos vel malos mores faciunt boni vel mali amores: Our good or bad loves, make our good or bad lives. There is no man which belongs not to one of these two Cities: No? To which of them belongs the Hypocrite? to Babylon? his face is toward jerusalem. To jerusalem? his heart is with Babylon. His misery is great: because he wears God's outside, the world will not be his mother: because he wears the world's inside, God will not be his Father. He hath lost eart●… for heavens sake, and Heaven for earth's sake. We have some such rushers into authority uncalled, vicious correctors of vice, that undertake to cleanse the Augean stables, perhaps somewhat the sweeter till themselves came in: officious Scavenger's of iniquity. If with this lome they daub over their own debauchedness, they are like dung, which is rotten and stinking of itself, yet compasseth the ground, & makes it fruitful. Or like the shepherds dog, that hunts the straggling sheep to the fold, yet is a dog still, and hath his teeth beaten out, lest he should worry them. Will you hear to what City hypocrites belong? The wicked servant shall have m Mat. 24. 51. his portion with hypocrites, where shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth. So then the Hypocrites home is the city of weeping and gnashing of teeth. But in this blessed City God is King, Christ his a Hebr. 1. 6. eldest Son, the elect are his younger b Rom. 8. 29. brethren, his Viceroys are Kings, Angels his Nobles, c Rom. 13. 4. Just judges his Magistrates, d 2. Cor. 5. 20. good Preachers his Ministers, e 1. Thes. 4. 3. holiness his Law, the godly his Subjects, f Mat. 6. 32. Providence his government, g Mat. 5. 34. Heaven his Court, and h Rom. 6. 23. salvation his recompense. Further observe, that if this City be Gods, than so are all things in it. Whence I infer, that all sacred things in this City being Gods, must not be violated. For the things in heau●…n they are safe enough, out of the Incrochers reach: but the holy things of this militant City are universally abused. Sacrilegium, quasi sacrilaedium, a profaning that is holy. Now holiness is ascribed to Persons, Places, or Things. Sacrilege may be committed, saith Aquinas, 1. Uel in Personam, against a person, when one Ecclesiastical man is abused. n Luk. 10. 16. He that despiseth you, despiseth me. 2. Vel in locum, against a place, when the Temple is profaned. o Mark 11. 17. My house is called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves. 3. Vel in Rem, when things dedicated to holy uses are perverted. p Mala. 3. 8. You have robbed me in tithes and offerings. Simon Magus would have bought a q Act. 8. 19 power to give the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 imposition of hands. He would have given money for it, no doubt to have gotten money by it. No Spiritual things are to be bartered for money. Now Spiritual things are of four sorts. 1. Essentialiter, the gifts of God's Spirit, justification, sanctification, r Gala. 5. 22. love, peace, patience, goodness, faith: Charismata salutis: which make those that have them spiritual. 2. Causaliter, The Word and Sacraments, which are the conduct-pipes to convey our souls those graces, from the fountain of all grace, jesus Christ: s joh. 6. 63. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 3. Effectualiter, as power to heal, to work miracles, to excommunicate, to absolve: gifts not imparted to secular hands, but committed with the keys to the Church. 4. Per annectionem, such are spiritual livings and endowments: these are not to be profaned in buying and selling. Selling is like the sin of Gehesi; buying, like the sin of Simon Magus. Anathema danti, anathema accipi●…nti. There is a curse to the giver, and a curse to the receiver. Now Sacrilege to these holy things of God is committed three ways. 1. Quando ausertur sacrum de sacro: when a holy thing is taken from a holy place: as the consecrated vessels out of the Temple. Foelix seeing the costly Chalices Constantinus and Constantius had bestowed on the Church, maliciously scoffed, What stately plate is there for the Carpenter's Theodoret. Son? But he that had so base a conceit of Christ's blood, did himself nothing night and day but vomit blood, till his unhappy soul was fetched from his wretched carcase. We have too many of those, that like Belshazzar, with the riches of the Church have furnished their cupboards of Plate. 2. Quando non sacrum de sacro, when a common thing is stolen from a sacred place. As if a thief breaks open a Church to steal some private treasure hid in it. So the Churchwardens may defraud the poor of the money in the box. It is the poors, not sacred to the Church, yet is it sacrilege to embezzel it. 3. Quando sacrum de non sacro, when a holy thing is taken out of a common place: as when the Church is robbed of her possessions and endowments. O the mercy of God, what shall become of England for thus robbing God's City! Our Patrons are like those Christ whipped out of the Temple; yea worse: for they bought and sold in the Church, these buy and sell the Church itself. t Prou. 20. 25. It is a snare to the man that devoureth that which is holy. A snare hath three properties. 1. It catcheth suddenly: Vzza did but touch the Ark, and presently fell down dead. 2. It holds surely, u 2. Chr. 26. 19 Vzziah will offer Incense, but the Leprosy (which was his plague) held him to his dying day. 3. It destroys certainly, the earth swallowed Corah and his confederates, when the rest escaped. The Prophet bestows a whole Psalm against this sin, Psalm 83. The Centre of it, upon whom all the lines and projections of his invectives meet, are those ver. 12. that say, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. He calls them Gods enemies, tumultuous, proud, God-haters, ver. 2. Crafty enemies, with their plots, tricks, subtleties; much like our Impropriators legal▪ iustifyings. ver. 3. Confederate enemies, combining themselves to annihilate a Church; Come, let us cut them off from being a Nation. ver. 4. endeavouring to extinguish the very Name of Israel; breaking down the pale, that the x Psal. 80. 13. Bore the depopulator, and the wild beast the corrupt Patron, may waste and devour it. They would plow up the Universities, and sow them with the seed of Barbarism. Now mark how he prays for them. ver. 9 Do unto them, as unto the Medianites: y judg. 7. 22. who were by the trumpets and lamps so terrified, that they drew their swords one upon another: so that these by the trumpets of the Law, and lamps of the Gospel, might be awaked. As to Sisera & to jabin at the brook of Kison: a judg. 4. 9 that great Captain, whom God delivered into the hands of a woman. ver. 11. Make their Nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea all their Princes as Zebah, and Zalmunna. All Princes, yet died violent and ignominious deaths, and became like dung for the earth. Doth he stay here? No, ver. 13. O my GOD, make them like a wheel, and as the stubble before the wound: Infatuate all their plots, turn their brains, and disperse their stratagems. Is he yet satisfied? No. ver. 14. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth on fire the mountains; so persecute them with thy tempest. He useth imprecations to open the flood-gates of God's wrath; that like fire it might consume them, either naturally as fire burns the wood, or miraculously, as it inflameth the Mountains. ver. 16. Fill their faces with shame. If this be to take God's houses in possession, who dares lay sacrilegious hands upon them? Yet for all this, those men did not what they desired. Let us take, ver. 12. they said it, they did it not. Perhaps no thanks to them, they would if they could. We have done it, taken, inhabited, inherited: as Elias said to Ahab; b 1. King. 21. 19 We have killed, & also taken possession. His tithes, his offerings, all his holy rites, yea his very Churches: we have gotten them, and led them captive away, bound in chains of iron, conveyed by deeds, grants, seals, fines, as if you would make sure, they should never return to the owner; God is robbed of them for ever. c jer. 5. 29. Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation? What family, that hath had but a finger in these sacrileges, hath not been ruinated by them? They have been more infortunate to the Gentry of England, then was the gold of Tholossa to the followers of Scipio. Remember the Proverb; He that eats the King's goose, shall have the feathers stick in his throat seven years after. justinian said; Proximum sacrilegio crimen est quod maiestatis dicitur. Treason is a petty sin in respect of sacrilege. Augustine seems to give the reason: Tantò gravius est peccatum, quantò committi non potest nisi in Deum. It is so much the more heinous, because it cannot be committed, but immediately against God himself. Well then, as the Philistines made haste to send home the Ark; and the Egyptians to rid 1 Sam. 5. 11. Exod. 12. 31. themselves of God's people; so let us restore to God his dues with all speed. Otherwise, as he smote the Philistines with emrod's secretly, and the Egyptians with plagues publicly: so only himself knows what he hath determined against us. With what face canst thou expect an Inheritance from Christ in heaven, that detainest from Aug. Christ his Inheritance here on earth? Let us not so jewishly with the spoils of Christ, purchase fields of blood. It is much, if at all this any guilty soul tremble: but howsoever, like Pharaoh, when the thunder and lightning are done, they are where they were. O this is a difficult Devil to be cast out. e Mark. 12. 17. Aug. Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are Gods. Reddite Deo sua, ut Deus restituat vobis vestra. Return unto God that which is his, that God may allow you that which is yours. We pay to the King Impost, Subsidies, and fifteens; so give we all these in a resemblance to God. The Lord's impost for all his blessings, is our gratitude. f Psal. 116. 12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and bless the Name of the Lord. If we forget to pay this Impost, the commodity is forfeit; God will take it back. Our Subsidies are according to our parts. The subsidies of our eyes are our tears: he that pays not this tribute of rain, shall want the sunshine of mercy. The subsidies of our mouths are our praises. Tibi omne os confitebitur. g Psal. 51. 15. Lord open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. The subsidies of our ears are attention to his word. h Luk. 10. 39 Marry sat at jesus feet, and heard his word. The subsidies of our heads are meditations of his power, justice, mercy, truth. i Gal. 1. 2. The blessed man doth meditate in the Law of the Lord day and night. This reduceth Christianity to practice: a rare habit; and yet it is as possible to be good without it, as to swallow and never chew the cud. A Sermon without consequent meditation may come to be remembered again in hell. The subsidies of our knees are geniculations. k Eph. 3. 14. I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord jesus Christ. l Act. 7. 60. Steven kneeled down & prayed, etc. If our knees be too stout to pay this tribute, heaven gate will be too low for our entrance. The subsidies of our hands are alms to the poor: the due payment of this interest shall bless and increase the principal. m Luk. 6. 38. Give, and it shall be given you. To the King we pay fifteens, to God Tenths: these he hath separated to himself. The honest Pharise could say, Tithe and be rich: the dishonest Christian says, Tithe and be poor. But what men get by this detinie, shall be their fatal destiny: they shall leave the gold behind them, but carry the guilt with them to everlasting fire. Rob not this City militant, lest God turn you from the City triumphant. Of the living God. This hath been an ancient attribute to God; living: and it is added here partly for distinction, partly for demonstration. First, it distinguisheth the owner of this City from other titular gods. For n 1. Cor. 8. 5. there be gods many, and lords many. The name of gods hath been given to men, to Idols, to lusts. Homines Dij mortales, Idola dij mortui, Libidines dij mortiferi. Men are gods dying, Idols dead, lusts deadly. There are 1. Dij deputati; reputed and deputed gods: such are Magistrates and Princes. o Psal. 82 6. I have said, Ye are gods: but these are mortal gods; ye shall die like men. You have your life from this living GOD: both the life of nature common with others, and the life of power superior to others. p Rom. 13. 1. The powers that be, are ordained of God. Pilate received that power from God, whereby he unjustly condemned the Son of God. q joh. 19 11. Thou couldst have no power against me, except it were given thee from above. We must give to those god's obedience, either active or passive: active when they command well, passive though they command ill. Otherwise we incur r Rom. 13. 2. damnation for obstinate disobeying, as themselves have damnation for unjust commanding. These are momentany gods, as men are Kings on the stage, till the play is done. 2. Dij fictitij, feigned gods, as Mars the god of war, Neptune the god of the sea, etc. They were strange gods, that ran a whoring after women, made way to their lusts, if not by flattery, by blood. Scarce ranker villainy in the Devils, than was found in those gods. This the Philosophers objected against Paul, that he was s Acts 17. 18. a setter forth of strange gods. The superstitious Lystrians took Paul and Barnabas for such gods; Dij descenderunt: t Acts 14. 11. the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. But Paul, vers. 15. points them to the living GOD that made heaven and earth. Those feigned gods are confounded by this living GOD. 3. Dij manufacti, gods made with men's hands; Idols, but these are u Psal. 106. 28. dead gods. Yea, not only dead, but nothing. x 1. Cor. 8. 4. An Idol is nothing in the world. It is true that they have matter and form: the gold, brass, wood, or stone whereof they are made, be substances: they have something in esse naturae, nothing in esse vitae: they have stuff, but no life in them. y Psal. 135. 17. They have eyes and see not, there is no breath in their mouths. S. Paul commends in the Thessalonians this happy conversion, a 1. Thes. 1. 9 from dead idols to the living God. O that it were as easy to confute Idolaters, as it is to confound Idols. Res hominis conculcat talem Deum. No Idol is so great a god, but the foot of man can kick it down. 4. Dij usurpantes, usurping gods, devils. So Paul calls Satan b 2. Cor. 4. 4. the god of this world. Of the whole world? What is then left for God? Not so, he is Deus improborum, not elementorum: God of the wicked, not of the frame, of the world. c john 16. 11. The Prince of this world is already judged. A goodly god that is already judged! d Rom. 16. 20. The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet. Not you, but God shall tread him down (to your comfort) under your feet. Therefore e Eph. 4. 27. give no place to the Devil: for there is no place for the Devil, but where it is given him. 5. Dij sensuales, sensual gods. Some make their belly their god, and delicate cheer his sacrifices. f 〈◊〉. Cor. 6. 13. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God shall destroy both it and them. Others make gold and silver their gods: worse than Pagan Idolatry: they had gods of corn, and of wine, But g Esa. 2. 20. These idols of silver, and of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, they shall one day castaway with malediction. Some make their wife a goddess, dote upon her with the extremest Idolatry: a fair coloured piece of clay hath more worship than the Lord of heaven. To some their Patron is a god: they more quake at his frown, then at all the curses in the Bible. These are not only dead, but deadly gods. For demonstration, the owner of this City is the living God: both formaliter in himself, and effectiuè to others, * 1. Tim 6. 16. who only hath immortality. Only? Are not Angels and men's souls immortal? But God gives to them this immortality; only he hath it in himself. Therefore he is called the living God, and the God of life: there be three degrees of life, all given by this living God. 1. Universal, which consists of sense and motion: of this the beasts participate. h Psal 104. 3. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, and they are created. 2. Rational, a life proper to man, not to other earthly creatures. 3. Supernatural, which belongs only to the faithful. Christ himself is this life in us. i Gal. 2. 20. Now live not I, but Christ liveth in me. Haec vita reponitur, deponitur nunquam. This life is laid up, but never lost. The world sees it not, because k Col. 3. 3. it is hid with Christ in God. We now feel it, live by it. l Ver. 4. But when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we appear with him in glory. Behold here with comfort the master we serve, the living God. Riches is a flying Master; it hasts away m Prou. 23. 5. with the wings of an Eagle. Honour is a dying master, it brings a man to the sepulchre, and then goes back with the Heralds. Pleasure is a spilling Master; n Luk. 6. 25. Woe to them that laugh, for they shall weep. Satan is a kill master, his wages is hell fire. But all in grace is living and enliuing. Idols are dead, and never were alive: men are alive, but shall be dead: pleasures are neither alive nor dead: Devils are both alive and dead; for they shall live a dying life, and die a living death. Only the living God gives everlasting life. jerusalem. This is the appellation of the City. As Canaan was a figure of heaven; either of them called the Land of Promise: so local jerusalem is a type of this mystical City. There are many conceits concerning the denomination of jerusalem. Hierom thinks that the former part of the word comes from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Holy: because jerusalem is called o Mat. 27. 53. the holy City: But then there should be a mixture of two several languages, Greek and Hebrew, to the making up of the word. The Hebrews derive it better: they say, Sem called it Salem, Peace: and Abraham jireh. The place where he attempted the sacrifice of his son, he called p Gene. 22. 14. jehovah-iireh: The Lord will see. Thus put together it is jerusalem, visiopacis. This is more probable, then from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as jerom: or from jebus, as Pererius. This is evident from the 76. Psalm. ver. 2. In Salem is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. So that Salem & Zion were both in one place. The jews have a Tradition; that in one and the same place Cain and Abel offered, in the same place Noah coming out of the Ark sacrificed, in the same place Abraham offered Isaac, in the same place stood Areunah's threshing floor which David bought, in the same place Melchisedek the Priest dwelled, in the same place Solomon built the Temple, and our Lord jesus Christ was crucified. But to let go ambiguities, jerusalem is a City of Peace. This is plain, q Heb. 7. 2. Melchisedek was King of Salem, that is, King of Peace. God's Church is a Church of peace. That of Plato over his door, is worth our remembrance. Nemo nisi veritatis et pacis studiosus ●…trabit. Let none enter, but such as love peace and truth. Saint Paul is bold to his Galathians; r Gala. 5. 12. I would to God they were even cut off that trouble you. Contra rationem nemo sobrius, contra Scripturas nemo Christianus, contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit. No sober man speaks against reason, no Christian against the Scriptures, no peaceable man against the Church. He that is not a man of peace, is not a man of GOD. Peace is the effect of patience: if men would bear injuries, and offer none, all would be peace. It is the greatest honour for a man to suffer himself conquered in that, wherein he should yield. s 2. Cor. 13. 11. Be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace be with you. A just reward; if we have one mind, and live in love and peace, the God of love and peace shall be with us. Heavenly. This City is on earth, but not of earth. This is not terrestrial jerusalem: t Gala. 4. 25. She is in bondage with her children. She was not only then under the Roman servitude literally: but according to Paul's meaning allegorically, she could not attain the liberty of the Spirit, but abideth under the wrath of God, and horror of conscience. But this jerusalem is heavenly. u Reu. 21. 2. I saw the holy City, new jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband. Now it is called Heavenly in three respects; Of Birth, of Conversation, of Inheritance. Ortus coelestis quoad originem: progressus coelestis quoad conversationem; finis coelestis quoad translationem. Here is all heavenly. x Gala. 4. 26 Hugo Card. jerusalem that is above is free, the mother of us all. In hoc quòd dicitur sursum, originis altitudo: quòd jerusalem, pacis multitudo: quòd libera, libertatis magnitudo: quòd matter, faecunditatis amplitudo: quòd nostrum omnium, charitatis latitudo. The Church in the Creed hath three properties; Holy, Catholic, knit in a communion. The word Above intimates, she is Holy: the word Mother, that she is knit in a communion: the word Of all, that she is Catholic. jerusalem is a type of the Catholic Church, in Election, Collection, Dilection. First for Election, y Psal. 132. 13. The Lord hath chosen Zion. That out of all Cities, this out of all Nations. a 1. Pet. 2. 9 Ye are a chosen generation, a peculiar people: enclosed from the Commons of this world, Gods own appropriation. 2. For Collection; that was walled with stone, this hedged in with grace. b Esay 5. 2. God planted a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: and he fenced it. It is well mounded, and the Citizens of it linked together with the c Eph. 4. 3. Bond of peace. 3. For dilection; Beautiful for situation, the Palace of the great King: the Sanctuary of his holy worship, his Presence-chamber: d 1. Tim. 3. 15. the pillar and ground of the truth. There e Psal. 122. 5. was the seat of David: here the Throne of the f reve. 3. 7. Son of David, that openeth and no man shutteth, that shutteth and no man openeth. A heavenly City. 1. In respect of her Birth and beginning heavenly. For the Lord of heaven hath g jam. 1. 18. begat her of immortal seed by the word of truth. Art thou a Christian? behold thy honourable birth and beginning. Was it an honourable stile, Troianus origine Caesar? Then much more, Coelestis origine sanctus: Every Saint is by his original heavenly. Bear thyself nobly, thou hast a celestial generation. 2. In respect of growth and continuance heavenly. Our conversation is in heaven: We live on earth, yet saith the Phil. 3. 20. Apostle, our conversation is expressly in heaven. Our affections are so set on it, that we scarce look upon this world: we so run to our treasure there, that we forget to be rich here: but like the Saints cast our money at our feet. Act. 4. Corpore ambulantes in terris, cord habitantes in coelis. Our bodies walk on earth, our hearts dwell in heaven. To the hating and despising world we answer; Nil nobis cum Mundo, nil vobis cum Coelo. We have small share in this world, you have less in the world to come. 3. In respect of the End. Ideo dicitur coelestis, quia coelum sedes eius. Our souls are never quiet, till they come Ambr. to their wished home. h Ephe. 1. 3. Thus hath GOD blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. The Church in her worst part is below, in her best above. Earth is Patria loci, but heaven Patria juris. As Irishmen are dwellers in Ireland, but Denizens of England. We i job 4. 19 dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, but are ruled by the Laws of that supernal City. k john 17. 24. Father, my will is that those thou hast given me, may be with me where I am. Amator mortuus est in corpore proprio, vi●…us in alieno. A Lover is dead in his own body, alive in another's. Animus velut Plato. pondere, amore fertur, quocunque fertur; saith August. Love weighs and sways the soul, whither soever it be carried. Exi de terra tua, said God to Abraham; l Gen. 12. 1. Get thee out of thy Country: yea rather de terra non tua, from a Country that is none of thine, unto a Land that I will show thee; thy own Land, the kingdom of Heaven. Though man be called m jere. 22. 29. Earth, Earth, Earth; thrice with one breath: (earth by procreation, earth by sustentation, earth by corruption, saith Bernard) yet the Christian is not Habitator, sed accolaterrae; not a dweller, but a passenger on the earth. n Hebr. 13. 14 For here we have no continuing City, but we seek one to come. An Englishman that traffics in Turkey, and gets wealth in Turkey, yet plants not in Turkey, but transports for England. A Christian what ever he gets on earth, treasures up in heaven. Socrates being asked what Countryman he was, answered, Sum cives mundi, I am a Citizen of the world. But a Christian must answer, Sum cives coeli, I am a Citizen of heaven. Forsake we this home-stall with a ready mind, when GOD calls us. And the Lord grant us so to live in this City of Grace, that we may all live for ever in the City of Glory, through jesus Christ. To an innumerable company of Angels. Behold one special dignity the Gospel brings us, Consociari Angelis; to be made companions with the Angels. The incorporeal spirits are of two sorts; Celestial & Infernal. If we weigh the malignancy of the one with the benignity of the other, we shall truly meditate this benefit. Infernal spirits are tempters to evil, and tormentors for evil. Homines seducunt, seductos damnant, damnatos torquent. They seduce mortals, seduced they damn them, damned they torment them. Because they lost being like God, they strive to make men like themselves. The devil enhanceth his own damnation, to procure others. He knows himself irrecoverably lost, therefore is desperate. These are wretched companions; Lord grant us to know no more of them then by hearsay. But the good Angels strive by all means to uphold us in our integrity, to keep us in the fear of that God they know and worship: to preserve us from dangers whilst we live, and being dead to transport us to everlasting joy. Bless us O Lord with the society of these Angels for ever. Here we must consider two circumstances; Quales and Quoti: the Persons what they are, Angels: the number, how many they are, An innumerable company. First what they are, Angels. An Angel is an intellectual and incorporeal substance, free of will, a servant to God, & by his grace Damasc. immortal in blessedness. Cuius substantiae speciem et terminum solus qui creavit, novit. We cannot sufficiently know them whiles we are on earth; O may we one day see and know them in heaven. That we may receive comfort by this consorting with Angels, and understand what good they do unto us, let us consider in them these six particulars. Their nature, their knowledge, their power, their dignity, their distinction, their ministry. 1. Their nature; they are not qualities and motions, but spiritual substances, really subsisting. This their actions testify, running on God's commands; executing his hests, etc. They are not flesh and bone, yet sometimes have taken visible forms. Abraham entertaining three Angels, set meat before them, o Gene. 18. 8. and they did eat. Theodoret says, they did take the meat simulatis manibus, and did put it into simulatum os: they seemed to eat, not in truth. But they had palpable and tractable bodies for the time, as appears plainly, verse. 4. by washing their feet. Thomas, thinks they assumed a true body, but non fuit vera comestura, it was not a true eating. But this is an idle opinion, for there may be a true eating, though the meat be not converted into the substance of the body. So our Saviour did eat after his rising from death, yet no man thinks his meat was turned into his substance. It is safe to say with the Text, they did eat, and perform other offices of a body truly. Now this was by divine dispensation for a time, the better to accomplish their enjoined duties. Yet were these bodies no part of their natures, but only as garments are to us. But whence had they these bodies? They were either immediately created of God, or conflate of some presubsistent matter. What Calvin. became of these induments deposed? Either as they were made of nothing, so resolved into nothing: or else turned into the first matter whereof they were composed: and so was also the meat they did eat. Thus they have been called men: p Gen. 18. 2. Three men came to Abraham: The women that came to Christ's Sepulchre, found q Luk. 24. 4. two men standing by them in shining garments. This is their nature, which in itself, saith Isodore, is mutable: for some of them r jude. ver. 6. fell from that blessed estate, and left their own habitation. But now for the rest, Seruavit eos incorruptos charitas aeterna: the eternal love of God hath made them unchangeable. For Christ s Col. 1. 20. hath reconciled all things to himself, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. This is their excellent nature, inferior to God, superior to man. In the Prophet's vision, t Esa. 6. 2. each of the Seraphins had six wings: with twain he covered his face, and with twain be covered his feet, and with twa●… he did fly. They have two wings to cover their faces, as not able to behold the glory of God; and two to cover their feet, because we are not able to behold them in their excellency. 2. Their knowledge. Austin says, They are taught of God, in the eternal contemplation of whose truth, they are most blessed. Quomodo quae scienda sunt nesciant, qui scientem omnia sciunt? How should they be ignorant of such Greg. things as are fit to be known, that know him that knows all? Their knowledge is threefold; Natural, Experimental, and Revealed. 1. Natural, received of God in their creation, endued with an extraordinary light above man. 2. Revealed, as God according to process of time hath manifested to them. God revealed things to the Angels, they to the Prophets. 3. Experimental, which they have acquired by observation: they mark God's doings. For it is certain, the Angels did not know all things from the beginning, which they know now. They knew not perfectly the manner of man's redemption. That mystery from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God: and is u Eph. 3. 10. Now made known to the principalities and powers in heavenly places. Great is the mystery of godliness; God is manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, x 1. Tim. 3. 16. seen of Angels. Res mira Angelis, quanta hominibus! A matter worthy the wonder of Angels, much more of men. There be things which yet the Angels do not know. 1. not the day of judgement. a Mat. 24. 36. Of that day & hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels of heaven. 2. not man's heart. b Acts 1. 24. Thou Lord only knowest the hearts of all men. If Angels knew men's hearts, they were Gods. 3. Neither do I think with Saint Augustine, that they know Quanti numeri supplementum de genere humano integritas illus civitatis expectat; what definite number of mankind must concur to the perfection of that heavenly City. Man is circumscribed in place, knowledge, and mortality. Angels are circumscribed in place and knowledge, not in mortality. God is not circumscribed in either place, knowledge, or mortality. Man knoweth much, Angels know more, only God knoweth all. 3. Their Power. Christ suffering himself to be apprehended, said he could command more than twelve Legions of Angels. Whereupon one notes the mightiness of his rescue: for every Angel is stronger than a Legion of men. They are said to excel in strength. c Psal. 103. 20. Bless the Lord, ●…e his Angels that excest in strength. Mighty Angels. d 2. Thes. 1. 7. The Lord jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels. Mighty, but His: the original hath it, the Angels of his mighty power. Innumerable, first borne of Egypt were slain by one Angel. An hundred eighty five thousand Assyrians smitten by one Angel, 2. Sam. 24. 2. Kings. 19 35. Seventy thousand killed by one Angel. Therefore they are called Potestates, Powers. Powerful in themselves, but how mighty, when they are strengthened by the Almighty! This is wonderful comfort to us; they are not weak that fight for us. e Reu. 12. 8. Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon, and the Dragon fought and his angels; but prevailed not. The Devil hath a raging malice, but no prevailing power. One Angel is too hard for many devils. But against the power of Angels it is objected, that a man prevailed against an Angel. f Hos. 12. 9 jacob had power over the Angoll, and prevailed. Some had a sottish opinion, that this Angel was the Devil in Esau's likeness, and that by the power of a good Angel jacob overcame. Now lest he should ascribe the victory to himself and his own strength, the Angel smote him on the thigh, so that he halted. But there is no mention made save of one Angel: he that wrestled with him, was the same that blessed him: he that blessed him, was the same that touched him: a good Angel, for an evil would never have blessed him. But indeed this Angel was the Son of God. 1. Because he blessed him, God blesseth, not Angels. 2. It is said, Gen. 32. 28. that he prevailed with GOD; and verse 30. that he saw God face to face: therefore it was God, not an Angel. Whether it were God or an Angel, you may see the power of faith, that it can prevail with mighty Angels, with almighty God. He that wrestled with jacob, gave him power to overcome. Seipso fortior est, so God is stronger than himself. He could not prevail because he would not: he disposeth his power according to his will, not his will according to his power. g Gen. 19 22. Haste thee to Zoar, for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. h Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone, that I may consume them. As if Lot and Moses could hinder God. Faith & Prayer are manacles to his hands, whereunto he gives victory against himself. 4. Their dignity consists in two things; In respect of their Place, and of their Grace. 1. For their abode, it is in heaven. Evil Angels dwell below, i 2. Pet. 2. 4. they are cast down into hell: good above, k Mat. 18. 10. The Angels do behold the face of my Father in heaven. They are heavenly Courtiers, and heavenly Choristers, eternally singing Ichovahs' praise. 2. In respect of their Grace, so that they are called the Angels of GOD: and are far more excellent then man. It is true that the Son of God dignified man's nature more than theirs: l Heb. 2. 16. For he took not on him the nature of Angels, but the seed of Abraham. m Greg. Timet Angelus adorari ab humana natura, quam videt in Deo sublima●…am: The Angels refuse to be worshipped of man's nature, which they see GOD himself hath accepted. But though he took not their nature, yet he dignified their office: for he is often called by the name of Angel. n Gene. 48. 16. The Angel that redeemed me, says aged Israel: the only redeeming Angel is Christ. o Exo. 14. 19 The Angel that went with the Camp of Israel, is called, ver. 24. The Lord. Paul says expressly, it was Christ. 1. Cor. 10. 4. 9 He is called Angelus foederis, the p Mal. 3. 1. Angel of the Covenant. q reve. 20. 1. I saw an Angel having the key of the bottomless pit: and he bound Satan: but only Christ can bind Satan, and r reve. 1. 18. hath the keys of death and hell. Thus Christ hath accepted the name of Angels, yet he took not on him the nature of Angels, but of man: no more than the Angels took on them the nature of man, when they appeared in an human shape. 5. Their distinction. Gregory collects from the Scriptures Novem Angelorum ordines, nine several orders of Angels. Angels, Archangels, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Dominations, Thrones, Cherubin and Seraphim. We grant indeed that there be certain distinctions & degrees in the Choir of Heaven: but whether distinguished by nature, gifts, or offices, none can determine. The Papists plead much for the Princedom of Michael above all other Angels. Their ground is revel. 12. 7. Michael & his Angels fought etc. Bellarmine affirms, that ever since the fall of Lucifer, Michael is head of the glorious Angels: and the Rhemists collect from that place the reason, why Michael is ordinarily painted fight with a Dragon. But the foolish Painter so well as wise Bellarmine, can tell us how Michael came to be chose in Lucifer's room. Jude saith, the wicked Angels that left their habitation, are reserved in chains of darkness: but he tells us not, that such as did not fall are preferred to higher places, but rather continued still in their first estate and dignity. Indeed Jude calls Michael an Archangel, and Daniel unum de principibus, one of the principal Angels: but it can never be proved, that he was, is, or shall be Monarch, or head of all Angels. Themselves say, that the greatest Angel is used in the greatest Embassage: but Gabriel, not Michael, was sent for the contracting of that sacred match between the GOD of Luke 1. Heaven and the blessed Virgin. Therefore Gabriel, not Michael, should be supreme both in natural graces, and supernatural prerogatives. Indeed Christ is the Michael there mentioned: for the blessed Angels cannot be said to be any other Michael's Angels, than Christ. So August. Bulling. Marlor. Perhaps in the vision Michael & an host of Angels appeared to john, but they represented Christ and his members. Christus est Ecclesiae suae Promachus, Angeli eius Symachi: It is against the principles of holy belief, Aretius. to ascribe this victory to Michael or any other Angel whatsoever. s Reu. 12. 11. They overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb, not by Michael, or any Angel. 6. Their ministery: from hence, some of the Fathers say, the Angels took their names. So Gregor. Angeli vocabulum nomen est officij, non naturae: Angel is a name of office, not of nature. The Inhabitants of that celestial Country are always Spirits, but cannot always be called Angels. Tunc solùm sunt Angeli, quando per eos aliqua nuntiantur: they are then only Angels, or (it is all one) messengers, when they are sent on some message. Therefore he concludes; Hi qui minima nuntiant Angeli, qui summa nuntiant Archangeli vocantur: They that are sent on business of less moment are called Angels, of greater importance Archangels. August. Ex eo quod est, Spiritus est: ex eo quod agit, Angelus est. They are Spirits in regard of their Being, Angels in regard of their Doing. Good Angels, saith Isidor, are deputed for the ministry of man's salvation. God hath given man three helps: Sense to see danger near, Reason to suspect danger far off, Angels to prevent that he neither sees nor suspects. Now the ministry of Angels is threefold; to God, to his Church, to his Enemies. 1. To God, which consists principally in two things. 1. In adoring, and ascribing glory to him. So the Seraphims cried a Esay 6. 3. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. An Army sung, b Luk. 2. 14. Glory to God on high. The whole Choir of heaven, c reve. 4. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive honour and power. 2. In standing in his presence, ready at his command. d Psa. 103. 20. They do his commandments, hearkening to the voice of his Word. For this promptness of obedience we pray, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Quod oramus, agamus. Thus Angels were messengers, that Christ should be conceived. Luke 1. 31. that he was conceived. Mat. 1. 20. that he was borne. Luke 2. 11. that he was risen. Luke 24. 4. that he was ascended. Act. 1. 11. These were great mysteries, therefore were confirmed with the testimony of Angels. 2. To the Church. e Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministering Spirits, sent forth to minister for them, who shall be heirs of salvation? And by this their ordination to service the Apostle shows, how infinitely far the pre-eminence of Christ transcends theirs. But did not Christ put f Phil. 2. 7. upon him the form of a servant? Doth not himself profess, that g Mat. 20. 28. he came not to be ministered unto, but to minister? The answer is easy; Non esse hoc naturae, sed voluntariae exinanitionis: This was not a natural or enforced, but a willing abasement of himself. Humilitatem non habitam induit, celsitatem habitam non exuit. He put on an humiliation that he had not, he did not put off the glory that he had: But the Angels were created to this end, that they should serve; Totamque conditionem sub ministerio contineri. Istis naturale, illi adventitium. Calvin. To them it was necessary, to Christ voluntary. Now then ministry to the Church is three ways considerable. 1. In this life, and that to our Bodies, and to our Souls. 1. To our Bodies: for they necessarily tend to the preservation of our temporal estates, even from our Cradles to our Graves. This is true in Doctrine, and in Example. In Doctrine: h Psa. 91. 10. There shall no evil befall thee, nor any plague come nigh thy dwelling. Why, how shall we be protected? ver. 11. Angelis mandabit; For he shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. In example: an Angel comforts, directs, feeds Elias. Angels pluck Lot out of Sodom. An Angel adviseth joseph to fly into Egypt with jesus. Abraham so encouraged his servant, i Gen 24. 7. The Lord will send his Angel before thee. k Gene. 32. 1. jacob went on his way, and the Angels of God ●…et him. Peter was in prison, and l Acts 12. 7. the Angel of the Lord freed him. 2. To our Souls, furthering the means of our salvation. The Law was given by them, saith Steven. m Acts 7. 53. Ye received the Law by the disposition of Angels. GOD makes them instruments to convey knowledge to his Church. It was God's charge; n Dan. 8 16. Gabriel, make this man to understand the Uision: it was the Angel's performance; o Dan. 9 22. Daniel, I am come forth to give thee skill and understanding. Saint john acknowledgeth in his Revelations, that p Reu. 22. 8. an Angel showed him those things. They preserve us in the true worship of God, and cannot endure any attribution of his glory to a creature, no not to themselves. When john fell down at the Angel's feet to worship him, he prevented him; q reve. 19 10. See thou do it not. They rejoice in our conversion; r Luke 15. 10. There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth. They joy in this for two causes. 1. To behold the glorious fruit of their labours: for it delights a man to see the works of his hands prosper. GOD hath sent them to guide us to good, to guard us from evil: when we follow their guidance, they rejoice. Let us hate to sin, as we would not wish to bring grief to the thresholds of heaven. 2. That their number might be made up again. They lost a number of Spirits, they are glad to have it made up with Souls. The Angels joined company with men, praising God on earth: so they delight to have men made their fellow-Choristers in heaven. Luke 2. 2. At the end of this life to carry our souls to heaven. s Luk. 16. 22. When the beggar died, he was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom. He that in life was scorned of men, and had no companions but the dogs, is so regarded of God, that he is guarded by Angels. He that could neither go, nor sit, nor stand, is now carried: not on the shoulders of men, as the Pope the proudest on earth, but he rides on the wings of Angels. He is carried to a glorious Port, by gracious Porters. 3. At the last day, t Math. 24. 31 Christ shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the Elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. These are those u Mat. 13. 30. Reapers, that in the time of harvest must gather the tars to the fire, and the Wheat to God's barn. This is their ministery to us. But it is the Lord, x Psal. 37. 23. that ordereth all our steps: he spreads the gracious wings of his providence over us: and the Lord jesus Christ is all in all unto us. Now the rule is, Non multiplicanda Entie sine necessitate; and Frustra fit per plura, quod fieri potest per pauciora. It seems then the help of Angels is more than needs. For a 2 Psal. 121. 4. he that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. I answer, that Angelical custody doth not extenuate, but extol God's goodness and Greatness towards us: for this is but the execution of his high & holy Providence. It is the wisdom of the King, that governs all the Cities and Castles in his Dominions: yet he leaves not these unfurnished of men and munition, to withstand the enemy's invasion. The devils range and rage against us in every corner, therefore God hath ordained for our guard an Host of Angels. b Psal. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. True it is that God is able to defend us himself by himself, through that immediate concourse that he hath in all things. But to show that the Almighty God being tied to no means, doth yet work by means, to uphold the weakness of our natures. A Prince sees his little children besieged, and sends his stronger sons, able soldiers to relieve them. Their help to us is certain, though not visible: we cannot describe it, nor prescribe it, but we feel it in the success: they preserve us. Against the Syrian band, c 〈◊〉. King. 6. 17. the mountain was full of horses, and charets of fire, to defend Elisha. Neither is this all, but to manifest his abundant goodness to mankind. d Psal. 8. 4. What is man, O Lord, or the son of man, that thou so (gardest and) regardest him? They are dust and vanity, and rottenness, yet the Lord sends his glorious Angels, his Pages of honour, and Princes of his Court, for their messengers and ministers. As if a King should not only give his subject a charter and Patent of safe conduct, but also sends his own guard to attend him. So the Lord honours us with his own guard royal through jesus Christ. 3. To enemies; not for their safety, but for the execution of God's judgements on them. The huge Army of Senacherib was overthrown by an Angel. Indeed they will not the destruction of any man, further than the justice of God ordains it. But sometimes they are sent out for the protection of the very wicked: so Daniel speaks of the Grecians Angel, and of the Persians Angel. The Daniel 10. Romists allot a particular tutelar Angel to every College and Corporation: yea to the generation of flies, fleas, and ants: yea to every Infidel kingdom such an Angel: yea to Antichrist; lastly, even to hell itself. Sure then they will not pinch themselves: they appoint to the Pope two principal Seraphims, Michael and Gabriel, ever attending his Person. For that Michael is the chiefest, Victorellus produceth two very equal witnesses: the Roman Liturgy, and Tasso's jerusalem: as a worthy Divine observed. To the Conclave they assign one special assistant Angel. But me thinks, as they Ideate their Hierarchy, this Angel should desire the room, and become a suitor to the holy Ghost to name him Pope in the next Conclave. For by this means he doth wonderfully enlarge his Diocese, having all the lower world under him; all particular Angels of special Societies subject to him: yea all the Archangels and Principalities officed to several Estates, must concur to his guard and assistance. The truth is, God sometimes allows the help of Angels to the very reprobates: but to this scope & purpose, Populs' sui promovere salutem, to further the welfare of his own people. For all the achievements and victories, which come to the heathen by help of Angels, are intended not for their good, but the good of the Saints. It is for the Son of God's sake they minister to us: and to none do they perform these comfortable services, but to the Elect in jesus Christ. Thus you see what these Angels are; now let us consider how many. An innumerable company. The original is Myriad. Myrias is ten thousand; innumerable: a finite number is put for an indefinite. e Dan. 7. 10. Thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. f reve. 5. 11. I heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throve, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. g Hom. 34. in evang. Gregory thinks there are so many Angels, as there are Elect. Super●…a illa civitas ex Angelis et hominibus constat: ad quam tantum credimus humanum genus ascendere, quantos illi●… contigit electos Angelos remansisse. Vt scriptum est; statuit terminos Gentium juxta numerum Angelorum Dei. So many Angels, saith he, as fell from heaven, so many souls shall go up to heaven. It is a question much disputed, whether besides the protection of Angels in common, every particular man have one particular Angel for his Guardian. I find many of the Father's allotting every one a particular Angel. Isidor. Singulae Gentes praepositos Angelos habere creduntur: imo omnes homines Angelos suos. Origen, Basil, Hierome, Chrysostome, Theophylact, Gregory Nyssen, Primasius, justin Martyr, Augustin, most of the Schoolmen, and some Protestant Divines: all conclude that every man from his birth, or especially from his Baptism, hath a particular Angel. I will not dispute it, yet I must doubt it; because I see no clear ground in the Scriptures to prove it. The two chief places cited are these, Math. 18. 10. Despise not these little ones, for their Angels behold the face of my Father in heaven. This place Caietan and others expound, not that every little one hath a peculiar guardant Angel, but Omnes omnibus; that all the Angels take care of all Gods little ones. As the Scriptures construe itself; h Luke 15. 10. All the Angels rejoice at the conversion of one sinner. The other place is, Acts 12. 15. Peter being unexpectedly delivered out of prison, came to Mary's house where the Saints were gathered together. Rhoda hearing his voice, ran in, and told them how Peter stood at the gate. They said to her, Thou art mad: but when she constantly affirmed it, they said, It is his Angel. I answer that the Disciples amazed at the strange report, spoke they knew not what. On the like reason, because Peter transported in beholding Christ transfigured, said, i Math. 17. 4. Let us build here three Tabernacles: some might infer that Saints departed dwell in Tabernacles. Because the two sons of Zebede desired to k Mat. 20. 21. sit one at Christ's right hand, the other on his left in his kingdom; they might have concluded that Christ was to be a temporal King. Or because the Disciples seeing jesus walking on the Sea, in their troubled minds, said l Math. 14. 26. It was a spirit; others might prove that spirits walk. Omne dictum sancti non est dictum sanctum. All are not Christian truths, that true Christians have spoken. Dicunt errores non Christiani, sed homines: they err not as they are Christians, but as they are men. But it is objected, that they spoke after the common opinion of men in that age. We reply, that in that age it was a common opinion that dead men walked: so it appears by Herod hearing the fame of jesus; m Math. 14. 2. This is john the Baptist, he is risen from the dead. Uox populi is not ever vox Dei: common errors are no rules of truth. And if the place were so manifest, as they could wish it, why might it not rather be understood thus? It is his Angel, that is, some Angel that God hath sent for his deliverance. Sometimes many men have but one Angel, other times one man hath many Angels. Exod. 14. 10. There was but one Angel for many people. 2. King. 6. 17. There were many Angels for one man. Let us now make some uses concerning this discourse of Angels. These may be twofold; some for imitation, others for application. First for imitation; there are three things specially to be observed in Angels: Pureness of substance, Readiness of obedience, Fervour of Charity. These are covertly implied from Psal. 104. He maketh his Angel's spirits, his ministers Psalm 104. 4. a flaming fire. Spirits, there is the Purity of their substance: ministers, there's the Readiness of their obedience: Flame of fire, there's the heat of their Charity. Thus were the Cherubims of the Tabernacle made, figuring these three virtues in the Angels. Exod. 25. First, they were made of Pure gold. ver. 18. This shows the excellency of their substance, for gold is the purest and best of metals. To this Gods own Word is compared: a Cant. 1. 11. We will make thee borders of gold, with studs of silver. Secondly, they had two wings stretched out, to witness Promptitudinem obedientiae; b Dan. 9 21. Gabriel did fly swiftly. Of all creatures the winged are the swiftest. c Psal. 55. 6. O that I had wings like a Dove, then would I fly away, and be at rest. The most suddenly transient thing, riches is compared to a winged creature: d Prou. 23. 5. Riches makes itself wings like an Eagle. Thirdly, they were made with their faces one towards another, to manifest the truth of their love; not like proud men turning away their countenance from their brethren. Lastly, though one were toward another, yet both toward the Mercy-seat: beholding him in sight, to whom they were beholden in duty. Thus we see, 1. that their nature is pure; and this their mansion declares, which is heaven: for into it shall enter no unclean thing. They are shining and singing stars: e job 38. 7. When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Heaven like fire, Similem sibi reddit ingredientem, makes that it receives like itself. 2. That their obedience is ready and swift, their very name imports, Angels. Aquo dominatio, ab eo denominatio: for a name is given from some supereminent quality. f Psal. 18. 10. He road upon a Cherub, and did fly. 3. That their Charity is great, appears by their busy protecting us, grieving at our falls, rejoicing at our perseverance in good, & helping us forward to salvation. Let us imitate them in four things. 1. In Purity: nothing is more pleasing to God. It hath the blessing of this life, & of the life to come. Of this life; g Psal. 73. 1. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a pure heart. God is good to the whole world with his common benefits, better to Israel with extraordinary blessings, but best of all to the Pure in heart with his saving Graces. Of the life to come: h Psal 24. 4. Who shall stand in God's holy place? he that hath clean hands, and a pure heart. i Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Thereis no joy like to this beatifical vision, to see God is the height of happiness. But so shall the wicked; k reve. 1. 7. they shall see him whom they have pierced. Divines usually distinguish of that sight: l Luk. 11. 27. They shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud; they shall see him as man, not as God; as their just judge, not merciful Saviour. 2. In Piety and obedience, wherein the Angels are ready and speedy, resolute and absolute. As they help us to command the creature, so let them teach us to obey the Creator. They fly when God sends them: true obedience hath no lead at the heels. Paul herein was like an Angel; having his Commission, he stood not to m Gala. 1. 16. confer with flesh and blood. Quantum morae addis, tantum obedientiae detrahis. So much as a man adds to delay, he takes away from obedience. The truly obedient man doth not procrastinate: Sed statim parat aures auditui, linguam voci, pedem itineri, manum operi, cor praecipienti. He Bern. instantly prepareth his ear for the message: n 1. Sam. 3. 10. Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth. His tongue giveth a ready answer to the question: o joh. 21. 16. Simon, lovest thou me? Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. His foot is shod for the journey; p Eph. 6. 15. his feet be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. His hand is fit for the work, q Gene. 22. 10. Abraham stretched forth his hand to slay his son. His heart is pliable to the Commander: Paratum cor: O Lord, my heart is ready. 3. In Charity: Angels look upon and love one another, and all love us: Let this teach us to love them & ourselves. Do they seek our peace, and shall we uncharitably war? It was the Angel's song, Luke 2. Pax in terris, Peace upon earth: war with none but with Antichrist & the devil. The Angels have no need of our love, we of theirs. Love we that on earth, which shall dwell with us for ever in heaven, Charity. 4. In humility: those glorious spirits stoop to do us service, let us not think it bad or base to serve one another in love. No one man can so far exceed another, as the Angels excel the best men: do they abase themselves to our succour, and shall we in a foolish pride scorn our brethren? The haughty piece looks on the poor betwixt scorn and anger; Touch me not, I am of purer mould: yet Mors dominos servis; blended together in the forgotten grave, none makes the finer dust: we cannot say, such a Lady's rottenness smells sweeter than such a beggars. Come down thou proud spirit, deny not succour to thy distressed brother, lest God deny his high Angels to succour thee. Thus for imitation, now for application, learn we other uses. 1. This is terror to the wicked, who contemn and condemn the righteous. r Math. 18. 10 Despise not these little ones, for their Angels are with my Father in heaven. Beware you that scoff at poor Innocents, their Angels may plague you. They for their parts may be content to put up abuses, and to forgive injuries: but their Angels may take vengeance. s Acts 12. 1. Herod vexed certain of the Church, killed james with the sword, and seeing it please the jews, he took Peter also. They could not help this; but their Angels did: for t verse 23. an Angel of the Lord smote him that he died. Thou mayest have evasion from the executioners of men, but no protection against the Officers of GOD. When they are bidden to strike, they will lay on sure strokes. u Gene. 19 13. We will destroy this place, for the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. 2. They teach us devout reverence, so to behave ourselves as in the sight and presence of holy Angels. The consideration of so blessed a company, doth not only Confer fiduciam, and afferre devotionem, but infer reverentiam; saith Bernard. When to jacob in his dream was presented that Ladder, and the Angels ascending and descending on it: wakening he says; How fearful is this place! x Gen. 28. 17. This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. Seneca said, that the conceit of Cato and Plato, & such grave men in our company would restrain us from evil: but what are these to the holy Angels of heaven? y 1. Cor. 4. 9 We are a spectacle to the Angels: they are observers and witnesses of all our actions. a 1. Cor. 11. 10. For this cause the woman ought to have power on her head, because of the Angels. This is not to be understood of offence only given to the Ministers of the Church: but to signify that a woman throwing off the vail of modesty, and token of subjection to her husband, doth make even the Angels of heaven witnesses of her dissolute contumacy. The Angels are present with thee when all men on the earth are absent from thee. I ask thee, when thou pollutest the marriage bed, attemptest an homicide, plottest a treason, forgest a writing, wouldst thou then have the Angels present with thee, or absent from thee? If thou desirest them present, why dost thou offend them by thy turpitudes? If absent, thy protectors are gone, and the devils would easily confound thee. Nonfacias coram Angelis Dei, yea coram Deo Angelorum: Do not that thing before the Angels of God; yea before the GOD of Angels; which thou wouldst shame to do in the sight and presence of an earthly man. Yet let us mark here by the way, that albeit the Angels deserve our reverence, yet they desire not our adoration. Indeed the evil Angels request it: it was a special boon which the Devil begged of Christ, b Math. 4. 9 to fall down & worship him. But the good refuse it; c reve. 19 10. See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow servant; saith the Angel to kneeling john. As we usually come too short in our due reverence to the Angels; so the Papists go too far in undue adoration. They have a set prayer for it: angel Dei, Custos mei me tibi commissum lege super●…a, semper rege, custodi guberna. This sacrilegious honour those holy spirits refuse: they take no charge of such superstitious souls. Accipiunt commissum, non arripi●…nt inconcessum. Honorandi, non adorandi sunt Angeli. Let them be honoured, but not adored. Love and reverence the Angels, only worship God and jesus Christ. 3. This declares to us the excellent company that is in heaven. Were the place less noble and majestical, yet the company it affords is able to make the soul right blessed. We are loath to leave this earth for the society of some friends, in whom we delight; yet we are all subject to mutual dislikes. Besides the meeting of those good friends again in heaven, there be also glorious Angels. There is nothing in them but is amiable, admirable: nothing in possibility of changing our pleasures. There thou shalt see and converse with those ancient Worthies, Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Fathers of the Primitive times, all of them outshining the stars: where our love shall be as eternal, as is our glory. There we shall live familiarly in the sight of those Angels, whom now we receive good from, and see not. Yea there is the fountain of all felicity, that Saviour of ours, whose grace only brings us to the blessed vision of the whole Trinity. Neither can there be a higher happiness, than the eternal fruition of jesus Christ. Let this teach us all to bless our God that hath thus advanced us. Man is corporeal dust; O that this clay of ours should come to dwell with those incorporeal spirits! d Math. 22. 30. We shallbe as the Angels of God in heaven. Sicut, non ipsi; like Angels, though not Angels in nature. Communicatione spei, non speciei: we have now a communion of hope with them, hereafter of glory. To this place, O thou Creator of men & Angels bring us through jesus Christ. To the general assembly, and Church of the first borne which are written in Heaven. Our Apostle hath spoken of the Church's glory typically, and topically: now he describes it materially. First, the Essence of it, what it is; The Church. Secondly, the Property of it, what kind of Church it is; General or Catholic. Thirdly, what are the parts of it, & of whom it consists; Of the first borne written in Heaven. The Church. This word is taken in diverse significations. For the material Temple. 1. Cor. 11. 18. When ye come together in the Church, I hear there are divisions among you. For the faithful domestikes of one Family. 1. Cor. 16. 19 Aquila and Priscilla salute you, with the Church that is in their house. For the professors of one Province; The Church of Corinth, of Ephesus, etc. For some famous company of Believers gathered together in one place. 1. Cor. 14. 4. He that prophesieth, edifies the Church. For an Ecclesiastical Senate or Synod. Mat. 18. 17. If he shall neglect to hear them, Dic Ecclesiae, tell it unto the Church. For the whole number of the Elect. Mat. 16. 18. Upon this Rock I will build my Church. Acts 5. 11. Great fear came upon all the Church. 1. Tim. 3. 15. Which is the Church of the living GOD, the pillar and ground of truth. Here first let me premise three circumstances concerning the Church. 1. Though it be a General Assembly, yet it is but one. e Cant. 6. 8. There be threescore Queens, and fourscore Concubines, and Virgins without number: but my Dove, my undefiled is but one: she is the only one of her Mother. Indeed there be two parts of this One Church: Triumphant in Heaven, and Militant on Earth. The Triumphant part is a company of justified spirits, triumphing over the flesh, world, and devil: spirits, I say, for * Except our saviours, and the bodies of Enoch and Elias, and of those Saints that rose at Christ's Resurrection, of which yet many Divines doubt. bodies are not yet ascended. They have two happy privileges. 1. To rejoice in the conquest over sin and death: the most righteous man living is in praelio, in a continual warfare. But so are the other: for Saint john saith, f reve. 12. 7. There was war in Heaven. This must be understood of heaven on earth; where there is no truce with Satan; Pax cum Deo, bellum cum diabolo: We have peace with God, but (on this condition, that) war with the devil. Therefore so run the promises, Uincenti dabitur: To him that overcomes, shall be given g reve. 7. 9 Palms: to show that they had been warriors, are now conquerors, 1. To praise God continually, and to sing Amen: Blessing and glory, thanksgiving and honour be unto God for ever and ever. The militant part is a company of men living under the cross, and desiring to be with Christ. They suffer, and this is their way to glory; h Act. 14 22. through much tribulation entering into the kingdom of God. They desire dissolution, being i 2. Cor. 5. 8. willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord, not simply and absolutely desiring death: but first that they might leave sinning, and so cease to displease God: and then to come nearer to their blessed Saviour, whose love hath ravished their hearts. Now this militant Church may have many parts: as the Ocean sea is but one, yet distinguished according to the Regions upon which it lies. So there is the Spanish Ocean, the English Ocean, the Germane Ocean. There is a Church in England, a Church in France, a Church in Germany: yet there is but one militant Church. Multa Ecclesiae, una Ecclesia; saith S. Augustine. One Sun, many beams; one Kingdom, many shires; one tree, many branches. 2. We must note, that Christ is the alone head of his Church, and can have no other partner to share with him in this dignity. k Ephes. 2. 21. jesus Christ is the corner stone, in whom all the building fitly framed together, grows unto an holy Temple in the Lord. He doth not only by his authority govern it, but also by his grace quicken it: so that we live not, but Christ liveth in us. l Col. 2. 19 Let us hold the head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, increaseth with the increase of God. He requires no deputy, he needs none. For m Mat. 18. 20. wheresoever you are gathered together in my name, I am in the midst of you. Now every Commission ceaseth in the presence of him that gives it. It is therefore as great arrogancy in the Pope to call himself Caput Ecclesiae, Head of the Church; as for a subject to keep himself in commission in the presence of the King. But they distinguish of heads; there is a Principal, and a Ministerial Head. Christ is not so weak in himself, or so respectless of us, as to need any Ministerial head. Indeed there be Heads Materialiter, who are no other than principal members. So Saul was called Head of the Tribes, Psal. 18. 43. Thou hast made me the head of the heathen, 2. Sam. 23. 8. The Tachmonite head of the Captains. Nehem. 11. 16. jozabad head of the Levites. The eldest was called head of the family, Exod. 6. 14. These be the heads of their father's houses. But there is a Head Formaliter, to give sense, motion, virtue, governance: this none but only Christ. 3. We must know, that there is no salvation out of this Church; such as never become members of it, must eternally perish: they that are true members, shall be saved. n 1. joh. 2. 19 If they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out from us, that it might be manifest they were not of us. o Reu. 22. 15. Without are dogs and scorners, etc. All out of the Ark perished in the waters. p Act. 2. 47. The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved. First, because there is no means of salvation out of it; no word to teach, no Sacraments to confirm. And especially because out of the Church there is no Christ, and out of Christ no salvation. Who have not the Church their Mother, cannot have God their Father. This teacheth us to honour our Mother, and like little children to hang at her breasts for our sustenance. q Esa. 66. 11. Suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations, milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. Run not to strange nurses for poison, when you may have pure milk of your own mother. r 1. Pet. 2. 2. Desire like babes, that sincere milk of the Gospel, that ye may grow by it. Qualis nutritio, talis complexio. The complexion of your manners, the disposition of your lives, will witness whose children they are. The general assembly: this is the property of the Church; General. It is Catholic in three respects; of Time, of Persons, of Place. 1. Of Time, because the Church had a being in all ages, ever since the Promise was given to our first Parents in Paradise. If there had been a time when no Church had been on earth, the world should have then perished: for it stands for the Elects sake. 2. Of persons; for it consists of all degrees and sorts of men; rich and poor, Princes and subjects, bond and free. There is no order nor state excluded, if they exclude not themselves. s 1. john 2. 1. Christ is the Propitiation for our sins. He may be so indeed for the sins of john, and the Disciples, but how appears it for mine? yes; t Vers. 2. not for our sins only, but for the sins of the wholeworld; every condition of believers. 3. Of Place, it is gathered from all parts of the earth; especially under the new Testament. u Mat. 26. 13. Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world. When Christ gave his Apostles their Commission, he gave also the whole world for their Parish. Go teach all nations, and baptise, etc. Mat. 28. 19 Thus we see the property of this Church, Catholic or General. It is one, but not tied to one time, nor one place, nor one person: it is Catholic to all times, to all places, to all persons. Augustine says that the Donatists in his days would have tied the Church to Cartenna in Africa: as the Papists in our days to Rome in Italy. How is it then a General assembly? Thus that Antichristian rabble, which have almost nothing in their mouths but the Church, the Church; yet do mostly infringe the liberties of the Church, and hedge it in. All of them have made the Catholic Church, to be nothing else but the Roman Church; and some of them the Roman Church to be nothing else but the Pope. So in effect Papa virtualiter est ●…ota Ecclesia; say they. The Anabaptists imagined a Church like the Tick, all body and no head: the Papists have made a Church like the Toadstoole, all head and no body. What a monster is their Pope, that will be all in all; eye and tongue, body and head, & tail too? As Caligula took off the head of jupiter, and set on another of his own: so they have smitten off Christ's head, and set on the Pope. Let them take their imaginary head: say we only to Christ: Whom have we in heaven but thee? and on earth none besides thee. Our dependence be for ever on our Head the Lord jesus. Before I leave this point, I desire to express two things: one for distinction, the other for instruction. First for distinction betwixt this General assembly, and particular Churches: then for instruction, to show who be true members of this Catholic Church. 1. The main difference between them consists in this: that the Catholic Church is always invisible, the members thereof only known to God: particular Churches are sometimes invisible, and lying hid; other times manifest in the open profession of Christ's name. As the Moon is eftsoones eclipsed or clouded, and often shineth in the full. 1. It lies hid through want of the word preached, and public administration of the Sacraments. So it was in the days of Elias, when he wished to die; a 1. King. 19 14. I only am left. Strange Apostasy, when so notable a Prophet could not discern the Church! yet; vers. 18. I have left seven thousand, that never bowed their knees to Baal. So it was in the reign of Asa; b 2. Chro. 15. 3. For a long season Israel hath been without the true God without a teaching Priest, and without the Law. The Papists demand where our Church was before the days of Luther: we answer, that an universal Apostasy was over the face of the world, the true Church was not then visible: but the grain of truth lay hid under a great heap of popish chaff. But this invisibility doth not prove a nullity. They cannot impugn the antiquity of our Church, unless they convince themselves. For the Church of England holds no other doctrine then that the Church of Rome primarily did hold, and that which S. Paul delivered to them in sacred writing; justification only by the blood of Christ. If they be fallen from this, who can blame us for falling from them? It was high time to leave them, when they left the Lord jesus. So long as we preserve the truth's antiquity, we must smile at their fond objection of novelty. The Church of God is Catholic, not Roman Catholic: that's just as foolish a phrase, as the byword of Kent and Christendom. Particular and universal are contradictories. If we have any thing from them, that they had from God; it is our blessing that we have kept it, their woe that they have lost it. Esau's blessing and birthright is lost to himself, and given unto jacob. They have not so much reason to boast, as we to rejoice. Our Church had a substantial being before, but hath gotten a better being by the repurgation of the Gospel: which is maintained by our Christian Princes, justly styled Defenders of the ancient Faith. It was God's Floor before, though full of chaff: but now since c Mat. 3. 12. he that hath his fan in his hand hath purged it, it is clearer in show and substance. It was before a wedge of pure gold, but usurped by the hands of Impostors: that by their mixtures, and sophistications for gain and sinister respects, augmented it into a huge body and mass. It had the tincture of gold still, but mingled with the dross of traditions, superstitions, will-worships. You ask where was the gold? show us the place. We answer, it was in that mass: now for extracting and purifying it from the dross, God gave us the touchstone of his word, which made it sound, & manifests it to be sound. The Lord doth not then forsake his: the time was that the whole world seemed to groan, factum se videns Arrianum, beholding itself made Arrian; yet God had his number. Sardis is said to be dead, d Reu. 3. 1. thou hast a name that thou livest, but thou art dead: yet there be e Vers. 4. a few names in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments. When ordinary means fail, by extraordinary the Lord gathers his elect. The Israelites in the wilderness wanted both Circumcision and Passeover, yet GOD made supply by Manna, and the Pillar of the cloud. 2. A Church is visible when it flourisheth: not that the faith and secret election of men is seen; but there are apparent signs by frequenting the Sanctuary, and submitting themselves to the Ministry of the Word. Now this visible Church is a mixed company of men professing the faith. I call it mixed, for in it are both believers and hypocrites, corn and tars: it is a band of men, where be some valiant soldiers, and many cowards. It is called a Church from the better, not from the greater part. The ungodly, though they are in the Church, are not of the Church: as the superfluous humours in the veins are not parts of the body, but rather the sickness of it. These profess veram fidem, sed non verè; the true faith, but not truly. Hence it appears, that there be two sorts of members in the Church: members before God, such as beside the outward profession keep a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith unfeigned. Members before men, such as have only the colour and husk of Religion, in heart denying the power of godliness: yet these are by us to be esteemed members, according to the rule of charity judging the best. 2. Now for Instruction, what I have to say consists in the examination of two points. First, whether the Church of England be a part of this Catholic Church: then next, whether the Church of Rome have the same prerogative. For ourselves; the most infallible mark of the true Church, is the right ministration of the Sacraments, and sincere Preaching the true Doctrine of the Gospel. That is the true Mother and Spouse of Christ, that brings forth children to him f 1. Pet. 1. 23. of immortal seed, by the Word of GOD which abideth for ever: not of traditions, miracles, dreams; but of this incorruptible seed. And when they are borne anew, feeds them with sincere Milk out of her two breasts, the two Testaments. This you know in your consciences to be true in our Mother: she doth not give us pro lact venenum, but milk; even the same that Christ himself put into her breasts. When we grow strong, she gives us meat, not bones: troubles us not with the subtleties of the Schools; that have Plus argutiarum quam doctrinae, plus doctrinae quam usus: but Quod accepit a Domino, what she hath received of the Lord; neither more nor less, but just weight. She doth not say, Haec dicit Papa, but Haec dicit Dominus: not thus saith the Pope in his decretals, but thus saith the Lord in his Scriptures. She doth g Rom. 9 1. say the truth in Christ, and lieth not, her conscience bearing her witness in the holy Ghost. She doth not sophisticate truth, not mingle wine with water, not daub the walls of God's house with untempered mortar: not build upon the foundation straw & stubble: not adulterate the Word; like a lustful man, whose end is not to increase mankind, but to satisfy concupiscence. O then let us hang upon her lips, that preserve this true knowledge: and say with Peter; h john 6. 68 Lord, to whom should we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. Thus we have proved the truth of our Church by Scripture: but our adversaries oppose the sufficiency of this proof, by disabling the Scriptures. They say we cannot know Scripture to be Scripture, but by the testimony of the Church. It is false, for the witness of man subject to error, is nothing to the testimony of GOD that cannot err. Therefore the Scripture is called the i Esay 8 20. Testimony, because it bears witness to itself. Besides, the Church hath her beginning from the Word, for there can be no Church without faith, no faith without the Word, no Word without the Scriptures. So the Church depends on the Scripture, not the Scripture on the church. The Lawyer that hath only power to expound the Law, is under the Law. But they object, that Faith comes by Rom. 10. 17. hearing, and hearing by the voice of the Church. Paul intends there not that general faith whereby we believe Scripture to be Scripture: but that justifying faith whereby we attain salvation. And this comes by the voice of the Church, not of itself, but as it is the ministery of God's Word. john is but Uox clamantis, Christ is Verbum clamans. Particular Churches have erred; therefore the best security from error is in the Scriptures. This is a Lesbian rule, able to decide all Controversies, and it is vitio hominum, by the fault of bad Interpreters that it doth not. For whether Aliorum incuriâ that despise it, or Aliorum iniuriâ that pervert it, it suffers martyrdom, and may not be heard declare itself. The Papist in expounding Scripture after his own fancy, makes himself judge, not the Scripture. But all their drift is with God's loss to promove the Pope's gain. He must be judge, yea he shall be an unerring judge. Yet if the Pope have this infallibility, I wonder what need there is of councils. Here they fly to distinctions, as to familiar spirits. The Pope may err Argumentatiuè, not Definitiuè: in his chamber, not in his chair: Personaliter, non Formaliter: as man, not as Pope. How prove they such an exposition of the Scripture? Here they fly to the Pope, he so expounds it. How prove they the Pope cannot err? Here strait they fly back again to Scripture; Peter, I have prayed for thee that thy faith shall not fail. These hang gether like a sick man's dream. Insequeris? fugio. Fugis? insequor. Yet thus they conclude against their own wills; whiles they only prove the Pope by the Scripture, spite of their teeth they prefer the Scripture above the Pope. If this be so, that the truth of the Gospel being professed, believed, obeyed among us, manifest us against all adversaries, to be true members of this General assembly: then two subordinate questions offer themselves collaterally here to be handled. First, whether corrupters of our Truth, and disturbers of our peace are to be tolerated. Secondly, whether for some corruptions of doctrine, or vices in manners, it be lawful for any of us, to make separation from us. 1. Seditious and pestilent seedsmen of heresies are to be restrained. If a little leaven sour the whole lump, what will a little poison do? If Paul to his k Gala. 5. 9 Galatians could not endure Christ and Moses together: how would he to his Corinthians, endure l 2. Cor. 6. 14. Christ and Belial together? He sticks not to ingeminate anathemas to them that preached another Gospel. The Papists cry out against us for persecution: they that shame not to belly the Scriptures, will not blush to belly us. Their prosperity, their riches, their numbers among us, directly prove; that a man may be a Papist in England, and live. But if their religion turn to treason, shall it scape unpunished? A Papist may live, a Traitor may not live. To persuade that a Christian king at the Pope's will may, yea must be decrowned or murdered: is this the voice of Religion, or Treason? If this be conscience, there is no villainy: if such an act merit Heaven, let no man fear Hell. I would ask a Papist, whether he be not bound by his religion to execute the Pope's doctrinal will: whether if he bid him kill his King, he may refrain from that sacred blood, and not sin. If he refuse treason, he is not constant to his Religion: if he keep his Religion, he must not stick at any act of treason. So that who knows whether this day a mere Papist, may not on the Pope's command to morrow be a Traitor? But say they, this a supposition as likely as if Heaven should fall: the Pope will never command it. I answer, that Popes have commanded it. But we hope his present Holiness will not: we were in a piteous case, if our security was no better than your hope. God bless our gracious Sovereign from ever standing at the Pope's mercy. Why should such Seminaries of heresy, and Incendiaries of conspiracy be suffered? What atonement of affection can there be in such disparity of Religion? when some cry, God help us: others, Baal hear us. They to Angels and Saints, we to the Lord that made Heaven and Earth. But the event hath often proved, which of these could best hear prayers. As in that memorable fight on the Levant Seas, of five English ships against eleven Spanish; they crying for victory to our Lady, we to our Lord: it seems, the Son heard better than the Mother, for the victory was ours. The Commonwealth that stands upon legs, partly of iron, and partly of clay, is never sure. One womb held Romulus & Remus in peace, one kingdom could not contain them. But every man's mind is as free as the Emperors: Conscience is a Castle, and there is nothing so voluntary as religion: faith comes by persuasion, not by compulsion. Yield all this: and say with Tertullian; Nihil minus fidei est, quam fidem cogere. And with Bernard; Suspendite verbera, ostendite ubera. Make a man in error rather blush, then bleed. But if they break the foundation, Non ferendi, sed feriendi. First speak to the Conscience by good counsel: but if that ear be stopped, shake the whole house about it. Speak to the ears of the inheritance, of the liberty, of the body; by mulct, by prison, by exile. Let the Liberty say to the Conscience, For thy sake I am restrained: let the Inheritance say, For thy sake I am impoverished: let the Body say, For thy sake I am afflicted. But because heresy dies not with the particular person, but kills also others: and Centum inficit, dum unum intersicit. And because it strikes at the life of a Christian, that is his Faith; For the just shall live by his faith. Therefore pereat unus, potius quam unitas. Haretici corrigendi ne pereant, reprimendi ne perimant. Heretics are to be corrected lest they damn themselves, to be restrained lest they damn others. Persecutio facit Martyrs, haeresis apostatas: plus nocuerunt horum Tertull. tog●…, quam illorum galeae. Persecution made Martyrs, heresy makes Apostates: the Heretics words have done more hurt than the tyrant's swords. Apertè savit persecutor Aug. ut Leo: haereticus insidiatur ut draco. Ille negare Christum cogit, iste docet. Aduersus illum opus patientià, adversus istum opus vigilantia. The persecutor rageth like a Lion, the heretic insinuates himself like a serpent. To deny Christ he compels, this man instructs. Against the former we have need of patience, against the latter of vigilance. Excommunication, bondage, exile have been thought fit punishments for heretics: fire and faggot is not God's Law, but the Pope's cannon-shot. An heretic dying in his heresy cannot be saved: therefore Luther thinks, he that puts an heretic to death is a double murderer; destroying his body with death temporal, his soul with death eternal. But saith Augustine, Diligite homines, interficite errores: Love the persons, kill the errors. Presume on the truth without pride, strive for it without rage. Severitas, quasi s●…ua veritas: but verity and severity do not agree. Fire and sword may put to death heretics, but not heresies. See here the difference betwixt the Papists proceedings against us, and ours against them. They die not among us for refusing our faith: but us they burned (not for denying any article of faith, but) for not believing Transubstantiation. So strange an Article, that Bellarmine himself doubts whether it may be proved from Scripture or no: but that the Church hath declared it so to be. But though faith be above reason, yet it is not against reason. This is my body, saith Christ. Hoc, This bread: this Pronoune demonstrative they will have to demonstrate nothing. Hoc aliquid nihil est. How then? this nothing is my body: not this bread, but this nothing. Others will have something demonstrated to the understanding, nothing to the senses. Some will have a demonstration to the senses, nothing to the understanding: some partly to both: others expound it, This body: than it is thus; This body is my body: others say it is individuum vagum. But Quod multipliciter exponitur, communiter ignoratur. That which is so variously expounded, is generally unknown. The most judicious among them cannot explicate it. Corpore de Christi lis est, de sanguine lis est: Deque modo lis est non habitura modum. What damnable cruelty than was it in them to burn silly women, for not understanding this their inexplicable mystery? Those gunpowder divines condemned others to the fire for not knowing that, which they never knew themselves. We teach such erring souls be corrected, that they may be converted: not be confounded. Excommunicated m 1. Cor. 5. 5. for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord jesus. 2. Whether a separation may be justly made from our Church for some errors or corruptions of life. I know that divers, who were once among us, never of us, have put out their own lights, indeed excommunicated themselves. What's their plea? that our assemblies are full of enormities. I answer, that the defects and corruptions of a Church must be distinguished: they are either in doctrine or in manners. For doctrine, some errors are Citra fundamentum, some Circa fundamentum, others Contra fundamentum. Errors beside the foundation trouble, errors about the foundation shake, errors against the foundation overturn all. So long then as no foundation is harmed, it is not lawful depart. until the Church separates from Christ, we must not separate from it. In two cases there is warrant of separation. First, when the substance of God's worship is quite corrupted. n 2. Cor, 6. 16. What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? when this is, ver. 17. Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, when jeroboam had set up Idols in Israel, o 2. Chr. 11. 14. the Priests and the Levites left their suburbs and possession, and came to judah and jerusalem. Secondly, when the substance of doctrine is quite corrupted. p 1. Tim. 6. 3. If any man consent not to the words of our Lord jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, etc. From such, vers. 5. withdraw thyself. Paul in the Synagogue at Ephesus preached for the space of three months together. q Acts 19 9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spoke evil of that way, he departed from them, and separated the Disciples. In these two cases lawful, not else. For corruption in manners, they make not Nullam Ecclesiam, sed malam ecclesiam; not no Church, but a bad Church. Wicked Scribes sitting in Moses chair, and teaching the things he wrote, must be heard. r Mat. 23. 3. Whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do: but do not after their works. Separate from their private society, not from the public assembly. But they charge us, that we deny Christ. I answer, Denial of Christ is double, either in judgement or in fact. Denial of Christ in judgement, makes a Christian no Christian: denial in fact, the judgement being sound, makes him not no Christian, but an evil Christian. When the jews had crucified the Lord of life, they remained still a Church, if there were any on the face of the earth: and jerusalem was still called the s Mat. 27. 53. Holy City. To them belonged t Acts 2. 39 the promise, and to their children. u Rom. 9 4. To them pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants. I would to God this bloody issue were staunched: but what age hath not complained it? This mischief is intestine. Amara persecutio in cruore martyrum, amarior in pugna haereticorum, amarissima in malis moribus domesticorum. The persecution of Tyrants was bitter, the poison of heretics more bitter, but the evil lives of Christians most bitter of all. x Phil. 3. 18. Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ. Whereupon saith Augustine; How comes that great Champion to fall a weeping? Could he endure a 2. Cor. 11. 24. stripes above measure, prisons frequent, shipwrecks, perils by sea and land; among enemies, among false brethren; hunger, thirst, cold, weariness, painfulness: b 1. Cor. 15. 32. Did he fight with beasts after the manner of men; was he raped up among the Angels? Did he bear all these miseries? was he honoured with all these mercies? and now does he weep? Yes, sin and sensuality was crept into the Church; and this made that undaunted spirit fall a weeping. Pax a Paganis, Pax ab H●…reticis, nulla pax a falsis filijs. We have quiet from the Pagans, quiet from heretics, but no quiet from wicked and exorbitant professors. Our greatest enemies are they of our own house. Lord jesus heal this plague. Now we have proved and approved the truth of our own Church at home; let us examine whether the Church of Rome be also a true member of this Catholic Assembly. Errors that annihilate a Church, are of two sorts, some weakening, others destroying the foundation. Weakening error is the building of c 1. Cor. 3. 12. hay and stubble on the foundation: the stubble burnt, their souls may be d Ver. 15. saved. A man breaks down the windows of his house, the house stands though defaced: he pulls down the lead or tiles, the house stands though uncovered: he beats down the walls, the house stands though deformed? he plucks up the foundation, the house falls, and ceaseth to be an house. Those which destroy the foundation, are the overthrowing errors; by them a Church ceaseth to be a Church. Yet if an error be against the foundation, we are to consider the persons; whether they err of malice, or of weakness. If of malice, e 2. Tim. 3. 8. like jannes' and jambres that withstood Moses, resisting the truth; it is no longer a Church. But if of weakness, we must not so peremptorily conclude: for Paul writes to the Galatians as a Church of God, though they were perverted to another doctrine; embracing a fundamental error of justification by works. The Church of Rome doth wilfully & obstinately destroy the foundation, therefore may be concluded for no Church. If they will be justified by the works of the law, they are fallen from Grace. Let us hear how they quit themselves. First, they would do it by retorting all this back upon us: they tell us flatly, that we are no Church, and thus they prove it. They say, we have no Bishops, so no Ministers, so no Sacraments, therefore no Church. Here they clap their wings, and crow, Victory, Victory. f Esay 9 21. As Manasseh against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh, and both against judah. So they have set our brothers against us, us against our brothers, Papists against us all. Behold the exigent we are in: the Papists say we have no Ministers, because they are not made by Bishops; the Puritans say we have no Ministers, because they are made by Bishops. Which of these speak true? Neither. First to answer the Puritan; Bishops may make Ministers: Paul chargeth Timothy to g 1. Tim. 5. 22. lay hands suddenly on no man: therefore he may lay hands on some. To Titus: h Titus 1. 5. For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest ordain Elders in every City. Now we have true Bishops, therefore in God's name allow us to have true Ministers. For the Romanists, that tell us we have none of these, how strangely do they belly us, and themselves? Oportet mendacem esse memorem. Have they forgot their obrayding us, that we have all our Episcopal rites from them? All our ministerial orders from them? If we have it from them, than we have it. They are Bristo's own words in his Motives: The Protestants are Apes of the Papists, the Communion-booke is made altogether out of the Mass-book. Why then do they not communicate with us? It is not for conscience, but for malice. Let it be granted, that we have this from them: but then they must grant withal, that jacob by God's disposing hath gotten Esau's Birthright. So the Israelites were feign to go to the Philistines to sharpen their scythes. We abhor not Episcopal ordinations, but Papal. Our substance from them, their circumstances to themselves. Papales ordinationes sunt foedaenundinationes. We have their gold, they have left themselves nothing but Tinker's metal. Let them keep their own, give us ours. But further they object the continuance of their succession. We answer, the succession of Person is nothing worth without the succession of Doctrine; which they want. If it were by us granted, what never shall be by them proved, that Peter is succeeded by the Pope: Yet as Mathias succeeding judas was never the worse, so the Pope succeeding Peter is never the better. Perijt dignitas Cathedrae, quando veritas Doctrinae. But they say that in the Roman Church, Baptism is rightly for the substance of it administered; therefore it is a true Church. Indeed they have the outward washing, but quite overthrown the inward; which stands in justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ. But the Samaritans had Circumcision, yet were they not a true Church. Baptism severed from the preaching of the Gospel, is of no more force, than a seal when it is plucked off from the Indenture. Indeed truly, though they have Baptism, yet it belongs not to them, but to a hidden Church among them. For doubtless God hath his chosen and sealed number in the midst of those Apostates. As the light in the Lantern belongs not properly to the Lantern, but to the Passenger. That Sacrament in the assembly of Rome, is like a true man's purse in a thieves hand: it no more proves them a true Church, than that purse proves the thief a true man. The Lord of his goodness, that hath given them the sign of the Grace, give them also the grace of the sign, true washing away of their sins in the blood of Christ. Some have objected, and they seem to be kind friends to Rome: that Antichrist must sit in the Temple, that is the Church: therefore this sitting of Antichrist in Rome, proves them to be a true Church. But I am sure by this argument what they get in the hundred, they lose in the Shire: they may put these gains in their eye. I hope they will not confess their Pope Antichrist, to have us grant them a true Church. Therefore some of them have affirmed, Hominem non Christianum posse esse Romanum Pontificem. And would not he be a strange Head of Christ's Church, that is not a true member of Christ's Body? But howsoever, their argument holds not: for it is one thing to be in the Church, another thing to be of the Church. Antichrist sits in that place, not as a member of the Church, but as an Usurper. So the Pirate sits in the Merchant's ship, yet hath no right to it. All that can be proved hereby is, that among the Papists there is a hidden Church, in the midst whereof Antichrist dominereth, but hath no part of salvation in it. What cause then have we to bless our GOD, that hath brought us from Babylon to jerusalem, out of darkness into his marvelous light, from the Romish Synagogue to the General Assembly, and Church of the first borne which are written in Heaven? and the Lord of his mercy preserve us in it for ever and ever. To conclude, there be diverse Censures of the Roman Church. Some say it is no Church, but Aequivocè; as the picture of a man is called a man: or a painted fire, a fire. It is no more a Church, than the carcase of a dead man, that hath on a living man's garments, is a living man, look it never so like him. These look upon it Oculo vero, sed severo: with a true, but a sharp eye. Others say, It is non sanum membrum, sed membrum: It is not a sound member, but a member. It hath Scriptures, but corrupted with Traditions: but indeed they have nullified the native sense; and so are Lanterns that show light to others, none to themselves. They have the Articles of the Creed, and make the same general confession of faith: yet overthrow all this another way. Herein they are like a fond Father, that with much indulgence tenders the body of his child, would not suffer the cold wind to blow upon him, yet by secret conveyances inwardly infects the heart, & destroys him. Thus they say, it is still a member, still a Church; as a brainsick man is a man. The Roman Assembly is Verè Ecclesia, sed non vera Ecclesia: truly a Church, but not a true Church. A leprous man is a man: Adultera uxor, tamen uxor est: an adulterous wife is still a wife. So Duraus. In Papatu est Ecclesia, et Papatus non est Ecclesia. Vt Ecclesia Dei, ut Papalis Diaboli. In Popery is a Church, yet Popery is not the Church. As it is a Church, it is of God; as Popish, of the devil. It is Incurata Ecclesia, an incurable Church, that hates to be reform: therefore no Church. We would have cured Babel, but she would not be cured. She hath apostated into treason, clipped Regiam monetam, the great King's coin, the Word of God: turned that pure gold into sophisticate Alchemy: prayer to Christ, into invocation of Saints. These men conclude, that it is not a body diseased, & full of wounds, that hath the throat cut, yet with some life and breath remaining: but a rotten and dead carcase, void of spiritual life. It hath blended judaism and Paganism together with Christianity, and so swelled up a superstitious worship of God; therefore no Church. For my part I judge not: GOD reserves to himself three things; The revenge of injuries, The glory of deeds, The judgement of secrets. I will not judge, but like a witness give in my testimony. And here Qui bene distinguit, bene docet. The best construction is that which inclines to charity: that is, there is no probable salvation in the Zanch. Church of Rome. Infants dying before they come to these errors, I believe saved: for others, Nescio quid dicere; I know not what to say. They have damnable heresies, as that of Free will, of Merits, etc. yet the persons that of weakness defend them, may be saved. God pardons even wilful errors, if they be truly repent. Therefore I believe that many of our forefathers went to Heaven, though through blindness. Now indeed they are more inexcusable, because our sound is gone out among them. There are Seducentes and Seducti: the wilful blind lead the woeful blind, until both fall into the ditch. If they will not see, there is no help, no hope. If simple ignorance misled, there is hope of return: but if affected, it is most wretched. Our office is to help them with our prayers: and let us pray for them as Paul for his Ephesians; That the eyes of our understanding being enlightened, Ephe. 1. 18. they may know what is the hope of God's calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance is in the Saints. Many of them have ready hearts, but they want eyes: we have open eyes, God grant us ready hearts. The first borne which are written in heaven. This is a description of the persons, of whom the Church consists. The Church itself is a number of men, which God hath set apart by an eternal decree, and in time sanctified to become real members of it. They are written in heaven, there's their eternal election; and they are the first borne, that is 〈◊〉 borne, there's their Sanctification. For the two parts of the description, Their Primogeniture, and Registering in God's book; are but borrowed speeches, whereby God would ratify the everlasting Predestination and salvation of his Church. That as the First borne is not to be defeated of his inheritance; and the Enrolled names are never to be obliterated: so certainly shall they inherit eternal life. The first borne. Some understand by the first borne not all the Elect; but only the Patriarches, and such ancient Saints, the noble & primitive parts of the Church. Calvin. Then this should have been referred only to the Church triumphant in heaven; but the Catholic Church is here expressly meant, which comprehends also the Saints upon earth: therefore they also are first borne. Besides, they are said to be written in heaven, which had been a superfluous speech of those who are already in heaven: they that are there, need no writing. Unusquisque Elect●…est Pimogenitus. But this seems to infringe the Primogeniture of Christ, to whom that Name is by special title and right given. Primogenitus inter multos fratres, saith Paul: he is the a Rom. 8. 29. First begotten among many brethren. Primogenitus universae creaturae; the b Col. 1. 15. first borne of every creature. Primogenitus mortuorum; the c Vers. 18. first borne from the dead. He is the first borne, as he is the Son of God, and as he is man. As he is the Son of God, in respect of time, before all things, the beginning of all: in respect of dignity, because he is the foundation of all good to his Church. d joh. 1. 16. Of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace. As he is man, he is the first borne, not in respect of time, but of excellency and virtue. In respect of his miraculous conception; the first that ever was conceived without sin, and e Luk. 1. 35. by the overshadowing of the holy Ghost. In respect of his birth, he was the first borue of Mary. f Mat. 1. 25. She brought forth her first borne Son, and called his name jesus. In respect of his resurrection; when GOD raised him out of the grave, he is said to beget his Son. g Psal. 2. 7. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And lest the interpretation of birth only should be deduced from that place, Saint Paul expressly applies it to his resurrection. Acts 13. 33. God raised up jesus again, as it is written in the second Psalm; Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Lastly, in respect of his pre-eminence: h Col. 1. 18. he is the first borne from the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. So the privilege of primogeniture is singularly and individually his. How then are the faithful here called the first borne? To answer this, we must know that God hath sons by nature, and by grace. Christ by nature only, all the elect by grace. Christ is a Son begotten, not made; we are sons made, not begotten in respect of nature. Christ as God is begotten, not borne: as man he is borne, not begotten. We see the privilege of Christ's primogeniture: from his let us look to ours, for from him we have it. The elect are called first-born in three respects. 1. Because they are united to the first borne. i Hebr. 2. 11. For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. He that is made unus cum primogenito, may be well called primogenitus: one with the first borne is a first borne. 2. Because they are culled and called out of the world. Many wicked are created before them, but they are elected in God's decree to life before the other; for the wicked are not chosen at all. Esau was Isaaks first borne, but jacob was God's first borne. Many of the world's first-born have been rejected. k Gen. 48. 17. Israel laid his right hand upon Ephraim the younger, and his left upon Manasseh the elder. l Gen. 49. 4. Reuben, thou art my first borne, but thou shalt not be excellent. Cain Adam's first borne; Ishmael, Abraham's first borne, were cast off. m Exod. 4. 22. Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first borne. The Lord had first chosen that nation to be his people, yet afterward rejected them, and accepted the Gentiles: so that the elder serve the younger. But Gods first borne are never refused: whom he hath predestinated to be sons, he hath also called to be heirs. So that this primogeniture is not in respect of generation, but of regeneration. Though they be not primò conditi, they are primò reconditi. n john 1. 13. Flesh and blood hath no work in this birth, nor the will of man; but the will of God. o jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us, with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. The Spirit begets of immortal seed, grace; in the womb of the Church; the means of this Birth being the Word. p john. 3. 3. Except a man be borne again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Out of that universal apostasy God sent his Son, to beget some first borne to himself. 3. Because the privileges of the first borne are theirs. These were many, as we may find in allusion to the Law. 1. The excellency of strength: q Gen. 49. 3. Reuben my first borne, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. Man decays, and the children of age are not so strong as the children of youth: therefore the first borne are called the beginning of power, and the excellency of strength. True it is, that there's no decay in God's Spirit that begets: yet because the faithful are first in God's intention of favour, and he gives them that strength of grace to resist sin, and to serve him, which the world hath not; therefore they are called his Firstborne, the excellency of his power. Though we be weak in ourselves, yet his strength is glorified in our weakness, his r 2. Cor. 12. 9 Grace is sufficient for us. 2. The name of the family was given to the first borne. s 1. Sam. 9 21. Is not my family the least of all the families of the Tribe of Benjamin, saith Saul? t judg. 11. 1. Gilead made his whole family to be called Gileadites. For further exemplying of this privilege, read Numbers. chap. 26. ver. 23. to ver. 52. Is this dignity lost under the Gospel to the first borne in Christ? no, for even the wicked dwelling among the righteous, are for their sakes vouchsafed the name of Christians. The name of the first borne hath christened all the family. 3. Priesthood and the right to sacrifice. u Exod. 24. 5. Moses sent twelve young men, according to the twelve tribes of Israel, to offer burnt offerings, and sacrifice peace offerings unto the Lord. Those young men are thought to be no other, but twelve of the first borne of the chief of the Tribes: to whom the right of sacrificing & Priesthood did belong, till the Levites were separated for that end. x Num. 3. 45. Take the Levites in stead of all the first borne among the children of Israel. Neither is this privilege lost by the Gospel: y Reu. 1. 6. Christ hath made us Kings and Priests unto God his Father; to offer up spiritual sacrifice of thanksgiving to him. Priests, but Priests to God; lest the Schismatic should take advantage thereby to trouble the civil state. The Propitiatory sacrifice is offered for us by our high Priest jesus: the sacrifices of our Priesthood are only gratulatory. 4. Double portion. a Deut. 21. 17. If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and children by them both: if the first borne son be hers that is hated, yet when he maketh his sons to inherit, though perhaps he would favour the son of the loved, yet he shall acknowledge the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength, the right of the first borne is his. So the elect have a double portion: not only a share in the things of this life, but much more in heaven. b 1. Tim. 4. 8. Godliness hath the promise both of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. It is a false imagination that God makes none of his children happy in this life. Abraham was rich, David a King. But if he denies them opulency, he never denies them content. This is the chief riches; for we see others Esurientes in popina; as the byword is, starving in a Cook's shop, wretched in their highest fortunes. The godly have so much share of this world, as may stand with their eternal blessedness in the world to come. And such may be content with a small portion here, that are sure of the inheritance hereafter. jehoshaphat gave great gifts of silver and gold, and precious things, to all his children: c 2. Chr. 21. 3. but the kingdom he gave to jehoram, because he was the first borne. Our Law gives the first borne son the inheritance: God will not deprive his of it. Thus hath Christ promised a double portion to the faithful; d Mark. 10. 30. He shall receive an hundred fold now in this time, and in the world to come eternal life. And indeed the Birthright with the jews was a type of everlasting life. The consideration of this excellent privilege doth teach us three lessons. 1. That we are dedicated to God. Exod. 13. 2. Numb. 3. 13. Sanctify to me all the first borne. e 1. Sam. 1. 28. So Ha●…nah dedicated her first borne Samuel to the Lord. f Luk. 2. 22. Mary brought Christ to jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; as it is written in the Law; Every male that openeth the womb, shall be called holy to the Lord. To rob God of his tithes is sacrilege; but to take away from him our souls, this is the highest sacrilege. In this we have a sequestration from common use, we are no longer as we were. They are mine, saith the Lord: not only by a common right, so all things are his. The earth is the Lords, and the fullness of it. nor only for a grateful acknowledgement, that the increase of all things comes from him. But as the Israelites were Gods by a special claim; because he preserved them in Egypt, when the first borne were slain. For whose redemption he accepted the first borne of their beasts: when he might have commanded all, lest this should seem grievous to them, he required but the first part. He only reserved what he preserved. So we were all by nature in as much danger of God's wrath, as were the Israelites of the destroying Angel when the first borne of the Egyptians were smitten dead. But the Lord sprinkled the doors of our hearts with the blood of his holy Lamb jesus. Hath the Lord spared us? then he challengeth us. To take from man his own is injurious, from God sacrilegious. g 1. Cor. 6. 20. Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit. why? for they are Gods, ye are not your own, saith the Apostle. Thus he confessed himself not his own man: h Acts 27. 23. There stood by me this night the Angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve. We are God's possession, the first borne which he hath redeemed by his own first-born, Christ. This we acknowledge when we present our children to God in Baptism. Yet O strange and forgetful inconstancy! when we have given them to God in baptism, by a foolish indulgence we take them away again in education. A Prince abhors to have his eldest son marry with a harlot; this were to vilify and ignoble that royal blood. And shall God brook his First borne to be contracted with that ugly strumpet, Sin? This were to forfeit and make void the right of primogeniture. 2. Seeing we are Gods first borne, let us offer our first and best things to him. The Lord hath deserved the priority of our service: i Mat. 6. 33. First seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof. Our first studies, our first labours must be consecrated to God. The Law required three properties in the sacrifices offered to God. 1. They must be first borne: ut illi reddamus prima, qui nobis debil omnia: that we should willingly give him the first, that had bountifully given us all. So we must give the first hour of the day, the first work of our hands, the first words of our lips to the Lord. 2. They must be clean beasts, for God abhorred the unclean, maimed, or deformed. k Mal. 1. 8. Ye offer polluted bread upon mine Altar. If ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? if ye offer the lame & sick, is it not evil? offer it now to the governor, will he be pleased with it? So we must hold up to God clean hands, and send up pure hearts: l Hebr. 12. 13. making strait paths for our feet, lest that which is halting be turned out of the way. 3. The sacrifices must be Males, because the best and most perfect things are to be given to God. Multi homines, pauci viri. Let us offer up our masculine virtues, m Eph. 4. 13. growing to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. We must aim at this perfect sacrifice. Besides in the Law there were three other rules observable in the consecration of the first borne. 1. That they should be seven days with the dam, and the eight day be given to God. Exod. 22. 30. wherein there was not only a respondence to the rule of circumcision, limited to the eight day, Gen. 17. 12. But to prevent their fraud in offering to God things of no service, being too soon taken from the dam. 2. In voluntary oblations they were forbidden to dedicate to the Lord any of the first borne. n Leuit. 27. 26. The firstling of the beasts which should be the Lords firstling, no man shall sanctify it. The reason is, because that was the Lords already. We have such names highly recorded on our Hospitall-walls, painted on the windows of our Churches, often engraven in marble the memorable tenant of worthy acts, for excellent benefactors. Yet All their benevolence to God, is not the Tenth of that they have robbed God, & taken from his Church. Fool, give of thine own, if thou wilt have reward in Heaven: first restore justly what thou hast gathered unjustly. To give of that is not Liberaliter dare, sed partialiter retribuere: thou bestowest on God a Lamb of his own Ewe. Dost thou look for thanks for such a gift? Alas, it was Gods own before. 3. They were commanded neither to work nor shear the first borne. o Deut. 15. 19 Thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy Bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy Sheep. To curb their covetousness: though they would not deceive the Lord of his first borne, yet they would take so much profit of it as they could. But they are restrained from diminution; they must not present a worn Bullock, nor a shorn Sheep. Now if the Lord was so jealous of first borne beasts, how is he jealous of first borne souls? Let us not think our choicest and most excellent things too dear for God, that hath made us his first borne in jesus Christ. 3. Lastly, let us upon no condition part with our Birthright. Hath God advanced us to this honour? ( p Psal. 89. 27. I will make him my first borne, higher than the Kings of the earth) then let us never sell it. q Heb. 12. 16. Let there be no person profane as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his Birthright. Hath the elder brother Primariam potestatem? r Gene. 27. 29. Be Lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down unto thee. Let no lust subject us servire minori, to serve the younger. The enemy's rage against them, but saith God to Pharaoh; Let my son go that he may serve me: if thou refuse to let him go, behold I will slay thy son, even thy first Exod. 4. 23. borne. Thus saith the Psalmist; God reproves even Kings for their sakes. Now Omne beneficium petit officium: every benefit is obligatory, and binds to some thankful duty Hath God dignified us with a Privilege, he expects that our carefulness should never forfetit. Naboth would not sell his Vineyard: yet his Vineyard was but a part of his Inheritance, & his Inheritance but a part of his birthright. Though Ahab proffered him a better vineyard, or the worth of it in money; yet saith Naboth, t 1. King. 21. 3. The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. And shall we for trifles pass away our eternal Birthright? It is a wretched bargain: yet the Blasphemer swears away his birthright, the Epicure feasts away his birthright, the wine-bibber drinks away his Birthright, the Lavish spends his birthright, the covetous sells his birthright for ready money. There be some, 1. that sell their Birthright: it is said of the Lawyer that he hath linguam venalem, a saleable tongue: the covetous venalem animam, a saleable soul: the harlot venalem carnem: a saleable flesh. Esau sold his birthright, Ahab sold himself to work wickedness, judas sold his soul for thirty pieces. u Eccle. 10. 9 There is not a more wicked thing then a covetous man: for such a one setteth his soul to sale, because while he liveth he casteth away his bowels. Others pawn their Birthright: they are not so desperate as to sell it outright, but they will pawn it for a while. They seem to make conscience of their ways generally, and to be good husbands of their talents: but when an opportune temptation comes, with meat in the mouth; a fit advantage of much wealth, of high honour, of secret pleasure; they will embrace and fasten on it, though they pawn their souls for a season. And indeed he that knowingly ventures to sin, doth as it were mortgage his birthright, puts it to the hazard of redeeming by repentance. But it is dangerous to be a Merchant venturer in this case: the birthright is precious, if that infernal Broker get but a colour of title in it, he will use tricks to make thee break thy day, and then sue out a judgement against thee. 3. Some lose their Birthright; profane and negligent wretches, that leave their soul perpetually unguarded, unregarded. They may be careful about many things, but one thing is necessary, to keep their Birthright. While they sleep, the enemy sows tars: it is a wretched slumber, that sleeps, and slips away the birthright. 4. Others give away their birthright, & these are specially the envious and the desperate. Malice gives it away, and hath nothing for it. The Ambitious bargains to have a little honour for his Birthright, the Covetous to have some gold for his birthright, the voluptuous to have some sensual pleasure for his birthright: but the malicious gives it away for nothing, except it be vexation, that doth anguish him, and languish him. The desperate destroying his body, gives away his birthright: he hath nought for it but horrors within, and terrors without. These men serve the devils turn for nothing. Look O miserable man upon the Purchaser of thy Birthright Christ, & consider the price it cost him: if thou sell that for a little pleasure, that he bought with so much pain, thou thinkest him an idle Merchant. No Lord, as thou hast given it to us, so keep it for us: that having now the assurance of it in grace, we may have one day the full possession of it in glory. Written in heaven. This phrase is often used in the Scripture, and is but a metaphor whereby God declares the certainty of some men's eternal predestination, and eternal salvation. Tostatus makes three written books of GOD. 1. The great book, wherein are written all persons, actions, and events, both good and bad. Out of this are taken two other books. 2. The book of Predestination, consisting only of the Elect. 3. The book of God's Prescience, which he calls the Black book, wherein are registered only the Reprobate. But this latter book hath no warrant in the Scriptures: it is true, that as there is a certain number to be saved, so the Lord knoweth them that are ordained to destruction: but the Scripture gives only a name of book to the first, not to the worst. Non quòd scribuntur in aliquo libro, sed quòd non scribuntur in illo libro. a Psal. 69. 28. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, & let them not be written among the righteous. b reve. 17. 8. Whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the World. Not that they are written in any other book, but that they are not written in that book. Indeed God may be said to have diverse Books. 1. Liber Providentiae, the book of his Providence, wherein God seeth and disposeth all things that are done by himself in the World. c Psal. 139. 16. Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect: and in thy book were all my members written, when as yet there was none of them. Not a sparrow falls from the house, not a hair from our heads, without the record of this book. 2. Liber Memori●…, the book of God's memory, wherein all things done by men, whether good or evil, are registered. d Mala. 3. 16. A book of remembrance was written before GOD, for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his Name. e Reu. 20. 12. The books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of Life. Hence it is plain, that there are other books besides the book of Life. This is that which manifesteth all secrets, whether mental, oral, or actual. f Eccl. 12. 14. Whereby GOD shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, be it good or evil. This Book shall be opened in that day, g Rom. 2. 16. when God shall judge the secrets of all hearts by jesus Christ. 3. Liber Conscientiae, the book of every man's conscience: this is a book of Record or testimony; not so much of judicature, as of witness. h 1. joh. 3. 20. If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. There is Conscientiae per●…rsa, that doth wholly condemn: there is Conscientiae dubia, that doth neither condemn nor acquit: there is Conscientiae b●…e ordinata; such a one had Paul, i Rom. 9 1. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost. Every man's conscience beareth witness: but ubi cogitatio non habet quòd accuset, where the thought hath no matter of accusation against a man, that conscience doth bear witness in the holy Ghost. Look well to thy life, for thou bearest about thee a book of Testimony, that shall speak either with or against thee. 4. Liber monumentorum, a book of Monuments; which contains the acts of the Saints for the memory of times to come. Of this nature were the Chronicles, the Acts of the Apostles, that martyrology or golden Legend of the Saints in the Chapter preceding my Text. God threatens the false prophets, that k Ezek. 13. 9 they shall not be written in the writing of the house of Israel. 5. Liber veritatis, the book of Truth: this may also be called the book of Life, because it contains those rules, that lead and direct us to life eternal. As that is called a book of warfare, wherein the precepts of the Military Art are written. l john 5. 39 Search the Scriptures, for therein ye have eternal life. m Eccl. 24. 23. All these things are the book of the Covenant of the most high God. 6. Liber Vitae, the book of Life itself, wherein only are written the names of the Elect, whom GOD hath ordained to salvation for ever. This is to be written in h●…uen. n Reu. ●…1. 27. Into that holy City shall enter nothing that defileth: but only they which are written in the lambs book of Life. Paul speaks of his fellow labourers, o Phil. 4. 3. whose names are in the book of Life. When the Disciples returned said; Lord, even the devils are subject to us through thy Name: true saith Christ, I saw Satan as lightning fall from Heaven. p Luke. 10. 20. Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you: but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven. This is a borrowed speech; Sicut nos ea literis consignamus, As we commit that to writing, the memory whereof we would have kept. So doth God, not that he needs any book of remembrance, but because all things are present with him, as if they were written in a book. They among men which are chosen to any special place or service, are written in a book: so the Roman Senators were called Patres conscripti: and it is called the Muster-book, wherein stand the names of the Soldiers pressed to the wars. To conclude, this writing in heaven, is the book of Election, wherein all that shall be saved, are registered. Here avoidable we come to the main question, that may seem to infringe this happy privilege of the Church. Whether to be written in Heaven be an infallible assurance of salvation: or whether any there registered may come to be blotted out. The truth is, that none written in heaven can ever be lost; yet they object against it, Psal. 69. 28. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and let them not be written among the righteous. Hence they infer, that some names once there recorded, are afterwards put out. But this opinion casteth a double aspersion upon God himself. Either it makes him ignorant of future things, as if he foresaw not the end of elect and reprobate, and so were deceived in decreeing some to be saved, that shall not be saved. Or that his decree is mutable, in excluding those upon their sins, whom he hath formerly chosen. From both these weaknesses S. Paul vindicates him. 2. Tim. 2. 19 The foundation of GOD standeth sure, having the seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. First, the Lord knows them that are his; this were not true if God's Prescience could be deluded. Then his foundation stands sure: but that were no sure foundation, if those he hath decreed to be his, should afterward fall out not to be his. The very Conclusion of truth is this; Impossibilis est deletio: they which are written in heaven, can never come into hell. To clear this from the opposed doubt, among many I will cull out three proper distinctions. 1. One may be said to be written in heaven simpliciter, and secundum quid. He that is simply written there, In quantum praedestinatus ad vitam, because elected to life, can never be blotted out. He that is but written after a sort, may; for he is written Non secundum Dei praescientiam, sed secundum praesentem justitiam: not according to God's former decree, but according to their present righteousness. So they are said to be blotted out, not in respect of God's knowledge: for he knows they were never written there; but according to their present condition, apostating from grace to sin. Lyran. 2. Some are blotted out, non secundum rei veritatem, sed hominum opinionem: not according to the truth of the thing, but according to men's opinion. It is usual in the Scriptures, to say a thing is done, quando innotescat fieri, when it is declared to be done. Hypocrites have a simulation of outward sanctity, so that men in charity judge them to be written in heaven. But when those glistering stars appear to be only Ignes fatui, foolish meteors; and fall from the firmament of the Church; then we say they are blotted out. The written ex existentiâ, by a perfect being, never lost; but ex apparentiâ, by a dissembled appearance, may. Some God so writes, In se ut simpliciter habituri vitam; that they have life simply in themselves, though not of themselves. Others he so writes, ut habeant non in se, sed in sua causa; from which falling they are said to be obliterated. Aquin. 3. Augustine says, we must not so take it, that God first writes, and then dasheth out. For if a Pilate could say, Quod scripsi, scripsi; what I have written, I have written; and it shall stand. Shall God say, Quod scripsi expungam, what I have written I will wipe out, and it stall not stand? They are written then Secundum spem ipsorum, qui ibi se scriptos putabant; according to their own hope that presumed their names there. And are blotted out, Quando ipsis constet illos non ibi fuisse; when it is manifest to themselves that their names never had any such honour of inscription. This even that Psalm strengthens, whence they fetch their opposition. q Psal. 69. 28. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living: and let them not be written among the right●…ous. So that to be blotted out of that book, is indeed never to bewritten there. To be wiped out in the end, is but a declaration that such were not written in the beginning. But how then shall we justify Moses his desire? r Exod. 32. 32. If thou wilt forgive their sin, fair and good: but if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book, which thou hast written. Did Moses wish an impossibility? Some opinionate, that this was not the book of life that Moses meant: but they err. 1. Some by this understand the book of the Law: as if this were his meaning. If thou destroy the people to whom thou hast given the Law, let not my name be mentioned as the Law giver. But it is answered. 1. that the book of the Law was not yet written; and he could not desire blotting forth of a book that was not. 2. This was in Moses his power when he wrote the Law, to leave out his own name; he needed not to trouble God about it. 3. He opposeth the greatest loss he could sustain, against the greatest benefit the people could obtain: but this was no great loss to be blotted out of that book. 4. Moses speaks of a book that God had written: but the book of the Law, saving only the Decalogue, Moses wrote himself. 2. Jerome understands this desire of Moses for death in this life; Perire in praesentem, non in perpetuum. But if he conceives no more than a temporal death, God's answer confutes it; Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out. ver. 33. Only sinners are razed out of this book; but from the book of terrene life, both sinners and just come to be blotted: for good and bad are subject to temporal death. 3. Caietan understands it De libro Principatus in hac vita, to be the book of Sovereignty: because it is decreed by God as in a book, quòd isti vel illi principentur: that this or that man should have the dominion. But God answers, only sinners are razed out of the book: but in the book of government are bad Kings, so well as good. And for that book, Ezek. 13. 9 as if he wished no more, but not to be counted of Israel; or have his name among the Patriarches and Prophets. If Israel had perished, the book of his Covenant with Israel had also perished. So for that book of jasher. josh. 10. 13. it is thought to be lost; therefore no great matter to be put out of it. It must needs be then the book of life, and how could Moses wish a racing out of that book? Some say, that by sin a man may come to be blotted out of that book, wherein he thought himself written. But if it could not be done without sin, this construction were to make Moses Petere peccare mortaliter; to beg power to sin mortally, that he might be blotted out. Neither doth God for unrighteousness race out any, but indeed they raze out themselves. Some take it to be a parabolical speech, to show the intention of his desire. As Rachel said to jacob, s Gen. 30. 1. Give me children, or else I die. Yet she had rather live and have no children, then have children and presently die. As if one should say; Do this, or else kill me: yet he had rather have the thing omitted, than himself killed. Tostat. But this were to make Moses speak one thing, & mean another: whereas he desired it from his heart. Others think Moses spoke affirmatively, after this sense: that if God would not pardon the people's sin, it would follow that himself should be blotted out. Rupert. But this had been against the justice of God, that one should be damned for the sin of another. Again this had convinced Moses of wavering and doubtfulness of his salvation: but the faithful have confidence, that though thousands should perish, yet they are sure of eternal bliss. Some say, Moses wished this after the disposition of the inferior part of his soul; and not in voluntate rationem superiorem sequent; not in that will which is governed by reason. They exemplify it in Christ, who desired the cup to pass from him, yet simpliciter vellet pati, simply he would suffer. But there is great difference in the example. 1. Christ eschews death, Moses ensues death: the object of their desires was unlike. 2. Christ by his office was to bear the sin and punishment of his people: Moses was never called to such a mediatorship. 3. Christ prayeth there as a man: for as God he prayeth not, but is prayed to. There is Duplex affectus, Mentis & Sensus. Christ in the affection of his mind was willing to suffer, but in his affection of Sense he desired the cup to pass. So that in Christ to escape death, was a natural desire: in Moses to wish death, yea an eternal death, was a contranaturall desire: it proceeded not from the sensual part, but from his inward feeling and meditation. Others think he prayed, quia turbatus erat, being troubled: not considering at that instant whether that was possible that he begged. ●…x impetu passionis, saith Lyranus, vehementia fuisse abreptum, ut loquatur quasi ecstaticus; saith Calvin. But this accuseth him of rashness: for it is fit he that prayeth, should be of a calm and composed spirit. Others conclude, that Moses preferred the safety of the people before his own soul. Calvin. He thought of nothing, but ut s●…luus sit populus, that the people might be saved. But this is against the rule of charity: for though another's soul be dearer to me then my own body: yet my own soul ought to be dearer unto me then all men's souls in the world. yea if all the souls of the Saints; yea of the Virgin Mary herself, should perish, except my soul perished for them: saith Tostatus: Citius deberem eligere omnes illas perire quam animam meam. I ought rather to choose to save my own soul, then all theirs. Lastly, the most and best rest upon this sense. Because the salvation of Israel was joined with the glory of God: both in respect of the promises made to the Fathers, which was not for his honour to frustrate: and to prevent the blasphemies of the enemies insulting on their ruin; God hath forsaken his people: Moses ante omnia gloriam Deispecta●…t: He respected the glory of God above all: in regard whereof, he was careless of his own salvation. Precious to us is the salvation of others, more precious the salvation of ourselves, but most precious of all is the glory of God. Such a wish as this great Prophet of the old Testament, had that great Apostle of the new. t Rom. 9 3. I could wish myself accursed from Christ, for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh. They say, to clear both these desires from sin, there is no other solution but this: that both of them for God's glory in Israel's safety desired a separation from glory for a time, not damnation of body and soul for ever. Howsoever, there was some difference in their wishes. Chrys. Moses wished Perire cum caeteris, Paul perire pro caeteris. Moses cum pereuntibus, Paulus ne pereant. Moses desired to perish with them that perished: Paul desired to perish, that they might not perish. But the aim of both was the Lord's glory, and the people's safety. Their zeal was ineffable, their example inimitable, their affection unmatchable. Yet thus far desirable, that all Ministers, like Moses and Paul, zealously seek their people's salvation. And I am persuaded, that a Parent doth not more earnestly desire the welfare of his child, then doth a good Minister the saving of his flock. What we desire for you, do you labour for yourselves, and the Lord jesus work for us all. There be some that would have it granted, that Moses and Paul did sin in those wishes; and the concession thereof doth safely end all controversy. I see no prejudice in this answer, for the best Saints living have had their weaknesses. But if you please after all these, to admit also the hearing of my opinion. Mine I call it, because I never read or heard any yet give it: I call it an opinion, because unusquisque abundat sensu suo, and may take which his own judgement best liketh. By this Book I think he means God's favour: as we usually say, to be in a man's favour, is to be in his books. We speak of one that dissemblingly cozened us, such a man shall never come in my books. For you will not enter that man into your book, whom you do not both trust and favour. To be blotted out of God's book, is to be liable to his displeasure, subiectuall to his judgements. Now I cannot be persuaded, that Moses ever imagined God would eternally destroy Israel: therefore nor did he beg eternal destruction to himself. He wished no more to himself, than he feared to them. But it is expressly set down, ver. 14. that God would not cast away Israel to everlasting perdition. The Lord repent of the evil, which he thought to do unto his people. But thus; Lord, if they must needs undergo thy wrath and severe punishment for their sin, so punish me in the same measure that have not sinned. If thou wilt not favour them, forget to favour me: let me feel thy hand with them. It was not then everlasting damnation, that he either feared to them, or desired to himself: but only the desertion of God's present love and good pleasure to him, together with subjection to his judgements; whereof they should taste so deeply, as if God had never booked them for his own. This seems to be the true sense by God's answer; Those that have sinned, I will blot out of my book. The offenders shall smart, they that have sinned shall be punished. So David and other Saints felt grievous impositions, though they never perished, but were ordained to eternal life. To conclude, they that are written in heaven can never be lost. Woe then to that Religion, which teacheth even the best Saint to doubt of his salvation while he liveth. Hath Christ said, Believe: and shall man say, Doubt? This is a rack and strappado to the conscience: for he that doubteth of his salvation, doubteth of God's love: and he that doubteth of God's love, cannot heartily love him again. If this love be wanting, it is not possible to have true peace. O the terrors of this troubled conscience! It is like an Ague, it may have intermission, but the fit will come and shake him. An untoward beast is a trouble to a man, an unto ward servant a great trouble, an untoward wife a greater trouble, but the greatest trouble of all is an untoward conscience. u Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven: where there is no remission of sins, there is no blessedness. Now there is no true blessedness but that is enjoyed, and none is enjoyed unless it be felt, and it cannot be felt unless it be possessed, and it is not possessed unless a man know it, and how does he know it, that doubts whether he hath it or not? All souls are passengers in this world, our way is in the middle of the sea: we have no sure footing: which way soever we cast our eyes, we see nothing but deep waters, the Devil and our own flesh raising up against us infinite storms. God directs us to Christ, as to a sure Anchorhold, he bids us undo our Cables, and fling up our Anchors in the vail, fasten them upon jesus: we do so and are safe. But a sister of ours passing in the ship with us, that hath long taken upon her to rule the helm, deals unkindly with us; she cuts in pieces our Cables, throws away our Anchors, and tells us we may not presume to fasten them on the Rock, our Mediator. She rows and roves us in the midst of the sea, through the greatest fogs, and fearfullest tempests: if we follow her course, we must look for inevitable shipwreck. The least flaw of wind will overturn us, and sink our souls to the lowest gulf. No, they that are written in the eternal leaves of heaven, shall never be wrapped in the cloudy sheets of darkness. A man may have his name written in the Chronicles, yet lost: written in durable marble, yet perish: written on a monument equal to a Colossus, yet be ignominious: written on the Hospitall-gates, yet go to hell: written on his own house, yet another come to possess it. All these are but writings in the dnst, or upon the waters; where the characters perish so soon as they are made. They no more prove a man happy, than the fool could prove Pontius Pilate a Saint, because his name was written in the Creed. But they that be written in heaven, are sure to inherit it. Now to apply all this usefully to ourselves; some perhaps would be satisfied how we may know our names written in heaven. It is certain that no eye hath looked into God's book, yet himself hath allowed certain arguments and proofs, whereby we have more than a conjectural knowledge. The principal is the Testimony of God's Spirit concurring with our spirit. Rom. 8. 16. But of this I have liberally spoken in some later passages of this book; together with the most pregnant signs of our election. Here therefore I am straightened to insert only some (there omitted) effects. Which are these four; If our hearts be on God's book, If the poor be in our book, If we well order the book of our conscience, Lastly, if we can write ourselves holy in earth, then be bold we are written happy in heaven. 1. If our heart be on God's book; and this we shall find è converso, if God's book be in our heart. Marry laid up Christ's words in her heart. It must not lie like loose corn on the floor, subject to the pecking up of every fowl; but it is ground by meditation, digested by faith: manet alto cord repostum. God says, My son, give thy heart to me: do thou pray, My Father, first give thyself to my heart. I ask not whether this book lies in thy study, but whether the study of it lies in thy heart. The life of the Scriptures is not in verborum folijs, sed in medulla cordis; not in the letters and leaves, but in the inwards of the heart. It is not lectio, nor relectio, but dilectio: not reading, but leading a life answerable, that assures us. If we sincerely love this book, we are certainly in God's book. Marry zealously loving Christ's word, is said to choose the better part, that shall never be taken from her. 2. If the poor be in thy book: and this is reciprocal, than thou art in their book: and the conclusion is infallible, thou art in the book of Life. For the relieved poor by their prayers, x Luke 16. 9 entertain, or make way for thy entertainment into everlasting habitations. And Christ at the last day calls them to himself, that have been charitable to his members; Come ye blessed, receive the kingdom prepared for you. Your works have not merited this kingdom, for it was prepared for you: but as that was prepared for you; so your charity hath prepared you for it: Come and take it. Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth: Do thou write it in the dust, the poor will write it in their hearts, GOD finds it in their prayers, their prayers prevail for thy mercy, & mercy writes thy name in heaven. a Acts 10. 4. Thy prayers and thy alms are come up for a memorial before God. Therefore Cast thy bread upon the waters, drown it in those watery eyes: it is not lost in that River; like Peter thou throwest in an angle, & bringest up silver; enough to make thee blessed. Via coeli est pauper: si non vis errare, incipe erogare. The poor is the Aug. highway to heaven: if thou wouldst not wander in thy journey, show mercy. Non potes habere nisi quòd acceperis: non potes non habere quod dederis. Thou canst have nothing unless thou receive it: thou canst keep nothing unless thou give it. Him that the poor writes not charitable on earth, nor doth God write saveable in heaven. 3. If thy name be written Christian in the book of thy Conscience, this is a special argument of thy registering in heaven b 1. john 3. 21. For if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness and confidence towards God. Ang. What if man's ignorance and unmerciful jealousy blot thee out of the book of his credit; Si de libro vinentium nunquam propria deleat conscientia: so long as thy own conscience doth not blot thee forth the book of blessedness. If the good spoken of us be not found in our conscience, that glory is our shame. If the evil spoken of us be not found in our conscience, that shame is our glory. Therefore it is that Hugo calls the conscience Librum signatum et clausum, in die Indicij aperiendum, a book shut and sealed, only at the Resurrection to be opened. Conscientiam, magis quam 〈◊〉. famam attend: falls saepe poterit fama, conscientiae nunquam. Look to thy Conscience more than to thy credit: fame may often be deceived, conscience never. The beams that play upon the water, are shot from the Sun in heaven: the peace and joy that danceth in the conscience, comes from the Son of righteousness, the Lord jesus. If a hearty laughter dimple the cheek, there is a smooth and quiet mind within. Upon the wall there is a writing; a man sitting with his back to the wall, how should he read it? but let a looking-glass be set before him, it will reflect it to his eyes, he shall read it by the resultance. The writing our names in heaven is hid, yet in the glass of a good conscience it is presented to our eye of faith, and the soul reads it. For it is impossible to have a good conscience on earth, except a man be written in heaven. 4. If the book of Sanctification have our names written, then surely the book of Glorification hath them, and they shall never be blotted out. For God d Ephe. 4. 1. hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world; that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Now as we may reason from the cause to the effect, so certainly from the effect to the cause. Election is the cause, Holiness the effect: as therefore every one written in heaven, shall be holy on earth, so every one holy on earth, is written in heaven. This sanctity is manifested in our obedience; which must be Ad totum; e Psal. 119. 6. I had respect to all thy commandments. Per totum; f ver. 112. I have inclined my heart to keep thy statutes Always, even to the end. De tote; g ver. 69. to keep thy precepts with my whole heart. In Rome the Patres conscripti were distinguished by their robes: and they of the Livery in London have a peculiar habit by themselves, to differ from the rest of the Company. Is thy name enroled in that Legend of Saints? thy livery will witness it; h Phil. 3. 20. thy conversation is in heaven. A Senator relating to his son the great honours decreed to a number of Soldiers, whose names were written in a book: the son was importunate to see that book. The father shows him the outside; it seemed so glorious that he desired him to open it: No, it was sealed by the Council. Then saith the son, tell me if my name be there: the father replies, the names are secreted to the Senate. The son studying how he might get some satisfaction, desired him to deliver the merits of those inscribed Soldiers. The father relates to him their noble achievements, and worthy actions of valour, wherewith they had eternised their names. Such are written, and none but such must be written in this book. The son consulting with his own heart, that he had no such trophies to show; but had spent his time in courting Ladies, rather than encountering Knights; that he was better for a dance then a march: that he knew no drum but the tabret, no courage but to be drunk. Hereupon he presently retired himself, repent, entered into a combat with his own affections: subdued them, became temperate, continent, valiant, virtuous. When the Soldiers came to receive their wreaths, he steps in to challenge one for himself. Being asked, upon what title; he answered, If honours be given to Conquerors, I have gotten the most noble conquest of all. Wherein? These have subdued strange foes, but I have conquered myself: and indeed this is judged the greatest victory. The application is familiar: thou desirest to know whose names are written in blessedness, it shall not be told thee, This or that individual person: but generally thus, men so qualified: faithful in Christ, and to Christ: obedient to the truth, and for the truth: that have subjecteth their own affections, and resigned themselves to the guidance of the heavenly will: these men have made noble conquests, and shall have Princely Crowns: find in thyself this sanctimony, and thou hast a sure testimony: thou art written in heaven. But all men challenge this: they believe and obey, and do good deeds: and therefore some to be sure of putting in themselves, constantly affirm all men are written. But infinite numbers will be deceived at the last. For if there were universal inscription, there should follow universall Election: if universal election, then universal salvation. If the former were true, then were not election any such name. If the latter, to what purpose did God make hell? i 1. joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son: What, that all should be saved? no, but that Whosoever believes, might have everlasting life. Not all; for he that takes all cannot be said to choose. Let this stir us up to get security that our names are written there. Benefits common to all, as light of the Sun, dews of heaven, are little regarded: but quae rarissima, carissima: things hard to come by, are much set by. Because God doth not give riches to all men; but isti multum, illi parvum, huic nullum: much to one, little to another, none at all to a third: hereupon men debase themselves to moiling slaves, yea to earth-rooting beasts, to get them. For the race of this world, where onel the first obtains the goal, gets the money; all truss up their loins, run apace, none will be hindmost. For heaven, where all that run well, shall speed well, and have for their prize a Crown of righteousness; men are so courteous, they will give another leave to go before them. But let thy grace in this life, witness thy hope of glory in the life to come. To God the judge of all. We have considered the Citizens, let us now look upon the glorious majesty of the King that governs them. Where first let us observe in general, that there shall be a day of judgement, otherwise to what purpose is there a judge? If there were no such scoffers, as to say: k 2. Pe●…. 3. 4. Where is the promise of his coming? For since the Fathers fell asleep: all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation: this observation might well have been spared. The reason to prove it is derived from the justice and goodness of God. l 2. Thes. 1. 6. It is a just thing with God, to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels. This for the honour of the faithful, and for the horror of reprobates. Here the good man finds the sharpest misery, the evil man sweetest felicity: therefore it is just that there should be a time of changing turns and places. m Prou. 21. 18. The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. The rich man's table stood full of delicates, Lazarus lacks crumbs: therefore they must change states; n Luk. 16. 25. He is comforted, and thou art tormented. There is a time to get, and a time to lose: o Luk. 6. 25. Woe to you that laugh, for you shall mourn: p Mat. 5. 4. Blessed are you that mourn, for you shall rejoice. God shall give the one Fletum pro ris●…, the other Risum pro fletu: wiping away all tears from their eyes. Rejoice thou irrefragably dissolute, follow the lusts of thy own heart: q Eccl. 11. 9 but remember for all these things thou must come into judgement. It is a dear pennyworth, to buy the merry madness of one hour, with ages of pangs, infinite and eternal. If there were no judgement, how should God be just? But the righteous shall see the vengeance: r Psal. 58. 11. So that a man shall say, verily there is a reward for the righteous, verily there is a God that judgeth the earth. otherwise where is our hope? s 1. Cor. 15. 19 For if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we of all men are most miserable. But it is objected: 1. That the whole world consists of believers or unbelievers: now there is no last judgement for either of these. none for believers, for t joh. 5. 24. He that believeth hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement. None for unbelievers, for u john 3. 18. He that believeth not, is condemned already. I answer, first for the latter: the unbeliever is condemned already in effect three ways. 1. By the purpose of God, who did foresee and appoint his condemnation, as a punishment for his sin, and execution of his justice. 2. By the word of God, where his condemnation is set down. 3. By his own conscience, which every hour doth judge and condemn him. Yet all this hinders not, but that he may also pass the judgement of Christ at that general Assizes: which is the manifestation and completion of that inchoate judgement. To the former I answer; it is not said The believer shall not come into judgement; but he shall not come into condemnation. x 1. Cor. 5. 10. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; even the very faithful, absoluendicausa, that Christ may publicly acquit them. 2. That Conscience is a sufficient judge, what needs more? I answer, properly Conscientia testis, non judex: the Conscience is a witness, rather than a judge. Indeed it hath a great office here, and so it shall-have there. It is felt now, but then more sensibly. Now many are so borne away with the precipices and streams of their sensual pleasures; ut cogitationes accusatrices non audiant. Lyran. That they hear not the accusation of their thoughts: but than it will be heard and felt. Now it may pluck a man by the sleeve, and crave audience, but it is drowned with the noise of good fellowship. Besides Hactenus est ●…ccultus testis, it is hitherto a secret witness, only known to him that hath it: but then the book that is now sealed, shall be opened, and all the world shall read it. As the seal leaves a print in the wax behind it; so the conscience an impression of past sins in the thoughts; indelible characters, which death itself shall not eat out. Conscience here doth witness, a Rom. 2. 15. 16. accuse or excuse: but Christ shall there judge the secrets of all hearts. God the judge of all: let us now look into the particulars; Quis, Qualis, Quorum. Deus, judex, univer sorum. The three words answer to three questions. Who? God. What is he? A judge. Of whom? Of all. God. It is manifest that this honour belongs to Christ, therefore Christ is God. b Acts 17. 31. God hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained. c joh. 5. 27. He hath given him authority to execute judgement, because he is the Son of man. To this consents that article of our faith in the Creed; that he who suffered under Pilate, shall come to judge quick and dead. But it is objected, that to judge is the action of the whole Trinity: true, it is common to all, but the execution of it pertains to one. God judgeth, but by the Son: so distinctly. Rom. 2. 16. God shall judge the secrets of all hearts by jesus Christ: God by Christ. But it is further objected, that the Saints shall judge. d Mat. 19 28. Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. e 1. Cor. 6. 2. Know ye not, that the Saints shall judge the world? This truly is a great honour to the Apostles and Saints. To be judge of a Circuit is an honourable office, what is it then to judge the world? But there is great difference, they have potestatem accessoriam; an accessary power; Christ imperatoriam, a principal and imperial power. f Math. 28. 18. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. He hath Honorem Primarium, the prime honour; they subordinatum, derived from his. Christ gives Sententiam iudicatoriam, they only appr●…batoriam: he the sentence of judgement, they of approbation. As the justices on the bench are in some manner judges: not in giving the sentence, but in approving the sentence given. The Saints therefore may be said to judge; Vel exemplo, vel testimonio, vel ●…ffragio. 1. By their example: for their lives shall condemn the wicked, as Noah's handy work did the old world. So the Apostles shall judge Israel, because their faith shall take from Israel all excuse. Such a judgement Christ speaks of: g Mat. 12. 41. The Ninivits shall rise in judgement with this generation, & shall condemn it. The Queen of the South shall rise up in judgement with it, and shall condemn it. The goodness of the one shall judge & condemn the badness of the other. So Christ stops the blasphemous mouths of the jews; accusing him to work by Beelzebub. If I do it by him, by whom do your children cast out Devils? h Mat. 12. 27. Therefore they shall be your judges. 2. By their Testimony, who can witness that the means of salvation was offered them in the Gospel, which they not accepting are justly condemned? i joh. 12. 48. He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him. The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. So shall Babylon be judged by those that would have cured her, but she would not be cured. 3. By their suffrage and approval of Christ's righteous sentence. Thus shall the Elect judge the world, yea even the Angels. k 1. Cor. 6. 3. Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels? By world we must understand the wicked, and by the Angel's Devils. And certainly the Saints have some place in this judgement. l Wisd. 3. 8. They shall judge the Nations, and have dominion over the people, & their Lord shall reign for ever. Christ shall set all his adversaries before his own face, and the face of his Church: where they shall behold those become their judges, whom they once esteemed and used as their slaves. m Wisd. 5. 5. This is he whom we sometimes had in derision: now he is numbered among the children of GOD, and his portion is among the Saints. But why is the execution of this judgement committed to the second person in the Trinity; to Christ? 1. It is fit that he, who came to be judged, should also come to judge. Tunc manifestus veniet inter justos iudicaturus Aug. justè, qui occultè vener at iudicandus ab iniustis iniustè. He that came in humility to be judged by the unjust unjustly, shall come in glory to judge all justly. 2. As it is for the honour of Christ, so is it for the horror of his enemies; when they shall see him wh●…m they have pierced: entreating the n Reu. 6. 16. Greg. Rocks and mountains to hide them from the presence of him that sits on the Throne. In maiestate visuri sunt, quem in humilitate videre noluerunt. Vt tantò districtius virtutem sentiant, quantò contemptius infirmitatem d●…riserunt. They shall behold him in Majesty, whom they would not deign to look upon in humility. The base they esteemed his weakness, the heavier they shall find and feel his mightiness. Then Christ stood like a Lamb before Pilate a Lion: now Pilate like a malefactor shall stand before Christ his judge. Crucify him, crucify him, was the sentence of the jews: Bind them hand and foot, and throw them into utter darkness, will be the sentence of Christ. o Luk. 19 14. We will not have this man reign over us, was their sentence. p Ver. 27. Bring those mine enemies which would not that I should reign ●…uer them, & slay them before me; this is Christ's sentence. The ungodly conspire, q Psal. 2. 3. Let us break his bonds afunder, and cast away his c●…rds from us: therefore, vers. 9 he shall break them with a rod of iron, and dish them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Thus he that was once made the footstool of his enemies, shall reign r Psal. 110. 1. till he hath made all his enemies his footstool. As joshua dealt with the five Kings hid in the Cave of Makkedah, josh. 10. 24. brought them out, caused his Captains of war to set their feet on the necks of them, than slew them, and hanged them on trees. So shall Christ triumph over his enemies; their necks subjecteth to the feet of the Saints, and their substances cast into endless torments. 3. For the comfort of his chosen ones, he is their judge, that is their Saviour. He that gave the blood of mercy to save them from the hand of justice, will not now condemn them. O blessed mercy, that so triumphs against judgement! yea justice and Mercy are met together in this judge: justice upon them that despised him, mercy to them that feared him. Happy faith that shall not be ashamed at that day! s 1. joh. 2. 28. Abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. The heavens shall be on fire, the elements melt with the flame; the earth be burnt, Castles, Cities, Towns and Towers be turned to one pile: the Devils shall make a hideous noise, the reprobates shrieke and howl like Dragons: all because this judges wrath is kindled. But the faithful shall rejoice: t joh. 16. 22. I will see you again, and your hearts shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. The music of Saints and Angels shall be joined in one Choir; and all sing, u Reu. 5. 13. Blessing, honour, glory and power be unto him that sits on the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever. The judge. This is his authority: now there are certain properties required in a just judge; some of them are found in some judges, many in few judges, all perfectly in no judge, but this judge of all, jesus Christ. 1. Perspicacitas ingenij: sharpness of apprehension, and soundness of understanding. Ignorance in a private person is a weakness, in a judge a wickedness. Ignorantia Aug. judicis, calamitas innocentis. A judge ignorant, makes wretched the innocent. It was a curse; a Esa. 3. 4. I will give children to be their Princes, and babes shall rule over them: that is, Governors of a childish discretion. It is a woe; b Eccl. 10. 16. Woe to thee, O Land, when thy King is a child. justice was anciently painted blind, to show that no favour be given to persons: but it was not meant so blind, as not to discern causes. It is woeful when judges are so blind, that they are feign to feel the right. No man would have his body come under the cure of a foolish Physician. nor his estate under an ignorant judge. But this judge of heaven and earth is so wise, that he knows the very secrets of men's hearts. c Hebr. 4. 13. All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him, with whom we have to do. The wicked can have no hope, that a bad cause flourished over, should pass unconstrued, uncensured. * Reu. 1. 14. His eyes are as a flame of fire, clear to search and find out all secrets. Accordingly, he hath now put in his interlocutory, then will give his definitive sentence. 2. Audacitas animi; boldness of courage: a timorous judge looseth a good cause. In the fable, when the Hart is made judge between the Wolf and the Lamb; it must needs go on the Wolves side. The fear of displeasing Greatness is a sore Remora to the vessel of justice. Therefore the poor complain; d Psal. 11. 3. If the foundations be cast down, what can the righteous do? Quis metuet offendere, cum judex metuat abscindere? Who will fear to do mischief, when he knows the judge dares not punish him? Therefore when GOD made ●…oshua judge of Israel, observe how he doubles this charge. josh. 1. ver. 6. 7. 8. 9 Be strong, and of a good courage. And the people again. ver. 18. We will obey thee, only be thou strong, and of a good courage. But this judge will not be daunted with faces of men. e reve. 6. 15. The Kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the chief Captains, and the mighty-men, hid themselves in the dens, & in the rocks of the Mountains. Those terrors of slaves, and mirrors of fools; that made the underlings tremble, & f Heb. 11. 38. hide themselves in caves: now for all their puissance are glad to run into a hole, and cowardly shroud themselves. Adducetur cum suis stultus Plato discipulis, Aristotelis argumenta non proderunt: Hero●…is maiestas Hierom. deijcietur: cum filius pauperculae venerit iudicat●…rus terram. Then foolish Plato shall appear with his scholars, Aristotle shall be confuted with all his arguments, Herod●… pomp shall be turned to shame, when that Son of the Virgin shall come to judge the world. 3. Honestas conscientiae, honesty of conscience. The judge that will be corrupted, dares corrupt the truth. Woeful is that judgement which comes from him, who hath vaen●…lem ●…nimam, a saleable soul. F●…lix was such a judge, who g Act. 29. 26. hoped that money should have been given him of Paul. Qui vendit justitiam pro pecuniae, perdit pecuniam cum anima. He that sells justice for money, shall lose mercy and his soul. h Amos 5. 12. You afflict the just, you take a bribe, and turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. They have built them houses of ●…ewen stone. ver. 11. How? By bribes. What shall become of them? They shall not dwell in them: for i job. 15. 34. fire shall consume the Tabernacles of bribery. If any justicers think so to raise themselves, it is but ut lapsu graviore ruant; that they may have the sorer fall. There are certain rich stuffs forbidden by the Statute: but to wear clothes cut out of bribes, and laced with exactions; is specially forbidden by the Statute of heaven. When money can open the lock of justices door, the worst cause is first heard. This pocket-key is fitted for all doors. One spoke unhappily: I have a key in my pocket, saith he, that will pass me in all Countries: he meant his purse. In Italy it can open the door of life: Do you hate a man? for money you may have him pistold or poisoned. In Fr●…nce it can open the door of love: lust you for such a woman? money makes her your harlot. In Spain it opens the door of justice: the case shall go on the rich man's side. In England it can open the door of honour; money makes a Gentleman, and reputation swells with the Barns. In Rome it can open the door of heaven, for they sell Claves, Altari●…, Christum; peace, and pardon, and heaven, and Christ himself. Gra●…s lacerantur pauperes à pravis judicibus, Isidor. quam à cruentissimis hostibus. Nullus praedo t●…m cupidus in alienis, quam judex iniquns in suis. The robes of peace covering corruption, are worse to the poor then hostile invasion. But this judge of heaven will take no bribes: other judges may procrastinate, put off, or pervert causes. Saepe non finiunt negotia, quousque exhauriant marsupia: they will often see an end of the clients money, before the Clients see an end of their cause. They often determine to hear, but seldom hear to determine. But Christ shall judge those judges. k Psal. 2. 12. Be instructed ye judges of the earth: kiss the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish. At that day Plus valebunt pura corda, quam as●…ta Bern. verba: conscientia bona, quam marsupia plena. Pure hearts shall speed better than subtle words: a good conscience better than a full purse. judex non falletur verbis, nec flectetur donis. That judge will neither be moved with our gifts, nor deceived with our shifts. Happy soul, that forsaking the love of money, hath gotten a pure heart to appear before jesus Christ. 4. Impartialitas justitiae, impartial justice. Tully tells us of a Proverb. Exuit personam judicis, quisquis amici induit: He hath put off the person of a judge, that puts on the person of a friend. The good judge neither hath his right hand filled with love, nor his left with hatred: the school of justice is not swayed. Indeed tamdiu judex, quamdiu justus: he is so long a judge, as he is just. Nomen quod ab ●…quitate sumitur, per praevaricationem admittitur. Zeleucus was commended, that when (according to his Law for adultery, which took from the offender both his eyes) his son was deprehended in that fact; put out one of his own eyes, and one of his sons. Duo lumina cacantur juxta legem, duo supersunt juxta misericordiam. Two eyes are lost according to justice, and two remain according to mercy. A marvelous temper Inter justum judicem, & misericordiem Patrem: between a just judge, and a kind Father. But GOD is so just, that because sin would let him save none of us, he slew his Son to save all of us. l Rom. 5. 8. God commendeth his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God commends his love; indeed he might justly commend it: and to us by this token, that being rebels he bought us with the blood of his own Son. He will ever continue so just, in punishing traitors, in crowning his faithful subjects. judex damnatur, cum nocens absoluitur. Sen. He that justifies the guilty, transfers the guilt to himself. But m Gene. 18. 25. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? Yes, we have all sinned, but Thou continuest holy, O thou worship of Israel. 5. Aequitas Sententiae; the equity of Sentence; it shall be given upon good testimony. Ambrose says, It is not the part of a judge to condemn any man without an accuser. Christ did not cast away judas, though he knew him a thief, because he was not accused. When that adulteress was left alone before Christ, he said n john 8. 10. Woman where are thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. Then said jesus; Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more. But here shall be no want of accusers; their own conscience, all the creatures, all the Elements, Angels, men, devils shall accuse: then Christ shall judge. Heu miser! sic deprehensus quò fugias? Anselm. Latere erit impossibile, apparere intolerabile. Whither wilt thou fly, O wretch thus accused? To lie hidden it will be impossible, to appear, insufferable. o 2. Cor. 5. 10. Every man shall receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil. The same, neither more nor less, but just weight. The wicked wrought their pleasure while God did suffer: therefore God will work his pleasure while they suffer. Of all; both good and evil, Elect and Reprobates, men and Angels: but of these in a different manner. To show how this shall be done, I must lead your attentions orderly through five passages; a Citation, Separation, Probation, Sentence, and Retribution. 1. The Citation: there is a summons sent out to make all appear before Christ's Tribunal. This citing is done by the voice of Christ. p john 5. 28. All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth. The power of this voice is unspeakable: to empty earth, sea, air, heaven, and hell: and presently to fill earth, air, heaven and hell. To empty all upon his summons, and to fill all upon his Sentence. Therefore it is compared to a Trumpet, the loudest of all musical instruments. q 1. Cor. 15. 52. Chrys. The Trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised. Uerè vox tub●… terribilis, cui omnia obediunt elementa. Petras scindit, Inferos aperit, portas aereas frangit, vinculae mortis dirumpit, et de profund●… abyssi animas liberatis corporibus assignat. A terrible voice, that shall shake the world, rend the rocks, break the mountains, dissolve the bonds of death, burst down the gates of hell, and unite all spirits to their own bodies. There shall be no concealing, no keeping back from this voice. Now Christ calls; r Math. 11. 28. Come unto me all that labour: s john 5. 40. yet you will not come unto me that you might have life. Then he shall call, Come you that must labour in torments, and be laden for ever; then they must come to receive the doom of death. Now t Ephe. 5. 14. awake thou that sleepest, & Christ shall give thee light: but they will not rise. At that day awake thou wicked that art dead, and Christ shall send thee to darkness: and then they must rise. This is that general day, that shall congregate all: they shall come from the four winds, and corners of the world, to make an universal appearance. But if this be the voice of Christ, how is it then said, the Archangel shall sound the Trumpet of collection? u Mat. 24. 31. He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, and they shall gather all together. x 1. Thes. 4. 16. The Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God. I answer, the voice is originally Christ's, ministerially the Angels. As now he speaks to us a 2. Cor. 5. 20. by men, so at that day by Angels. O what a glory of our Saviour shall then appear, when he is set on his Throne, before so full a Court, as all the reasonable creatures GOD ever made! Uideat nosiam in sanctimonia, ut tunc videamus eum in gaudio. Let him now behold us in holiness, that then we may behold him in happiness. 2. The Separation: we have thus brought all together, now we must separate one from another. The form hereof is given by Christ himself. b Mat. 25. 32. Before h●…m shall be gathered all Nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a Shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. This full and final separation is reserved for Christ, and not performed till that day. For Si●…ite crescere; c Math. ●…3. 30. Let them grow both together, corn and tars, until the harvest. This world is the floor, fan while you will there will be some chaff: fish never so discreetly, you shall meet with some sturdy dogge-fish that will rend the net. In Heaven are none but Saints, in Hell none but reprobates, on earth they are both promiscuously blended together. Do you wonder that the Lambs cannot live in quiet? consider the number of goats among them. Ezek. 34. 18. They eat up the good pasture, and tread down the residue with their feet: they drink of the fountains, and foul the residue with their feet. My flock are feign to eat that they have trodden, and to drink that they have fouled with their feet. But GOD shall judge and separate. ver. 20. Behold, I, even I will judge between the fat cattle, and the lean cattle. Because they have thrust with side and shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with their horns: therefore I will save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey, and I will judge between cattle and cattle. The goats will annoy till they be quite separated. Too many among us have these goatish conditions: they climb up ambitiously to the mountres of preferment, like goats: they pill and bark the Commonwealth, like goats: they lust after women as hot as goats: they trouble the waters of Israel, the peace of the Church, like goats: they tread under feet Gods blessings; like goats: they smell of impiety, as rank as goats: and therefore they must be separated, as goats. We have all from Adam the nature of the goat: let us weep away, and keep away such goatish qualities. And let us put on the properties of sheep: which Christ john 10. gives to be three; Audire, obedire, sequi: to hear Christ's word, to obey Christ's will, to follow Christ's steps. Search thy soul for these brands and marks of a sheep, or else thou wilt prove a goat. Hast thou fidem agni, the faith of a Lamb reposed in the Lamb of God? Hast thou innocentiam agni, the innocence of a Lamb, free from wrong? Vellus agni, the fleece of a Lamb, to warm the poor? humilitatem agni, the humbleness of a Lamb, a stranger to pride? patientiam agni, the patience of a Lamb, ready to lay down thy life for Christ? then thou shalt have gloriam agni, the reward of a Lamb, assured salvation in heaven. Thus the goats and the sheep be like in external fashion: they feed both in one pasture, lie both in one fold, all their life time: but Christ will put them asunder at the last day. Like two travelers that go together to one Town, take up one Inn, feed together at one board, sleep together in one bed: but in the morning their ways part. The sheep and goats eat together, drink together, sleep together, rot together, but at this day there shall be a separation. The goats may deceive man both in life and death, they may be taken for sheep, but Christ can discern between cattle and cattle. God judgeth by the Liver, man by the Livery. If the Liver be rotten, look the flesh never so fair, the good market-man will not buy it. If Christ find not the hart sound, he will none of the carcase. 3. The Probation; every man must undergo his trial. From the prison of the grave; they are set before the judge, and there suffer discussion or trial. There are certain books to be opened for this probation: some rolls Reu. 20. 12. or Records filled up in the Court of Heaven. There is Liber praeceptorum secundum quem, & liber conscientiae ex quo iudicamur. Quicquid praecipitur scriptum in illo, quicquid delinquitur in isto. Here is Divina scientia, & humana conscientia met together. We may forget our sins, but God keeps a true Register. If the sufferings of the Saints be recorded, then sure their violences by whom they suffer are not forgotten. Now the book of the Law whereby men are judged contains three leaves: Nature, the Law written, and the Gospel. Some must be tried by the first only, some by the first and second, others by all three. First, that some shall be judged only by the Law of Nature, it is clear. d Rom. 2. 12. As many as have sinned without the Law, shall perish without the Law. Here two things are considerable, two things; one, what this Law of nature is: the other, whether the breach of it be sufficient to condemn. 1. It is a knowledge of certain principles tending to live well; and of conclusions thence necessarily inferred, agreeable with the eternal rule of Truth, planted by God in man, and teaching him to worship his maker. Thus Melancthon defines it. The matter of it is Principles with conclusions directing to a good life. Parents are to be honoured; this is a principle engrafted: therefore I must honour my Parents, this is a conclusion deducted. The form of it is an accordance with the rule of truth, God's moral Law: for the Law natural is the summary abridgement of the Law moral. The Author of it is God, who hath written it in man's heart. Ambros. Deus omnium Creator singulorum pectoribus infudit. The end is, that it might be a testimony of that Divine providence whereby God now ruleth, and of that justice whereby he will judge men. This agrees with the Apostles definition. Rom. 2. 15. Which show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts excusing or accusing. The work, there's the matter of it: of the Law, there's the form: written, there's the Author that imprints it: the conscience accusing or excusing, there's the end. In this inward testimony arising from nature, are these two principal things: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a comprehension of practical principles, and natural discerning between just and unjust. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, conscience chideing for choosing evil, and approving for doing good. The one makes the proposition, the other the assumption. 2. The other point to be discussed is, whether the breach of this Law doth condemn. Some object, that it is quite blotted out of man, therefore cannot bind him. No question, it is much obscured in respect, both of intellectual and effectual faculties. For understanding it gropeth, e Acts 17. 27. ifhaply it might feel after God. Adam had the knowledge of good by experience, of evil only by contemplation: but falling he had also an experimental knowledge of evil. For affection, man's will is so perverse, that when as naturally he desires to be happy, yet he wiilingly commits those things against his first intendment, that make him most unhappy. As a thief steals, to keep himself from famine, and so from misery: thus Ne miser fit, malus fit: & ideo miserior, quia malus. Lest he should be wretched, he becomes wicked: and is so much the more wretched by being wicked. Beatus vult esse h●…mo, etiam non sic vivendo ut possit Aug. esse. Man seeks for blessedness in all places, but where it is. Yea, custom brings this will to contempt of sin. Peccata quamuis ho●…renda, cum in consu●…tudinem venerint, creduntur parva, aut nulla. Aug. Sins horrid and uncouth at first, become trivial and familiar by practice. Thus is this natural light dimmed and overcast by the corruption of prosperous lusts: yet ne ipsa quidem delet iniquitas: sin doth not quite raze it out. 1. Because there are certain principles reviving in the most dissolute. As the desire of happiness; and every one would attain that end, though they err in the means. Yea they know that evil is to be avoided, which appears in that they would not have any wrong offered to themselves. These general rules all know, albeit in the particular applications they are blinded. Hence it came, that some gross sins were not condemned of them: as robbery among the Germans, lust of males among the Grecians. Rom. 1. 27. Indeed God did punish malitiam per duritiem: yet still remain some sparks and cold cinders of that primary and original fire. 2. That the light of nature is not quite extinct, appears by the force and working of the conscience; for this doth vex and sting the most obstinate soul. By this Cain was driven to confess the monstruousness of his sin. 3. The practice of natural men evinceth it, who by force of nature performed some things agreeable to equity. f Rom. 2. 14. The Gentiles having not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law. The very Gentiles had many excellent politic Laws, and positive constitutions. This seems to clear the meaning of Plato's two assertions: Legem esse inventionem veritatis, that was the Law of Nature: Legem esse imitationem veritatis, such were the positive decrees grounded upon the other. But what precepts doth this Law contain, and what remnants of it doth man retain? The Law of nature commands man, to live religiously to God above him, justly to man with him, soberly to things under him. To deal justly with men nature gives him two rules: one affirmative, What thou wouldst have others to do to thee, so do to them: the other negative, Quod ●…ibi fieri non vis, alteri ne feceris: Do not that to others, which thou wouldst not have them do to thee. Even nature Instructs a man how to rule his affections. So Tully; Animus imperat corpori, ut Rex civibus: ratio libidmi, ut servis dominus. The mind governs the body, as a King reigns over his subjects: the reason lust, as a master over his servants. Whence had he this, but from nature? There is vis rationis, orationis, adorationis. By the virtue of reason man loves man, by the power of discourse man regards himself, by the power of worship man respects God. If we should examine the particular commandments. 1. They acknowledged one God: T●…lly protested, that when he wrote seriously, he mentioned but one God: and he did but ludere, play the Poet when he spoke of more. Moses called this God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 2. Numa Pompilius judged it unlawful to ascribe any form to God invisible. 3. They durst indeed play with their puppets, imaginary gods; Venus and Cupid, etc. But for the Deity, O may not the reverence of his unknown name condemn us! They cry out, Great is their Diana: this vindicates them from vilipending the name. If they had known a greater God, they would have given greater reverence to his Name. 4. divers of the Gentiles had their Sabbaoths, mingled with strange superstitions: but they were taught by nature to set apart some time for worship. 5. They commanded and commended honour to Parents: Solon ordaining no law for Parricides, answered there were none so unnatural for to attempt it. 6. That murder was held abominable, appears by their punishing it, according to God's Law, with death. 7. That Adultery was odious, it is manifest by Pharaoh. g Gen. 12. 19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife. By Abimelech to Abraham; h Gen. 20. 9 What have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me, and my kingdom a great sin? By Abimelech to Isaac: i Gen. 26. 10. What is this thou hast done unto us? one might have lain with thy Wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us. 8. Theft some punished with death, other with double restitution. Cato being asked, Quid foenerari? what it was to practise usury; answered, Quid hominem ●…ccidere? the same, that to kill a man. 9 They so hated and avoided falsehood and lying, that they would not suffer a man to be witness against his enemy. 10. They thought it unlawful to covet other men's goods. One of them said, Concupiscere alien●…, sit à me alienat●…. But now their natural knowledge being so obscured, shall yet the Law of nature condemn? yes, for k Rom. 1. 20. the invisible things of God might be understood by the things that are made: so that they are without excuse. God could not be apprehended by them any other way then by nature: yet sinning against him they are without excuse. l jer. 10. 25. power out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not: m Psal. 79. 6. and upon the kingdoms that have not called on thy name. n 2. Thes. 1. 8. He shall come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God. By this shall many millions of men be condemned. Inexcusabilis oft omnis peccator, vel reat●… originis. Original guilt makes us inexcusable, without voluntary additament. Aug. Ignorantia ●…ius qui ●…oluit intelligere, est peccantis culpa: Ignorantia eius qui no●… potuit intelligere, est peccati p●…na. In virisque non est justa ●…xcusatio, sed est justa dam●…atio. His Ignorance that would not understand, is the wickedness of sin: his ignorance that could not understand, is the punishment of sin. Doth not this latter excuse? Yes a Tanto, but not a Toto: from so much guiltiness, but not from all guiltiness. Ignorance can be no plea, for all are bound to know: it serves not a malefactor's turn, to plead Ignor●…tiam juris, that he knew not the Law of his Prince which he hath broken. I know that simple nescience is minoris culpae, but not nullae; a less fault, not no fault. The o Luk. 12. 47. knowing servant disobedient shall have many stripes: the ignorant is not spared, though less punished. To the ignorant are two wants, knowledge and a good will: but he that sins wittingly, hath but one want, only a good will. He that fails on knowledge, hath voluntatem facti & peccati, a will both to the deed, and to the sin. He that fails in ignorance, hath only voluntatem facti non peccati, a will of the deed not of the sin, though the deed be a sin. Perer. Ignorantia duplex; una quae est causa culpae, altera cuius causa culpa est. There is an ignorance that is the cause of sin; and there is a sin that is the cause of ignorance. No ignorant hath his sin mitigated; but Is solùm qui non habuit unde discere, saith August. He only that had no means of learning. For Christ is a just judge, and would not condemn without fault. We have all good means of knowledge, GOD keep us from the condemnation of ignorance. The next book is the Law: that others shall be judged by this, it is clear without question. p Rom. 2. 12. As many as have sinned in the Law, shall be judged by the Law. The jews shall be thus judged rather than the Gentiles, who had not the Law written. The Law of Moses did only bind the Hebrews, the Prophets were not commanded to publish it to the Gentiles. Paul calls the times before Christ, q Acts 17. 30. the times of ignorance; and the Gospel r Rom. 16. 25. a mystery kept secret since the world began. Now to object, first that the jewish Merchants taught other Nations the Law, is vain: for they were generally more apt discere religionem alienam, quam docere suam; to learn false religions, then to teach the true. And many of them did not even by their own types and sacrifices, perfectly understand the sacrifice of Christ. Then to say, their books were manifest, is false: for the jews kept them. s Rom. 3. 2. Unto them were committed the oracles of God. They were first d●…positarij, then oeconomi, dispensers. t Esa. 2. 3. For out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the word of the Lord from jerusalem. u Psal. 147. 19 He showeth his word unto jacob, his statutes unto Israel, he hath not dealt so with any Nation. So Christ to the Samaritan woman; x john 4. 22. Salvation is of the jews. Now as this crediting facit ad honorem persona cui confidimus. Ambr. makes to the honour of the person whom we credit. This was a great credit to the jews; so it brings them to a strict account: exigendum cum vs●…is; as in the Talents; God looks for his own with usury. Some of them kept them in their hands, but not in their hearts; aliis magis profu●…ura quam ipsis. Erasm. for the benefit of other, more than of themselves. Now this book is the Touchstone or trial of our works: whatsoever we have either thought, said, or done; is either with or against this Law of God. How we wrangle here to justify many things, which there will not abide the trial? How many arguments doth a contentious man produce, to countenance his wrangling Law-suites? Defensio juris, Intentio legis, retardatio iniuriarum. The defending of his right, the purpose of the Law, the keeping back of injuries; forbear one wrong, and provoke more: and Correctio iniustorum, the punishing of evil doers: and be not these smooth colours? who can now say, Peccasti in litigando? thou hast done ill in going to law? but still we reckon without our Oast: thou thinkest thy penny good silver, as the fool thought his pebble a diamond: bring it to the test. a 〈◊〉. Cor. 6. 7. There is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Whether will God judge thee according to thine own humour, or according to this precept? Alas he will then try thee Secundum legem suam, non secundum legem tuam; after his law, not after thy lust. It is opus carnis, and will not abide tentationem ignis. b Gal. 5. 20. Contention, strife, variance, are works of the flesh: & they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Hell fire will confute alreasons. So among others, an angry word calls on a challenge: they have plausible reasons for it. Their credit lies upon it: and better lose life then reputation. If being wronged they challenge not, or being challenged they answer not; the world condemns them cowards. So they fight not so much against another's life, as against their own reproach. This were somewhat if it were tam bene, quam magnè propositum: if the project were as Christian, as it is Roman. Now they must go to the field, pray, embrace, forgive; then fight and kill. But is this the Law that God will judge by? no, that Law is, Thou shalt not kill. But perhaps they purpose not to kill; yet saith God; Return not evil for evil: how doth this agree with thy colour & humour? Yet more peremptorily. c Rom. 12. 19 A●…enge not yourselves, but give place unto wrath. For vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. Will you steal this from him in a glorious theft? hazard your soul more than your body? thrusting one upon an enemy's sword, the other on God's sword? Will you meet together in so bloody a design; wherein uterque letaliter peccat, saepe alter aeternaliter perit, both sin deadly, often one or both perish eternally▪ Thus your pretences may blanche it over with the name of honour: but the law you must be tried by, will find it homicide. For Usury, how is it bedawbed with arguments, probabilities, patronages, examples! Books have been written to justify it: But none of these is that law whereby the Usurer must be judged. They do not only reason thus; I must give to the poor, therefore I must take usury of the rich: an argument of Standgate hole: I may rob some, that I may give to others. But they defend it by Scripture. d Exod. 22. 25. If thou lend money to the poor, thou shalt not lay upon him usury. Not on the poor; therefore they infer, we may lay it on the rich. e Prou. 22. 22. Rob not the poor, because he is poor, faith Solomon, therefore we may rob the rich, because he is rich, and can spare it. Is not this a goodly strong argument? So because it is said, Exo. 22. 22. Ye shall not afflict the widow, or fatherless child: it must needs follow, that they may trouble a woman married, or a child that hath a father. There are infinite excuses: but the Law of trial is; Thou shalt not lend upon usury: study an answer to that question. As much may be said for Impropriations: what shall become of all our legal pleas, our Alienations, Prohibitions, Customs, Fines? all fine excuses? when Christ shall set the sacrilegious before him, and read this Law; f Math. 3. 8. Thou shalt not rob God of his tithes and offerings? Where now are all reasons and excuses? This spiritual Court will admit of no corrupt customs, no devices: Me thou hast robbed, by me thou shalt be condemned. Lord, enter not into judgement with us: who shall be justified in thy sight? We cannot answer ex millibus unum, one of a thousand. Help us, O thou judge and Saviour: let thy mercy as jesus, help us against thy justice as judge. We must come under probation, defend us from reprobation, and let us find approbation; not for our works, but thy mercies, O blessed Redeemer. Amen. Lastly, others are to be judged by the Gospel: and this certainly bindeth our conscience he●…e, for it shall judge us hereafter. g john 3. 18. He that believeth not on Christ, is condemned. Now the Gospel requires of us two things, Faith and Obedience. Faith; h Mark 1. 15. Repent and believe the Gospel. Obedience; i Rom. 6. 17. Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine. Which obedience must be Prompta, ye have obeyed: voluntaria, from the heart: discreta, that true form of doctrine. Lyran. Indeed Obedientia evangelica est ipsa fides. Many think they are not bound to believe the Gospel; but by this they shall be judged. True it is, that all are not bound to it: they to whom Christ never spoke, was never spoken, have an excuse; not of every sin, but of this sin, that they have not believed on Christ. It is objected, The Law bound all, therefore the Gospel binds all. No, for the Law was given to man's nature: so though the knowledge was lost by man's default, yet the bond remains on God's part. The Gospel was never given to man's nature, but after the fall, and is above nature. Adam was the root of mankind in respect of nature, not in respect of grace. When God gave the Law to him, he bound him and all his posterity to keep it. When he gave the Promise to him, & faith to believe it, he did not withal give it to all mankind. Neither if Adam had afterwards fallen from faith, should all mankind have fallen with him. The first Adam was not the root of the Promise, but the second. But now to ourselves; we must all stand before the Tribunal of Christ: to the Statutes of the former books who can answer? All our help is in this latter book, we fly to the Gospel. We k john 1. 29. behold the Lamb of GOD, that taketh away the sin of the world: and comfort ourselves, that l 1. john 2. 2. if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, jesus Christ the righ●…ous: and he is the propitiation for our sins. Now as Festus said to Paul. m Acts 25. 12. Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go. So, hast thou appealed to the Gospel? thou shalt go to the Gospel for thy trial. Vel te totaliter absoluit, vel te capitaliter damnat. It shall either thoroughly justify thee, or extremely condemn thee. The Spirit shall convince the world of sin, saith Christ; n john 16. 9 Because they believe not on me. Now what is the holy Ghosts judgement here, will be Christ's hereafter. But why are they condemned of sin for not believing? 1. Because other sins are condemned by nature and Law; as murder, adultery: both among jews and Gentiles: but not to believe is the proper sin of Christians; and it is a grand sin, because they have the doctrine of faith. 2. Because infidelity is the root of all sins, as faith is of all good works: the want of faith leads from transgression to presumption, from presumption to despair. 3. Especially, because faith takes away the guilt of all sins, and freeth from condemnation: but infidelity retains the guilt of itself and others. Omnia peccata per infidelitatem retinentur, per fidem remittuntur. Aug. Luther hath it out of Augustine. Nullum peccatum nisi infidelitas, nulla justitia nisi fides. There is no sin but infidelity, no righteousness but faith. Not that Adultery, Intemperance, Malice are no sins: but Infidelitate manente, manet omne peccatum: eadem decedente absolu●…tur, omnia quoad reatum. unfaithfulness remaining, every sin remains, that departing, every sin is pardoned, and quite taken away in respect of the guiltiness. Peccata sunt, tua peccata non sunt. After thou becomest a Believer, the sins thou dost are sins; but not thy sins, because they are forgiven thee. This appears by the purpose of Christ's coming; which was to o 1. john 3. 8. dissolve the works of the devil: believe on him, & thy sins are dissolved, absolved: thou art as if thou never hadst offended. Non quòd peccatum omninò non erit, sed quòd non omninò imp●…atum erit. Not that sin altogether should not be, but that it shall not be imputed. How quick a riddance penitent faith makes with our sins! They are too heavy for our shoulders, faith presently turns them over to Christ. Whereas there would go with us to judgement a huge kennel of lusts, an Army of vain words, a legion of evil deeds: faith instantly dischargeth them all, kneeling down to jesus Christ, beseeching him to answer for them. Therefore make we much of faith: if our souls be ballaced with this, they shall never shipwreck. A●…asuerus had many virgins, none pleased him like Ester: none pleaseth God but faith; all the rest for her sake. She is that judith, that saveth the life of all thy good works, by cutting off the usurping head of Satan. Thou canst not be unwelcome to God, if thou come with confidence: nothing more offends God, than the not taking his word. Sin offends his Law, but unbelief offends his Gospel. Though we do not what he bids us, yet let us be sure he will do what he tells us. It is good to obey the former, better to believe the latter: because he is more able, and more good than we. Well now, after this Gospel we must be judged: so Paul writes to his Romans; p Rom. 2. 16. GOD shall judge the secrets of all hearts by jesus Christ, according to my Gospel. Thou canst not satisfy the Law, therefore study thy soul an answer to this book. Otherwise, saith Christ, The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge john 12. 46. thee in the last day. The Sermons thou hast heard, shall rise up in judgement to condemn thee. Hence arise three conclusions. 1. It is no presumption for a Christian to believe the pardon of his sins in Christ: for to do the will of God is not to presume. If we do not believe this, Christ shall judge us damnable by the Gospel: therefore if we do conscionably believe this, he shall acquit us by the Gospel. Non est praesumptio credentis, ubi est authoritas iubentis. There is no presumption in man to believe it, when there is the authority of God to command it. Of all things in a Christian, God doth not love a nice dainty, and maidenly faith. He loves to have a man's modesty bashful, his humility fearful, his penitence sorrowful, his patience joyful, his compassion pitiful: but he loves a faith that hath boldness in it. That is not afraid to trouble God with a●…iance, or suppliance: but is confident ruat ●…rcus et ortus. Without faith it is dangerous pressing into the Presence Chamber; as it was to the marriage without the wedding garment: but in faith Sequere et consequere; qui cupit, capit; speak and speed. q john 16. 23. Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you. It is no sin to trust God with thy soul: Paul teacheth it by example. r 2. Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed, that he will keep that I have committed to him against that day. Peter by counsel, s 1. Pet. 4. 19 Commit your souls to God in weldooing. It is no sin to call God Father; for he hath sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba Father. It is no sin to trouble him with our Gala. 4. 〈◊〉. suits: t Heb. 1●…. 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Not to do this faithfully, is against the Gospel; therefore to be judged of that sin. The infallible certainty of a true Christians salvation, is known to himself, and cannot be doubted without sin. For if it be sin to distrust this, it is then righteousness to believe it. The sum of the Gospel is man's salvation by Christ: he that believes not this, believes not the Gospel: and he that knows the Gospel, and believes it not, shall by it be condemned. Now God in the Gospel doth not require that absolute perfection, which he did in the Law, under the peril of damnation: but qualifies the rigour of the Law by the satisfaction of a Mediator. So that the Gospel accepts the intent and endeavour for the act; as the will to repent for penitence, and the will to believe for faith. It is then not only a weakness, but a wickedness to distrust God's mercy in thy salvation; let not this faultiudge thee before jesus Christ. 3. The Gospel requires probation of faith by a good life. Norma fides, forma vitae: as we believe we must live. Do we believe Christ hath redeemed us? We must live like such as are redeemed: if freed, let us demean ourselves as children of freedom. It is nothing at this judgement to say, I have believed, when the life shall witness the contrary: thy lips affirm, but thy works deny. As our Saviour said, Opera testantur de me; my works bear witness of me, that I am Christ: so thou must say, Opera testantur de me, my works bear witness of me, that I am a Christian. Thou shalt be saved for thy faith, not for thy works: but for such a faith as is without works thou shalt never be saved. Works are disjoined A iustificando, non a iustificato; from the act of justifying, not from the person justified. If this judge for his own merits give us salvation, we must show him the fair copy of our conversation. Quicquid Christus operatur pro nobis, operatur in nobis. Whatsoever Christ works for us, he also works in us. If he hath freed us from the damnation of sin, he hath also freed us from the dominion of sin. Albeit in our justification Fiet nobis secundum fidem nostram; Be it unto us according to our Faith: yet in salvation Reddetur unicuique secundum operasua; Every man shall be rewarded according to his works. Let not that which is a word of comfort to us, be a bill of indictment against us. 4. The Sentence. As there be two sorts of men to be sentenced, so there is a double sentence: one of Absolution, the other of Damnation. With Absolution our Saviour begins in action, with that let us begin in meditation. He begins with favour, O he is ready to show mercy: and comes slowly to wrath and judgement. In the Absolution are considerable four circumstances; A Calling, a Commending, a Reply, and an Answer. First, the call is set down. Math. 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. In which gracious speech we may perceive six gradations. 1. Amabilis vocatio; Come. This was the voice of Christ generally to all in the day of Grace, is particularly to the Elect in the day of Glory. Now he calls more than will come, than he will not call all that would come. Now he gives many Venite's. u Mat. 11. 28. Come to me all that labour. x joh. 7. 37. If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. y Reu. ●…2. ●…7. The Spirit and Bride say, Come, and let him that heareth say, Come: and let him that is athirst come. Send not others, but come yourselves. Come to no others, either Saints or Angels, but come to me. Let us take heed of that Discedite, quia nol●…stis venire; a Mat. 7. 23. Depart from me; good reason, for b joh. 5. 40. you would not come unto me. You declined my call when I was humbled. c Mat. 13. 55. Is not this the Carpenter's Son? I will decline you now I am exalted; d Luk. 14. 24. None of those men that were called shall taste of my supper. But such as have obediently heard his Come in holiness, shall also graciously hear his second Come in happiness. 2. Su●…is Benedictio; Ye Blessed. Never man was, is, or shall be, but desires secundum sensum suum, after his own sense to be blessed; saith Aristotle: though the most have sought it out of the right ubi, where it was not to be found. In Christ only it is found, who is indeed the Father of blessedness. Mat. 3. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit. The first word of the first lesson of Christ's first Sermon is Blessed. So he begins, so there he continues, so here he concludes, Come ye blessed: a word able to make a man blessed. 3. Patris dilectio, Of my Father: to be blessed of God, is to be surely blessed. Parents do well in blessing their children, Princes in blessing their people: here's the difference, Benedicunt, but not Beatificant: they may wish them blessed, but not make them blessed. But saith God to Abraham; e Gen. 22. 17. In blessing I will bless thee: f Gen. 27. 33. I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed. All blessedness springs from that fountain: the Lord hath blessed us, and requires us to bless him; g Rom. 9 5. who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. This the universal song of all creatures gives him; h Reu. 5. 13. Blessing, honour, etc. 4. Foelicitatis Possessio, Inherit. Inheritance is of Birth, not industry: the younger brother is often of more desert than the elder, yet cannot this make him his Father's Heir. This is of Inheritance, therefore not of merit. It differs from an earthly Inheritance in three things. 1. In that the Testator must be dead, and the successor living: in this God the Testator is ever living, and his heirs before they can fully possess it, must be dead. Ambr. A temporal inheritance divided, is diminished: one is of so much land shortened, as is to another shared. The heirs here are without number; i Reu. 7. 9 of all nations, kindred and languages; yet though the inheritance be imparted, it is not impaired. Tanta singulis, quanta omnibus. Every one hath as ●…ch as any one. Arden's. 3. The partition of an earthly inheritance breeds among the coheir envy & grudging: but in this the joy of one is the joy of all. Dispar gloria singulorum, tamen communis laetitia omnium. Aug. One star may excel another star in glory, but none shall envy another in glory. There shall be no repining at another's more glorious clearness, where remains in all one gracious dearness. Inherit. 5. Haereditatis Perfectio; a kingdom. The top of man's desires is a kingdom; nil nisi Regna placent. Yet if they be earthly kingdoms, they will not satisfy: Alexander is not content with his universal Monarchy. But here is a kingdom will satisfy: you will say, there are many Kings, & but one kingdom; therefore not room enough: yes, for the bounds of the least are not narrower than heaven itself. 6. Regni Paratio; Prepared for you: Not merited in your times, but prepared before all times. It had no beginning in respect of God's intention: it shall have no end in respect of your possession. God's decree to give it us had no beginning, but shall have an end: our fruition of it shall have a beginning, but no end: God's mercy in both hath neither beginning nor end; but is from everlasting to everlasting. Had the Lord such care to provide a kingdom for his children before they were; then sure he will give it them at the appointed time. So certain are they of blessedness, that it is prepared for them from the foundation of the world. For you: not for all: there is no universal election, God decrees not all to be saved. Then Christ should have said thus, Inherit the kingdom; Paratum omnibus, Datum vobis: prepared for all, and given to you: but he saith, Prepared for you, therefore not purposed to all. Seeing there is so good cheer prepared for us, let us prepared for us, let us prepare ourselves for that: like some dainty guest, who knowing there is such delicate fare behind, keeps his stomach for it. Let us disdain the course diet of this world, that dangers us to the dropsy of covetise, or the surfeits of riot. We use to fast on the Eves, that we may feast on the Holidays: let us here abstain from the table of sin, that we may hereafter banquet in the Kingdom of Heaven. This is matter of comfort to us: here the world condemns the godly: therefore they shall have a time of absolving. When that General Session comes, k Luke 21. 28. then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. There is no mercy to be had in this world, for the wicked themselves are accusers, witnesses, judges: but at that day a poor man's case will be heard. Therefore l Psal. 10. 14. the poor committeth himself unto thee, for thou art the helper of the fatherless. Christ will take the cause into his own hand. m Reu. 6. 10. The souls under the Altar cry with a loud voice; How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth! Yes, it is fit every one should have a day of hearing. This is theirs, that shall be ours: n Psal. 58. 10. The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance. Rejoice? yes, they have no charity to us on earth, we must have no charity to them in hell. 2. The Commendation follows the calling, Mat. 25. 35. For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink, etc. Christ witnesseth their faith from the effects: they brought forth fruits of mercy. Thus it is evident, that not according to the internal habit of faith and charity, but according to the external acts proceeding from them, is the reward bestowed. Christ before justified them by their faith, apprehending his merits: now he justifies them by testimony (of that faith) arising from their works. The point Christ insists in, is their works of mercy; which are six, visito, poto, cibo, redimo, tego, colligo fratres. Giving them meat, drink, harbour, clothing, visitation in sickness, redemption from bondage. Where observe, that the main point Christ will scan at the last, is the point of mercy. Not how wise, nor how learned, nor how just, but how merciful. Ambr. Now if a Scholar standing for preferment, knew directly that one question wherein he should be opposed; he would study a full and ready answer to it. We all know that one and main question wherein Christ will examine us, what works of mercy have we done: if we have gotten no demonstration of mercy, we are worthily condemned. Now their mercy is commended, partly in respect of the object, and partly in respect of the act. For the object, it is done to Christ: happy mercy that is done to the Lord jesus; it shall never pass unrewarded. o 2. Chr. 24. 22. joash forgot the kindness of jehoiada; but the King of heaven will remember all the good done unto him. Says that good malefactor; p Luk. 23. 42. Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. I will not forget thee, answers jesus; To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. I was hungry, and ye fedme. ay, and me, saith Christ. In regard of the act, the thing they distribute and contribute, is not bare words, but actual mercies; food, clothing, etc. This is the effect of a true faith, not a verbal, but a real working faith. A faith, not like that the Psalmist seems to mention, (though in another sense) I believed, & ideo locutus sum, and therefore I spoke: but such as the Apostle speaks of; I believed, & ideo operatus sum, and therefore I wrought a faith working by love. It is easy to mistake Saint Paul, Rom. 14. 22. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. unless we expound him by S. james, jam. 2. 18. Hast thou faith? show thy faith by thy works. If we will be the children of Abraham, q Rom. 4. 11. who is the Father of them that believe: we must be so by Sara, who is the mother of r 1. Pet. 3. 6. them that obey. They that will be trees of righteousness in God's garden, must not be like the figtree in the Gospel, that had only leaves, no fruit: but like the s Psal. 1. 3. tree that brings forth her fruit in due season. Or like Aaron's rod, that of a dead stick, having life and sap put into it; presently bare Almonds; fruit, no leaves spoken of. Some give words enough; contrary to Moses, who was a man of few words. The Papists will rather lose a penny then a Paternoster: these will give ten Pater-nosters before one penny. They give the words of Nepthali, pleasant words; but no meat. As if the poor were like Ephraim, t Hos. 12. 1. fed with the wind. Or as if their word were verbum Domini, the u Mat. 4. 4. word of God, that men might live by it. Solomon says, Wisdom is good with an inheritance, so good counsel is good with an alms. If a famished man beg bread of thee, and thou only fallest to instruct his soul, but deniest food to his body: he may reply, as Hushai said to Absalon of Achitophel's counsel. x 2. Sam. 17. 7. The counsel that Achitophel hath given is good, but not at this time. Martial demands of Caius a small piece of silver; Quod vel donanti non grave. Caius blamed him for his idle profession of Poetry, counseled him to study the Law, that would enrich him. To him Martial; Quod peto da mihi tu, non peto consilium. Give me that I ask thee, I do not ask thee counsel. Many are like S. Peter's fish; it had money in the mouth, but not a hand to give it. Or like Dives his dogs; they can lick a poor man with their tongues, else give him no relief. Diogenes a witty beggar would usually walk in a place where earthen Statues were erected, in honour of some that died for their country. To them he would pray, to them reach out his hand, bow, and beg: being asked the reason, he answered; Nihil aliud quam repulsam meditor. I think of nothing, but a repulse and denial. We have many such living Statues, mere Idols: that have mouths and speak not, eyes and pity not, hands and give not: the poor are sure of nothing but a repulse. 3. The reply, or question upon this commendation made by the Saints. Math. 25. 37. Then shall the righteous answer him; Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? etc. This is no denial of that truth Christ hath avouched. But 1. to magnify Christ's mercy, who takes these works as done to himself, which are done for his sake. Let no covetous Churl plead, he wants subjects upon whom to exercise his mercy; Pauper ubique jacet: which way can he walk, and not behold one hungry, another thirsty, & c? 2. To testify their humility, that albeit these things are true, yet they acknowledge no merit in them: they have not done so much of these as they ought. Besides, they might have an after-consideration of their sins past; which valued with their good works, they find one to outweigh a thousand. The Papists ostent their merits on earth, the Saints dare not do so even ready for heaven: but y Reu. 4. 10. cast down their crowns before the Throne: saying, Thou, O Lord, art only worthy to receive glory and honour. They have nec boni inopiam, nec in bono superbiam. They are not poor in good works, nor proud of good works. They wrote their charity in the dust, therefore did God write it in Marble. They seem to forget the works of mercy they have done, therefore are they remembered by jesus Christ. 4. The answer of Christ, Mat. 25. 40. In as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. The miseries of my brethren are my own miseries. a Heb. 4. 15. We have an high Priest touched with the feeling of our infirmities. That invulnerable and glorified breast, is still touched with the sense of our wounds. Saul, thou persecutest me: he says not mine, but me: me in mine. b Zach. 2. 8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. Surely he will pity the misery of every one, that is afflicted with the sorrows of all. Quis recusabit pro Christo pati, quando Christus compatitur patienti? Who would refuse to suffer for Christ, when he is sure that Christ suffers with him? Here is excellent direction for our works of mercy: that no sinister end draw them from us, but sincere love to Christ. If any fish for the applause of men, his bait shall be his own hook, to snare himself. Da Christo; look on the poor man, and in that member behold the Head, Christ. c Mat. 10. 42. He that shall give a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, in the name of a Disciple, he shall in no wise lose his reward. A cup of water is but a small gift, yet done in that Name, and for that cause, it is rewarded, as an excellent work of mercy. It is the true note of a child of God, to show mercy to a Christian, because he is a Christian. Natural men have their private ends, and advantageous respects, in their beneficences. Such a one shall do me service, flatter my addiction, bring intelligences to mine ear; I will make him my property: my charity shall bind him to me. Moral men will sometimes give, even for pity's sake: but the true Christian doth it for Christ his sake, and looks no further. d Gala. 6. 10. Doing good unto all, especially to them that are of the household of faith. Some think, that the best work is to build Temples and Monasteries: but indeed the best work is to relieve (not the dead, but) the living Temples of Christ's mystical Body. It was an ancient complaint; Fulget Ecclesia in parietibus, ●…get in pauperibus. The Church flourisheth in her glorious buildings, but mourneth and pines away in her poor members. Deny not due cost to the dead walls, but first satisfy the living bowels; that Christ may say, Come ye blessed. I come now to the sentence of Condemnation, Math. 25. 41. Then shall he say to them on the left hand; Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. In this form of damnatory judgement, are four points considerable. A Rejection of the wicked, a Reason of that rejection, an Objection against that reason, a Confutation of that objection. In the Rejection are many particulars gradually enhancing their judgement. They are partly Privative, & partly Positive. Depart from me ye cursed, there is Poenadam●…i: Into everlasting fire, there is Poena sensus. As there be two kinds of sin: Delictum and Peccatum. Delictum est desertio boni, Bern. Peccatum perpetratio mali: the one a forsaking of that is good, the other a committing of that is evil. So there is a like proportion of punishment; a depriving of joy, and a giving over to torment. here is 1. A grievous refusal; Depart. This seems nothing to the wicked now, such is their dead security. Depart? Why they are content to be gone. e Ecclc. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore their heart is fully set in them to do evil. But as when a Prince opening his long locked up Treasury, graciously takes some in with him, and saying to other ill-meriting followers, Depart: it will be a disgraceful vexation. So when the glory of heaven, and those unvaluable treasures shall be opened, and dealt about to the faithful; what horror will it be to the Reprobates to be cast off with a Depart? f Luke 10. 23. Blessed are the eyes that see the things which ye see: saith Christ to his Saints. For Kings have desired to see them, and were not suffered. If it were such a Blessedness to see jesus in humility, what is it to see him in glory? But from this the wicked are bidden, Depart. 2. The loss of Salvation; From me: your Saviour that was wounded for you; that offered my blood to you, which was offered for you. And if from me, then from all that is mine; my mercy, my glory, my salvation. Consider here, what an excellent thing it is to have familiarity with Christ on earth, that he may not cast us off as strangers from heaven. He that would have Christ know him there, must not be a stranger to Christ here. He must have some fellowship with GOD: How? If we walk in the light, we have fellowship with God, and with his Son jesus 1. john 1. Christ. To walk in the dark, is to have fellowship with the Prince of darkness: to walk in the light, is to have fellowship with the Father of lights. Will a Reprobate that hath always turned his back upon Christ, here press into his company? Upon what acquaintance? Yes, g Luk. 13. 26. We have eat and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets: as if they should say, We have fed at thy Communion table, and heard thee preach in our Pulpits. Still this proves no acquaintance: for in the one you did eat Panem Domini, non Panem Dominum; the bread of Christ, but not Christ with the bread. In the other you have heard Uerbum Domini, not regarded Dominum verbi. Your ear hath been open, but your conscience shut. Therefore, ver. 25. Non novi vos; as familiar as you presume, yet you are such strangers to me, that I know you not. They never willingly came near Christ but to persecute him; therefore he shall then cast them far enough off for ever. 3. The deserved Malediction; Ye cursed. He is cursed, that being borne in sin, lives in it, and dies in it, without seeking recovery. I call this curse merited, because they love it. h Psal. 109. 17. As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him. Hath he loved it? Let him take his love. As he clothed himself with cursing as with a garment: so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones. ver. 18. It was his outside, let it be his linings: it was his outward stuff, let it be his inward stuffing. Every one that hath not first a pardon by Christ, must hear this curse pronounced against him from Christ. O then suffer not thine eyes to sleep, till Christ hath sealed thee a Quetus est. Give no peace to thyself, till thou have peace with GOD. Quamdiù imp●…nitentia manet, maledictio imminet. So long as unrepentance abides in us, cursedness hangs over us. He that wilfully goes on in known wickedness, hazards himself to inevitable cursedness. Go ye cursed. 4. The horror of the pains; Into everlasting fire. Fire; of all elements the most violent, therefore fittest to describe those pangs. i Esay 30. 33. The pile thereof is ●…ire and much wood: the breath of the Lord, like a river of bri●…stone, doth kindle it. Everlasting; the torments thereof are ever frying, never dying. k Mark. 9 44. Where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Aug. Vermis corrodet conscientiam, ignis comburet carnem; quia & cord & corpore deliquerunt. The fire shall torture their flesh, the worm their spirit: because both in flesh and spirit they have sinned. The reprobates shall be packed and crowded together, like ●…rickes in a fiery furnace, having not so much as a chink where any wind may enter in to cool them. 5. The preordinance of their torments; Prepared for the Devil and his Angels: ordained beforehand. Origen held that the Devil and his angels should one day be released from their tortures: and that these words of Christ were spoken Minaciter, potius quam veraciter; rather by way of threatening, then true meaning. But Augustine answers, that the Scripture hath confuted him plenissime ac planissimè. For the fire prepared for Satan is not temporary, but everlasting: where though floods of tears be continually raining upon it, yet can it not be put out. Prepared: to the terror of wicked men, that covenant with hell: alas they are deceived, it was made for some purpose. That fire was prepared for some, and some have prepared themselves for it. Burning in lusts, in malice, in revenge; until themselves, their lusts, malice and revenge, and all burn in hell. The Devil was crafty, yet he could not scape hell: be as wily as you can, yet beware hell. It is not policy, but piety, that must escape this fire. Now as this brings to the wicked much terror, so it helps to preserve the godly against error. And this was one principal cause of the penning this sentence. The wise master of the family will chide his servants, vea and upon desert correct them, in the presence of his child, that he may learn by it to stand in awe of his Father. So deals God; Minatur quod faciet improbis, ne faciat quod minatur sanctis. He threatens the wicked what he will do to their sins, that the godly may avoid what he threatens for sins. Omnis minatio amica monitio: every threatening is a fair warning. The Lord give us mutare sententiam nostram, ut ipse mutet sententiam suam; to change our mind, that God may change his menace. Let us now come humbly to him in repentance, that we may never depart from him into vengeance. The other circumstances I will but touch. 2. The reason of this rejection, Mat. 25. 42. For I was hungry, and ye gave me no no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink. They are not judged Ex malis commissis, sedex bonis omissis; not by the evil deeds they have done, but by the good things they have not done. Christ says not, Ye took away my meat when I was hungry: but you gave me not your meat. You did not strip me of the clothes I had, but you gave me no clothes when I had not. l Mat. 3. 10. The axe cuts up the tree which brought not forth good fruit; though it be not accused for bringing forth bad fruit. Innocency is good, but not enough: we see that not to have relieved, is an unanswerable indictment at that day. How heavy will this sentence fall upon many among us! What heaps have many in this City; perhaps some got without a tentered conscience, yield it no worse: yet would to God it were so well: for it is hard Bonum cito ●…uadere divitem; for an honest man to become rich on the sudden. They have it, and now may they not keep it? is it not their own? But O it is fearful, when for this keeping they shall be condemned. It is not a groat weekly, or monthly to the poor, and a small pension to the much-robbed Church, that can discharge you: but you must give proportionably. Plead what you can to the poor, Christ will not be so answered. Who can force me to give? none: but because thou wilt not give unforced, thou shalt justly be condemned. 3. The objection against this reason, Math. 25. 44. Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athi●…st, etc. and did not minister unto thee? They have a kind of impudence still adhering to their foreheads: they would seem to justify themselves, though they be deservedly punished. When did we see thee? Often. When this poor widow hath departed without thy mercy, that orphan without thy help, that blind or lame without thy alms. When? when not? every occasion shall be a bill of inditement against thee. Who will wonder to see a Romish Pharise sooth and flatter himself on earth, when he is not ashamed to do it in judgement ●…efore the Lord jesus Christ? Sed nulla defensio absoluet reum, nulla infensio dissoluet judicium. Plead they whether subtly, or angrily, as if some wrong were done them; it is Equity itself that doth sentence them. 4. The confutation of their objection. Math. 25. 45. Insomuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. This one distinction takes away all their arguments: here is a full answer to their Quando: a declaration of their death-deseruing wickedness: that would have no pity on the Lord jesus. m jam. 2. 13. judgement merciless shall be given to them that show no mercy: you know this. Dives was denied a drop, because he would not give a crumb: you know this: He that stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor, shall cry himself and not be heard. Did not I tell you Prou. 21. 13. thus? The poor you had ever, this mercy you showed never: therefore Go ye cursed. 5. Lastly the Retribution: this is set down in brief; but the matter it contains, is long and everlasting. n john 5. 29. All shall come forth; they that have done good, to the resurrection of life; they that have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. o Mat. 25. 46. These shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. An estate soon versed: never to be reversed. The voice of Christ shall speak it; and the power of Christ shall effect it. No Angel shall speak against it, no devil shall withstand it. How should this teach Saint Paul's use; who considering that there shall be a resurrectian of the dead, both of the just and unjust; resolved with himself p Acts 24. 16. to have always a good conscience void of offence toward God, and toward man. Let it instruct us all to watch for this day; a decayed charge, than which nothing was more current in the mouth of Christ. Let me conclude with that sigh from his soul; Could ye not watch with me one hour? It will not be long ere the glass be run, the hour out; judas is at hand, judgement is not far off: then may you sleep and take your rest. This day is nearer you now, then when you first entered the Church. Twice have the blasted ears eat up the full corn: twice have the lean kine devoured the fat: Pharaohs dream is doubled for the certainty and expedition. a Heb. 10. 37. Yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come and will not tarry. If we shall have comfort in this day when it is come, we must long for it before it do come. What comfort shall the Usurer have? he desires not this day: for then the b Reu. 10. 6. Angel swears there shall be no more time; and his profession is to sell time. He sells it dear, very costly to another's purse, but most costly to his own soul. Such as bribe for Offices, farm Monopolies, contract an usurious rent for life; do they desire it? c Amos 5. 18. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord: to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. The soul groaning under sin desires it. d Rom. 7. 24. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The suffering soul may desire it. Come Lord jesus. The faithful Spouse wedded to Christ desires this coming of her Husband: she is now espoused, that is the plenary consummation of the marriage. e Reu. 19 7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and the Bride hath made herself ready. Blessed are they that be called to this marriage supper. To the ungodly it will be a fearful day. Ignis ubique ferox ruptis regnabit habenis: there shall follow an universal dissolution. Downwards go Satan, his angels, and reprobates; howling, and shrieking, & gnashing of teeth: the effect of a most impatient fury: to be bound hand and foot with everlasting chains of darkness. Where fire shall torture, yet give no light: worms gnaw the heart, yet never gnaw in sunder the strings: eternal pains punire, non finire corpora. Small sorrows grow great with continuance: but O misery of miseries, to have torments universal, and withal eternal: not to be endured, yet not to be ended. Upwards goes Christ, the blessed Angels and Saints, singing with melody as never mortal ear heard. The only song which that Choir sung audible to man, was that which the Shepherds heard: f Luk. 2. 14. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men. Yet Christ was then coming to suffer: what may we think are those Hallelujahs everlastingly chanted in the Courts of Heaven! we know not, yet we may know one special note, which an universal Choir of all nations, kindred, and tongues; Angels, Elders, All shall sing; g Reu. 7. 12. Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. To the spirits of just men made perfect. The Citizens of he●…uen are of two sorts; by Creation or Adoption. Created and natural Citizens are the Angels, Adopted are Men. Of these be two kinds, some Assumed, and others Assigned. The Assigned, such as are decreed in their times to be Citizens; said before to be written in heaven. The Assumed, such as are already possessed of it, here Spirits of just men made perfect. But how then is the Apostles meaning cleared? How are the militant on earth said to be come unto these just spirits in heaven? Yes, we have a Communion with them, participating in Spe, what they possess in Re. h 〈◊〉. 2. 19 Now we are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and of the household of GOD. Only our apprenticeship of the flesh is not yet out; but they have their freedom. But as we have all an union with Christ, so a Communion with Christians: the combatant on earth, with the triumphant in heaven. Spirits: this word hath diverse acceptions. It is taken 1. Pro animo, for the Mind. Luke 10. 21. jesus rejoiced in spirit. 1. Chron. 5. 26. God stirred up the spirit of the King of Assyria. 2. Pro sede rationis, et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1. Cor. 2. 11. What man knows the things of man, save the spirit of man which is within him? 3. Pro Affectuvel Afflatu, for the motion of the mind, whether good or bad. Luke 9 55. Ye know not what manner spirit ye are of. So there is called the spirit of lust, the spirit of pride, etc. 4. Pro donis spiritus sancti, for the gifts of God's Spirit. Act. 8. 15. Peter and john prayed for the disciples at Samaria, that they might receive the holy Spirit; meaning the graces of the holy Spirit. Gala. 3. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith? 5. Pro efficacia evangelii, for the effectual working of the Gospel; and so it is opposed to the letter. 2. Cor. 3. 6. The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. 6. Pro spiritualibus exercitijs; for spiritual exercises. Gala. 6. 8. He that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap everlasting life. john 4. 23. True worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit & truth. 7. Pro regenerata part: for the regenerate part of a Christian, and so it is opposed to the flesh. Gala. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit lusteth against the flesh. 8. Lastly, Pro anima immortal●…, for the immortal soul. Eccl. 12. 7. Dust shall return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God who gave it. This spirit did Steven commend into the hands of Christ. Act. 7. 59 And Christ into the hands of his Father. Math. 27. 50. yielding up the spirit. Thus it is taken here. Spirits, he doth not say bodies: they lie in the dust under the hope of a better resurrection. Spirits: We find here what becomes of good men's souls when they forsake their bodies: they are in the heavenly City. There are many idle opinions, what becomes of man's soul in death. Some have thought, that the souls then, though they die not, yet are still kept within the body (as it were asleep) until the last day. But the Scripture speaks expressly the contrary: for Dives his soul was in hell, and Lazarus his soul in Abraham's bosom. k Reu. 6. 9 I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God. Some have imagined a transmigration of souls forsaken of their own bodies, into other bodies. Herod seems to be of this opinion: when news was brought him concerning the fame of jesus, he said to his servants; l Mat. 14. 2. This is john the Baptist, he is risen from the dead. He thought that the soul of john was put into the body of jesus. It is alleged, that Nabuchadnezzar living and feeding with beasts, until seven times were passed over him; had lost his own soul, and the soul of a beast was entered in the room. But this is a frivolous conceit: indeed God had bereft him of common reason, yet he had still the soul of a man. Do not many among us, that have the souls of men, live like debauched beasts? The lustful like a goat, the covetous like a wolf, the drunkard like a hog, the Politician like a fox, the railer like a barking cur. Others think, that the soul neither dieth nor sleepeth, nor passeth out of one body into another, but wandereth up and down here on earth among men: and often appeareth to this man, often to that: whence came that fabulous opinion that dead men walk. For this purpose they allege the Witch of Endor, who made Samuel appear to Saul, and answer him. But the truth is, that was not Samuel indeed, but an apparition, the mere counterfeit of him. For not all the Witches in the world, nor all the Devils in hell can disquiet the souls of the faithful: for they are in Gods keeping. Dying, their souls are immediately translated to blessedness: there are the spirits of just men made perfect: and there to abide, until the general Resurrection shall restore them to their own bodies. For the souls of the Reprobates, departing in their sins, they go directly to hell, and are kept there as in a sure prison. Let this instruct all such as have a Christian hope, to let their souls depart with comfort. Emittuntur, non amittuntur: death doth not lose them, but loosen them, & set them free from the bondage of corruption. howl and lament if thou think thy soul perisheth. There are some that fear not so much to die, as to be dead: they know the pang is bitter, but it is short: it is the comfortless estate of the dead that is their dread. They could well resolve for the act of their passage, if they were sure to live afterwards. Animula vagula blandula, Whither goest thou, said that Heathen Emperor on his deathbed? lamenting the doubtful condition of his soul after the parture. Very not being is abhorred of nature; if death had nothing else to make it fearful. It is woeful to lie rotting in the silent grave, neither seeing, nor seen. here the Christian lifts up his head of comfort; Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit. I lose it not, because thou hast it: thou wilt keep it in peace, and g●…ue it me back again in eternal joy. Of just men. justice is ascribed to a Christian two ways: There is 1. Passiva justitia, a passive justice, Christ's righteousness imputed to him: and hereby he stands perfectly just before God. This the Apostle calls m Rom. 3. 22 The righteousness of GOD, which is by faith of jesus Christ unto all. n 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is made unto us righteousness. This justice is attained by faith; o Heb. 11. 7. Noah became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. o Rom. 4. 3. Abraham believed GOD, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Without this no spirit shall appear just before God in heaven. Our own righteousness is a covering too short to hide our nakedness: Christ's garment is a long rob, that covers all. 2. Activa justitia, active righteousness, an effect of the former: which is indeed a testimony that we are justified by Christ. p 1. john 3. 7. Let no man deceive you: he that doth righteousness, is righteous. Therefore saith james, q jam. 2. 24. A man is justified by his works: if his meaning had been that our own works simply acquit us before GOD; it could never be reconciled to that of his master; when we have done all we can, we must call ourselves unprofitable servants. Nor to that of his fellow; r Rom. 7. 23. I see a law in my members, warring against the law of my mind: nor to that of himself; s jam. 3. 2. In many things we sin all. Now this justice effective from God, active in us, is taken two ways; Latè and Strictè. In a larger sense it is taken for all Piety, and so justice and holiness are all one. Properly taken, justification is imputed, Sanctification inherent: but understanding our justness an effect of Christ's justice imputed to us, so justus and Sanctus are convertible terms. They are Just spirits, that is, they are Saints. Now if we desire to come ad Sanctos, to the Saints: we must live sanctè, a holy life. God by telling us who are in heaven, teacheth us who shall come to heaven; none but Saints. They are set before us as examples: Vt eorum sequamur gratiam, et consequamur gloriam: that steering their course, we might come to their Haven. The Scripture teacheth us Quid agendum, what is to be done: the Saints Quo modo, how it is to be done. Uita sanctorum, interpretatio scripturarum. The lives of holy men is a kind of Commentary or interpretation of the holy writ. Let us as we do by good copies, not only lay them before us, and look on them, but write after them. For it is not sufficient Legere, sed degere vitam sanctorum: not to read, but to lead the lives of Saints. Papists in this go too far, as evil men come too short. Good men imitate the Saints, but do not worship them: Papists worship the Saints, but do not imitate them: lewd men do neither. Perhaps they will imitate their infirmities: as if only for that they liked them, for which only God misliked them. The Saints are to be held as Patterns, not as patrons of our life. But the Papists praise not God in his Saints, nor the Saints for God, but as God. Only let us reverently walk in their grace, that we may joyfully come to their place. In a stricter sense it is taken for that moral virtue, which gives to every man his own. This virtue hath been highly commended in the heathen: but one saith truly, justitia ethnic orum miranda potius, quam laudanda: their justice deserved more admiration, than commendation: they wanted him that should make them just. They so affected this justice, that they took Surnames from it; Aristides was called justus: Scipio, justus: Fabius, justus. Their justice was no virtue, but a shadow of virtue. They neither knew the Lord Deum virtutis, nec Christum virtutem Dei; the God of virtue, nor Christ the virtue of God. Only jesus is justus. t 1. Pet. 3. 18. Christ suffered for sins, the just for the unjust. u Acts 3. 14. Ye denied the Holy one, and the Iust. There was another x Col. 4. 11. jesus called justus, a helper of the Apostles: but Christ is Dominus justitia nostra; y jer. 33. 16. The Lord our Righteousness. By him we are only made just: z Esa. 45. 25. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and glory. Being thus justified, let us be just: not doing that to others, which we would not have others do to us: and doing that to others which we desire to be done to ourselves. Some are just in small matters: so the pharisees a Mat. 23. 23. pay tithe of mint, & anise, and cummine; but omit weightier things. This is Pharisaica justitia, a Puritan righteousness: not to endure an hours recreation on the Sunday, yet to rob the Church by usurpations, to exact interests and forfeits; these be nothing. So the money might not be put into the Treasury, that might hire judas to betray his master. The ten brethren were so just, as to return the money in their sacks; yet stuck not to sell their brother joseph. Some are just in great things, not in small. As the other strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel: so these are like the net, that takes the great fishes, and le's go th●… little frie. Wantonness is no fault with them, if it extend not to adultery. They stick not to swear, so long as they swear not to a lie. Maliciously to hate, or peevishly to quarrel, is trivial; if they proceed not to blows and blood. So long as they are not drunk, swallow down wine, and spare not. De minimis non curat Lex; the Law takes no notice of small faults. But indeed Eadem ratio rotunditatis, there is the same respect of roundness in a penny, that is in a platter; though not of largeness. To steal the bridle, as to steal the horse, is Tamburlaine, though not Tantum: such a sin, though not so great a sin. Thou sayest minimum est, minimum est; it is little, it is little. Sed in minimo fidelem esse magnum est: to be faithful in a little is a great virtue. b Mat. 5. 19 Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. Erit minimus, that is Nullus: he shall be least in heaven, that is, he shall not be there at all. But well done good servant: c Luk. 19 17. Because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten Cities. Benè utere parvo, fruere magno: the just dispensation of a little, shall bring thee to be entrusted with much. Whether great or small we must be just, if we look ever to reign with these just spirits. Ad societatem justorum non admittuntur nisi justi. I wonder what place the defrauder expects; that wraps up his conscience in a bundle of stuffs, and swears it away. The buyer thinks he is just, and he is just cozened, no more. The Usurer would storm and stare, as if had seen a spirit, if he were taxed for unjust. Presently he consults (his Scriptures) his bonds, and (his Priest) his Scrivener: and there the one swears, the other shows in black and white, that he takes but ten in the hundred. Is he then unjust? Yes, d Ezek. 22. 16 Thou hast taken usury and increase, and hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion. He takes hire for that should be freely lent: is not this unjust? Besides, the people curse it, and they curse not but for injustice. e jer. 15. 10. I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent me on usury, yet every one doth curse me. Insinuating, that if a man lend upon usury, it is no wonder if the people curse him. Where must the Lay-Parson sit, that fats himself with the Tyth-graine, & will not give the poor Minister the straw? Is this just? He takes the tenth of his neighbour's profits, and never so much as reads him an Homely for it: is this just? He lays sactilegious hands on God's sanctified things, and never asks him leave: is this just? Where shall the Engrosser appear, that hoards up commodities bought with ready money, and when he vents them, makes the poor pay treble usury for it: is this just? What shall become of that unspeakably rich Transporter, who carries out men and money, to the impoverishing of the Land, and brings home gauds and puppets, fit for no bodies use but prides? Surely, as heaven is for Just spirits, so there is some other place for the unjust. f 1. Cor. 6. 9 Know ye not that the unjust shall not inherit the kingdom of God? If not God's kingdom, than the kingdom of darkness; downwards, hell. I do not say, that every unjust deed throws a soul thither: Iniustum esse damnat, non iniustè semel agere; to be unjust is damnable, not one thing unjustly done: the habit, not the act. But for others; Qui iniustè dominantur, i●…stè damnantur. They have unjustly lived, but they shall be justly condemned. Made perfect. This is a passive quality; non qui se perficiunt, sed qui perficiuntur: not such as have made themselves perfect, but are made perfect. The other property is actively expressed; Just, it is not said justified: not that they made themselves just, but that Christ's righteousness hath justified them; so both they are, and are reputed just. But here passively, Perfected: which plainly shows that all is from God: for omne maius includit minus. If only Christ make them perfect; then only Christ doth make them ●…ust. For it is nothing so difficult for a just man to become perfect, as for an evil man to become just. As it is easier for a man healed and directed the way, to come to the goal; then for him that lies lame in darkness. Qui dedit ingressum, must also dare progressum: conficere & perficere; to make and to make up, to do and to perfect, are both the works of God. We could never be just, unless Christ justify us: never come to perfection, unless he perfect us. He that begun this good work, must also finish it. Made perfect. In heaven are none but the perfect. Talis sedes expectat talem sessorem: such a house requires such an inhabitant. On earth there is a kind of Perfection: all the faithful are perfectly justified, but not perfectly sanctified. The reprobates are perfectè imperfecti: the godly imperfectè perfecti: those perfectly imperfect, these imperfectly perfect. They are so perfect that they are acquitted in Christ, and there remains no judgement for them, but only a declaration of their pardon. justification admits no latitude, in it nec magis nec minus, for none can be more than just. But the perfection of sanctity is wrought by degrees: non plenam induimus perfectionem, donec totam exuimus infectionem: all the stains of our infection must first be cleansed, and quite washed away; before this full perfection be given us. Christ's blood doth now wholly take from us the guiltiness of sin, not wholly the pollution of sin: that blessedness is reserved only for heaven. Let us therefore be perficientes, going and growing up, that at last we may be Perfecti, made perfecti. This is not wrought on a sudden; a child doth not presently become a man. Even the Lord jesus had his time of growing, and can any member grow faster than the Head? Indeed the malefactor on the cross shot up in an hour; but this was miraculous, and God seldom works by such miracles. God neither sends Angels from heaven, nor the dead from hell, to give warning to men upon earth. g Luk. 16. 31. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead. But repentance hath the promise of a Qandocunque; whensoever a sinner reputes, etc. I will not limit Gods infinite mercy; but only advise thy sick soul, who after a desperate and inveterate wound lookest for a sudden cure by repentance: it is better to make this thy diet, than thy physic. Repent every day, that thou mayst have remission one day. Melior medicus qui excludit morbos, quam qui curate. He is a better Physician that keeps diseases off us, than he that cures them being on us. Prevention is so much better than healing, because it saves the labour of being sick. Thou allowest not a Surgeon unnecessarily to break thy head, to try his skill, and the virtue of his plaster. Sprindges were better taken away quae non prosunt, because they do no good: then the setting of watchmen by them to warn travelers, ne noceant; that they be not hurt by them. Take away thy lusts quite, this is the way to be sure: for repentance may be like Baal, so fast asleep that all thy cries are not able to waken her. To conclude, he that will wear a crown in heaven, must be all his life on earth preparing the gold to make it. Not that thy own virtues crown thee, but that GOD without thy virtues will never crown thee. The rob of glory that is worn there, must be spun and woven here: spun out of the side of Christ by faith, and embroidered with our good works. That eternal light ariseth from this internal life. h 1. Tim. 6. 19 Lay up in store for yourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that you may lay hold on eternal life. The ground work of salvation is made here: that high Tower of glory that is built for thee in heaven, hath the foundation of it laid upon earth. How should a man be Perfectus, that was never factus, well begun? I wonder what perfection a wine-bibber looks for; sure to be a perfect drunkard. What perfection expects the luxurious prodigal: sure to be a perfect beggar. What perfection hopes the covetous Churl; that allows himself a race of fourscore years; and sets God at the latter end of it: and he hath that place too with this condition, that he trouble not his mind about it till the last day comes. Surely to live unblessed, and to die unpitied: but that some now bless God he's gone; and other say, it's pity he died no sooner. All his projections have aimed at this perfection, to make himself a perfect slave. What perfection dreams the jesuit to himself, but to become a perfect traitor? What perfection is likely to the incontinent adulterer, but to be a perfect Lazar. What the malicious, but a perfect villain: what the proud, but a perfect fool: what the blasphemer, but a perfect Devil? They say, early holiness proves ripe corruption: but I am sure, habituated profaneness proves rank damnation. Alas, how should they make an end, that never begin? This man began to build, saith Christ, but could not make an end: how should they finish that never began? you that spend your days in a lazy forgetfulness of religion, examine your own consciences: do you ever think to be perfect? Are you content still to be abortive, and shall you be perfected in the womb of the grave? God hath given you time and means: he did not say, Sumite & consumite: take it, and spend it at your pleasure. O begin, that you may continue and end: hear to learn, learn to do, do to continue, continue to be perfect. Begin betimes, lest Gods end come before your beginning. Enter into the way of Piety, and follow it: striving with all your powers to grow up i Eph. 4. 13. to a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. And to jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things then that of Abel. We have considered the glory of the City, the felicity of the Citizens; we are lastly come to the Mediator, who brings both these together, and without whom they had been everlastingly asunder. We are all by nature belonging not to Mount Zion, but to the valley of Hinnon: not to the celestial jerusalem, but to the infernal Babylon: not to the society of glorious Angels, but of afflicting Devils: not to the Church of the first borne, but to the assembly of abortive reprobates: we had no reference to God as a kind Father, but as a severe judge: not to just spirits made perfect from sin, but to lost spirits made perfect in sin. Thus were we by nature, but jesus hath brought us to Mount Zion, etc. How blessed a thing will it be to come unto this jesus! It was Saint Augustine's special wish, to have seen Christ in the flesh. If there were such comfort in seeing Christ humbled, if such admiration in seeing him transfigured, what joy is it to behold him in heaven glorified! How glorious a matter do some think it to stand in the Court of an earthly Prince, to receive a gracious look, to hear a royal word, or to be commanded some honourable service! what is it then to stand in the Court of heaven, to have the King of Kings speak peaceably to us, to behold our Lord jesus crowned with that immortal Diadem, to sing his praises as free from flattery, as from inconstancy, and to live in that Paradise for ever! Vbicunque fueris Domine jesu: wheresoever thou art O blessed Saviour, give us no more happiness then to be with thee. If thou be in the earth, we will travel day and night to come to thee; if on the sea, with Peter we will swim to thee: if on the Cross, we will stand weeping by thee: if riding in triumph, we will sing Hosanna to thee: if transfigured on Tabor, we will be ravished with thee: but if sitting in thy heavenly Throne, how blessed even to look upon thee! It is his k john 17. 24. will, that we should be with him where he is, and behold his glory. We are now come to him by a conjunction mystical, we shall then have a vicinity local, and eternal. The Mediator, not a Mediator, but The, That Mediator, that only one. l 1. Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ jesus. God was angry, man was guilty, Christ is the Mediator betwixt them: who being God, could satisfy God, and being man, could suffer for man. We are lost, and desire something to recover us: what shall that be? Mercy? No, God is just: he that hath offended must be punished. Shall it be justice? No, we have need of mercy: that he who hath offended might be spared. Here, to be so merciful as not to wrong his justice, to be so just as not to forget his mercy; there must be a Mediator. This must not be the world, that was Gods own before, he made it: not Angels, for they are engaged for their own creation; and being finite, cannot satisfy an infinite Majesty by infinite punishment for infinite sins. God's Son must do it: now if he come to satisfy for pride, he must put on humility: if for rebellion, he must put on obedience: if for stubbornness, he must put on patience: he must serve if he will deserve: this God alone cannot do: if to die, he must be mortal, this only God cannot be. Therefore this Mediator is made man, to be himself bound; as he is GOD to free others that are bound. Man to become weak, God to vanquish. Man to die, God to triumph over death. This is that sacred Ladder, whose top in heaven reaching to the bosom of God, expresseth his Divinity: & his foot on earth close to Jacob's loins, witnesseth his Humanity. We are bankrupt debtor, God is a sure Creditor, Christ sets all on his score. We are ignorant Clients, God is a skilful judge, Christ is our Advocate to plead our cause for us. God is a just Master, we are unfaithful, unfruitful, unprofitable servants, this Mediator takes up the matter between us. Of the new Covenant. For Moses may seem to be a Mediator of the Old Covenant. m Deut. 5. 5. I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to show you the Word of the Lord. This Mediatorship of the New covenant is a high office, compatible to none but the Lord jesus. Who should appear between a just God, and sinful men; but he that is mortal with men, and just with God? It is a Covenant, for there is something agreed on both sides: we covenant to believe, and God to forgive. A New covenant; there was cold comfort for us in the old. A man reading, Fac hoc et vines, Do this and thou shalt live: thinks of it as if he were bidden to catch a star from the firmament, & take it for his labour. But in the New, Crede et vine; believe & live for ever. The condition on man's part is believing, the covenant on God's part is Saving. Now, though it be true, that it is as easy for man of himself to fulfil the Law, as it is to believe the Gospel, yet the New covenant, Dat credere, gives a man power to believe: for faith is the fair gift of God. Praecipit non adiuvat Lex, offered et affert evangelium. The Law gives commandment, but not amendment: the Gospel brings salvation to our hearts, & our hearts to salvation. As it chargeth us, so it aideth us. As this Mediator gives Fidem quam credimus, the faith which we believe, mercy and remission: so also Fidem qua credimus, the faith whereby we believe, grace to apprehend this mercy. n Heb. 8. 6. Christ hath obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant, which was established upon better promises. Briefly here consider the excellency of this New and evangelical Covenant, above the Old and Legal. In the beginning God made man righteous: for he created him o Gene. 1. 27. in his own Image, which the Apostle says p Ephe. 4. 24. consisted in righteousness and the holiness of truth. But man soon defaced this goodly and godly picture. q Eccl. 7. 29. This I have found, that God made man righteous, but he sought out many inventions; waves to make himself wicked and wretched. Hence it followed that our restitution was a greater work than our constitution. The house was with more ease built up new, then repaired being old and ruinous. That was done per verbum enuntiatum, this per verbum annuntiatum. There he spoke the word, and all things were created: here the r john 1. 14. Word was made flesh: Fecit mira, tulit dira: passus dura verba, duriora verbera. There it was done by saying, Dic verbum tantùm: here by doing, yea by dying: suffering grievous words, more grievous wounds: Factus in terris, fractus in terris. There all begun in Adam, who was Terrae filius, a son of the earth: here all in Christ, who is Coeli Dominus, the Lord of Heaven. Spiritual life is better than natural, firmer, surer. There man had only a power to stand, but with it a power to fall, according to his own pleasure: here he hath a certainty of inseparable conjunction to Christ. He so stands as never to fall, so lives as never to die, so is loved as never to be hated. There Adam and Eve were married to propagate filios carnis, children of the flesh: here Christ is married to his Church, to beget filios spirituales, children in the Spirit: and that with a bond never to be divorced. Thus at first God commanded that to exist, which was not before: now he makes one contrary to be changed into another: flesh into spirit, darkness into light, corruption into holiness: greater miracles, then changing stones into bread; Dignus vindice nodus, a knot worthy the finger of God to untie. Here is the wonderful work of the New Covenant: we were made Ex spirituoris, redeemed ex sanguine cordis: created by the breath of God's mouth, but saved by the blood of his heart. Therefore not six Cherubims as in the vision of Esay, nor four and twenty Elders, as in the Revelation of john; but a royal Army of heavenly soldiers were heard praising GOD at the birth of jesus Christ. In sum, there is but one Mediator of the New Covenant: neither Saint nor Angel hath any part in this dignity. Melancth. Idem est multos Deos fingere, ac sanctos mortuos invocare: to worship old Saints, is to make new Gods. He that shall pray to dead men, dishonours the living Mediator. Saint Paul saith expressly, s 1. Tim. 2. 5. There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ jesus. Whence it is manifest, that it is the same blasphemous presumption to make more Mediators than one, that to make more Gods then one. here the Romanists distinguish; Christ is the sole Mediator of Redemption, not of Intercession. Opus est mediatore ad mediatore Christum. We must have a Mediator of intercession to this Mediator of redemption. A blind answer: for Paul directly there speaks of prayers and Intercession. ver. 1. etc. But say they, Our prayers are to be made to God alone, tanquam per cum implenda; because our desires are fulfilled only by him: but unto the Saints, tanquam per eos impetranda; because they are obtained by them. As if Christ were so busy that he could not tend to hear us: or so stately, that he would not bend to hear us: or so unjust, as to deny his own Venite, and not to perform his promise; t Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all that labour. We oppose against them that comfortable saying of S. john. u 1. joh. 2. 1. If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, jesus Christ, the righteous. They answer, Indeed Christ is our chief Advocate, Saints and Angels secondary or subordinate Advocates. But the word Advocate is borrowed of the Lawyers, & signifies him only that doth plead the justice of his client's cause. A stranger in the court may become a petitioner to the judge, & entreat favour for the person guilty: but Advocates are Patrons & Proctors of their Clients. Angels in heaven, & Saints on earth, are suitors in our behalf to God: but Christ alone is our Advocate. And upon good cause, for who but he can so well plead his own righteousness whereby he hath justified us? Therefore the Apostle calls him there our Propitiation: he that will be our Advocate, must also be our Propitiation: no Saints or Angels can be a Propitiation for us; therefore no Saints or Angels can be our Advocates. Augustine says, that if S. john had offered himself to this office, he had not been Apostolus, sed Antichristus. We object further Christ's promise. a john 16. 23. Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you. Not in mary's, or Peter, but in my Name. Bellarmine answers, that there may be a Mediator between disagreeing parties three ways. 1. By declaring who hath the wrong: and so there is no controversy; for all agree that GOD is the party grieved. 2. By paying the Creditor for the Debtor; so Christ is alone Mediator. 3. By desiring the Creditor to forgive the Debtor; and in this sense, he says Angels and Saints are Mediators. But this distinction is no other than Bellarmine's mincing; who indeed seems to be ashamed of the blasphemous phrases in their Missals. As Maria matter gratiae: Sancte Petre miserere mei, salva me, etc. These, saith he, are our words, but not our meanings; that Mary or Peter should confer grace on us in this life, or glory in the life to come. Yet both their School and Practice speaks more. For Aquin says, our prayers are effectual by the merits of Saints; & that Christ's intercession is gotten by the patronage of Apostles, by the intervention of Martyrs, by the blood of Becket, and merits of all Saints. And the practice of the people, is to hold Angels and Saints immediate Mediators, able to satisfy and save. But as one hath well observed; if every Saint in the Pope's Calendar be received as a Mediator, we shall worship unknown men, as the Athenians did unknown gods. For the best Papists doubt whether there were ever any S. George, or S. Christopher. But say they, The Virgin is a known Saint: she can and may by the right of a Mother command her Son Bon●…. Christ. Their whole Church sings, O foelix puerpera, nostra p●…ans scelera, inre matris impera. And Maria consolatio infirmorum, redemptio captivorum, liberatio damnatorum, salus universorum. They have given so much to the Mother, that they have left nothing for the Son. Ozorius the jesuit says, Caput gratiae Christus, Maria collum: Christ is the Head of grace, but Mary is the Neck: no grace can come from the head, but it must pass through the neck. They invocate her their Advocate: but of Christ's mediation the medium or better half is taken from him: as if he were still a child, in subjection to his Mother. But as he is Mariae filius, so he is Mariae Dominus: the Son and the Lord of his Mother. Therefore the first words that we read Christ ever spoke to his Parents, were rough, and by way of reproof. According to Saint Luke, these were his first: b Luke 2. 49. How is it that ye sought me? Witted ye not that I must be about my Father's business? According to Saint john more sharply, c john 2. 4. Woman, what have I to do with thee? Quanquàm locuta est iure matris, tamen duriter respondet. Where was then their Monstra te esse Matrem? Though at the command of his Mother he spoke, yet he spoke roughly. Whereas God's kingdom consists of his justice and Mercy; the Papists attribute the greatest part, which is his Mercy, to Mary: making her, as one noted, the Lady high Chancellor, & Christ as it were the Lord chief justice. As we appeal from the king's-bench bar to the Chancery, so a Papist may appeal from the Tribunal of God to the Court of our Lady. So they make her Domina fac totum: when one flatteringly wrote of Pope Adrian; Traiectum plantavit, Lovanium rigavit, Caesar autem incrementum dedit. Traiectum planted, Louvain watered, but the Pope gave the increase: one wittily underwrites; Deus interim nihil fecit; God did nothing the while. So if Mary be the comfort of the weak, the redeemer of captives, the deliverer of the damned, the salvation of all, the Advocate of the poor, the Patroness of the rich; then sure Christ hath nothing to do. No beloved; Abraham is ignorant of us, the blessed Virgin knows us not; but the Lord jesus is our Redeemer. Prayer is not a labour of the lips only, but an inward groaning of the spirit, a pouring out of the soul before God. Now Saints and Angels understand not the heart: it is d Psalm 7. 9 the righteous God that trieth the heart and the reins. Christ is the master of all Requests in the Court of Heaven, there needs no porter nor waiter. It is but praying, Lord jesus come unto me: and he presently answers, I am with thee. Hear me O Christ, for it is easy to thy power, and usual to thy mercy, and agreèable to thy promise. O blessed Mediator of the new Covenant, hear us. To the blood of sprinkling. Aspersionis, Hebraico more pro asperso. Two things are implied in the two words; Sacrificium and Beneficium. Blood, there is the sacrifice of Sprinkling, there is the benefit. To the blood. To speak properly, it is the death of Christ that satisfies the justice of God for our sins: and that is the true material cause of our redemption. Yet is this frequently ascribed to his blood. e Hebr. 9 14. The blood of Christ purgeth the Conscience from dead works. f joh. 19 34. Out of his pierced side came forth blood and water. As God wrote nothing in vain, so what he hath often repeated, he would have seriously considered. Non leviter praetereat lectura nostra, quod tam frequenter insculpsit Scriptura sacra. There are some reasons why our salvation is ascribed to CHRIST'S blood. 1. Because in the blood is the life. g Gen. 9 4. Flesh with the blood thereof, which is the life thereof, you shall not eat. Leu. 17. 14. The soul of a beast is in the blood, and in the blood is the life of every reasonable creature on earth. The effusion thereof doth exhausted the vital spirits, and death follows. In Christ's blood was his life; the shedding of that was his death: that death by the loss of that blood is our redemption. 2. Because this blood answers to the types of the legal sacrifices. This our Apostle exemplifies in a large conference. h Heb. 9 18. etc. The first Testament was not dedicated without blood. Moses sprinkling the book and all the people, said, This is the blood of the Testament. Almost all things are by the Law purged by blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission. No reconciliation, no remission without blood. All directed us to this Lamb of GOD, whose blood only vindicates us from eternal condemnation. Not that the blood of a mere man could thus merit; but of that man who is also God: therefore it is called the i Acts 20. 28. Blood of God. 3. Because blood is fitter for applyment to the heart of man; who is so weak in apprehension that GOD is feign to lead him as it were by the senses? Not that there is a necessary receiving of Christ's material blood by every one that shall be saved: so it might sprinkle upon the soldiers that crucified him, who yet might go to hell. But it is received Mentaliter & Sacramentaliter; there is a mental and a sacramental application. Thus we are said to drink his blood, that receive it spiritually by faith. The Papists in their opinion are fed orally with the very material blood of Christ: but then surely none of them can go to hell; for he that eats the flesh, and drinks the blood john 6. of the Son of Man, hath eternal life. But now the Priests, for fear belike lest too many of the people should be saved, and so Purgatory the Popedomes' pillar be quite overthrown, have taken away the Cup from them; and turned Christ's Bibite omnes into Bibite non omnes; Drink ye all, into drink ye only Priests, not the rest. When they had given this blood so high an honour, they thought it too good for the common sort. First they said, it is really in the Cup; there they gave it too much: then they took it from the people, there they gave them too little. First they strained it, and then they restrained it. But they answer, the people have this blood in the bread; for that is flesh, and can there be flesh without blood? If so, why then do themselves take the Cup? Either it is necessary for the people, or superfluous for the Priests. Unless they value a Clergy man's soul at a higher rate than a Layman's: as if Christ's blood were not shed for the one, so well as for the other. But to let go their sacrilegious absurdities, let us content ourselves spiritually to receive this blood, shed for us, and communicated to us. This blood is ready for application, if our hearts be ready for apprehension. To us it is, though not elementally, yet alimentally profitable. There is a blood that nourisheth, as the Pelican her young ones with her own blood; Christ so feeds our souls to salvation with this blood. There is a blood that mollifies; as the warm blood of a goat softens the Adamant: we have obdurate hearts if Christ's blood cannot melt them. There is a blood that purgeth as the Kids; so the k 1. john. 1. 7. blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin. There is a blood that colours, as the Deers; so doth Christ's blood give a pure colour to his Church; Thou art all fair my love. l Reu. 7. 14. These are they which have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. This blood is Semen vitae, substantia gratiae, fundamentum justitiae, aedificium meriti, magna charta coeli. A flux of blood in the head is staunched by opening a vein in the foot: but here to save all the members from bleeding to death, blood must be drawn from the Head. As Eve came out of Adam's side sleeping, so the Church is taken out of Christ's side bleeding. Thus God disposed it in mercy; Ut effundatur sanguis Christi, ne confundatur anima Christiani: that Christ's blood should be spilled, to save our souls from spilling. Of Aspersion; in relation to the typical manner. m Exod. 24. 8. Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people. To this alludes Paul here; and Peter calling it n 1. Pet. 1. 2. the sprinkling of the blood of jesus Christ. In the Passeover the doors were sprinkled with the blood of the Paschall Lamb; and the destroying Angel passed over them. All those whom the eternal judgement shall pass over, must have their hearts thus sprinkled. We have many spots, had need of many drops. For a spot of avarice a drop of this blood: for a spot of lust a drop of blood: for a spot of drunkenness a drop of blood: for a spot of oppression a great drop of blood: for the wounds and gashes of oaths, execrations, blasphemies, many drops of blood to staunch them. Yea we are not only sinners, but saith Micah, Sins: therefore must be soused and drenched in this blood, that we may be be clean. That speaketh better things then that of Abel. This is a Metaphor, to show the force of Christ's blood, so prevailing with God as if it had a tongue. The comparison is between Abel's blood and Christ's: now Abel's is said to cry; o Gen. 4. 10. The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. Clamitat in coelum vox sanguinis. So Christ's blood is said to speak; Quot vulnera, tot voces; so many wounds, so many words. There is great respondence of Christ to Abel. Abel was slain by his brother, Christ by his brethren; the voice of the jews was Crucify him. Abel was slain because he sacrificed; Christ was slain that he might be sacrificed. Cain envied Abel because he was accepted; the jews hated Christ because he was good. Abel might say to his brother; For my sacrifice dost thou kill me? Christ did say to the jews; For which of my good works do you stone me? Abel was so slain, that his blood was abundantly shed, and that in many places; for it is said Vox sanguinum; the voice of bloods. So Christ's blood was let out with thorns, scourges, nails, spear. As Cain sustained a threefold punishment; he was cursed in his soul, a vagabond on earth, unprosperous in his labours. So are the jews plagued; they have no place they can call their own; when they have heaped up riches, some other takes them away; they cannot see their own City but they must pay for it; they are cursed in their obstinate blindness: thus according to their own request, the blood of Christ is upon them and upon their children. But now Christ's blood speaks better things: Abel's cried vindictam, Christ's speaks misericordiam. That, Lord see and revenge; this, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. God hath an ear of mercy, so well as of justice. If he heard that blood speaking for confusion, than he will hear this speak for remission. If he heard the Servant, he will much rather hear the Son: if he heard the servant for spilling, he will much more hear the Son for saving. Postula à me, saith God to his Son: p Psal. 2. 8. Ask of me, and I will give thee: the Father will deny the Son nothing. Thus hath he saved us Prece & Pretio, by his blood, and that a speaking blood: if that blood speak for our safety, nothing shall confound us. Now the blood of this Mediator our Lord jesus speak for us to the Father of mercy, that the Holy Ghost may seal us up to eternal redemption. To whom, three persons, one blessed God, be praise for ever. Amen. THE WORLD'S GREAT RIDERS: OR, The rage of Oppression. PSALM. 66. 12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads: we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. THIS verse is like that Sea, Math. 8. 24. So tempestuous at first, that the vessel was covered with waves: but Christ's rebuke quieted all, and there followed a great calm. here are cruel Nimrods' riding over innocent heads, as they would over fallow lands; and dangerous passages through fire and water: but the storm is soon ended, or rather the passengers are landed. Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. So that this strain of David's music or Psalmody consists of two notes; one mournful, the other mirthful: the one a touch of distress, the other of redress: which directs our course to an observation of Mise●…e, Mercy; of grievous misery, of gracious Mercy. There is desolation, and Consolation in one verse: a deep dejection, as laid under the feet of beasts; a high erection, brought out into a wealthy place. In both these strains God hath his stroke: he is a principal in this Consort. He is brought in for an Actor, Author; an Actor in the Persecution, an Author in the deliverance. Thou causest, etc. Thou broughtest etc. In the one he is a causing worker, in the other a sole-working cause. In the one he is joined with company, in the other he works alone. He hath a finger in the former; his whole hand in the latter. We must begin with the Misery, before we come to the Mercy. If there were no trouble, we should not know the worth of a deliverance. The passion of the Saints is given by the hearty and ponderous description, for very grievous: yet it is written in the forehead of the Text, The Lord caused it. Thou causedst men to ride, etc. Hereupon some wicked Libertine may offer to rub his filthiness upon God's purity; and to plead an authentical derivation of all his villainy against the Saints from the Lords warrant: He caused it. We answer to the justification of Truth itself, that God doth ordain and order every persecution, that striketh his children; without any allowance to the instrument that gives the blow. God works in the same action with others, not after the same manner. In the affliction of job were three Agents: God, Satan, and the Sabeans. The Devil works on his body, the Sabeans on his goods: yet job confesseth a third party. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Here Oppressors trample on the godly, and God is said to cause it. He causeth affliction for trial: (so ver. 10. and 11. Thou hast tried us, etc.) they work it for malice: neither can God be accused, nor they excused. In a sinful action there be two things: the Material, and the Formal part: which we commonly distinguish into the act and defect. The Material part is of GOD; from whom is all Motion: the Formal is from the pravity of the agent. Persecutors could not accuse us maliciously, if GOD gave not motion to their tongues; nor strike us wrongfully, if he denied strength to their hands. Thought, sight, desire, speech, strength, motion are Gods good gifts: to turn all these to his dishonour, is the wicked persons fault. God hath another intent, than man hath, even in man's work. The Chaldeans steal jobs wealth, to enrich themselves: the Devil afflicts his body, in his hatred to mankind: God suffers all this for the trial of his patience. Man for covetousness, the devil for malice, God for probation of the afflicted's constancy, and advancing his own glory. In the giving of Christ to death, as Augustine observes; the Father gave the Son, the Son gave Epist. 48. himself, judas betrayed him, and the jews crucified him. In one and the same tradition, God is to be blessed, and man condemned. Quia in re una quam fecerunt, causa non una ob quam fecerunt. Because in that same thing they all did, there was not the same cause why they all did it. God's end was love, judas his avarice, the jews malice. The covetous Extortioner taketh away the goods of his neighbour; that robber spoileth. He could have no tongue to plead, nor wit to cirumvent, nor hands to carry away, without God: from him he hath those creatures, that notion and motion. But to pervert all these to damnify others, and to damn himself, ariseth from his own avarous and rancorous pravity. His intent is wicked; yet not without God's wisdom to raise profit from it. Perhaps the oppressed had too good a liking to the World, and began to admit a little confidence in their wealth: the Lord hath benefited them, in taking away these snares, to save their souls. Yet without toleration, countenance, or help to the wicked. The Usurer hath done thee good: by making thee poor in purse, helped thee to the riches of grace; yet he goes to hell for his labour. They that do GOD service against their wills, shall have but shrewd wages. It cannot be denied, but the devil did God service; in trying job, winnowing Peter, buffeting Paul, executing judas: yet shall not all this ease the least torment of his damnation. For trial here, are these oppressors suffered to ride over the godly's heads, and to drive them through fire and water: when these have like furnaces, purged them from dross & corruption, themselves shall be burnt. For it is usual with God, when he hath done beating his children, to throw the rod into the fire. Babylon a long time shall be the Lords Hammer to bruise the Nations, at last itself shall be bruised. judas did an act, that redounds to God's eternal honour, and our blessed salvation, yet was his wages the gallhouse. All these hammers, axes, rods, saws, swords, instruments, when they have done those offices they never meant, shall for those they have meant, be thrown to confusion. I will now leave God's justice to himself; and come to the injustice of these Oppressors, and the passion of the sufferers. And because the quality of these latter shall add some aggravation to the cruel malice of the former; I will first set before your eyes the Martyrs. The Psalm being written by David, and the suffrers spoken of in the first person plural; We, Us, and Our: it follows, that it was both David, and such as David was; beloved of God, holy, Saints. And whom doth the world think to ride over, but Saints? Psal. 44. 22. Who should be appointed to the slaughter, but Sheep? The Wolf will not pray on the Fox, he's too crafty: nor on the Elephant, he's too mighty: nor on a dog, he's too equal: but on the silly Lamb, that can neither run to scape, nor fight to conquer. They write of a Bird, that is the Crocodiles tooth-picker, and feeds on the fragments left in his teeth whiles the serpent lies a sunning: which when the unthankful Crocodile would devour, God hath set so sharp a prick on the top of the Birds head, that he dares not shut his jaws till it be gone. And they speak of a little Fish, that goes bristling by the Pike, or any other ravenous water-creature, and they dare not for his pricks & thorns, touch him. Those whom Nature or Art, strength or sleight, have made inexposable to easy ruin, may pass unmolested. The wicked will not grapple upon equal terms: they must have either local or ceremonial advantage. But the godly are weak and poor; and it is not hard to pray upon prostrate fortunes. A low hedge is soon trodden down; and over a wretch dejected on the base earth, an insulting enemy may easily stride. Whiles David is down, (or rather in him figured the Church) the plowers may plow upon Psal. 129. 3. his back, and make long their furrows. But what if they ride over our heads, and wound our flesh, let them not wound our patience. Though we seal the bond of conscience with the blood of innocence; though we lose our lives, let us not lose our patience. Lactantius De falsa Sapient. lib. 4. says of the Philosophers, that they had a sword, and wanted a buckler: but a buckler doth better become a Christian, than a sword. Let us know, Non nunc honoris nostri tempus esse; sed doloris, sed passionis; that this is not the time of our joy and honour, but of our passion and sorrow. Therefore, let us with patience run the race, etc. Heb. 12. 2. But leave we ourselves thus suffering; and come to speak of that we must be content to feel, the oppression of our enemies. Wherein we will consider the Agents, Actions. The Agents Are Men. Thou hast caused men to ride, etc. Man is a sociable living creature, and should converse with man in love and tranquillity. Man should be a supporter of man, is he become an overthrower? He should help and keep him up, doth he ride over him, and tread him under foot? O Apostasy, not only from divinity, but even from humanity. Quid homini inimicissimum? Homo. The greatest Sen. danger that befalls man, comes whence it should least come; from man himself. Caetera animantia, saith Pliny, in suo genere, probe degunt, etc. lions fight not with Lions: Serpents spend not their venims on serpents: but Man is the main suborner of mischief to his own kind. It is reported of the Bees, that ●…grotante una, lament●…ntur omnes: when one is sick, they all mourn. And of Sheep, that if one of them be faint, the rest of the flock will stand between it and the Sun, till it be revived, only man to man is most pernicious. We know that a bird, yea a bird of rapine, once fed a man in the Wilderness: 1. King. 17. 6. Dan. 6. 22. that a beast, yea a beast of fierce cruelty, spared a man in his den. Whereupon saith a learned Father, Ferae parcunt, aves pascunt, hommes saeviunt. The birds feed Cypr. Ser. 6. man, and the beasts spare him; but man rageth against him. Wherefore, I may well conclude with Solomon, Prou. 17. Let a Bearerobbed of her whelps meet a man, rather Prou. 17. 12. than a fool in his folly. God hath hewn us all out of one rock, tempered all our bodies of one clay, and spirited our souls of one breath. Therefore saith Augustine, Sith we proceed all out of one stock, let us all be of one mind. Beasts molest not their own kind; and birds of a feather fly lovingly together. Not only the blessed Angels of heaven agree in a mutual harmony; but even the very devils of hell are not divided, lest they ruin their kingdom. We have one greater reason of unity and love observed, than all the rest. For whereas God made not all Angels of one Angel: nor all beasts of the great Behemoth: nor all fishes of the huge Leviathan: nor all birds of the majestical Eagle: yet he made all men of one Man. Let us then not jar in the dispensation of our minds, that so agree in the composition of our natures. You see how inhuman and unnatural it is, for man to wrong man; of his own kind, and as it were, of his own kin. Thus for the Agents. The Action Is amplified in divers circumstances; climbing up by rough stairs to a high transcendency of Oppression. It ariseth thus; In Riding. Riding over us. Riding over our Heads. Driving us through fire and water. 1. They ride. What need they mount themselves upon beasts, that have feet malicious enough to trample on us? They have a Foot of Pride, Psalm. 36. from which Psal. 36. 11. David prayed to be delivered. A presumptuous heel, which they dare lift up against God; and therefore a tyrannous toe, to spurn dejected man. They need not horses and mules, that can kick with the foot of a revengeful Psal. 32. 9 malice. 2. Over us. The way is broad enough wherein they travel, for it is the devils road; they might well miss the poor: there is room enough besides, they need not ride Over us. It were more brave for them to justle with champions, that will not give them the way: we never contend for their path: they have it without our envy, not without our pity: why should they ride Over us? 3. Over our heads. Is it not contentment enough to their pride to ride? to their malice, to ride over us? but must they delight in bloodiness, to ride over our heads? will not the breaking of our arms and legs, and such inferior limbs, satisfy their indignation? Is it not enough to wrack our strength, to mock our innocence, to pray on our estates; but must they thirst after our bloods and lives? Quò tendit saua libido? whither will their madness run? But we must not tie ourselves to the latter. here is a mystical or metaphorical gradation of their cruelty. Their Riding Over us Over our heads is Proud Malicious Bloody Oppression. They Ride. This phrase describes a vice compounded of two damnable ingredients; Pride, and Tyranny. It was a part of God's fearful curse to rebellious recidivation, Deut. 28. that their enemies should ride and triumph over them; and they should come down very low, under their feet. It is delivered for a notorious mark of the great Whore of revel. 17. 4. Babylon's pride, that she rides upon a scarlet-colou'rd Beast. Saint Paul seems to apply the same word to oppression. 1. Thes. 4. That no man oppress his brother. The original 1. Thes. 4. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; to go upon him, climb on him, or tread him under foot. O blasphemous height of villainy; not only by false slanders to betray a man's innocence, nor to lay violent hands upon his estate; but to trip up his heels with frauds, or to lay him along with injuries, and then to trample on him! And because the foot of man, for that should be soft and favouring, cannot dispatch him, to mount upon beasts, wild and favage affections, and to ride upon him. Over us. This argues their malice. It were a token of wilful spite for a horseman, in a great road, to refuse all way, and to ride over a poor traveler. Such is the implacable malice of these persecutors. Esa. 59 Wasting and destruction Esa. 59 7. are in their paths: yea, wasting and destruction are their paths. They have fierce looks, and truculent hearts: their very breath is ruin, and every print of their foot vastation. They neither reverence the aged, nor pity the sucking infant: Virgins cannot avoid their rapes, nor women with child their massacres. They go, they run, thy stride, they ride over us. The language of their lips, is that which Babylon spoke concerning jerusalem: down with it, down with it, Psal. 137. 7. even to the ground. Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof. Desolation sits in their eyes, and shoots out through those fiery windows, the burning glances of waste, havoc, ruin: till they turn a land into solitude; into a Desert, and habitation for their fellow-beasts, and their worse selves. O unmerciful men! that should be to men kind as God; but are more ragingly noxious than wolves. They have lost the nature, let them also lose the name of men. Uix repperit unum, Talibus è multis, hominem consultus Apollo. But it is ever true: Optimi corruptio pessima. The fairest flowers putrefied, stink worse than weeds: even an Angel falling became a Devil: and man debauched, strives to come as near this Devil as he can. They should put their hands under our falling heads, and lift us up: but they kick us down, and ride over us. Over our heads. This notes their bloodiness, unpacifiable but by our slaughters. The pressing, racking, or breaking of our inferior limbs contents not their malice: they must wound the most sensible and vital part, our heads. The Lord be blessed, that hath now freed us from these bloody ridings; and sent us peace with Truth. Yet can we not be forgetful of the past calamities in this Land; nor insensible of the present in other places. The time was when the Bonners and butchers road over the faces of God's Saints, and madefied the earth with their bloods; every drop whereof begot a new believer. When they martyred the living with the dead; burned the impotent wife with the husband; who is content to die with him, with whom she may not live; yea, rejoicing to go together to their Saviour. When they threw the newborn (yea scarce-borne) infant, dropping out of the mother's belly, into the mother's flames: whom, if they had been Christians, they would first have Christened, if not cherished. This was a fiery zeal indeed; set on flame with the fire of hell. They love fire still: they were then for faggots, they are now for powder. If these be Catholics, there are no Cannibals. They were then mounted on horses of authority, now they ride on the wings of policy. Our comfort is, that though all these, whether persecutors of our faith, or oppressors of our life, ride over our particular heads, yet we have all one Head, whom they cannot touch. They may massacre this corporal life, and spoil the local seat of it, whether in head or heart: but our spiritual life, which lies and lives in our Head jesus Christ, they cannot reach. No hellish stratagems, nor combined outrages; no human powers, nor devilish principalities can touch that life: for it is a Colos. 3. 3. hid with Christ in God. Indeed this Head doth not only take their blows, as meant at him; but he even suffers with us. b Acts 9 4. Saul, why persecutest thou me? Saul strikes on earth, Christ jesus suffers in heaven. There is more lively sense in the Head, then in other members of the body. Let but the toe ache, and the head manifests by the countenance a sensible grief. The body of the Church cannot suffer, without the sense of our blessed Head. Thus saith Paul, c 2. Cor. 1. 5. The sufferings of Christ abound in us. These afflictions are the showers that follow the great storm of his passion. d Colos. 1. 24. We fill up that which is behind, of the affliction of Christ in our flesh. We must be content for him, as he was for us, to weep, and groan, and bleed, and die, that we may reign. If we e Psalm. 126. 5. sow not in tears, how shall we look to reap in joy? how shall we shine like stars in heaven, if we go not through this fiery trial? or land at the haven of bliss, if we pass not the waves of this troublesome water? You see the Riders: but you will say, What is this to us? we have no such riders. Yes, many; too many; even so many as we have Oppressors, either by tongue or hand. Shall I name some of them? The malicious slanderer is a perilous Rider; and he rides like death upon a f revel. 6. 8. pale horse, Envy. Thus were the pharisees mounted, when they road over Christ, even the Head of our heads. If jesus will not be a Pharise, they will nail him to the Crosse. These venomous Cantharideses light upon God's fairest flowers: and strive, either to blast them with their contumelious breaths, or to tread them under their malicious feet. The griping Usurer is a pestilent Rider; and he is mounted on a heavy jade, Mammon or love of money. Every step of this beast wounds to the heart, and quasheth out the lifeblood. O that this sordid beast of usury, with all his ponderous and unwieldy trappings; bills, obligations, pawns, mortgages, were thrown into a fire temporal; that the riders converted soul might be saved from the fire eternal. If any Alcibiades had authority and will, to kindle such a fire in England as was once at Athens, I believe that no tears would be shed to quench it: but the music of our peace would sound merrily to it: and the rather, because there would be no more groans to mollify it. The destructive depopulator is another pestiferous Rider. He is a light Horseman; he can leap hedges and ditches, and therefore makes them in the midst of plain fields. He loves to ride in his own ground; and for this purpose expelleth all neighbours. Though Solomon says, that the King is served by the field that is tilled: ye he, as if he were wiser than Solomon, promiseth to serve him better Eccl. 5. 9 with grass. He posteth after the poor, and hunts them out of his Lordship. He rides from town to town, from village to village, from land to land, from house to house; à doloso fur to ad publicum latrocinium, and never rests till he hath rid to the Devil. And there is a fourth Rider gallops after him amain, as if he had sworn not to be hindmost, the oppressing Landlord: and he rides upon a horse that hath no pace but racking; for that is the Master's delight, racking of rents: and he hath two Lacquays or Pages run by him, Fines, and Carriages. Thus ascended, & attended, twice a year at least, he rides over the heads and hearts of the poor Tenants: that they can no more grow in wealth, than corn can that is scattered in the high way: for they as that, are continually overriden by their merciless Landlords. Let these riders take heed, lest the curses of the poor stumble their horses, and break their necks. The churlish Cormorant is a mischicuous Rider: he sits on a black jade, Covetousness; and rides only from market to market, to buy up grain, when he hath store to sell: and so hatcheth up dearth in a year of plenty. Our Land is too full of these riders: they repine & complain of the unseasonableness of the weather, of the barrenness of the earth: but they conceal the true cause, whereof their own souls are conscious, their uncharitableness. The earth hath never been so frozen as their consciences: nor is the ground so fruitless of plenty, as they of pity. This is not mala terra, bona gens; but mala gens, bona terra: we have bad minds, good materials. The earth hath not scanted her fruits, but our concealings have been close, our enhancing ravenous, our transportations lavish. The Lord sends grain, and the devil sends garners. The imprecations of the poor shall follow these ●…iders, and the ears of God shall attend their cries. There is the proud Gallant, that comes forth like a May-morning, decked with all the glory of Art; and his adorned Lady, in her own imagination a second Flora: and these are Riders too, but closer riders: the world with them runs upon wheels; and they hastening to overtake it, outrun it. Their great revenues will not hold out with the year: the furniture on their backs exceeds their rent-day. Hence they are feign to wring the poor spundges of the Country, to quench the burning heat of the City. Therefore say the Countrymen, that their Carts are never worse employed, then when they do service to Coaches. There is the fraudulent Tradesman; that rides no further than between the Burse and the shop, on the back of a quick-spirited hobby called Cheating: and whereas greatness presseth the poor to death with their weight, this man trips up their heels with his cunning. They have one God at the Church, another at their shops: and they will fill their coffers, though they fester their consciences. This Rider laughs men in the face, whiles he treads on their hearts; his tongue knows no other pace, but a false gallop. The bribe-groping Officer, in what Court soever his dition lies, is an oppressing Rider: they that would have their suits granted, must subject their necks to his feet, and let him ride over them. He confutes the old allegory of justice, that is usually drawn blind; for he will see to do a Petitioner ease by the light of his angels. Nothing can unlock his lips but a golden key. This Rider's horse, like that proud Emperors, must be shod with silver: and the poor man must buy of him, and that at a dear rate, his own treading on. I come to him last, whom I have not lest cause to think upon, the Church-defrauder; that rides upon a winged horse, as if he would fly to the devil, called Sacrilege. He may appear in the shape of a Protestant, but he is the most absolute Recusant; for he refuseth to pay God his own. He wears the Name of Christ, for the same purpose the Papists wear the Cross; only for a charm. These are the Merchants of souls, the Pirates of God's Ship the Church, the underminers of Religion; that are still practising trains to blow it up. They will not pay their Levites, their Levites must pay them. They will not part with their Cures, whereof they have the donation, but upon purchase. But it is no wonder if they sell the Cures, that have first sold their souls. The charitable man dreams of building Churches, but starts to think that these men will pull them down again. There is yet one other Rid●…r, though he spurs post, must not pass by me un-noted: the Truth-hating jesuit, that comes trotting into England on a red horse, like Murder; dyped and died in the blood of souls; and if he can reach it, in the blood of bodies too. Neither doth he thirst so much after ordinary blood, that runs in common veins, as after the blood-royal. There is no disease, saith one, that may so properly be called the King's-evil. He is the devils makebate, and his chief Officer to set Princes together by the ears. He sits like the Raven, on a dead bough; and when the Lion and Leopard come forth to fight, he sounds out a point of wa●…re; hoping which soever falls, his carcase shall serve him for a prey to feed on. His main study is to fill the Schools with clamours, the Church with errors, the Churchyard with corpses, and all Christian states with Tragedies. The Seminaries were once, like that strange weed, Tobacco at the first coming up; but here and there one entertained in some Great man's house; now you may find them smoking in every cottage. The have deservingly increased the disgrace of that Religion: so that now in the common censure, A Papist is but a new word for a Traitor. They received their errand at Tiber, and they deliver it at Tyburn. There are many other Riders, so properly ranking themselves in this number, and assuming this name; which for modesty's sake, I bury in silence. Considering, that Quaedam vitia nominata d●…centur: some sins are taught by reproving their names. But I perceive a prevention: I have not time enough to end our misery, much less to enter the speech of our mercy. The journey they make us take through fire and water, requires a more punctual tractation, than your patience will now admit. Two short uses shall send away our Oppressors with fear; ourselves with joy. 1. For them; let all these tyrannous Riders know, that there is one rides after them; a great one, a just one; even he that rides on the wings of the wind, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He that hath a bridle for these Senacheribs', and strikes a s●…affle through their jaws; and turns their violence with more ease, than the wind doth a fane on the housetop. Then a horse shall be but a vain thing to save a man, saith the Psalmist. Horse and Master shall fall together. Then the covetous Nimrod, that road on the black beast Oppression, shall be thundered down from his proud height; and the jade that carried him shall dash out his brains, and lie heavier than a thousand talents of lead on his conscience. His oppression shall damn himself, as before it did damnify others. It was to them a momentany vexation, it shall be to him an eternal pressure of torment. Then the bloud-drawing Usurer, that road so furiously on his jade Extortion, shall (if timely deprecation and restitution stay him not) run full butt against the gates of hell, and break his neck. And he that at the bars of temporal judgements, cried out for nothing but justice, justice, and had it: shall now cry louder for mercy, mercy, and go without it. And let the Cormorant, that rides ever on the back of Engrossing, whose soul is like Erisicthons' bowels in the Poet, Quodque urbibus esse, Quodque satis poterat populo, non sufficit uni. that starves men to feed vermin; know, that there is a Pursuivant flies after him; that shall give him an eternal arrest, and make him leave both Horreum and hordeum, his barn and his barley; to go to a place, where is no food but fire and anguish. And the lofty Gallant, that rides over the poor with his Coaches and Caroches, drawn by two wild horses, Pride and Luxury; let him take heed, lest he meet with a wind that shall take off his Charriot-wheeles, as Pharaoh was punished; & drown horses, and chariots, & Riders; Exod. 14. not in the Red-Sea; but in that infernal Lake, whence there is no redemption. Let all these Riders beware, lest he that rides on the wings of vengeance, with a sword drawn in his hand, that will eat flesh, and drink blood; that will make such haste in the pursuit of his enemies, that he will not bait or refresh himself by the way; lest this God before they have repent overtake them. g Psal. 45. 4. 5. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty; and in thy majesty ride prosperously, etc. and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Then shall the h Psal. 137. 7. 8. Lord remember the children of Edom in the day of jerusalem; and reward them, as they served us. Lo now the end of these Riders: i Psal. 36. 11. Zach. 10. 5. There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise. Zach. 10. The riders on horses shall be confounded. 2. For us, though passion possess our bodies, let patience possess our souls. The law of our Profession binds us to a warfare: patiendo vincimus our troubles shall end, our victory is eternal. Hear David's triumph, Psalm 18. I Psal. 18. 38, 39, 40. have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. Thou hast subdued under me, those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the neck of mine enemies, etc. They have wounds for their wounds: and the treaders down of the poor, are trodden down by the poor. The Lord will subdue those to us, that would have subdued us to themselves: and though for a short time they road over our heads, yet now at last we shall everlastingly tread upon their necks. Lo than the reward of humble patience, and confident hope. Speramus et Superamus. k Deut. 32. 31 Psalm. 20. 7. Our God is not as their God, even our enemies being judges. Psal. 20. Some put their trust in Chariots, and some in horses. But no Chariot hath strength to oppose, nor horse swiftness to escape, when God pursues. They are brought down, and fallen: we are risen, & stand upright. Verse. 8. Their trust hath deceived them; down they fall, and never to rise. Our God hath helped us; we are risen; not for a breathing space, but to stand upright for ever. temptations, persecutions, oppressions, crosses, infamies, bondage, death; are but the way wherein our blessed Saviour went before us; and many Saints followed him. Behold them with the eyes of faith, now mounted above the clouds, trampling all the vanities of this world under their glorified feet; standing on the battlements of heaven, and wafting us to them with the hands of encouragement. They bid us fight, and we shall conquer; suffer, and we shall reign. And as the Lord jesus, that once suffered a reproachful death at the hands of his enemies, now sits at the right hand of the Majesty in the highest places, far above all Principalities and Powers, Thrones and Dominations, till his enemies be made his footstool. So one day, they that in their haughty pride, & merciless oppressions, rode over our heads, shall then lie under our feet. Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy Name will we tread them under that rise up against us. At what time yonder glorious sky, Coelum stellatum, which is now our ceiling over our heads, shall be but a pavement under our feet. To which glory, he that made us by his Word, and bought us by the blood of his Son, seal us up by his blessed Spirit. Amen. THE VICTORY OF PATIENCE: With the expiration of Malice. PSALM. 66. 12. We went through fire, and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. I DID not, in the former Sermon, draw out the oppressing cruelty of these Persecutors, to the utmost scope and period of their malice: nor extend their impium imperium to the furthest limit and determination thereof. There is yet one glimpse of their stinking candle, before the snuff goes out; one groan ere their malice expire. We went through fire and water. The Papists, when they hear these words, went through fire and water; startle, and cry out, Purgatory: direct proofs for Purgatory. With as good reason, as Sedulius, on that dream of Pharaohs Officer, Gen. 40. 10. A vine was before me; and in the vine were three branches: says that Apol. contr. Alcor. Francisca. li. 2. c. 1 the Vine signifies St. Francis; and the three branches the three Orders derived from him. And as a Pope on that of Samuel: Behold, to obey is better th●…n sacrifice: and stubbornness 1. Sam. 15. 22. is as Idolatry: infers, that not to obey the apostolic See of Rome, was Idolatry by the witness of Samuel. Or as one writes of St. Fra●…cis; that because it is said, Unless you become as little children, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven; he commanded one Massaeus to tumble round like a little child, that he might enter. Or as, when the contention was betwixt the Services of Am●…se and Gregory, which should take place; by the common consent both the Masse-bookes were laid on the 〈◊〉. de Vorag. in vita Gregor. Altar of S. Peter; expecting some decision of that doubt by revelation. The Church doors being opened in the morning, Gregory's Missal-booke was rend and torn into many pieces; but Ambroses' lay whole, and open upon the Altar. Which event, in a sober exposition, would have signified the Mass of Gregory canceled and abolished: and that of Ambrose authentical and allowed. But the wise Pope Adrian expounds it thus: that the renting and scattering of Gregory's Missal intended, that it should be dispersed over all the Christian world, and only received as Canonical. Or as that simple Friar, that finding Maria in the Scripture, used plurally for Seas; cried out in the ostentation of his lucky wit, that he had found in the old Testament the name of Maria, for the Virgin Mary. But I purpose not to waste time in this place; and among such hearers, in the confutation of this ridiculous folly. Resting myself on the judgement of a worthy learned man in our Church; that Purgatory is nothing 〈◊〉. pag. 106. de Purgator. else but a Mythology; a moral use of strange fables. As when Pius the second had fent abroad his Indulgencies, to all that would take Arms against the Turk; the Turk wrote to him, to call in his Epigrams again. Or as Bellarmine excused Prudentiu●…, when he appoints certain De Purgator. lib. 2. cap. 18. holidays in hell, that he did but poetize. So all their fabulous discourse of Purgatory is but Epigrams & poetry; a more serious kind of jest. Wherein they laugh among themselves, how they cozen the world, and fill the Pope's coffers. Who for his advantage, Ens non esse facit, non ens fore. So that if Roffensis gather out of this Contr. Luther. Art. 37. place, that in Purgatory there is great store of water; We went through fire and water. We may oppose against him Sir Thomas More; who proves from Zachary 9 that there Zach. 9 11. is no water at all. I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water. Set then the frost against the rain, and you may go in Purgatory dry-shod. If there be nothing left but fire, I make no question, but there is not a spark difference betwixt Purgatory and Hell. I should narrow up the scope and liberty of God's spirit, if I should here tie my discourse to the letter. We went through fire, and through water. It is an effect of our persecution; and may thus be resolved: we were by their malice driven to great extremity. Fire and water are two elements, which (they say) have no mercy: yet either of them more than our oppressors. The time was that a red Sea divided the waters; and gave dry passage to the children Exod. 14. of Israel and of God. Whereof the Psalmist here Psal. 66. 6. sings, vers. 6. He turned the Sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot, there did we rejoice in him. And the fire in an Oven, whose heat was septupled, touched not those three servants of the Lord. But these more incensed and insensible creatures have no mercy; nor can they invent a cruelty, which they forbear to execute. Some translations have it: We went into fire, and into water: which extends their persecution to our deaths, and comprehends the latitude of mortal martyrdom. And thus understood, the next words, of the deliverance (Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place) must be meant of our glory in heaven. But the evident circumstances following deny that interpretation: therefore I adhere to the last and best Translation; We went through fire and through water. Wherein two things may seem to be imported, and imparted to our consideration. 1. We went. They went so conveniently as they might, and so conscionably as they durst, from the hands of their persecutors. 2. The hard exigents they were driven to; when to pass through fire and water, was but a less evil compared with that they eschewed. Per mare mactantes fugimus, per saxa, per ignes. 1. From the former observe, that it may be lawful in time of persecution to fly. This was granted, yea in some respects enjoined by Christ. But must be warily understood; and the rule in a word may be this. When our suffering may stand the Church of God in better stead than our flying; we must then lose our lives, to save God's honour and our own souls. To deny God this fealty and tribute of our bloods, when his glory hath use of such a service at our hands, is not only to deny him that is his own by many dear titles; of creation which was ex spiritu oris, by the breath of his mouth; and of redemption which was ex sanguine cordis, by the blood of his heart. But to withdraw this justly required testimony, is to betray and crucify him; and scarce inferior to their perjury, whose false witness condemned him. In this we restore to God his talon with profit; not only our own soul he gave us, but as many more as our example works upon, and wins to him. When the people admired the great bounty of john, called Eleemosynarius, Lorin. he answered them; O brethren, I have not yet shed my blood for you, as I ought to do for my master's sake and testimony. In the early morning of the world, did Abel dedicate Martyrdom, without example: and the Lord did approve it by accepting Abel's sacrifice, and Chrysost. Abel for a sacrifice. I have read that a worthy Martyr of ours, Dr. Rowland Taylor, wrote first▪ with ink, & after with his blood; that it is not enough to profess the Gospel of Christ ad ignem exclusive; but we must cleave to it ad ignem inclusiuè. This was an honour that Christ accepted presently after his birth, the Holocaust or Heccatomb of many innocent infants, murdered and martyred for Math. 2. his sake. So that suffering for jesus, is a thing to which he promiseth an ample reward. No man shall for sake parents, or friends, or inheritance, or living, or life for my sake; but he shall have in exchange a hundred fold so much comfort in this life, and in the world to come life everlasting. But all times and occasions yield not warrant for such a service. Much less can the Seminaries, dying in England for treason, arrogate to themselves the glory of Martyrdom; though a vicious affectation of it hath heartened and hardened them to such a prodigality of their bloods. They come not to maintain the verity of Scriptures, but the vanity of Traditions; the entangling perplexities of Schoolmen, the obscure, tetrical, and contradictory assertions of Popes: who commands them to steal that with their lives, which not only is in involved being, but in future contingence; whatsoever the Roman Church, that is the Pope, shall hereafter constitute or declare. 2. From the latter words; Through fire and water, observe; that the children of God must not expect a gentle and soft entertainment in this world, but hard exigents; when to fly from their enemies they are feign to pass through fire and water. Affliction for the Gospel is called by Paul, the marks of the Lord jesus. The world often Gal. 6. 17. sets a man, as those three servants of God were set in daniel's Prophecy. On the one side a harmony of sweet Dan. 3. music, the Cornet, Flute, etc. on the other side a burning furnace, heat above ordinary seven times. Worship the Idol, and enjoy the delight of music: not worship it, and be cast into the fiery oven. join with the world in his ungodly customs, and the world will love, feast, tickle your ears with music. Separate yourselves, and it will hate you, joh. 15. If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because I have chosen you out of the joh. 15. 19 world, therefore the world hateth you. Thou shalt be like Abraham's Ram, tied in a bush of thorns; from which thou canst not extricate thyself, till thou be made a sacrifice. Gen. 22. 13. I have read that Caligula the Tyrant being dead, there were found in his Closet Duo libelli; one called a sword, the other a dagger; wherein many were by name pricked for death, and destined to it in the emperors bloody intention. Presumptuous enemies so cast lots on a Nation before they have it; and talk of dividing a spoil ere they come at it. judg. 5. Have they not sped? have they judges 5. 30. not divided the prey? So the proud adversary in that wonderful year, 88; that came with an Invincible Navy, and implacable fury; the Ensigns of whose ships we●…e victoria, victoria; brought ready with them instruments of torture; as if the Land of peace and mercy had in it no such engines of cruelty; and swallowed down an abundant hope of our desolation. They threw at dice for our wives and daughters, lands and vineyards, houses and heritage's, shires and kingdom. They purposed to drive us through fire and water, but fire and water was their destruction. Fire broke the sinews of their combination, and the waves devoured both their hopes & themselves. The godly at last shall be as mighty men, Zach. 10. 5. treading down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them. The grievousness of these afflictions must teach us two useful lessons: Patience. Prayer. 1. Patience, Acts. 5. The Apostles departed from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy Acts 5. 41. to suffer shame for the name of Christ. A true Christian rejoiceth in his tribulation: especially when it is for his saviours sake; and takes greater pleasure in his iron fetters, than a proud Courtier doth of his golden chain, Reu. 14. Blessed are they that die in the Lord. But if it be so blessed a thing to die in the Lord; what is it to die for the Lord! Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. It was Hardings' invective against our reverend, Psal. 116. 15. learned, and precious jewel; that Protestants were worse than the Devil: for whereas bread and water and the cross could scar away Devils; Princes could be rid of them by no means, but Fire. To whom that excellent Bishop answers; that though it pleased his malicious humour, to make but a jest of the blood of God's Saints; yet it was no more ignominy for Lambs to suffer what Christ suffered; then it was praise and credit for wolves to betray him, as judas did. Our patience is our crown, and others conversion. Eusebius from Clement reporteth, that when a wicked accuser had brought S. james to condemnation; seeing his Christian fortitude, he was touched in conscience, confessed himself a Christian, and so was taken to execution with him. Where earnestly beseeching S. james to forgive him, he after a little pause kissed him, and said, Peace be to thee, brother; and they were beheaded together. O blessed Patience! which not only gets honour to ourselves, but brings other to salvation; and in all glorifies God. 2. Prayer. This was the Apostles refuge in the time of affliction, Act. 4. 24. Bernard in a Fiction doth excellently express this necessity, enforce this duty. He supposeth the kings of Babylon and jerusalem (by whom he means the world and the Church) to be at war one against the other. During this hostility, a soldier of jerusalem was fled to the Castle of justice. Siege was laid to this Castle, and a multitude of enemies environed and entrenched it round. There lies near this Soldier a fainthearted coward, called Fear: this speaks nothing but discomfort: and when Hope would step in to speak some courage, Fear thrusts her out of doors. Whilst these two opposites fear and hope stand debating, the Christian Soldier resolves to appeal to the direction of sacred Wisdom; who was chief Councillor to the Captain of the Castle, justice. Hear Wisdom speak. Dost thou not know, faith she, that the God whom we serve is able to deliver us? Is he not the Lord of hosts? even the Lord Dan. 3. 17. mighty in battle? we will dispatch a messenger to him with information of our necessity. Fear replies, What messenger? Darkness is on the face of the world: our walls are begirt with an armed troop; which are not only strong as Lions, but also watchful as Dragons. What messenger can either scape through such an host, or find the way into so remote a Country? Wisdom calls for Hope, and chargeth her with all speed to dispatch away her old messenger: Hope calls to Prayer, and says, Lo here a messenger speedy, ready, trusty, knowing the way. Ready; you can not sooner call her than she comes. Speedy; she flies faster than Eagles, as fast as Angels. Trusty; what embassage soever you put in her tongue, she delivers with faithful secrecy. She knows the way to the Court of Mercy; and she will never faint till she come to the chamber of the royal Presence. Prayer hath her message, away she flies, borne on the sure and swift wings of faith and zeal: Wisdom having given her a charge, and Hope a blessing. Finding the gate shut, she knocks and cries; Open, ye gates of righteousness, and be ye open ye everlasting doors of glory: that I may enter, and deliver to the King of jerusalem my petition. jesus Christ hears her knock, opens the gate of mercy, attends her suit, promiseth her infallible comfort and redress. Back returns Prayer, laden with the news of consolation: she hath a promise, and she delivers it into the hand of Faith: that were our enemies more innumerable than the Locusts in Egypt, and more strong than the Giants, the sons of Anak: yet Power and Mercy shall fight for us, and we shall be delivered. Pass we then through fire and water, through all dangers and difficulties, yet we have a messenger, holy, happy, accessible, acceptable to God, that never comes back without comfort, Prayer. And here fitly I will end our Misery, & come to God's Mercy. Desolation hath held us long, but our consolation is eternal. But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. The Song, you see, is compounded like Music: it hath acutum and grave, high and low, sharp and flat. Thou causedst men to ride over us. But thou broughtest us out. Sorrow and joy, trouble and peace, sour and sweet, come by vicissitudes. invicem cedunt dolor et voluptas. This discord in Music hurts not, but graceth the song. Whiles grief and pleasure keep this alteration in our life, they at once both exercise our patience, and make more welcome our joys. If you look for the happiness of the wicked, you shall find it in primis, at the beginning: but if you would learn what becomes of the righteous, intelliges in novissimis, you shall know it at last. Mark the upright man, and behold the just: for the end of that man is Psal. 37. 37. peace. We were sore oppressed, but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. Every word is sweetly significant, and amplifies God's mercy to us. Four especially are remarkable; the Deliverer, the Deliverance, the Delivered, and their felicity or blessed advancement. So there is in the Deliverer aliquid Celsitudinis, Thou Delivery Certitudinis, Brought'st out Delivered Solitudinis, us, Happiness Plenitudinis, Into a wealth place. There is highness and lowness; sureness and fullness. The Deliverer is great, the Deliverance certain; the Distressed grievous, their exaltation glorious. There is yet a first word, that like a key unlocks this golden gate of mercy; a veruntamen; But This is vox respirationis; a gasp that fetcheth back again the very life of comfort. But thou broughtest, etc. We were fearfully endangered into the hands of our enemies; they road and trodden upon us, and drove us through hard perplexities: But thou, etc. If there had been a full point or period at our misery; if those gulfs of persecution had quite swallowed us, & all our light of comfort had been thus smothered and extinguished; we might have cried, Perijt spes nostra, yea perijt salus nostra; our hope, our help is quite gone: He had mocked us that would have spoken, Be of good cheer. This same But is like a happy oar, that turns our vessel from the rocks of despair, and lands it at the haven of comfort. But, etc. Thou. Thou only, without help or succour of either man or Angel; that art able to save with a few, as well as with many; that art A man of war. Exod. 15. and comest armed against thine enemies, with a spear of wrath, Exod. 15. 3. and a sword of vengeance. Thou, of whose greatness there is no end, no limits, no determination. Thou, O Lord, without any partner, either to share thy glory, or our thanks. Thou broughtest us out. Thou of thy own goodness, so well as by thy own greatness, hast delivered us. No merit of ours procured, or deserved this mercy at thy hands: but our freedom comes only by thy Majesty, of thy mercy. Here were no arms of flesh, nor Armies of Angels, in this work of our Redemption: but Thou hast brought us out, that we might praise thy Name. Therefore we say: Bless the Lord, O our souls: O Lord, thou art very great, thou art Psal. 104. 1. clothed with honour and majesty. Eduxisti: Broughtest out. Great works become a great God. Opera testantur de me, saith our Saviour. My works bear witness of me. I heal the sick, cleanse the Leprous, give sight to the blind, raise the dead, cast out devils. Will you not believe, O ye carnal eyes, unless you see? will you trust your five senses above the four Gospels? vers. 5. Come then, and see the works of God. See works: not a fancy, speculation, or deceiving shadow; but real, visible, acted, accomplished works. Eduxists. Sensus assensus. Let demonstration convince you: the Snare is broken, and we are delivered. The Lord works potenter and patenter. There is not only manifold mercy, but manifest mercy in his doings. He brought us out. When the ungodly see us so low brought, that persecutors ride over our heads; they are ready to say; Where is now their G●…d? Behold, hîc est Deus; our God is here, where there was need of him: opus Deo, a work fit for the Deity to perform. Misery had wrapped and entangled us; the wicked hands had tied us, as the Philistines did Samson with the bands of death. Here then was Dignus vindice nodus; a knot worthy the finger of God to untie. He looked down from the height of his Sanctuary: from heaven Psal. 10●…. 20. did the Lord behold the earth. For what purpose? To hear the groaning of the prisoner: to lose those that are appointed to death. Behold, the waters went over our soul, yet we were not drowned. Malice had doomed us to the Fire; but our comfort is, Nihil potestatis in nos habu●…sse ignem, that the fire had not power over us. They trod us under their cruel insultations, but the Lord hath lifted us up. The Lord of Hosts was with us: the God of jacob was Psal. 46. 11. our refuge. Vs. To this act of God, if we tie the Subject wherein he works; and knit to Eduxisti, Nos: which I called verbum solitudinis, a word of former wretchedness and calamity: we shall find our misery a fit object for GOD'S mercy; Especially if you set the others malice against our meekness; their wickedness against our weakness: the persons whom God delivers, & the persons from whom, will greatly commend the mercy of our deliverance. It is a pleasure to God, to have his strength perfected in our infirmity. When the danger is most violent in it own nature, and our sense, then is his helping arm most welcome. Esa. 17. In the day of grief, and of desperate sorrow, the harvest shall be great; a plentiful crop of joy. Qui Deus est noster, Deus est salutis. a Psal. 68 20. He that is our God, is the God of salvation: and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. He delights to have us say in this deep extremity; Eduxisti. Thou hast brought us out. When jonas was taken up by the Mariners, put from the succour of the Ship; no help in any Rocks, nor mercy in the waters; neither means nor desire to escape by swimming: for he yields himself into the jaws of death with as mortified affection, as if a lump of lead had been thrown into the sea: a man would have thought that salvation itself could not have saved jonas. Yet jonas shall not die. Here is now a delivery fit for God, a cure for the almighty hand to undertake. Man's extremity is God's opportunity. Distressed desire is importunate. b Psal. 102. 13. It is time that thou have mercy upon us: yea the time is come. But if God do not presently answer, we are ready to pant out a groan of despair, The time is past. If our importunity prevail not, we think all opportunity is gone. But God says, Tempus nondum venit; the time is not yet. God waits the maturity of the danger, the more to increase his honour. As Alexander cheered himself when he should fight with men and beasts; haughty enemies, and huge Elephants. Tandem par animo meo periculum video. I see at last a danger somewhat equal to my mind. Will you hear when this time is come, john 11. Martha tells Christ: Master, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. Christ knew john 11. 21. this before, vers. 15. Lazarus is dead▪ and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you might believe. Observe the different thoughts of God and man. Martha is sorry, Christ is glad. She thought that the time of help was passed: Christ thought that the time was not opportune till now. jairus his servant comes and tells him, c Mark. 5. 35. Thy daughter is dead; trouble the master no further. This was the word Christ expected to hear. And now he says, Be not afraid, only believe. Hear the Israelites desperate complaint. The waters of the Sea roar before their faces; the wheels of the Chariots rattle behind their backs: hereon they cry to Moses, d Exod. 14. 11. Were there no graves in Egypt, that thou hast brought us hither to die? Now saith Moses; Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of God. From that hath been spoken, and that which follows, we may observe two works of God's mercy. Which consist Removendo Promovendo: the one removing away much evil, the other preferring to much good. Eduxisti, shows his kindness in freeing us from calamity; In locum opulentum, his goodness in exalting us to dignity. The former is an act of deliverance, the latter of advancement. So there is Terminus à quo, from whence we are freed; and Terminus ad quem, to which we are exalted. For the former, we have God here Educentem, bringing out of trouble. Sometime we find GOD Ducentem; leading, guiding, directing. Wilt not thou, O Lord, go forth with our hosts? And He led them Ducit. Inducit. Adducit. Reducit. Educit. Non sed●…. through the wilderness, by the hand of Moses and Aaron. Sometimes Inducentem, vers. 11. Thou broughtest us into the net: thou hast laid affliction upon our loins. Sometimes Adducentem. Thou, O Lord, hast brought us home to thyself, etc. Sometimes Reducentem, Psalm. 126. 4. Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the South. Often Educentem, Psalm. 105. 43. He brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness. Never Seducentem; beguiling, deceiving, causing to err: for that is opus Diaboli, who is the Accuser and Seducer of men. For the latter: Into a wealthy place. The greatness of our felicity doth far transcend the grievousness of our past misery. The dimension of our height exceeds that of our depth: neither did affliction ever bring it so low, as our elevation hath advanced us high. Hereon S. Paul Rom. 8. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to Rom. 8. 18. be compared with the glory, which shall be revealed in us. whether we compare or their Strength, Length. For their vigour or strength: the affliction of man, in the greatest extremity, that he can lay it on man, is but finite as the afflicter. The blow comes but from an arm of flesh, and therefore can wound but flesh. Yield the extension of it to reach so far as any possible malice can drive it: yet it can but rack the body, distend the joints, sluice out the blood, and give liberty to the imprisoned soul. Which soul they cannot strike. Therefore saith Christ, Fear not him that hath power over the body only, not over the soul. And even in the midst of this dire persecution, God can either quite deliver us, that the storm shall blow over our heads, and hurt us not: or if he suffers us to suffer that, yet he will so qualify the heat of it, that the cool refreshing of his blessed spirit inwardly to the Conscience, shall in a manner extinguish the torment. But now this wealth place; the spring of joy that succeeds this winter of anguish, is illimited, insuppressible, inexpressible, infinite. So strongly guarded with an almighty power, that no robber violently, nor thief subtly, can steal it from us. Some pleasure is mixed with that pain, but no pain is incident to this pleasure. There was some laughter among those tears, but there shall be no tears in this laughter: For Tears shall be quite wiped from our eyes. By how much than the power of God transcends man's; yea Gods mercy man's malice; by so much shall our rejoicing exceed our passion. By how much the glorious City of heaven, walled with jasper and pure gold, shining as brass, is Reu. 21. 12. 18. stronger than the undefensed and naked cottage of this transient world: our future comforts arise in measure, pleasure and security, above our passed distress. Thus for Strength. If we compare their Length, we shall find an infinite inequality. Paul calls affliction momentany, glory eternal. 2. Cor. 4. 17. Time shall determine the one; and that a short time, a very winter's day: but the other is above the wheels of motion, and therefore beyond the reach of time. For a moment in mine anger, saith the Lord, I did hide my face from thee; but with everlasting mercy I have had compassion on thee. Nothing but eternity can make either joy or sorrow absolute. He can brook his imprisonment, that knows the short date of it: and he finds poor content in his pleasure, that is certain of a sudden loss. We know that our pilgrimage is not long through this valley of tears, and miserable Desert; but our Canaan, home, Inheritance is a wealthy place; glorious for countenance, blessed for continuance: wealth, without want; stable, without alteration; a constant Mansion, an immovable Kingdom. Unto which our Lord jesus in his appointed time bring us. To whom, with the Father and Spirit of consolation, be all praise and glory for ever. Amen. GOD'S HOUSE: OR, THE PLACE OF PRAISES. PSALM. 66. 12. I will go into thy House, with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows. THE formerverse connexed with this, demonstrate with words of life David's Affliction Affection. His Affliction, to be overriden with Persecutors: his Affection, to bless God for his deliverance. Great misery, taken away by great mercy, requires great thankfulness: I will go into thy, etc. Before we put this Song into parts, or derive it into particulars, two general things must be considered. The Matter The Manner the Substance the Form The matter and substance of the verse is Thankèfulnesse: the manner and form, Resolution. The whole fabric declares the former: the fashion of the building the latter. The Tenor of all is Praising God: the key or tune it is set in Purpose: I will go into thy house, I will pay thee my vows. So that first I must entreat you to look upon a Solution, and a Resolution: a debt to be paid, and a purpose of heart to pay it. The Debt Is Thankfulness. This is the matter and substance of the words. God having first by affliction taught us to know ourselves, doth afterwards by deliverance teach us to know him. And when his gracious hand hath helped us out of the low pit, he looks that (like Israel, Exod. 15.) we should stand upon the shore, and bless his name. David that prayed to God de profundis; a Psal. 103. 1. (out of the depths have I called unto thee) doth after praise him in excelsis, with the highest Organs and instruments of laud. General mercies require our continual thanks; but new favours new praises. b Psal. 98. 1. O Sing unto the Lord a New Song, for he hath done marvelous things. There is a fourfold life belonging to man, and God is the keeper of all. His natural, civil, spiritual, and eternal life. Eloudie man would take away our natural life. Psal. 37. The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. GOD Psal. 37. 32. keeps it. The slanderous world would blast our civil life, God blesseth our memory. The corrupted flesh would poison our spiritual life, God c Colos. 3. 3. hides it in Christ. The raging Devil would kill our eternal life; God preserves it in heaven. Unworthy are we of rest that night wherein we sleep, or of the light of the Sun that day wherein we rise, without praising God for these mercies. If we think not on him that made us, we think not to what purpose he made us. When I consider the works of GOD, saith Augustine, I am wonderfully moved to praise the Creator; d Contra Fa●…t. Manich. lib. 21. cap. 5. Qui prorsus ita magnus est in operibus magnis, ut minor non sit in minimis: who is so great in his great works, that he is not less in his least. But when we consider his work of Redemption; about which he was (not as about the Creation, six days, but) above thirty years. Where non sua dedit, sed se; he gave not his riches, but himself; and that non tam in Dominum, quam in servum et sacrificium: not to be a Lord, but a servant, a sacrifice. We have Adamantine hearts, if the blood of this salvation cannot melt them into praises. But special favours require special thanks, whether they consist in Eximendo Exhibendo; either in redeeming us from dangers, or heaping upon us benefits. Our Prophet in five instances, Psal. 107. exemplifieth this duty. Of travelers, Captives, sick-men, Psalm. 107. seamen, & others subject to the manifold varieties of life. For travelers; e Ver. 4. They wander in the Wilderness in a solitary way: hungry and thirsty, their soul fainting in them. They cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivers them out of their distresses. For Captives; f Ver. 10. They sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death; fast bound in affliction and iron. Their prayers find a way out of the prison to God, and God delivers them out of the prison to liberty. For Sick, g Ver. 17. Because of their transgression they are afflicted: their soul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the gates of death. The strength of their prayers recovers the strength of their bodies. For Mariners, h Ver. 27. They reel to and fro, staggering like a drunken man; and are at their wit's end. They by their prayers appease the wrath of God, and he appeaseth the wrath of the waves and winds. Now the burden of the Song to all these deliverances is this; i Ver. 8. 15. 21. 31. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness; and for his wonderful works to the children of men. And because these four dangers are short of the innumerable calamities incident to man's life; therefore in the end of the Psalm, much misery is heaped up, and the Lord is the scatterer & dissoluer of that heap: that all flesh might sing; Salvation is of the Lord. And because these mercies are infinite; so that what Christian may not say with David? k Psal. 23. 6. Thy goodness hath followed me all the days of my life. Therefore I infer with Paul, l 1. Thes. 5. 18 In all things give thanks. So our Psalmist, My mouth shall be filled with thy praise all the day long. What is meant by All the day, saith Augustine, but a praise without intermission? As no hour slips by thee without occasion, let none slip from thee without manifestation of gratitude. I will praise thee, saith he, O Lord, In prosperis, quia consolaris, in adversis, quia corrigis: In a prosperous estate, because thou dost bless me; in affliction, because thou dost correct me. Fecisti, refecisti, perfecisti: Thou madest me when I was not, restoredst me when I was lost; supplyest my wants, forgivest my sins; and crownest my perseverance. But as, Quò acerbior miseria, eò acceptior misericordia: the more grievous the misery, the more gracious the mercy. So the richer benefit requires the heartier thanks. Great deliverances should not have small gratitude: where much is given, there is not a little required. To tell you what God hath done for us, thereby to excite thankfulness, would be to lose myself in the gates of my Text. I told you this was the ground and module of the Psalm. But I know, your curious ears care not so much for plainsong; you expect I should run upon Division. Hear but the next general point, and I come to your desire: reserving what I have more to say of this, to my farewell, and last application. I come from the Debt to be paid, to his Resolution to pay it. I will go into thy house, I will pay, etc. Though he be not instantly Soluendo, he is Resoluendo. He is not like those debtor, that have neither means, nor meaning to pay. But though he wants actual, he hath votall retribution. Though he cannot so soon come to the place, where this payment is to be made; yet he hath already paid it in his he●…rt. I will go, I will pay. Here then is the debtor Resolution. There is in the godly a purpose of heart to serve the Lord. This is the child of a sanctified spirit, borne not without the throbs and throws of true penitence. Not a transient and perishing flower, like jonah's Gourd, Filius noctis; oriens, moriens: but the sound fruit, which the sap of grace in the heart sends forth. Luke 15. When the Prodigal Son came to himself, saith the Text; as if he had been formerly out of his wits: his first speech was, I will arise and go to my Father: and will say unto him; Father, Luke 15. 18. I have sinned. And what he purposed, he performed: he arose and went. I know, there are many that intent much, but do nothing: and that earth is full of good purposes, but heaven only full of good works: and that the tree gloriously leaved with intentions, without fruit, was cursed: And that a lewd heart may be so far sinitten and convinced at a Sermon, as to will a forsaking of some sin. Which thoughts are but swimming notions, and vanishing motions; embryos, or abortive births. But this Resolution hath a stronger force: it is the effect of a mature and deliberate judgement; wrought by God's Spirit, grounded on a voluntary devotion; not without true sanctification: though it cannot, without some interposition of time and means, come to perform that act which it intends. It is the harbinger of a holy life: the little cloud, like a m 1. King. 18. 44 hand, that Eliah's servant saw, pointing to the future showers of devotion. Well, this is but the beginning, and you know, many begin, that do not accomplish: but what shall become of them that never begin? If he doth little, that purposeth, and performs not: what hope is there of them that will not purpose? It is hard to make an Vsnrer leave his extortion, the unclean his lusts, the swearer his dishallowed speeches: when neither of them saith so much, as I will leave them. The habit of godliness is far off, when to will is not present: & we despair of their performance, in whom cannot be wrought a purpose. But to you of whom there is more hope, that say, we will praise the Lord; forget not to add David's execution to David's intention. God loves the present tense better than the future: a Facto, more than a Faciam. Let him that is Precedent over us, be a precedent for us. Hebr. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold, I come: not I will come, but I do come, to Heb. 10. 7. do ●…y will, O GOD. You have heard the matter and manner of the Song: the Substance is Gratitude; the Form, a Resolution to give it. To set it in some Division or Method. That every present soul may bear his part; here be three strains, or stairs, and gradual ascents: up which our contemplations must mount, with David's actions. 1. An entrance into God's house: I will go into thy house. It is well that David will bring thither his praises, himself. But many enter God's house, that have no business there: that both come and return empty-hearted: that neither bring to God devotion, nor carry from God consolation. 2. Therefore the next strain gives his zeal; he will not come empty-handed; but with burnt offerings. Manifold and manifest arguments of his hearty affection. Manifest, because burnt offerings; real, visible, actual, and accomplished works. Manifold, because not one singular oblation, but plurally offerings, without pinching his devotion. 3. But yet diverse have offered Sacrifices and burnt sacrifices, that stunk like balaam's in Gods nostrils: tendering Bullocks and Goats, not their own hearts. Therefore the third strain affirms, that David will not only offer beasts, but himself. I will pay thee my vows. So that in his Gratitude is observable Quo Loco Modo Animo. In what place, God's house: after what manner, with burnt offerings: with what mind, I will pay thee my vows. His devotion is without exception: all the labour is to work our hearts to an imitation. I will go into thy house. The first note hath two strains, Place, Entrance. The place he purposeth to enter, is described by the Property, Domus. Proprietary, Dominus. This house was not the Temple, for that was after built by Solomon: but the Tabernacle, or Sanctuary. GOD had his house in all ages; as the wise Creator of all things, he reserved to him a portion in all things; Non propter indigentiam, sed in re cognitionem: not that he had need of them, but that he might be acknowledged in them. Though he be Lord of all Nations in the world, because the Maker of all men, yet he reserved a particular number of men, & appropriated them to himself: and these he called Suum populum, n Luke 1. 68 His people. Though thousands of Angels stand before him, and ten thousand thousands of those glorious spirits minister unto him: yet he culleth and calleth out some particular men to celebrate his service: sanctifying, or setting them apart to that office: & these he calls Suos ministros; His Priests, his Ministers. Though he be a Spirit, immortal, most rich; and Lord of all things: the earth is his and the fullness thereof; yea heaven and the glory thereof: o Psal. 50. 12. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, etc. yet he reserveth to himself a certain share of these inferior things: and this he calls Suam sortem: his portion: p Mal. 3. 8. His tithes, his offerings. Though he be Eternal, first and last: without beginning, without end: God of all times, and yet under no time: with whom a thousand years is but as one day: and everlastingly to be honoured. Yet he reserveth to himself a certain time, wherein he looks for our general worship: & this he calls Suum Diem; his day, q Esa. 58. 13. his Sabbaths. Though he be the r Esa. 57 15. High and Lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, whose Name is Holy: though infinite and comprehended in no place. Yet he sets apart some special place, wherein his great name shall be called on: and this he calls Suam Domum; His house. So Math. 21. My house shall be called the house of prayer. Here, I will go into Thy House. Math. 21. 13. God never left his Church destitute of a certain sacred place, wherein he would be worshipped. Adam had a place, wherein he should present himself to God, and God did present himself to him; Paradise. God appeared to Abraham in a place, and sanctified it: and there s Gen. 12. 7. Abraham built an Altar; for it was holy. When he commanded him to sacrifice his Son Isaac, he appointed him a place; on t Gen. 22. 1. 2. Chron. 3. 1. a mountain. And on this very mountain was afterwards Salomon's Temple built. 2. Chron. 3. jacob according to the several places he dwelled in, built several Altars to serve God on. The Israelites were translated out of Egypt for this very cause, that they might have a place to sacrifice to the Lord. When they were come into Canaan, God commanded and directed Moses, to make a Tabernacle: which was but mobile Tabernaculum, to be dissolved when Salomon's glorious Temple was finished. Now all these particular places were consecrated to the service of God; and called Loca Dei, God's Places; as David calls this Domum Dei, God's House. This is the first note of the strain, the Place. The next is his Entrance; wherein observe; 1. That David's first care is to visit God's house. It is very likely that this Psalm was written by David, either in exile under Saul, or in persecution by Absalon, or in some grievous distress: whereout being delivered, he first resolves to salute God's House. Chrysostome in Opere imperfect. or whosoever was the Author of that book; notes it the property of a good Son, when he comes to town, first to visit his Father's house, and to perform the honour that is due to him. We find this in▪ Christ. Math. 22. so soon as ever he came to jerusalem, first he visits his Father's house, He went into the Temple. What Mat. 21. 10. 12. the Son and Lord of David did there, the same course doth the Servant of his Son take here: First, I will go into thy House. Oh for one dram of this respect of God's house in these days. Shall that place have a principal place in our affections? we would not then think one hour tedious in it, when many years delight us in the Tents of Kedar. This was not David's opinion. a Psal. 84. 10. One day in thy Court is better than a thousand. Nor grudge at every penny that a Levy taxeth to the Church: as if Tegumen parietibus impositum was enough: bare walls and a cover to keep us from rain: and aliquid ornatus was but superfluous; except it be a cushion and a wainscot seat, for a Gentleman's better ease. The greatest preparation usually against some solemn feast, is but a little fresh straw under the feet; the ordinary allowance for hogs in the sty, or horses in the stable. For other cost, let it be Domus opportuna volu●…m, a cage of unclean birds: and so it must be so long as some sacrilegious persons are in it. It was part of the Epitaph of King Edgar. Templa Deo, Templis Monachos, Monachis dedit agros. He gave Temples to God, Ministers to those Temples, and maintenance to those Ministers. But the Epitaphs of too many in these days may well run in contrary terms. They take Tenths from good Ministers, good Ministers from the Churches, yea and some of them also the Churches from God. But here Quicquid tetigero, ulcus erit: that which I should touch is an ulcer: and I will spend no Physic in immedicabile vulnus, upon an incurable wound; but leave it Enserecidendum Domini; to be cut off with the sword of God's vengeance. 2. Observe the reason why David would go into God's house; and this hath a double degree. To give him. 1. Praise. 2. Public praise▪ 1. Praise. Might not David praise God in any place? Yes, David might and must bless the Lord in any place, in every place: but the place that is principally destined to this purpose, is Domus Dei; Gods House. The name which God imposed on his house, and by which, as it were, he Christened it; was Domus orationis, the house of prayer. As Christ, Math. 21. derives it from Esa. 56. My house shall be called the house of prayer. Therefore those Math. 21. 13. Esa. 56. 7. houses were called in the Primitive times, Dominica, the Lords houses; and Oratoria, houses of prayer, devoted to the praise of God. I might here take just cause to tax an error of our times. Many come to these holy places, and are so transported with a desire of hearing, that they forget the fervency of praying and praising God. The End is ever held more noble than the means, that conduce unto it. Sin brought in ignorance, and ignorance takes away devotion. The Word preached brings in knowledge, and knowledge rectifies devotion. So that all our preaching is but to beget your praying, to instruct you to praise and worship God. The most immediate & proper service and worship of God, is the end, and hearing but the means to that end. And the rule is true; Semper finis excellit id quod est ad finem: the end ever excels that which leads to the end. b Th. 1. qu. 117 art. 1. Scientia non est qualitas activa, sed principium quo aliquis dirigitur in operando. Knowledge is not an active quality, but only a means to direct a man in working. Non tam audire, quam obedire requirit Deus. God reckons not so much of our audience, as of our obedience: not the hearers, but the jam. 1. 25. doers are blessed in their deed. Indeed Christ saith, Blessed are they that hear the Word of God; but with this condition, that they keep it. The worship of GOD is the fruit of hearing, show me this fruit. Our Oratoria are turned into Auditoria, and we are content that God should speak earnestly to us, but we will not speak devoutly to him. I hope that no man will so ignorantly and injuriously understand me, as if I spoke against hearing of Sermons frequently. God forbid: you must hear, and we must preach Acts. 6. The Apostles gave themselves continually to prayer, and to the preaching of Acts 6. 4. the Word. Where yet Prayer is put in the first place. I complain not that our Churches are Auditories, but that they are not Oratories: not that you come to Sermons, (for God's sake come faster) but that you neglect public prayer. As if it were only God's part to bless you, not yours to bless God. And hereof I complain with good company. d De Incompreh. Dei naturae, Hom. 3. Chrysostome saith, that such a multitude came to his Sermons, that there was scarce room for a late comer: & those would all patiently attend the end of the Sermon: But when prayers were to be read, or Sacraments to be administered, the company was thin, the seats empty. Uacua, desertaque Ecclesia reddebatur. Beloved, mistake not. It is not the only exercise of a Christian to hear a Sermon: nor is that Sabbath well spent, that dispatcheth no other business for heaven. I will be bold to tell you, that in Heaven there shall be no Sermons; and yet in Heaven there shall be Hallelujahs. And this same end, for which David came to God's house, shall remain in glory; to praise the Lord. So that all God's service is not to be narrowed up in hearing; it hath greater latitude; there must be prayer, praise, adoration, and worship of God. Neither is it the scope of Christianity to know, but the scope of knowledge, is to be a good Christian. You are not Heathen, to ask Quid credendum, What must we believe? nor Catechists to demand e Luke 3. 10. Quid faciendum, What must we do? You know what to believe, you know what to do. Our preaching hath not so much need monere, as monere: though you also need instruction, yet more need of exhortation: for you have learned more than ever you have followed. Come then hither, both to hear God, and to praise God. As David was not only here a Praiser, but ver. 16. a Preacher. Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul. 2. Which fitly brings me to the further exemplyfying of this cause, moving David to enter into God's house. Which was not only to praise him, but to praise him publicly. Otherwise, he might have muttered his orisons to himself: no, he desires that his mouth should be a trumpet of God's glory; as frequently in the Psalms; I will praise thee before the great congregations. There are some, that whatsoever service they do to God, desire many witnesses of it: others desire no witnesses at all. The former are hypocrites; who would have all men's eyes take notice of their devotion: as if they durst not trust God without witness, for fear he should deny it. Such were the pharisees; they gave no alms without the proclamation of a trumpet: and their prayers were at the corners of streets; such corners where diverse streets met, & so more spectable to many passengers. To these Christ, Math. 6. Do thy devotion in secret; and he that see●… in Math. 6. 4. secret, shall reward thee openly. The other have a little desire to serve GOD, but they would have no witnesses at all. They depend upon some great man, that will be angry with it. And these would feign have God take notice of their devotion, and no body else. So Nichodemus stole to Christ by night: and many a Papists servant would come to Church, if he were sure his Master might not know of it. For he fears more to be turned out of his service, than out of God's service. To these Christ, Luke 12. Be not afraid of them that can kill Luke 12. 4. the body, and no more; but fear him that hath power to cast into hell; yea I say unto you, fear him. A man may better lose his Landlord's favour, than the Lords favour: his Farm on earth, than his manor or mansion in heaven. David was neither of these. His thankfulness shall not be hidden timore minantium; nor yet will he manifest it amore laudantium. Neither for fear of Commanders, nor for love of commenders. He is neither Timidus, nor Tumidus: not fearful of frowns, nor luxurious of praises: but only desires to manifest the integrity of his conscience in the sight of God. It is the manner of the godly, not only to ruminate in their minds Gods mercies, but to divulge them to the bettering of others. When we yield thus to the world a testimony of our faith, & thankfulness in Gods public honour; we provoke others to hearken to religion, and inflame their hearts with a fervent desire to partake the like mercies. The fame of Alexander gave heart to julius Caesar, to be the more noble warrior. The freedom of our devotion gives an edge to others. g Sen. de benef. lib. 2. cap. 11. Beneficium qui dedit, taceat: narret qui accepit. Let him that gives a benefit, be silent: let him speak of it, that hath received it. There is that law of difference (saith that Philosopher) betwixt the doer of a good turn, and the receiver of it. Alter statim oblivisci debet. dati, alter accepti nunquam. The one ought quickly to forget what he hath given: the other ought never to forget what he hath received. We are the receivers, and must not forget. God gave the Law to Israel, and the Custom of the Saints observed it. h Psal. 78. 4. What we have heard and known, and our Fathers have told us: we will not hide from our children, showing to the generations to come, the praises of the Lord. Indeed there was a time, when Christ forbade the publishing of his benefit. Mark. 1. to the Leper; See thou say Mark. 1. 44. nothing to any man of it. But he went out, and began to publish it much, & to blaze abroad the matter. I know, diverse Divines, by curious distinctions, have gone about to excuse the matter; by making this an admonitory, not an obligatory precept. But I subscribe to Calvin and Marlorat, who tax it for an offence, and manifest breach of Christ's commandment. And Jerome on that place says, that Non erat necesse ut sermone iactaret, quod corpore praeferebat. His tongue might be silent, for his whole body was turned into a tongue to publish it. The act was good, but not good at that time. Disobedient he was, be it granted: yet of all disobedient men commend me to him. Let not then any politic or sinister respects tie up our tongues, from blessing him that hath blessed us. Suffocate not the fire of zeal in thy heart by silent lips, lest it prove key-cold. But say with our Prophet, i Psal. 26. 12. My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord. We perceive now the motive cause that brought David into God's house: I would take leave from hence in a word, to instruct you with what mind you should come to this holy place. We are in substance inheritors of the same faith, which the jews held: & have in stead of their Tabernacle, Sanctuary, Temple; Churches, places set apart for the Assembly of God's Saints. Wherein we receive divine Mysteries, and celebrate divine ministries; which are said by Damascen; k Orthod. Fid. lib. 1. cap. 16. Plus participare operationis & gratiae divinae. There is nothing lost by the Gospel, which the Law afforded; but rather all bettered. It is observable that the building of that glorious Temple, was the maturity and consummation of God's mercy to the jews. Infinite were his favours betwixt their slavery in Egypt, and their peace in Israel. God did, as it were, attend upon them to supply their wants. They have no guide: why, God himself is their guide, and goes before them in a pillar of fire. They have no shelter: the Lord spreads a cloud over them for a Canopy. Are they at a stand, and want way? The Sea shall part and give them passage, whiles the divided waters are as walls unto them. For sustenance, they lack bread: heaven itself shall power down the food of Angels. Have they no meat to their bread? A wind shall blow to them innumerable Quails. Bread and flesh is not enough without drink: behold, a hard rock smitten with a little wand shall power out abundance of water. But what is all this, if they yet in the wilderness shall want apparel? their garments shall not wax old on their backs. Do they besiege? jericho walls shall fall down before them: for want of engines, hailstones shall brain their enemies: Lamps, and pitchers, and dreams shall get them victory. The l josh. 10. 1●…. Sun shall stand still in Gibeon, and the Moon in the valley of Aialon; to behold their conquests. Lack they yet a Land to inhabit? the Lord will make good his promise against all difficulties, and give them a land that flows with milk and honey. But is all this yet short of our purpose, and their chief blessedness? They want a House to celebrate his praise, that hath done all this for them: behold, the Lord giveth them a goodly Temple, neither doth he therein only accept their offerings, but he also gives them his Oracles; even vocal oracles between the Cherubins. I might easily parallel England to Israel in the circumference of all these blessings: but my centre is their last and best, and whereof they most boasted: The m jer. 7. 4. Temple of the Lord, and the Law of their God. To answer these we have the Houses of God, and the Gospel of jesus Christ. We have all, though all in a new manner. 2. Cor. 5. Old things 2. Cor. 5. 17. are passed away; behold, all things are become new. They had an n Heb. 8. 13. Old Testament, we have the New Testament. They had the Spirit, we have a new Spirit. They had Commandments, we have Nowm mandatum; the o joh. 13. 34. New commandment. They had an Inheritance, Canaan; we have a new Inheritance promised. Vids' nowm coelum, & novam terram; p Reu. 21. 1. I saw a new heaven, and a new earth. To conclude, they had their Temple, we have our Churches: to which as they were brought by their Sabbath, so we by our Lord's day: wherein as they had their Sacraments, so we have our Sacraments. We must therefore bear the like affection to ours, as they did to that. We have greater cause. There was the shadow, here is the substance: there the figure, here the truth: there the sacrifices of beasts, here of the Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world. I find myself here occasioned to enter a great sea of discourse; but you shall see, I will make but a short cut of it. It is God's house you enter; a house where the Lord is present; the place where his honour dwelleth. Let this teach us to come. 1. With Reverence. q Leuit. 19 30. Ye shall hollow my Sabbaths, and reverence my Sanctuary: I am the Lord. The very mention of this Reverence, me thinks, should strike our hearts with one selfe-knowne guiltiness. How few look to their feet, before they enter these holy doors? Eccl. 5. and Eccl. 5. 1. so they offer the Sacrifice of imprudent and impudent fools. If they are to hear, they regard Quis, not Quid: any thing is good that some man speaks, the same in another trivial. If the man likes them not, nor shall the Sermon. Many thus contend, like those two Germans in a Tavern; One said he was of Doctor Martin's religion, the other protested himself of Doctor Luther's religion: and thus among their cups the litigation grew hot between them: whereas indeed Martin and Luther was but one man. Others, when they come first into the Church, they swap down on their seats, clap their hats before their eyes, and scarce bow their knees; as if they came to bless God, not to entreat God to bless them. They would quake in the presence of an offended King; who are thus impudent faced in the house of God. But saith the Lord, whose r Esa. 66. 2. Throne is the heaven, and the earth his footstool; I will look to him that trembleth at my word. So jacob, Gen. 28. was afraid; and said, How fearful is this place! s Gen. 28. 17. This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. Whereupon Bernard, Terribilis planè locus, etc. A fearful place indeed, & worthy of all reverence: which Saints inhabit, holy Angels frequent, and God himself graceth with his own presence. As the first Adam was placed in Paradise to keep it; so the second Adam is in the congregation of his Saints, to preserve it. Therefore enter not without Reverence. t Psal. 5. 7. I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies; and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy Temple. 2. With joy. None but a freewill offering is welcome to God. It is a common opinion in the world, that Religion doth dull a man's wits, and deject his spirits: as if mirth and mischief were only sworn brothers. But God's word teacheth, and a good conscience findeth, that no man can be so joyful, as the faithful: nor is there so merry a land, as the holy Land: no place of joy like the Church. Let the wicked think, that they cannot laugh if they be tied to the Law of Grace, nor be merry if God be in the company. But the Christian knows, there is no true joy, but the good joy: and if this be any where, it is in the Temple. a Psal. 122. 1. I was glad when they said unto me: Let us go into the house of the Lord. Indeed therefore we are not merry enough, because we are not enough Christians. Can you wish more joy to be received, than that Rom. 14 Peace of conscience, and joy of the holy Ghost? Hilaris cum Rom. 14. 17. pondere virtus; a joy that can neither be suppressed, nor expressed. Or more joy to be communicated, than Colos. 3. in Psalms, Hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with Col. 3. 16. grace in your hearts to the Lord. Think, think, thy God is here. The Angels of heaven rejoice in his glorious presence, and crown it as their chief felicity: and shall not poor man rejoice in his gracious presence; as it were, his most blessed society? yes; the b Psal. 4. 6. 7. light of thy Countenance, O Lord, shall put more gladness into our hearts; then into the worldlings their abundance of corn and wine. Cast away then your dullness, and unwillingness of heart; Come merrily and with a joyful soul into the house of God. 3. With Holiness. It is holy ground; not by any inherent holiness, but in regard of the religious use. For that place, which was once Bethel, the House of GOD; proved afterwards Bethaven, the house of iniquity. But it is thus God's Sanctuary, the habitation of his Sanctity: Procul hinc, procul este profani. Put off thy shoes; d' off thy carnal affections; the place where thou standest is holy ground. wash thy hands, yea thy heart in innocency, before thou come near to God's Altar. Be the Minister never so simple, never so sinful; the word is holy, the action holy, the time holy, the place holy; ordained by the most Holy, to make us holy; said a reverend Divine: God's house is for godly exercises: they wrong it therefore that turn Sanctuarium into Promptuarium, the Sanctuary into a Buttery; and spiritual food into belly-cheer. And they much more, that pervert it to a place of Pastime; making the house of praise, a house of plays. And they most of all, that make it a house, not laudis, but fraudis: c Math. 21. 13. My house is the house of prayer; but ye have made it a d●…nne of thieves: robbing, if not men of their goods, yet God of the better part, sincerity of conscience. What a horrid thing would it be, Beloved; if you should depart from this Church, where you learn to keep a good conscience, but into the market; and there practise deceit circumvention, oppression, swearing, drunkenness! O do not derive the commencement of your sins from God's house. What a mockery is this, and how odious in the sight of heaven, if you should begin your wickedness with a Sermon ●…as the Papists begin their treasons with a mass: I tax no known person; but for the facts and faults, Non ignota cano, I do not speak of things unknown. I would to God your amended lives might bring me with shame again hither, to recant and unsay it. But it often so falls out, that as those conspirators met at the Capitol, so the Church is made the Communis Terminus, where many wickednesses have appointed to meet. d 2. Cor. 6▪ ●…6. What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? Begin not the day with God, to spend all the rest with Satan. Your tongues have now blessed the Lord: let not the evening find them red with oaths, or black with curses. Let not that saying of Luther be verified by you; that In nomine Domini incipit omne malum; in the name of God begins all mischief. Whatsoever your morning Sacrifice pretend, look to your afternoon. You have done so much the worse, as you have made a show of good: and it had been easier for your profane hearts, to have miss this admonition. This Caveat, before I leave God's house, I thought to commend to your practice, when you leave it. I have held you too long in the Church, speaking of the Church. It was the most material point I propounded to my discourse: forgive the prolixity; the brevity of the rest shall make amends. The first strain or stair was his entrance into GOD'S house: now he is in, what doth he? what bringeth he? we find Burnt Offerings. I have three dissuasions from punctual tractation of this point. 1. The poor remnant of the fugitive time. See Serm. on Psal. 118. 27. 2. I have liberally handled it on former occasions. 3. The necessity is not great of discoursing the Sacrifices of the Law, in these days of the Gospel we have the light; and therefore need not trouble ourselves to call back the shadows. Sacrifices are of great Antiquity: not only the Book of God, but even the Law of nature hath imprinted in man's heart, that Sacrifices must be offered. It is written in the conscience, that an homage was due to the superior power, which is able to revenge itself of dishonour and contempt done it; and to regratifie them with kindness that served it. But David's Sacrifice was the earnest of a thankful heart. I might amplify it, and perhaps pick up some good glean after others full carts. I could also observe, that David came not before God empty-handed; but brought with him some actual testimony of his devoted affection; Burnt offerings. To the confusion of their faces, who will no longer serve God, if he grows chargeable to them. If they may receive from God good things, and pay him only with good words, they are content to worship him. But if they cannot be in his favour, but it must cost them the setting on; they will save their purses, though they lose their souls. If he requires aught for his Church, poor Ministers, or poor members; they cry with judas, Ad quid perditio haec? why is this waste? They are only so long rich in devotion, as they may be rich by devotion: and no longer. But for ourselves, be we sure that the best Sacrifice we can give to God, is obedience: not a dead beast, but a living soul. The Lord takes no delight in the blood of brutish creatures; a spirit in bodies; the impassable in savours arising from Altars. It is the mind, the life, the soul, the obedience, that he requires: e 1. Sam. 15. 22. To obey is better than sacrifice. Let this be our burnt offering, our Holocaust: a sanctified f Rom. 12. 1. 2. Body and Mind given up to the Lord. First the heart. My Son, give me thy heart. Is not the heart enough? no, the hand also; g Esa. 1. 16. wash the hands from blood and pollution. Is not the hand enough? no, the foot also: Remove thy foot from evil. Is not the foot enough? no, the lips also; Guard the doors of thy mouth; h Psal. 34 13. Refrain thy tongue from evil. Is not the tongue enough? no, the ear also; Let him that hath ears to hear, hear. Is not the ear enough? no, the eye also; Let thine eyes be toward the Lord. Is not all this sufficient? No, give body and spirit. i 2. Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify GOD in your body, and in your spirit, which are GOD'S. When the eyes abhor lustful objects, the ears slanders, the foot erring paths, the hands wrong and violence, the tongue flattery and blasphemy, the heart pride and hypocrisy: this is thy Holocaust; thy whole burnt offering. I will pay thee my vows. The third and highest degree of this Song is, Uowes; I will pay thee my vows. And here among vows, I might sooner then with Burnt offerings, lose the time, your patience, and myself. This vow was no meritorious or supererogatory work in David. But though the Law generally binds him to God's service, yet to some particular act of God's service, he may newly bind himself by a vow. So k Gen. 28. 20. 22. jacob vowed a vow, saying; If God will be with me, etc. This stone that I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the Tenth unto thee. Our Prophet did vow performance of that duty, to which without vowing he was obliged. Psal. 119. I have vowed or sworn, and will perform it: that Psal. 119. 106. I will keep thy righteous judgements. There are many cautions in vows, which I must now vow to omit. Only Salomon's rule excepted, Eccles. 5. When thou vowest a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for he Eccl. 5. 4. 6. hath no pleasure in fools, pay that thou hast vowed. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin. Let nothing be vowed that is not Penes vonentem, in the power of the vower: and then the thing being good, and thou enabled to perform it, this vow must be kept. For thy vows are a heavy charge, Psalm. 56. Thy vows are heavy upon me, O Psal. 56. 12. God. The Papists have strange, and often impossible vows; of Poverty, Virginity, Pilgrimage. I will teach thee to make these vows too, God enable thee to keep them. If thou wilt vow poverty, let it be in spirit. Vow thyself not in the world a beggar, but a beggar to Christ. Many blessed Saints have served GOD with their wealth, and thought not that religion was only in them that begged. If thou wilt vow virginity, vow thyself a Virgin to Christ: whether thou be married or single, keep the bed undefiled; that l 2. Cor. 11. 2. thou mayest be presented a pure Virgin to Christ. If thou wilt vow Pilgrimage, let it not be to our Lady of Loretto, or of Halle and Zichem, indeed not to our Lady, but to our Lord: vow thyself a Pilgrim to Christ: Load not thyself with the luggage of this world, lest it hinder thy journey; and cease not traveling till thou come to thy Home; the place of peace and eternal rest. These are lawful, lawdible vows: the Lord send us all to make them, and to keep them. You see, I am quickly got up these two latter stairs: Some more special use remains only to be made, and so give way to conclusion. I will take from these three branches, a just reproof of three sorts of people: Refusers, Intruders, Backsliders. Refusers to come, being called. Intruders, that come being not prepared. And Backsliders, that make vows, but not keep them. The first say not, We will go into thy house. The second say, We will go into thy house, but not with burnt offerings. The last deny not both the former: We will go into thy house, and with burnt offerings; but non soluent vota; they will not pay their vows. 1. Refusers or Recusants are of two sorts; Papists, and Separatists, or Schismatics. 1. Papists; and they have so much recourse ad transmarina judicia; to beyond-sea judgements; that they dare not come into God's house, because of the Pope's interdiction. And the Popes have so wrought and brought it about now, that they will not only in abstracto be had in reverence; but in concreto be feared with observation. Though at first thirty Bishops there successively yielded their heads to the block for Christ: yet afterwards, by change of Bishops in that See, and of humours in those Bishops, such alteration hath followed; that Rome is no liker to what Rome was, than m 1. Sam. 19 13 michal's Image on a pillow of goats hair, was like David. The cause therefore of their not communicating with us, is awe of the Pope's Supremacy. For some of their greatest Writers have justified our Communion book, to contain all doctrine necessary to salvation. The not suffering them to come to God's house, is then rather a point of Popish policy and state, then of Christian devotion. But indeed they are the Satanical Jesuits that set them afoot. The common people, like the Mare mortuum, a dead Sea, would be quiet enough, if these blustering winds did not put them into tumult. And so long as those dogs can bark against God's house, the poor affrighted people dare not come there. So that England may have their bodies, but Rome hath their hearts; and the danger is fearful, lest Satan also come in for his share, and take possession of their souls. 2. Schismatics; who, because their curious eyes (looking through the spectacles of opinion) spy some Morphew of corruption on the Church's face, will utterly forsake it. There are some that refuse peaceable obedience, as the Poet made his Plays, to please the people; or as Simon Magus was Christened; for company. The Separatists are peevishly wretched: discontent drives them from God; and though they say, they fly for their conscience, indeed they fly from their conscience: leaving all true devotion behind them, and their wives and children upon the Parish. 2. Well, they are gone, and my discourse shall travel no further after them: but fall upon others nearer hand. There are some so far from Refusers, that they are rather Intruders. They will come into God's house, but they will bring no burnt offerings with them: no preparation of heart to receive benefit in the Church. They come without their wedding garment, and shall one day hear that fearful and unanswerable question; Friends, how came you in hither? These are the utterly profane, that come rather with a lame knowledge, than a blind zeal. For some of them, good clothes carry them to Church: and they had rather men should note the fashion of their habits, than God the habit of their hearts. They can better brook ten disorders in their lives, than one in their locks. Others are the secure semi-atheisticall Cosmopolites; and these come too: and none take a truer measure of the Sermon: for their sleep begins with the prayer before it, and wakens just at the Psalm after it. These think, that God may be served well enough with looking on. And their utmost duty, but to bring their bodies a little further living, than they shall be brought dead: for then perhaps they shall come to the Churchyard, now they will bring them to Church. Devotion and they are almost strangers, and so much as they know of it, they dishonour by their acquaintance. Their burnt offerings are nothing else, but a number of eyes at utmost lift up to heaven; their heart hath another centre. They bring as many sins with them every day to Church, as they have been all their lives in committing. Their hands are not washed from aspersions of lust and blood: their eyes are full of whoredom, their lips of slander, their affections of covetousness, their wits of cheating, their souls of impiety. If there were no Saints in the Church, how could they hope, the roof would not fall on their guilty heads! But I will leave them to the Lords reproof. jere. 7. Will ye steal, murder, commit adultery, and swear falsely: and come and stand before jere. 7. 9 11. me in this house, staring me in the face, as if you were innocent? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord. 3. There is yet a last-sort; that will come into God's house, and bring with them burnt offerings, a show of external devotion; but they will not pay their Vows. Distress, war, captivity, calamity, famine, sickness, brings down the most elate and lofty spirits. It turns the proud Gallants feather into a kerchief, pulls the wine from the lips of the drunkard; ties up the tongue of the swearer, whom thunder could not adjure to silence: makes the Adulterer loath the place of his sin, the bed. And though the Usurer stuff his pillow with nothing but his bonds and mortgages, softer and sweeter in his opinion then down or feathers; yet his head will not leave aching. This misery doth so sting, terrify, and put sense into the dead flesh of the numbed conscience; that (all worldly delights being found like plumme●…s of lead, tied about a man while he is exposed in this Sea; so far from helping him to swim, that they sink him rather) the eye looks about for another shore, and finds none but God. To this so long forgotten God, the heart begins to address a messenger, and that is Prayer. God (the wicked see) must be called on, but they know not how. They have been so mere strangers to him, that they cannot tell how to salute him. Like beggars that are blind, they are forced to beg, but they see not of whom. Or if their eyes are so far open; Vident quasi è longinquo salutem, sed interiacente pelago: vident quò eundum, non quà: They see health a far off, as it were beyond the Sea: they see whither they would go, but not which way. If any inferior thing, or created prop could uphold them, God should not be solicited. If friends will, if Physic will, if money will, if all the delicate objects for any sense will ease or appease their grief, they will not seek to heaven. Yea, if Beelzebub the God of Ekron can cure them, they will not trouble the GOD of Israel. But all lower pleasures to one thus sick, is but like a sweet harmony of music to a deaf man. There is no hope of comfort but from above the clouds. Health & prosperity is but as a Coach to carry our desires to heaven, but sickness is the post-horse. Only this Sub poena can bring us to put up a supplication in the high Court of Requests and mercy. Now lo, they pray, they beseech, they sigh, they weep, they bleed, and lastly they vow. What vow they? Either some new act to be done, or some old act to be left undone. Now the drunkard vows abstinence, the lustful vows continence, the swearer vows to leave his blasphemy: the Encloser vows to throw open his taken in commons: the proud vow to leave their gaudy vanity: the worldling vows to be charitable, and to relieve the poor. And perhaps at such a pinch or dead lift, one Usurer in a thousand years may vow to forsake his usury, and to restore all that he hath so gotten. Now they say, Lord, remove from me this malady, this extremity; and I will hereafter serve thee better, love thee more, believe thy Gospel, relieve thy poor, give something to an Hospital, or do some such act as may testify my thankfulness. Well, God hears and grants; health comes, strength is recovered, the danger is over, they are well. Now ubi vota? Where be their vows? Alas, we rise from our beds of sickness, and leave our vows behind us. Aegrotus surgit, sed pia vota jacent. Physicians have a rule among themselves, concerning their Patients: Take whiles they be in pain. For whatsoever they promise sick, when they are well, they will not perform it. So God had need to take what devotion he can get at our hands in our misery; for when prosperity returns, we forget our vows. You have often heard that old verse: D●…mon languebat, tunc monachus esse volebat. Daemon conn●…luit, daemon ut ante suit. And as wittily Englished: The Devil was sick, the devil a Monk would be, The Devil was well, the devil of Monk was he. The moral of it suits full to our present purpose. It is reported of Constantinople, that a terrible Earthquake had over thrown many houses, slain much people. Hereupon the remaining Inhabitants affrighted, fell devoutly to their prayers and vows: privately in their chambers, publicly in their Churches: the poor were relieved, justice administered, their lives much amended. But afterwards when God held his hand, they held their tongues: he forbore plaguing, and they forbore praying: the rod ceased, and their piety withal; they forgot their vows. When the Lord hath stricken us by famine; in withholding the rain from us; or in pouring down too much too fast upon us: Or by a grievous plague, turning our popular streets into a Desert: we strait grow penitent; Zeal carries up our cries to heaven; we pray, we sigh, we weep. Sorrow sits in our eyes, devotion on our lips, God hath at that time more hearty prayers in an hour, then ordinarily in a year. But as the Poet spoke, Nocte pluit tota, redeunt spectacula manè. The Lord no sooner takes off the burden of misery; but we also shake of the burden off piety; we forget our vows. O the mercy of God, that such forgetfulness should possess Christian hearts! This was unthankful Israel's fault, Psalm. 106. They soon forgot his works: they forgot, yea soon: they made haste to forget: so the Psal. 106. 13. Original is; They made haste, they forgot. Like men that in sleep shake death by the hand, but when they are awake will not know him. It is storied of a rich Merchant, that in a great storm at Sea, vowed to jupiter if he would save him and his vessel, to give him a Hecatomb. The storm ceaseth, and he bethinks himself that a Hecatomb was unreasonable; he resolves on seven Oxen. Another tempest comes, and now he vows again the seven at least. Delivered then also, he thought that seven were too many, and one Ox would serve the turn. Yet another peril comes, and now he vows solemnly to fall no lower: if he might be rescued, an Ox jupiter shall have. Again freed, the Ox sticks in his stomach, and he would feign draw his devotion to a lower rate; a Sheep was sufficient. But at last being set ashore, he thought a Sheep too much; and purposeth to carry to the Altar only a few Dates. But by the way, he eats up the Dates, and lays on the Altar only the shells. After this rate do many perform their vows. They promise whole Hecatombs in sickness; but they reduce them lower and lower still, as they grow well. He that vowed to build an Hospital; to restore an Impropriation to the Church; to lay open his enclosures, and to serve God with an honest heart: brings all at last to a poor reckoning; and thinks to please the Lord with his empty shells. There was some hope of this man's soul's health, while his body was sick: but as his body riseth to strength, his soul falls to weakness. It is the reproach of Rome; No penny, no Pater noster: let it not be our reproach and reproof too; No plague, no Paternoster; no punishments, no prayers. Thy vows are Gods debts, and Gods debts must be paid. He will not (as men do desperate debtor) dismiss thee on a slight composition. No; n Bern. justè exigitur ad soluendum, qui non cogitur ad vovendum. He is justly required to pay, that was not compelled to vow. o Aug. in Ep. ad Armentar. et Paulinum. Non talis eris, si non feceris quod vovisti, qualis mansisti, si nihil tale vovisses: Minor enim tunc esses, non peior. Thou remainest not the same having vowed, and not performed; as thou hadst been, hadst thou not vowed. Thou hadst then been less, thou art now worse. Well then Beloved; if we have vowed a lawful vow to the Lord, let us pay it. Let it not be said of us, that we do Aliud sedentes, aliud stantes: one thing sitting in our chair of sickness, another thing standing in our stations of health. The Lord doth not deliver us out of the bond of distress, that we should deliver ourselves out of the bond of obedience. p Gal. 6. 7. Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap. The next blow of his hand will be heavier, because thou hast soon forgotten this. Who can blame justice, if he strike us with yet greater plagues; that have on our deliverance from the former, so mocked him with the falling fruits of our vowed devotion? Come we then whose hearts the mercy of God, and blood of jesus Christ hath softened; and say with our Psalmist; We will go into thy house, O Lord, we will pay thee our vows. You see all the parts of this Song: the whole comfort or harmony of all is Praising God. I have showed you Quo loco, in his house: Quo modo, with burnt offerings: Quo animo, paying our vows. Time hath abridged this discourse, contrary to my promise and purpose. In a word, which of us is not infinitely beholding to the Lord our God: for sending to us many good things, & sending away from us many evil things? O where is our praise, where is our thankfulness? What shall we do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? What? but take the cup of salvation, and bless the Name of the Lord? q Psal. 100 4. O let us enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his Courts with praise: let us be thankful unto him, and bless his Name. And let us not bring our bodies only, but our hearts; let our souls be thankful. Man's body is closed up within the Elements; his blood within his body; his spirits in his blood, his soul within his spirits; and the Lord resteth in his soul. Let then the soul praise the Lord: let us not draw near with our lips, and leave our hearts behind us: but let us give the searcher of the hearts, a hearty praise. Ingratitude is the devils Text; oaths, execrations, blasphemies, & lewd speeches are Commentaries upon it. But thankfulness is the language of heaven; for it becometh Saints to be thankful. As therefore we would give testimony to the world, and argument to our own conscience, that we serve the Lord; let us promise and perform the words of my Text: We will go into thy house with burnt offerings: we will pay thee our vows. The Lord give thankfulness to us, and accept it of us; for jesus Christ his sake. Amen. MAN'S SEEDTIME AND HARVEST: OR, Lex Talionis. GALAT. 6. 7. Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. THESE words have so near alliance to the former, that before we speak personally of them, we must first find out their Pedigree. To fetch it no higher, then from the beginning of this Chapter, the line of their Genealogy runs thus. 1. Supportation of the weak, vers. 1. and 2. 2. Probation of our selves, vers. 4. 3. Communication of duties to our Teachers, vers. 6. The first is an action of Charity: the second of Integrity: the third of Equity. This last is the Father of my Text: and it is fit, that we being to speak of the child, should first look a little into his Parentage. Patrique simillima proles. It is this. Let him that is taught in the word, communicate to him that teacheth in all good things. This, one would think, should stand like the Sun, all men blessing it: yet Mammon hath suborned some dogs to bark against it. Will they say, Let him is only permissi●…e? They shall find it was imperative; a Gen. 1. 3. Let there be light, and there was light. Though their sensible hearts want the obedience of these insensible creatures. Or will they except against Taught; as if they that will not be taught, were not bound? Indeed many are bet●…er fed then taught; otherwise they would not deny food to his body, that does not deny food to their souls. Or perhaps they will plead Indignitatem docentis, the unworthiness of the Teacher. And what Paul shall be worthy if every Barbarian may censure him? But non tollatur divinum debi●…um, propter humanam debilitatem. Let not God lose his right, for man's weakness. b Mal. 3. 8. You have robbed me, saith God; not my Ministers. Will not all this quarreling serve? yet still Paul's proposition must have some opposition. Though we must give something to our Teachers, yet this charge doth not fetch in Tithes. This, this is the point: prove this, and you shall find many a great man's soul, as his Impropriations cannot be, in a damnable Lapse. I would say something of it; but me thinks I hear my friends telling me, what Sadolet said to Erasmus. Erasmus would prove, that worshipping▪ of Images might well be abolished. I grant (quoth Sadolet) thy opinion is good: but this point should not be handled, because it will not be granted. I am sure, God's law gives tithes to his Church: but say they, that Law is abolished; repealed by a new Act of Parliament. Paul in his Epistle frees us from the old Law. Indeed Paul speaking of our Sanctification and Salvation; notes our deliverance from the Lusts of the Flesh, and from the lists of the Law. From the Ceremonial Law wholly, from the Moral only so far as it shall not condemn those in Christ. But who, save an Advocate of Mammon, will limit Tenths to Ceremony? God requires a portion of our Time, of our Goods: the Seventh of our time, the Tenth of our goods: and we have those, that turn both into Ceremony. Such make the Sabbath itself a mere Ceremony. But be not deceived, God is not mocked. This same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, In all good things, is of some latitude. Many will allow some of their goods, but they snarl at Paul's In omnibus. The Minister shall have the Easter-booke, perhaps some other trifles: it may be (against their wills) wool and lambs: but shall the black coat carry away the Tith-shocke? The gummed Taffeta Gentleman would fret out at this. They plead to their Vicar, We give what the Law allows. What their Law, not what the Gospel. And yet they hope not to be saved by the Law, but by the Gospel. The Apostle saith, Part of all; why then not the tenth part, which God at the first commanded, and custom in all ages commended? That part once assigned of God, should prevent all arbitrary disposing of men. What Landlord leaves it to his Tenant, to pay him what rend he list? If Mammon must set out God's portion, he is sure to have but a little. It was never well with the Church, since it was at the world's finding. No man fears to surfeit, whiles he is at his enemies feeding. I think the purest and precisest Reformers (deformers I should say) of Religion, can hardly order this matter, better than God hath done. Every plummet is not for this sound: nor every line for this level: nor out of many such blocks can a man carve Mercury. The Canon Law says, that Si Princeps causam inter parts audierit, & sententiam dixerit; lex est in omnibus similibus. If the Prince hear a cause betwixt parties, and give a definitive Sentence, that is a ●…aw to decide all controversies of the same nature. But we have the Prince of heavens Sentence for paying of Tithes; before the Law to Abraham, under the Law to the jews; therefore small reason that it should not hold under the Gospel among Christians. Be not deceived, God, etc. They were the Churches, why are they not? Plead what you will, God hath a grievous Quare impedit against you. You say, they were taken away from idle drones, and fat bellied Monks. So Rapiuntur ab ind●…gnis, 〈◊〉 à dignis. From the unworthy they were taken, and from the worthy they are detained. But to whom are they given? Possidebant P●…pistae, possident Rapistae. Those kept some good hospitality with them, these keep none. So that as c Lib. 1. cap. 4. Comin●…us observes upon the battle of Montlch●…y: some lost their livings for running away; and they were given to those that ran ten mile further. Idleness lost, and oppression hath gained. But let me say with the Psalmist, Psalm. 11. d Psal. 11. 3. The foundations are cast down: but what hath the righteous done? The foundations of the Church, which should hold up the Gospel, tenths & maintenance, are cast down, because of superstitious abusers; but what hath the righteous done, that these things should be taken from them? e Arondel. Ar●…. B. of C●…nt. S●…e Fox. Mar●…l. pag. 533. A Bishop coming to a Town, because the Bells rang not, suspended the Organs. A strange kind of revenge, because the Bells rang not in the Steeple, to suspend the Organs in the Quire. So because those Bells, not of Aaron, but of Antichrist, did not ring to God's glory: you have suspended the Organs and means of living from them that take pains; and in your own consciences preach to you the sincere Gospel of Christ. But be not deceived, God is not mocked. Or perhaps you say, you must have these Church-livings for Hospitalities' sake, that you may keep the better houses. So you make the Clergy poor, that you may make the poor rich. I have read, that the Sophy of Persia, being to send a great sum of money for an offering to Mahomet in Arabia, would send none of his own coin; for that he said was gotten by ill means: but exchanged it with English Merchants, because theirs was gotten honestly, and with a good conscience. So it may be, you think that your own unjust moneys, and extorted comings in by the ruin of your Tenants, is no good offering to GOD. But the Churchman's living comes honestly, and with a good conscience; and therefore you will take that, to offer your sacrifice of alms to God. But herein you come short of the Persian: you do not give your own Lordships and lands in exchange. Yet me thinks, if spiritual livings must be given to the poor, you might suffer the Church to give her own. I could never find either in Albo Praetorum, or in Rubrica Martyrum, how the Laity was deputed to this stewardship. Sure they intrude themselves into this Office, and will be God's Almoners, whether he will or no. If they will give to the poor; let them give that is theirs. f Ambr. Dona quaerit, non spolia Deus. God expects and respects gifts of thine own, not spoils of others. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. But where is your Hospitality after all this? you can tell me; nay I can tell you. Bestowed amongst Silk-men, Mercers; yea, upon Tailors, Players, Harlots; and other insatiable beggars of the same rank. In the reign of Alexander Severus, the Tipplers, & Alehouse-keepers complained against the Christians, that they had turned a place of ground to some religious use, which belonged to them. But the very heathen Emperor could answer (upon hearing the cause) that it was honest and fit, God to be served before Alehouses. Who would not judge, that Tithes are fitter to be given to God, then to hounds, harlots, sycophants, inventors of fashions, and such bawds of pride and notorious iniquity? This I will speak boldly, and justify; that Hospitality was at the same time impropriated from the land, that spiritual livings were impropriated from the Church. You have not robbed Peter to pay Paul, but to pay judas. And hence misery sets her black foo●… into so many fair doors: all comes to beggary at last. They that swallow Churches, like dogs that eat knotgrass, never thrive after it. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. I have rubbed this sore enough, and conclude with that saying of Chrysostome: g Chry. in Mal. 3. Moneo ut reddatis Deo sua, ut Deus 〈◊〉 vobis vestra. Restore to God his own, that God may restore to you your own. Thus as he that had pulled one of Salomon's Curtains, the rest would follow; though in the first there were work enough for his admiration. So in this coherence, pardon me, if I have been somewhat plentiful. It was the induction to my Text: and the door thus opened, let us enter in to survey the building. Be not, etc. The whole may be distinguished into a Caution. Reason. The caution, Be not deceived, God is not mocked. The Reason; For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. The Caution is partly Dissuasive: Be not deceived. Persuasive: God is not mocked. You may deceive yourselves, you cannot deceive God. These two circumstances make against two defects Error. Be not deceived. Hypocrisy. God is not mocked. The Dissuasion: Be not deceived. This is the voice of a friend, studying Aut praevenire errori, aut revocare errantem; either to prevent a man, before he errs, or to recall him erring. A phrase often used by our Apostle, Ephes. 5. Let no man deceive you with Ephes. 5. 6. vain words. Nihil facilius est, quam errare. There is nothing easier, then to err. There is no man but errs; sometime●… in via pedum; often in via morum. This provision than is necessary. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Deceits lie as thick upon the earth, as the Grasshoppers did in Egypt; a man can scarce set his foot besides them. But to prevent the deceive of sin is our Apostles intention, Hebr. 3. Lest any of us be hardened, through the Heb. 3. 13. deceitfulness of sin. Sin is crafty, and full of delusion: there is no sin but hath his cozenage. Usury walks in Alderman Thrifty's gown. Pride gets the name of my Lady Decency. Idolatry, as if it dwelled by ill neighbours, praiseth itself; and that for the purest Devotion. Homicide marcheth like a man of valour; and Lust professeth itself Nature's Scholar. Covetousness is goodman Nabals' husbandry: and Enclosing, Master Oppressors policy. We were wont to say, that black could never be coloured into white: yet the devil hath some Painters that undertake it. Evils are near neighbours to good. Errore sub illo, Pro vitio virtus crimina saepe tulit. By that means virtue hath borne the blame of vices faults: yea, and more than that; Vice hath had the credit of virtues goodness. But be not deceived. When men's wits, and the devils to help, have found out the fairest pretexts for sin; God's justice strikes off all, and leaves Sin naked and punishable. Many pretences have been found out for many sins: besides distinctions, mitigations, qualifications, extenuations, colours, questions, necessities, inconveniences, tolerations, ignorances. But when man hath done, God begins. One argument of Gods now, is stronger than all ours. Thou shalt not do this. Go study to persuade thyself, that thou mayest: yet at last GOD takes away all thy distinctions, when he pours his wrath on thy naked conscience. Then where is thy paint? If it prevail not against the Sun, what will it do against the fire? God charged our first Parents, that they should not eat of the forbidden fruit: If you do, you shall die. The devil comes first with a flat Negative; h Gene. 3. 4. Non mori●…mini: Ye shall not die. Then with subtle promises; Ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil. But what is the event? They eat, and they die; are instantly made mortal, and should have died for ever, but for a Saviour. GOD bids Saul slay all in Amalek, 1. Sam. 15. Smite Amalek, utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not. Yet Saul 1. Sam. 15. 3. spares Agag, and the fat cattle. Why is this a fault? I spared the best of the cattle for Sacrifice to the Lord. Will not this serve? No: God rejects Saul from being King over Israel; who had rejected God from being King over Saul. Be not deceived, God is not m●…ked. Consider we here the examples of Uzzah, and Vzziah. For a 1. Chr. 13. 10. Vzzah; God had charged, that none but the consecrated Priests should touch the Ark●…. Uzzah seeing the Oxen shake the Ark, put forth his hand to stay it up. Was this a sin to stay the Ark of God from falling? Yes: God proves it; he lays him dead by the Arks side. For Vzziah, God had charged, Numb. 18. that none should invade the Priest's office. The stranger that cometh Num. 18. 7. nigh, shall be put to death. b 2. Chr. 26. 18. Vzziah will come to the Altar with a Censor in his hand to offer Incense. Why, is this an offence to offer to the Lord? Yes: GOD makes it manifest; Vzziah is a Leper to his dying day. God had commanded the Prophet sent to Bethel; c 1. King. 13. 17 Thou shalt eat no bread, and drink no water there. Well, he is going homewards; and an old Prophet over-takes him, & persuades him to refresh himself. No says the other, I must not; For so was it charged me in the Word of the Lord; Thou shalt eat no bread, etc. But says the old Prophet; An Angel spoke to me, saying, Bring him back, that he may eat bread. Well, he goes: Is not a Prophet's word? an Angel's word authority enough? No, the Lord proves it; he gives a Lion leave to slay him. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. The jews knew, that they ought not to despise their Messias. He is come: Lo now, they study arguments against him. john 7. We know this man whence he is: but joh. 7. 27. when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. And c Ver. 52. Search and look; for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet. Be these their cavils against Gods express charge? He answers all, when he leaves their house unto them desolate. I hope I may take a little, says ●…ehazi: but enough took him for it, a continual Lepro●…e. The evil Servant hath his plea, Math. 25. I knew that thou wert a hard man, etc. Therefore I hid thy talon in the earth: lo, there thou hast Math. 25. 25. that is thine. But what follows, ver. 30? Cast ye that unprofitable servant into utter darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of ●…eeth. To come from example to application. It is Gods command concerning Princes; Touch not mine Anointed. The Papists will touch them with the hand of death? Why, they have warrant from the Pope. God's Word says not so, either in precept or precedent. If any King in God's book had been deposed by a Priest, all the Schools and Pulpits would have rung of it: we should have had no rule with the Church of Rome. But it falls out happily; Ut quod praecepto non iubetur, etiam exemplo careat. That as it is not commanded by charge, so nor commended by examples. But will they still argue for this shedding of the blood-royal? The gallhouse confutes them here; but their worst confutation will be confusion hereafter. God says thou shalt not put thy money to usury: thou hast found out many distinctions to satisfy thy conscience, or rather thy covetousness. God's word & thy will are at odds. He says, Thou shalt not: thou sayest, thou may est. On these and these terms, Hell fire shall decide the question. Relieve the poor, saith the Lord. Thou suckest their bloods rather: but howsoever will't give nothing. Why, may we not do with our own what we list? Well, this same Ite maledict●…; Go ye cursed, is a fearful and unanswerable argument. Thus flesh and blood speeds, when it will deal with God on terms of disputation. If Gods own reason, Thou shalt not do this, be not stronger than all ours now; it shall be one day. d Eph. 5. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for, for these things, the wrath of God shall come upon the children of disobedience. Be not deceived. As every particular Sin hath the particular colour: so there are general pretexts for general sins; whereby many souls are deceived. I find this doctrine, though plain, so necessary, that I must be bold to pursue it. You may easily forgive all good faults. There are seven general pleas for sin. 1. Predestination is pleaded. If I be written to life, I may do this: for many are saved that have done worse. If not, were my life never so strict, hell appointed is not to be avoided. These men look to the top of the Ladder, but not to the foot. God ordains not men to jump to Heaven, but to climb thither by prescribed degrees. Non per saltum, sed scansum. Qui ordinavit finem, ordinavit media ad finem. He that decreed the end, decreed also the means that conduce to it. If thou take liberty to sin, this is none of the way. Peter describes the rounds of this ladder, e 2. Pet. 1. 〈◊〉. faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, charity. Thou runnest a contrary course, in the wild paths of unbelief, profaneness, ignorance, riot, impatience, impiety, malice: this is none of the way. These are the rounds of a Ladder that goes downward to hell. God's predestination f Augu. de Praedest. Sanctorum. est multis causa standi, nemini labendi: helps many to stand, pusheth none down. Look thou to the way, let God alone with the end. Believe, repent, amend, and thou hast God's promise to be saved. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. 2. It is Gods will I should do this wickedness: he saw it, and might have prevented it. It is unjust to damn a man for that he will●… him to do. Answ. This is a blasphemous and most sacrilegious ●…uill. Where did God ever will thee to lie, to swear, to oppress, to adulterize? His will is his word: and where findest thou his word commanding sin? And shall God's Sicut 〈◊〉 memorta tua non cogit 〈◊〉 esse, quae sunt 〈◊〉: Sic Deus praescientia sua non cogit ●…acienda, quae sunt futura. Aug. de lib●… 〈◊〉. lib. 3. prescience make him guilty of thy evil? Then must thy memory make thee guilty of other men's evil. As thou by thy memory, dost not cause those things to have been done, that are past: So God by his foreknowledge doth not cause those things to be done, which are to come. 3. Ignorance is pleaded; I knew not the deed to be evil, or if evil, not so dangerous. Indeed Ignorance may make a sin Minus, not Nullum; a less sin, but not no sin. g 1. Tim. 1. 13. I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief: saith our Apostle. And h Aug. Peccata scientium peccatis ignorantium praepo●…ntur. The sins of them that know, are more heinous than the sins of them that know not. But if thou hadst no other sin, thy ignorance is enough to condemn thee; for thou art bound to know. 〈◊〉 ea que sunt Domini nesciunt, a Domino nesciu●…. i Gregor. in 〈◊〉. lib. 1. cap. 1. They that will not know the Lord, the Lord will not know them. But I speak to you that may know: your ignorance is affected. k 1. Cor. 15 34. Some of you have not the knowledge of God, I speak this to your shame. l Be●…. in 11. g●…d. 〈◊〉. Mul●… ut liberiùs peccarent, libenter ignorant. Many that they may sin the more securely, are ignorant wilfully. Thus you may go blindfold to hell. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. 4. A fourth saith; I have many good deeds to weigh with my evils. Indeed I am an Usurer, an Adulterer, a Swearer; but I keep a good house, I give alms; and I will do more when I am dead. Indeed these are good works; Bona accipientibus, non facientibus. Good to the receivers, not to the Givers. So a man may be borne for the good of many, not for his own. They write that the Pyramids of Egypt was built for that great Pharaohs Tomb; but the Red Sea disappointed him. Many think by good works to build up a heaven for themselves, but leading unsanctified lives, hell prevents their purpose. And such a man, as robs many hundreds to relieve some, may at last for his charity go to the Devil. The Papists indeed stand extremely for building Abbeys, Colleges for Jesuits, and augmenting the revenues of Monasteries, that Masses and Dirige's may be sung for their souls: they give full absolution to such a man, and seal him a general acquittance of all his sins. They make the besotted Laity, especially some rich Burger believe, that without any more ado, it is impossible for a man to be damned that lives in such a Profession; and which is strange, here they equivocate truly; so long as a man lives in it; but if he dies in it, there is the danger. But we know▪ the poison must be justified, or else the work is not sanctified. Be not deceived, GOD is not mocked. 5. But say some, God is merciful. Comfortable truth: else woe, woe to miserable man. But shall God show mercy to those that abuse his mercy? He will not be so merciful to thee, as to be unjust to himself. God will be just, go thou on and perish. God showed mercy to the relenting, not to the railing thief. Wouldst thou have him merciful to thee, that art unmerciful to him, to thyself? Misericordia amplectenti, non tergiuer santidatur. They that will lead a wicked life, sub spe misericordiae, in hope of mercy: shall meet with a fearful death, sub terrore justitiae, in the horror of justice. Kiss the mercy of God, abuse it not. Where is Praesumptio veniae, will follow Consumptio poen●…: a presuming of favour shall be punished with a consuming wrath. Be not deceived, etc. 6. Others allege; Christ died for our sins, and his satisfaction is of infinite price. This is the door of hope, from which the profanest wretch is angry to be driven. The most presumptuous sinner flatters his soul with this comfort: as if the gates of Heaven were now set open, and he might enter with all his iniquities on his back. Indeed there is no want in Christ; but is there none in thee? In him is plenteous redemption; but how if in thee there be scarce faith? whatsoever Christ is, what ar●… thou? m Io●…. 3. 16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only be●…otten Son. He did not let, or lend, or sell, but give: not an Angel, nor a servant, but a Son: not another's, but his own: not his adoptive, but natural, his begotten Son: not one of many, but his only begotten Son. Many degrees of love: but what of all this? That whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. But thou hast no faith, therefore no privilege by this gift. n john 10. 11. I am the good shepherd, saith Christ. Why? I give my life: but for whom? for my sheep. Not for lustful goats, or covetous hogs, or oppressing Tigers. If thou be such, here is no more mercy for thee, then if there were no Saviour. If there be no careful observation of the Law, there is no conservation by the Gospel. No good life, no good faith: no good faith, no Christ. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. 7. Well, yet Repentance makes all even wheresoever it comes; or God is not so good as his word. Yes; God will be so good as his promise; but here's the doubt, whether thou wilt be so good as thy purpose. Thou canst charge God no further then to forgive thee, repenting; not to give thee repentance sinning. Promisit Deus poenitenti veniam, non peccanti poenitentiam. He hath made a promise to Repentance, not of Repentance. This is God's treasure. what is the reason, the malefactor went from the cross to heaven! Dedit poenitentiam, qui dedit & Paradisum. God gave him repentance, that also gave him Paradise. Art thou sure God will put this alms into thy polluted hand? It is dangerous venturing the soul on such an uncertainty. He that sins that he may repent, is like one that surfet●… that he may take Physic. And whether this Physic will work on a dead heart, is a perilous fear. Alas! what tears are in flint? what remorse in a benu●…ed conscience? Tutum est poenitenda non committere, certum non est commissa deflere. It is safe not to do what thou mayst repent: it is not certain to repent what thou hast done. It is the fashion of many to send repentance afore to threescore: but if they live to those years, they do not then overtake it, but drive it before them still. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. You see now what trust is in colours: how easily you may deceive yourselves, how unpossibly mock GOD. Leave then excuses to the wicked, that will be guilty and God shall not know of it. Bernard reckons up their mitigations. Non feci, etc. I have not done it: or if I have done, yet not done evil; or if evil, yet not very evil: or if very Non feci: si feci, non male seci: si male seci, non multùm male: si multùm male, non mala intention: si mala intentione, tamen aliena persuasione. Bern. Tract. de grad. Humil. grad. 8. evil, yet not with an evil mind: or if with an evil mind, yet by others evil persuasion. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. If we cry with that servant; Have patience, and I will pay thee all; the Lord may forbear in mercy. But if we wrangle, I owe nothing; and God is too hasty to call me from my pleasures; he will require the uttermost farthing. I have held you long in this Dissuasive part of the Caution. The Persuasive was also much included in it, and therefore I will but touch it. God is not mocked. God is often in the Scripture called the Searcher of the heart. jere. 17. The heart is deceitful above all things, and jere. 17. 9 desperately wicked: who can know it? Who? Ego Dominus; I the Lord know the heart. So Solomon in his prayer: a 2. Chro. 6. 30. Thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men. So the Apostles about the election of one in judas room, b Acts 1. 24. Thou Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men. Now he that knows the heart, cannot be mocked. It is hard to beguile the eye of man looking on us, how much more to deceive the eye of God looking in us? Therefore Quod non audes facere aspiciente conseruo, hoc ne cogites inspiciente Deo. How vain a thing than is it to be an Hypocrite? As if God had not a window into the heart, to discern it. Hypocrites, saith Augustine, have c De Temp. 215. Christianum nomen ad judicium, non ad remedium: The name of Christians to their condemnation, not comfort. Their words are like an Echo, they answer Gods call, but never come at him. Good company they will admit, to better their credit, not their conscience. Like crafty Apothecaries, they have one thing written in their papers and marks, another thing in their boxes. But because every man is as hasty to condemn an Hypocrite, as David was to condemn the Oppressor in the Parable, when the d 2. Sam. 12. 5. Tu es homo lies in his own bosom, I will touch two or three particulars. If we look into Popery, we shall find it universally a professed study to mock GOD. They make show by their abundant prayers of an abundant zeal: when (as if God saw not the heart) they think the work done is sufficient. Those Qui filo insertis numerant sua murmura baccis, keep number and tale; no matter with what mind: no nor yet to whom; whether to this Angel, or that Saint; to our Lord, or to our Lady. Yea it is recorded that the Papists in Scotland (about Henry the 8. his time of England) used to say the Lords Prayer to Saints. Insomuch Fox Martyrol. Pag. 1237. that when a little knowledge came into some men's hearts of this absurdity, there arose great Schism. And one Friar Toit●… was gotten to make a Sermon, that the Pater noster might be said to Saints. So were the people divided, that it was a common question; To whom say you your Paternoster? Call you these zealous prayers? Be not deceived, God is not mocked. As much might be said for their unclean Celibate. Their single life makes show of great pureness, as if their adulteries, Sodomitry, experimental brothelry, unmatchable uncleannesses were not known. They ostent their Chastity, when Vrbs est iam tota Lupanar. What would they, but mock God? No less for their fastings. How deadly a sin is it to eat flesh on a Friday! yet is it no sin with them to be drunk on a Friday. A poor labourer ploughs all day, at night refresheth himself with a morsel of Bacon: he is an Heretic. A gallant Gentleman hawks all day, at night sits down to his variety of fishes, curious wines, possets, junkets; O he's a good Catholic. An Hypocrite he is rather. Famam quaerunt abstinentiae in delicijs. They seek the credit of temperance among full tables, full pots. Famam quaerunt, but Famem fugiunt. They desire praise, but they refuse hunger. But God is not mocked. For ourselves. If there be any here, (because my Text depends on that occasion) that robs his Minister of temporal food, and yet makes show to hunger after his spiritual food; though he may cousin man unseen; either by his greatness, or craftiness: Let him know, that Gdo is not mocked. If there be any fraudulent Debtor, that deceives his brother of his goods, and then flatters his conscience that the merits of Christ shall acquit him: so packs all upon Christ, let him pay it: let him know that God is not mocked. The blood of Christ was not shed to pay men's debts, but God's debts. It hath virtue enough, but no such direction. Thou injurest Christ to lay such reckonings on him. No, vend, solve, vive de reliquo. a 2. King. 4. 7. Sell that thou hast, pay that thou owest, live of that thou reservest. If there be any Usurer, that deals altogether in letting out: that lets out his money to men, his time to Mammon, his body to pining, his mind to repining, his soul to Satan: Though he comes to Church, and sits out a Sermon; let him know that his mind is then bound to his obligations; and he creeps into the Temple for the same end, the Serpent crope into Paradise. Wretched men, that are bound to his mercy: for like a common hackney jade, he will not bear them one hour past his day. But let him know, God is not mocked. If there be any Oppressor, that comes to Church in the shape of Knight or Gentleman: & thinks to cover all his exactions of his poor Tenants, all his wring of his neighbours; with going three or four miles to a Sermon: let him know, that God is not mocked. He prefers Mercy before Sacrifice; and would not have thy profession countenance thy evil deeds, but thy good deeds commend thy profession. Baldwin an Archbishop of Canterbury boasted often, that he never eat flesh in his life. To whom a poor lean widow Act. and Monum. Pag. 233. replied, that he said false; for he had eaten up her flesh: He demands how: She replies, by taking away her Cow. Never pretend your earnest zeal, fasting or praying, or traveling to Sermons; when you devour widows houses, enclose Commons, and so eat up the very flesh of the poor. If there be any that allows sometimes the Church his body, when the Pope always hath his heart; who though he be in Domo Dei; in God's house; is Pro Domo Antichristi, is for antichrist's kitchen. Or that keeps a Lady at home, that will not come two furlongs to Church: whereas our Lady travelled as far as jerusalem. Luke 2. Who must needs be a Papist, because her Grannam was Luk. 2. 41. so: and grows sick if you but talk of the Communion. And all this to save his Lands on earth, though he lose his Land in Paradise: Let him know, God is not mocked. If there be any here, that hath given no Religion yet a full persuaded place in his heart: but because he sees diverse shadows, resolves on no substance. And is like the Bat, that hath both wings and teeth, and so is neither a bird nor a beast. His mind being like a puff of wind, between two religions, as that between two doors, ever whistling. Protestants, he says believe well, Puritans say well, and Papists do well: but till they all agree in one, he will be none of them all. To quite him in his own fantasy; let him then take from the one good faith, from the other good words, and from the last good works, and he may be made a very good Christian. But why then comes he to Church? By the mere command of the positive Law: as he comes to the Assizes when he is warned of a jury. But let him not be deceived: God is not mocked. If there be any luxurious, that serves God in the Temple, his flesh in the Chamber. Any covetous, that (as if his soul was divisible) strives to serve two masters; though he doth it diversly: God with his art, the world with his heart. If any blasphemer that here sings Psalms, and abroad howls oaths and curses. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth jam. 1. 26. his own heart, this man's religion is in vain. If any seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, when they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, servers of the Lord, when they are observers of the time. Let them know to their horror, Non deluditur Deus, God is not mocked. Gold cannot hide a rotten post from GOD'S eye. If men will be Humiles sine despectu, and Pauperes fine defectu; Bern. he sees it. Hypocrisy is like a burning fever, which drinks fervent heat out of cold drink. The Hypocrite is nothing else but a player on this world's stage: the villains part is his; and all his care is to play it handsomely and cleanly. He maliceth any man that would take his part from him; not unlike to him that being requested to lend his clothes, to represent a part in a Comedy; answered; no, he would have no body play the fool in his clothes but himself. He thinks to cousin all the world with the opinion of his purity; but there is one above sees him. God is not mocked. I have ended the Caution; let us come to the Reason. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. wherein observe The Manner. Matter. In the Manner there is a twofold generality of the Thing. Person. There is a Whatsoever, and a Whosoever: for the whole speech is indefinite. The Person is indefinite. A Man, any man, Every man. This is the first Generality. For Country, be he jew or Gentile, Turk or Christian. For degree; high or low, Prince or subject, the greatest Lord, and the basest Groom. For estate; be they rich or poor, the wealthiest Burger, and the wretchedst Beggar. For Sex, be they male or female. For condition; be they bond or free. What a man, any man, sows, that, etc. The Thing is indefinite. Whatsoever. This is the other Generality. Be it good or evil, blessing or cursing, charity or injury, equity or iniquity, truth or hypocrisy, deceit or honesty. Whatsoever a man soweth, etc. Evil is of the flesh: and vers. 8. He that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption. And chap. 5. 21. The works of the flesh are manifest; adultery, etc. they which sow such seed, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Good is of the Spirit: and he which soweth to the Spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. chap. 5. 22. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, etc. And To those that walk after Rom. 8. 1. this spirit, there is no condemnation. Whatsoever. There are no more sorts of men, but good and evil: nor more sorts of ends, than Poena et Praemum; Reward and punishment. Therefore Whatsoever whosoever soweth, the same shall he also reap. You see the manner. In the matter we must also consider two things. A Seeding. Harvest. Whatsoever a man soweth in his Seedtime; that shall he also reap in his harvest. They that sow grace, shall reap glory: they that sow corruption, must reap confusion. To begin with the wicked; he that sows evil, shall reap evil: he that soweth malum culpae, the evil of sin, shall reap malum poen●…, the evil of punishment. So Eliphaz told job that he had seen, job 4 8. They that plough iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. And that either in Kind or Quality. Proportion or Quantity. In Kind, the very same that he did to others, shall be done to him; or in Proportion, a measure answerable to it. So he shall reap what he hath sown in Quality or in Quantity: either in Portion the same, or in proportion the like. In Kind. The Prophet cursing Edom and Babel, saith thus, Psal. 137. O daughter of Babylon: happy shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us. The original is; That recompenseth Psal. 137. 8. to thee Thy De●…de, which thou didst to us. So Zion rejoiceth over Edom, Obad. As thou hast done, it Obad. ver. 15. shall be done to thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. So the Lord to Mount Seir, Ezek. 35. As thou Ezek. 35. 15. didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel when it was desolate: So will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O Mount Seir. Yea verse 14. When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate. Prou. 1. Wisdom crieth, Prou. 1. 15. fools laugh: therefore saith she; I will also laugh at your calami●…y: I will mock when your fear cometh. This is verse 31. to be filled with their own devices, to eat the fruit of their own way; to reap of their own sowing. Thus was God's Law; Eye for eye, tooth for tooth; Lex talionis. Blood for blood. So ●…bels blood spilled on the earth, cries for the blood of Cain, that runs in his murderous veins. Nature is offended and must be pacified: and no pacification can wash the Lamb from blood, but their blood that shed it. justice must cause them that have sowed blood, to reap blood. The example of Adonibezek is most observable, judges 1. judah and Simeon warring against the Canaanites, surprised Adonibezek; and cut off judges. 1. 7. his thumbs and his great toes. And Adonibezek said, Three score and ten Kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my Table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. Thus is wickedness recompensed suo genere, in it own kind. So often the transgressor is against the transgressor: the thief robs the thief; Proditor is proditor. As in Rome many unchristened Emperors, and many christened Popes; by blood and treason got the Sovereignty, and by blood and treason lost it. Evil men drink of their own brewing, are scourged with their own rod, drowned in the pit which they digged for others. As Haman was hanged on his own Gallows: Perillus tormented in his own Engine. Nec enim lex iustior vll●… est; quam necis artifices arte perire sua. Thus they reap in kind. Now In Proportion, The Punishment is apted to the quality of the Sinne. Adam at first did eat in wantonness: Adam shall therefore eat in pain. He excuseth his offence with a bold forehead, therefore in the sweat of his forehead he shall eat his bread. The woman's eye lusted, therefore in her eye tears. She longed then against Grace, she shall long now against Nature. She overruled her husband before, he shall overrule her now. Man hath the pre-eminence: and her desire shall be subject to him. Should be, though in all it is not: but lightly when Eve overrules Adam, the Devil is in the business. To trace along the passages of holy Scriptures in this point: about Proportion. The ambition of Babel-builders was punished with ridiculousness. Cha●… offending against natural reverence, was damned to servitude. As it was but an easy judgement upon H●…ricus 5. Emperor of Germany; that had deposed his natural Father, to have no natural Son. Sodom was burned with fire unnatural, that had burned with lusts unnatural. Lot's wife abusing her sense, lost her sense: became a senseless Pillar. She would look back, therefore she shall not look forward: she turned before, therefore now shall not stir. 〈◊〉, ibi re●…sit. Thus Absalon's folly was the recompense of David's adultery. He had slain Vriah with the sword, and the sword shall not depart from his house. Solomon divides God's Kingdom, his own Kingdom shall be divided. Because Pharaoh drowned the male children of the Hebrews Exod. 1. 22. Exod. 14. in ●…iuer, himself and his Egyptian Host shall be drowned in a Red Sea. Dives would not give Lazarus a crumb: Lazarus shall not bring Dives a drop. Desider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, qui non dedit micam. There is fit Proportion, betwixt a crumb of bread and a drop of water. Aug. The tongue of that Rich man, that had consumed so much belly-cheer, and turned down so many tons of wine; shall not now procure one pot of water, not a handful, not a drop. In his tongue he sinned, in his tongue he is torm●…d. judas was the instrument of his Master's death, judas shall be the instrument of his own death. Insolent 〈◊〉 vowed to enprison conquered Tamburlaine, in a cage of iron, and to carry him up and down the world in triumph. But Tamburlaine conquering that Turk, triumphed over him just in the same fashion. Those two monsters of the age Pope Alexander 6. and his darling Borgia, that had bathed their hands in so much blood; were at last by the error of a cupbearer, poisoned themselves out of those very bottles wherewith they would have poisoned the Cardinals. Behold the Proportion; punishments respondent to the sins. Here is sufficient cause to make the wicked tremble; God hath proportioned out a judgement for their sins. Man by his wickedness, cuts out a garment of confusion for his own back. I know that this kind of punishing is not always executed in this world. God's temporal judgements are (like our Quarter Sessions) kept here and there. Some; much; yea most is reserved for another world. If all sin were punished here, we should look no further. But a Esa. 30. 33. Tophet is ordained of old: the pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it. If no sin were punished here, man would not believe God's power. But some is; b Psa. 58. 11. So that a man shall say; Verily there is a reward for the righteous, verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth. Think of that lower future place, ye wicked; and the heavy Proportion that must there be measured you. Here you have sown in your Seedtime, there you must reap your harvest. Let the Idolater think of this: he hath thrust God out of his throne, God will thrust him out of his Kingdom. The drunkard that abuseth so ●…uch wine, must there want a little water. The Usurer shall be there bound faster with the bonds of torment, than he hath formerly bound poor men with his obligations. The Covetous that had no pity, shall not be pitied, c jam. 2. 13. He shall have judgement without mercy, that hath showed no mercy. The Lustful shall burn with a new fire: The Malicious shall find no further cause of envy. Uaeridentibus; they that laughed, shall now weep; and that as Rachel, for their joys never to be comforted. d Prou. 22. 〈◊〉. He that soweth iniquity, shall reap vanity. I list not to enter discourse of those infernal horrors. I may say with the Poet; if I had a hundred tongues, and a voice of iron; Non Omnia p●…narum percurrere nomina pos●…. I could not run through the names of those endless torments. It is a fearful place: God send us all never to know more of it, then by hearsay. Where Spirits are the tormentors, Damnation the fire; the breath of an offended God the bellows; shrieking and gnashing of teeth the music; the effect of impatient fury. And all these terrors perfected by their eternity, we commonly say in misery; If it were not for hope, the heart would burst: here is no hope and yet the heart must hold. The wretchedness is, it cannot burst. e Prosper. Poena gehennales torquent, non extorquent: puniunt, non finiunt corpora. It is called by Augustine, f De Spiritu & A●…. cap. 56. Mors sine morte, sinis sine fine, defectus sine defectu. But some will say; Your Text speaks of Proportion: how can eternal vengeance be proportionable to a momentany offence? Yes; first an infinite God is offended, and a finite man is the offender. Because he cannot be capable of an infinite wrath at once, he must have it in eternity: the short dimensions of his Essence, must have a long extension of his punishment: what wants in place, must be supplied in time. Christ indeed suffered enough in a short time, because he was infinite: man cannot do so, and therefore must be for ever in suffering. Secondly, he that delights in sin, desires it may always continue: and velle peccatum, est peccatum: so that an infinite desire, must needs have an infinite punishment. Qui moritur sine poenitentia, si semper viveret, semper peccaret. He that dies without repentance, if he should ever live, would ever sin. So Gregor. It is Gods just judgement, g In moral. Vt nunquam mortu●…s care●…t supplicio, qui nunquam v●…uus voluit carere peccato. That he dead should have eternal punishment, who living would have been eternally wicked. Vt nullus detur in●…quo terminus ultionis; qui quamd●… valui●…, habere noluit terminum criminis. That no end should be allowed to his vengeance, that would have allowed himself no end of wickedness. As the good man, if he should ever live, would ever do well. If thou wilt therefore offend in aeterno tuo, God must punish i●… aeterno suo. Thy injustice would put no date to thy sins; Gods justice shall set no date to thy sufferings. h Hos. 10. 13. Thus ye have ploughed wickedness, and ye have reaped iniquity. You see the wickeds Seeding and Harvest: God keep us from sowing such seed, that we may never reap such a crop. The godly have also their Seeding and their H●…uest. All their sowing may be distinguished Into Piety, towards God. Charity, towards men. For Piety. They sow in Faith; and God will bless that Seed: it shall grow up to heaven, for it is sown in the side of jesus Christ who is in heaven. i joh. 5. ●…4. He that believeth on God; there is the seed; shall have everlasting life: there is the Harvest. Qui credit quod non videt, videbit quod credit. He that believes what he doth not see; there's the Seed: shall one day see what he hath believed; there is the Harvest. They sow in obedience: this is also a blessed Seed, that will not fail to prosper wheresoever it is cast. k joh. 15. 10. If ye keep my Commandments, there's the Seed: ye shall abide in my Love; there's the Harvest. Rom. 6. Ye are the servants to Ro●… 6. 22. God, and have your fruit unto holiness; there's the sowing: and the end everlasting life; there's the Reaping. Obedientia in terris, regnabit in coelis. He that serves God on earth, and sows the seed of Obedience; shall in heaven reap the harvest of a kingdom. They sow in Repentance; and this seed must needs grow up to blessedness, Psalm. 126. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weary, Psal. 1●…6. 5. bearing precious seed; there's the sowing; shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him; there's the Harvest. Many Saints have now reaped this crop in heaven, that sowed their seed in tears. David, Marie Magdalen, Peter; as if they had made the Proverb; No coming to heaven with dry eyes. Thus nature and God differ in their proceedings. To have a good crop on earth, we desire a fair Seedtime: but here a wet time of sowing shall bring the best Harvest in the Barn of heaven. l Math. 5. 4. Blessed are they that mourn; there's the seeding: for they shall be comforted; there's the Harvest. Lastly, they sow in renouncing of the world, and adherence to Christ; and they reap a great Harvest. m Math. 19 27. Behold, saith Peter to Christ, we have forsaken all and followed thee; there's the Seeding. What shall we have therefore? what? n Ver. 28. 29. You shall sit on twelve thrones judging the ●…welue tribes of Israel: all that you have lost shall be centupled to you; and you shall inherit everlasting life; there's the Harvest. o Hos. 10. 12. Sow to yourselves in righteousness, and reap in mercy. For Charity. He that sows this seed, shall be sure of a plentiful crop. p Math. 10. 42. Whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones, a cup of cold water only, a little refreshing, in the name of a Disciple; verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. But if he that giveth a little shall be thus recompensed; then q 2. Cor. 9 6. He that soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully. Therefore sparse abroad with a full hand, like a Seedsman in a broad field, without fear. Doth any think he shall lose by his charity? No worldling when he sows his seed, thinks he shall lose his seed: he hopes for amendment at harvest. Darest thou trust the ground, and not God? Sure God is a better paymaster than the earth: Grace doth give a larger recompense than nature. Below thou may est receive forty grains for one: but in heaven (by the promise of Christ) a hundredth fold: a measure heapen, and shaken, and thrust together, and yet running over. r Psal. 41. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: there's the Seeding: the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble: there's the Harvest. Is this all? No; Math. 25. Ye fed me when I was hungry, and gave me drink thirsty, comforted Math. 25. 35. me in misery: there's the sowing. Veni beati, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you: there's the Harvest. I shut up this point with the Apostles Blessing. s 2. Cor. 9 10. Now he that ministereth seed to the sour; both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness. God send you a good Harvest. I conclude. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. O that this Text might be true upon all us at this time. The Lord hath sown the seed of his Gospel, O that he might reap your souls to his glory. But shall we hope for that which the Prophets found not? t Esa. 49. 4. I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, saith Esay. Nor the Apostles? I have fished all night and caught nothing, saith Peter. No, nor Christ himself? who spoke as never man spoke. Yet himself telleth us, Math. 13. that of four sorts of ground, wherein the seed was sown, three were barren, and returned no fruit. Alas! how much seed is sown among thorns, rocks, and highway grounds! you come to receive this seed, but it fructifies not. You bring forth hedge-fruit, like the Heathen; scarce so good. We hear often, and as often forget. Yet still Beloved, this Text shall be true. God hath sown, and he will reap: sown his Word, and will reap his Glory. His glory either in your instruction or destruction, conversion or conviction, life or death. O why should that be to your horror, that is meant to your comforts. Turn not that to your desolation, which God sends to your consolation. Pray you then with me, every one to the Lord, that this seed now sown may bring forth fruit in us all; in some thirty, in some sixty, in some a hundred fold: To the glory of his holy name: and the eternal salvation of our souls, through jesus Christ. Amen. HEAVEN-GATE: OR, THE PASSAGE TO PARADISE. REVELAT. 22. 14. in fine. And may enter in through the Gates into the City. IF we supply these words with the first word of the verse; Blessed; we shall make a perfect sentence of perfect comfort. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may haveright to the tree of life, And may enter in through the gates into the City. In the whole there be Premises. Promises. The Premises qualify us; we must be such as are Blessed; and who are they? Qui praestant mandata; that do his commandments. The Promises crown us, and these are two. 1. That we may have right to the tree of life; even that which, Reu. 2. is in the midst of the Paradise of God. Reu. 2. 7. From whence the Angel with a flaming sword shall keep all the reprobate. 2. Et per portas ingrediantur civitatem; And may enter in through the gates into the City. When without shall be dogs, and scorners, etc. whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. To the last words of the verse, I have bound & bounded my discourse. Wherein I find three points readily offering themselves to be considered Motus, Motion. Enter in. Modus, Manner. Through the gates. Terminus. Place. Into the City. So there is a threefold circumstance. Quid. What, an Entrance, Qua. How, through the gates. Quò. Whither, into the City. The Motion. Enter in. They are blessed that enter in: Perseverance only makes happy. Our labours must not cease, till we can (with Stephen) see these Gates open, and our Saviour offering to take us by the hand, and welcome our entrance. We know who hath taught us, that only continuers to the end shall be saved. It is observable, that in the holy Spirits letters sent to those seven Churches, in the second and third chapters of this Book; all the promises run to Perseverers; Uincenti dabitur, To him that overcomes shall it be given. Nec paranti ad praliim, nec pugnanti ad sanguinem, multo minus tergiversanti ad peccatum, sed vincenti ad victoriam. Nor to him that prepares to fight, nor to him that resists to blood, much less to him that shows his back in cowardice; but to him that overcomes to conquest. Demas seeing this war, ran away; fell back to the security of the world. Saul made himself ready to this battle, but he durst not fight, glory and lusts carried him away. judas stood a bout or two, but the High Priests money made him give over; and the Devil took him captive. But Paul fought out this combat even to victory; though a Gal. 6. 17. he bore in his body the marks of the Lord jesus. b 2. Tim. 4. 7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Therefore now there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me. This is a good life, saith Bern. Mala pati, et bona facere; et sic usque ad mortem perseverare. To suffer evil, to do good, and so to continue to the end. Some came into the Vineyard in the morning, some at noon, others later: none received the Penny, but they that stayed till night. Augustine affirms this to be almost all the contents of the Lords Prayer; c Aug de bon●… Perseverantia. cap. 2. Hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done. Wherein we desire that his Name may always be sanctified, his Kingdom always propagated, his will always obeyed. Indeed this grace perfects all graces. We believe in vain, if our faith hold not out to the end. Weelove in vain, if our charity grow cold at last. We pray in vain, if our zeal grows faint. We strive in vain at the straight gate, if not till we enter. Venire adreligionem est vera devotio; sed non religiose vivere vera damnatio. To come to the truth of religion is true devotion; not to live religiously, is true damnation. Man is naturally like a horse that loveth short journeys; and there are few that hold out. Whence it comes, that the last are often first, and the first last. d 1. Cor. 9 2●…. Know ye not that they which run in a race, run all; but one receiveth the prize? He that hath a good horse can go faster up a hill, then down a hill. He that hath a good faith, doth as quickly ascend the Mount Zion, as the wicked descend to the valley of Hinnon. If men would as strongly erect themselves upwards, as they direct their courses downwards, they might go to heaven with less trouble, than they do go to hell. But he that at every sleep, looks at every stop, and numbers his perils with his paces, either turns aside faintly, or turns back cowardly. They that go wandering & wondering on their journey, are at the gates of Samaria, when they should enter the gates of jerusalem. God saith, I will not leave yòu, Heb. 13. Will you then leave GOD? Heb. 13. 5. One told Socrates, that he would feign go to Olympus, but he disinherited his sufficiency for the length of the journey. Socrates told him; Thou walkest every day little or much, continue this walk forward thy way, and a few days shall bring thee to Olympus. Every day every man takes some pains; let him bestow that measure of pains in trauclling to heaven; and the further he goes, the more heart he gets; till at last he enter through the gates into the City. Bernard calls Perseverance the only daughter of the highest King, the perfection of virtues, the storehouse of good Perseverantia est unica summi Regis filia, vi●…tutum consummatio, totius boni rerepositorium, virtus sine qua nemo videbit Deum. Beru. works; a virtue without which no man shall see God. There is a last enemy to be destroyed, Death: we must hold out to the conquest even of this last adversary. Which if it conquer us by the Sting of our Sin, shall send us to the doors of hell: if we conquer it by our Faith, it shall send us to the gates of this City, Heaven. Lauda navigantem cum pervenerit ad portum. All the voyage is lost through the perilous Sea of this world, if we suffer shipwreck in the Haven; and lose our reward there, where we should land to receive it. What get we, if we keep Satan short of ruling us with his force many hours, when at our last hour he shall snatch our bliss from us? The runner speeds all the way, but when he comes at the races end to the goal, he stretcheth forth his hand to catch the prize. Be sure of thy last step, to put forth the hand of faith then most strongly; Ne perdatur praemium tantis lob●…ribus quaesitum; lest the reward be lost, which thou with much labour hast aimed at. It is not enough Quaerere coelum, sed acquirere; non Christum sequi, sed consequi. To seek heaven, but to find it; not to follow Christ, but to overtake him, not to be brought to the gates, but to enter in. e Math. 7. 22. Many will say to Christ in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy Name? But f Luk. 13. 25. the Master of the house is first risen, & hath shut to the door. Either they come too soon, before they have gotten faith and a good conscience; or too late, as those foolish Virgins, when the gate was shut. If then we have begun, let us continue to entrance. Cuiusque casus tantò maioris est criminis, quantò prinsquam caderet, maior is Isidor. ere at virtutis. Every man's fault hath so much the more discredit of scandal, as he before he fell had credit of virtue. Let us beware that we do not slide; if slide, that we do not fall: if fall, that we fall forward, not backward. a Prou. 24. 16. The just man often slips, and sometime falls. And this is dangerous; for if a man, whiles he stands on his legs, can hardly grapple with the devil: how shall he do when he is fallen down under his feet? But if they do fall, they fall forward, as b Ezek. 1. 28. Ezekiel; not backward, as c 1. Sam. 4. Eli at the loss of the Ark: or they that came to surprise Christ, john 18. d joh. 18. 6. They went backward and fell to the ground. Cease not then thy godly endeavours; until Contingas portum, quò tibi ●…ursus erat. Say we not like the woman to Esdras, whether in a vision, or otherwise, when he bade her go into the City. e 2. Esdr. 10. 18. That will I not do: I will not go into the City, but here I will die. It is a wretched sin, saith August. after tears for sin not to preserve innocence. Such a man is washed, but is not clean. Quia commissa flere definite, et iterum flenda committit. He leaves weeping for faults done, and renews faults worthy of weeping. Think not thyself safe, till thou art got within the gates of the City. Behold thy Saviour calling, thy Father blessing, the Spirit assisting, the Angels comforting, the Word directing, the glory inviting, good men associating. Go cheerfully, till thou enter in through the gates into the City. The manner. Through the gates. Not singularly a Gate, but gates. For Chap. 21. the City is said to have f Reu. 21. 12. twelve gates. On the East three gates, on the North three, on the South three, and on the West three. To declare that men shall come from all the corners of the World, g Luk. 13. 29. from the East, and from the West, from the North, and from the South; and shall sit down in the Kingdom of GOD. These Gates are not literally to be understood, but mystically; Pro modo intrandi, for the manner of entrance. The gates are those passages, whereby we must enter this City. Heaven is often said to have a Gate. h Math. 7. 13. Strive to enter in at the straight Gate, saith Christ. i Psal. 24. 7. Lift up your heads, O ye Gates, and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors; saith the Psalmist. k Gene. 28. 17. This is none other but the house of God, and this is the Gate of Heaven, saith jacob. There must be Gates to a City: they that admit us hither, are the Gates of Grace. So the analogy of the words infer; doing the commandments is the way to have right in the tree of Life: obedience and sanctification is the Gate to this Citis of salvation. In a word, The Gate is Grace. City Glory. The Temple had a gate called l Acts 3. 2. Beautiful. Act. 3. But of poor beauty in regard of this Gate. Of the gates of the Sanctuary spoke David in diverse Psalms with love and joy. m Psal. 100 4. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. This was God's delight. n Psal. 87. 2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion, more than all the dwellings of jacob. This was David's election to be a o Psal. 84. 10. Porter, or keeper of the gates of God's house; rather than dwell in the Tents of wickedness. This his Resolution; p Psal. 122. 2. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O jerusalem. Solomon made two docres for the entering of the Oracle: they were made of q 1. King. 6. 32. Olive trees, and wrought upon with the carnings of Cherubins. The Olives promising fatness, and plenty of blessings; the Cherubin's holiness and eternity. These are holy gates; let every one pray with that royal Prophet, r Ps. 118. 19 20. Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, & I will praise the Lord. This is the Gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter. In brief, we may distinguish the gates leading to this City, into two; Adoption and Sanctification. Both these meet in Christ, who is the only gate or door, whereby we enter Heaven. s john 10. 9 I am the door, saith our Saviour; janua vitae, the gate of life: by me if any enter in, he shall be saved. Adoption Is the first Gate. t Rom. 8. 15. We have received the spirit of Adoption. Without this passage no getting into Heaven. The inheritance of glory cannot be given to the children of disobedience: they must first be converted, & adopted heirs in Christ. The Grace of God is twofold. There is Gratia gratis agens; and Gratia gratum faciens. This second grace, which is of Adoption, is never in a reprobate: not by an absolute impossibility, but by an indisposition in him to receive it. A spark of fire falling upon water, ice, snow, goes out: on wood, flax, or such apt matter, kindles. Baptism is the Sacrament of admission into the Congregation; of Insition and Initiation, whereby we are matriculated, and received into the motherhood of the Church. Therefore the sacred Font is placed at the Church-door, to insinuate and signify our Entrance. So Adoption is the first door or gate, whereby we pass to the City of glory. This is our new Creation, whereat the Angels of heaven rejoice. Luke 15. At the creation of Dukes or Earls, Luke 15. 10. there is great joy among men: but at our new creation, Angels and Seraphins rejoice in the presence of GOD. Our Generation was A non esse, ad esse: from not being, to be. But our Regeneration is A malè esse, ad benè esse, from a being evil, to be well; and that for ever. Through this gate we must pass to enter the City; without this, death shall send us to another place. No man ends this life well, except he be borne again before he ends it. August. Now if you would be sure, that you are gone through this gate; call to mind what hath been your Repentance. The first sign of Regeneration is throbs and throws: you cannot be adopted to Christ without sensible pain, and compunction of heart for your sins. The Christian hath two Births, and they are two gates: he can pass through none of them but with anguish. Both our first and second Birth begin with crying. Our first birth is a gate into this world: our second is a gate into the world to come. There is some pain in both. For this world but little joy after the pain; for the other, after short sorrow eternal glory. Sanctification Is the second gate. Make your calling and election sure, saith Peter by a holy life: a 2. Pet. 1. 11 For so an Entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ. But b Reu. 21. 27. there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth; neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie. Therefore Paul prays the c 1. Thes. 5. 23. God of Peace to sanctify us wholly. Holiness is the way to Happiness; Grace the gate of Glory. But some may object from that of Paul, that this Sanctification must be total and perfect: but who can come so furnished to the gate? therefore who can enter the City? I answer; There is required only Sanctificatio viae, non Patria; such a Sanctity as the gate can afford, though far short of that within the City. The School distinguisheth well. It must be communiter in toto, & universaliter in singulis partibus; but not totaliter et perfectè. This Sanctification must be communicated to the whole man, and universally propagated to every part: though it have in no place of man a total perfection. Indeed Nullum peccatum retinendum est spe remissionis. No sin is to be cherished in hope of mercy. But we must strive for every grace we have not, and for the increase of every grace we have. Quaerendum quod deest bonum, indulgendum quod adest. Let us make much of that we possess, and still seek for more; d Phi. 3. 14. striving to the mark. And yet when all is done, Profectio haec, non Perfectio est: We have made a good step forward, but are not come to our full home. But still, Lord be merciful to me a sinner. And Enter not into judgement with us. Now sith this gate stands in our own Heart, give me leave to describe it: and that briefly, by The Properties. The properties are 2. It is Low. Parts. Little. low. Heaven is well called a e 2. Cor. 5. 1. Building not made with hands: for it differs both in Matter and Form from earthly edifices. For matter, it is Eternal, not momentany: for manner, fabricked without hands. Great Manors on earth, have large answerable Porches. Heaven must needs be spacious; when a little star fixed in a far lower Orb, exceeds the earth in quantity: yet hath it a low gate, not a lofty coming in. They must stoop then that will enter here. f Luk. 1. 53. He hath filled the bungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. The rich in their own conceits, and proud of their own worth, shall be sent empty from this gate. Zaccheus climbs up into a Sycamore tree to behold jesus: but when jesus beheld him got up so high, he said, Come down Zaccheus, Luke 19 Make haste, and come down. Luke 19 5. Whosoever will entertain jesus, must come down. The haughty Nabuchadnezzar, that thinks with his head to knock out the stars in heaven, must stoop at this gate, or he cannot enter. Be you never so lofty, you must bend. God's honour must be preferred before your honours. It is no discredit to your Worships to worship GOD. Little. Christ calls it a g Luk. 13. 24. narrow gate. They must be little that enter; little in their own eyes, slender in the opinion of themselves. h Mark. 10. 15. Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. Samuel to Saul; i 1. Sam. 15. 17. When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the Head of the Tribes of Israel? When jesse had made all his Sons pass before Samuel, he asked him if none remained yet; jesse answers, Yes a little one tending the flocks. k 1. Sam. 16. 11 Fetch that little one, saith Samuel: for we will not sit down till he come. That little one was he. Says the Angel to Esdras, 2. Esdras 7. l 2. Esd. 7. 7. A city is built, and set upon a broad field, full of all good things. Yet the Entrance thereof is narrow. This is spatiosa & speciosa Civitas; A city beautiful and roomthy; yet it hath but a narrow wicket, a little Gate. Alas, how will the surfeited Epicure do to enter: whose gluttonous body is so deformed, that it moves like a great Tun upon two pots? What hope hath an Impropriator with four or five Churches on his back, to pass this little gate? The bribing Officer hath a swollen hand; it will not enter; and the gouty Usurer cannot thrust in his foot. The factious Schismatic hath too big a head: the swearer such forked blasphemies in his mouth, that here is no entrance. Pride hath no more hope to get into the gates of that City above; then there is hope to cast it out the gates of this City below. Much good do't with earthly Courts: for it must not come into the Courts of Heaven. Think, O sinners; you cannot go with these oppressions, with these oaths, frauds, bribes, usuries; with these wickednesses into the gates of this City. You must shift them off, or they will shut you out. You hear the Properties; the Parts are now to be considered; and these are four. The foundation, the two sides, and the roof. The Foundation is Faith. One of the sides, Patience. The other, Innocence. The Roof, Charity. Faith Is the foundation. Coloss. 1. Be ye grounded and settled Colos. 1. 23. in the Faith. Credendo fundatur, saith Augustine. It is grounded in faith. All other graces are (as it were) built on this foundation. Credimus quond speramus: quod credimus & speramus, diligimus: quod credimus, speramus, & diligimus, operamur. What we hope; we believe: what we believe and hope, we love: what we believe, hope, and love; we endeavour to attain. So all is built on Faith. Hope on faith; Nulla spes increditi: it is impossible to hope for that we believe not to be. Charity on faith: why should a man give all to the poor, unless he believed an abundant recompense? Repentance on faith: why else suffer we contrition for sin, if we believed not remission of sin? Temperance on faith: why forbear we the pleasing vanities of the world, but that we believe the transcendent joys of eternity, whereof these harlots would rob us? Patience on faith: why would we endure such calamities with willing quietness and subjection, if we believed not an everlasting peace and rest to come? All obedience on faith; that God would accept it in jesus Christ. If all be built on faith, I may call it the basis and foundation of this Gate. a Hebr. 11. 〈◊〉. Without faith it is impossible to please God: for he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Faith is the passage-way to God: not one of that holy ensuing Legend, entered the City of life without this. He that hath faith shall enter: yea he is entered. john 5. b john 5. 24. He hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death to life. Patience Is one of the Pillars. Hebr. 10. c Hebr. 10. 36. Ye have need of Patience: that when you have done the will of God, ye might receive the Promise. That when you have suffered before the gates, ye may enter the City. There be three Enemies that assault the soul, before she enter the gates; a Lion, a Leopard, and a Fox. The Lion is the Devil, who d 1. Pet. 5. 8. roareth with hideous cries, and bloody jaws. The Leopard is the world, which hath a gay spotted hide; but if it take us within the clutches, it devours us. The Fox is our Concupiscence, bred in us; which craftily e Cant. 2. 15. spoils our grapes, our young vines, our tender graces. Patience hath therefore an armed Soldier with her, called Christian Fortitude; to give repulse to all these encounters. And what he cannot conquer feriendo, by smiting: she conquers ferendo, by suffering. Uincit etiam dum patitur. She overcomes, even while she suffers. Patience meekly bears wrongs done to our own person: Fortitude encounters courageously wrongs done to the Person of Christ. She will not yield to sin, though she die. She hath the spirit of Esther to withstand things that dishonour God; f Esth. 4. 16. If I perish, I perish. Innocence Is the other Pillar. As Patience teacheth us to bear wrongs, so Innocence to do none. Patience gives us a Shield, but Innocence denies us a sword. Ourselves we may defend, others we must not offend. Innocence is such a virtue; g Aug. Quae cum aliis non nocet, nec sibi nocet. Which as it wrongs not others, so nor itself. He that hurts himself, is not innocent. The Prodigal is no man's foe, but his own; saith the proverb: but because he is his own foe, he is not innocent. h Sen. Triumphus Innocentiae est non peccare ubi potest. It is the triumph of Innocence, not to offend, where it may. No testimony is more sweet to the conscience than this: i Esa. 38. 3. Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart. So job: My heart shall not condemn me for my days. Blessed soul thus comforted: it smiles at the frowns of earth, and dares stand the thunder. Though there be no Innocency, but rejoiceth to stand in the sight of Mercy: Yet thus in the midst of injuries it cheers itself: O Lord, thou knowest my innocence. The wicked k Psal. 73. 6. cover themselves with violence as with a garment: therefore confusion shall cover them as a cloak. But l Math. 5. 5. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. That part of the earth they live in shall afford them quiet: and their part in heaven hath no disquiet in it. Si amouean●…, admoventur in locum, à quo non removentur in aeternum. If they be moved, they are moved to a place from whence they shall never be removed. m Psal. 26. 6. I will wash mine hands in Innocency: so will I compass thine Altar, O Lord. If Innocence must lead us to the Altar on earth; sure that must be our gate to the glory of heaven. Charity Is the Roof. n Aug. Diligendo perficitur; lo●… makes up the building. o 1. Cor. 13. 13. Now abideth faith, hope, and charity: but the greatest of these is charity. It is a grace of the loveliest Countenance, and longest Continuance. For Countenance, it is amiable; all love it. The poor respect not thy faith so much as thy charity. For Continuance; faith and hope takes their leaves of us in death: but charity brings us to heaven-dore, & ushers us in to glory. p Hugo de laud. Charitatis. I know not what to say more in thy praise, O charity; than ut Deum de coelo traheres, & hominem ad coelum elevares. Then that thou didst bring down God from heaven to earth, and dost lift up man from earth to heaven. Great is thy virtue, that by thee God should be humbled to man, by thee man should be exalted to God. You have the Gates described: Let us draw a short conclusion from these two former circumstances; and then enter the City. The Sum. There is no entrance to the City but by the Gates: no passage to Glory, but by Grace. The q Reu. 21. 12. wall of this City is said to be great and high. High; no climbing over: Great, no breaking through. So Christ saith; r Math. 6. 20. No thief can break through and steal. Therefore through the gates, or no way. s 1. Cor. 15. 50. Corruption doth not inherit incorruption. This corrupted man must be regenerate, that he may be saved: must be sanctified, that he may be glorified. Babel-builders may offer fair for h●…uen, but not come near it: the Giants of our time, I mean the monstrous sinners, may imponere Pelion Ossae, lay rebellion upon presumption, treason upon rebellion, blasphemy upon all: as if they would sink heaven with their loud and lewd ordinance, and pluck God out of his Throne: but hell gapes in expectation of them. This Gate is kept, as the gate of Paradise, with a flaming sword of justice, to keep out t 1. Cor. 6. 9 Idolaters, Adulterers, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners, and other u Reu. 22. 15. dogs of the same litter; from the kingdom of God. Some trust to open these gates with golden keys; but bribery is rather a key to unlock the gates of hell. Let Rome sell what she list, and warrant it like the Seller in the Proverbs; It is good, it is good. Yet it is nought; but were it good, God never promised to stand to the Pope's bargains. Others have dreamt of no other gate, but their own righteousness. Poor souls, they cannot find the gate, because they stand in their own light. Others think to pass through the gates of other men's merits: as well one bird may fly with another birds wings. For all those hot promises of the works of Saints for their ready money, they may blow their nails in hell. Only grace is the gate. a Aug. Serm. 136. de Temp. Per portam Ecclesiae intramus ad portam Paradisi. We must be true members of the Church, or the door of life will be shut against us. Heaven is a glorious place, therefore reserved for gracious men. Admittuntur ad spiritus justorum, non nisi justi. b Heb. 12. 23. To those spirits of just men made perfect must be admitted none, save they that are justified. King's are there the Company: none of base and ignoble lives can be accepted. Heaven is the great White Hall, the Court of the high King; none are entertained but Albi, such as are washed white in the blood of Christ; and keep white their own innocence. Ungracious offenders look for no dwelling in this glory. You that have so little love to the gates, are not worthy the City. If you will not pass through the gates of holiness in this life, you must not enter the City of happiness in the life to come. Thus we have passed the gates: and are now come to The City. Now if I had been with Paul rapt up to the c 2. Cor. 12. 2. third heaven; or had the d Reu. 21. 17. Angel's Reed, wherewith he measured the wall: I might say something to the description of this City. But how can darkness speak of that light? or the base Country of Earth describe the glorious Court of Heaven? e Psal. 87. 9 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God. Glorious Cities have been, and are in the world. Rome was eminently famous; all her Citizens like so many kings: yet was it observed, Illic homines more, that men did die there. But in this City, there is no dying. Mors non erit ultra. f Reu. 21. 4. There shall be no more death. I will narrow up my discourse, to consider in this City only 3. things. The Situation. Society. Glory. The Situation. It is placed above, Gal. 4. g Gal. 4. 26. jerusalem which is above is free, the mother of us all. Heaven is in excelsis. h Psal. 87. 1. His foundation is in the holy mountains. So was jerusalem seated on earth, to figure this City; built on the Quarry of heaven, Dan. 2. On sapphires, Emeralds, and Chrysolites, Reu. 21. There is a heaven now over our heads, but it shall i Hebr. 1. 11. wax old as a garment. It is corruptible, and so combustible. This City is eternal; Mount Zion, never to be moved: a kingdom never to be shaken. We are now under this lower heaven, than this shall be under us. That which is our Canopy, shall be our Pavement. The Society. The King that rules there, is one Almighty God in three distinct persons. He made this City for himself. k Psal. 16. 11. In his presence is the fullness of joy, and pleasures at his right hand for evermore. If he gave such a house as this world is, to his enemies: what may we think, hath he provided for himself, and his friends? But will GOD dwell there alone? He is never alone: himself is to himself the best and most excellent company. Nevertheless he vouchsafes a dwelling here to some Citizens, and these are either Created so, Assumed, or Assigned. 1. Created Citizens are the blessed Angels; who from their first creation have enjoyed the freedom of this City. They stand always in the presence of God: they can never lose their happiness. 2. Assumed; those whose spirits are already in heaven. Hebr. 12. There l Hebr. 12. 23. are the spirits of just men made perfect. They are already in soul taken up, and made free Denizens of this City. 3. Assigned; the Elect that live in the militant Church, waiting for the day of their body's Redemption; crying still, Come, Lord jesus, come quickly. These are Conscripti, m Reu. 21. 27. written in the lambs book of life. Now though we are not already in full possession; because our apprenticeship of this life is not out; yet we are already Citizens. n Eph. 2. 19 Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow Citizens with the Saints; and of the household of God. And we have three happy privileges of Citizens. 1. Libertas; Freedom from the Law; not from obedience to it, but from the curse of it. Praestemus quod possumus: quod non possumus, non damnabit. Let us keep so much of it as we can: what we cannot keep, shall not eondemne us. Liberty in the use of these earthly things: heaven, earth, air, sea, with all their creatures, do us service. o 1. Cor. 3. 22. Whether things present, or things to come, all are yours: and ye are Christ's, and Christ is Gods. 2. Tutela Imperij; The King's protection, Psalm. 91. Angelis mandavit. p Psalm. 91. 11. He hath given his Angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways. Is this all? No. vers. 4. He covers us with his feathers, and under his wings do we trust: his tru●…h is our shield and our buckler. Our dangers are many in some places, and some in all places: we have Gods own Guard royal to keep us. They q Heb. 1. 14. are sent from God to minister for their sakes, which shall be heirs of salvation. I need not determine, whether every particular person hath his particular Angel. Saint Augustine hath well answered, r E●…irid, cap. 59 Quando hoc nesciatur sine crimine, non opus est ut definiatur cum discrimine. Since our ignorance is no fault, let us not trouble ourselves with curious discussion. Bernard directs us a good use of it. Quantam Bern. debet hoc tibi inferre reverentiam, afferre devotionem, confer fiduciam. The consideration of the guard of Angels about us, should put into our minds reverence, into our heart's devotion, into our soul's confidence. 3. Defensio Legis, the defensive protection of the Law. Christis our Advocate. a Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justifieth. We are impleaded: Paul appeals to Caesar, we to Christ. The Devil accuseth us, we are far remote: behold, our Counsellor is in heaven; that will not let our cause fall, or be overthrown. b 1. joh. 2. 1. If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, jesus Christ the righteous. Thus are we Citizens in present, shall be more perfectly at last. We have now right to the City: we shall then have right in the City. We have now a purchase of the possession, shall then have a possession of the purchase. c joh. 17. 24. Father; I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory. This is our saviours Will & Testament, and shall not be broken. The Company than adds to the glory of this City. We are loath to leave this world for love of a few friends, subject to mutual dislikes: but what then is the delight in the Society of Saints? where thy glorified self shall meet with thy glorified friends, and your love shall be as everlasting as your glory. There be those Angels that protected thee: those Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, that by doctrine and example taught thee: yea there is that blessed Saviour that redeemed thee. Often here with groans and tears thou seekest him, whom thy soul loveth: lo, there he shall never be out of thy sight. The Glory. The glory? Non mihi si centum linguae. If I had a hundred tongues, I was not able to discourse thoroughly the least dram of that inestimable weight of glory. The eye hath seen much, the ear hath heard more, and the heart hath conceived most of all. But d 1. Cor. 2. 9 no eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor heart apprehended the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Augustine after a stand; e In john Hom. 3. Deus habet quod exhibeat. God hath something to bestow on you. If I say, we shall be satiate, you will think of loathing: if, we shall not be satiate, you will think of hunger. But Ibi nec fames, nec fastidium: there is neither hunger, nor loathing. Sed Deus habet quod exhibeat. No sooner is the soul within those gates, but she is glorious. Similem sibi reddit ingredientem. Heaven shall make them that enter it, like itself; glorious: As the air by the suns brightness is transformed bright. Quanta falicitas, ubi nullum erit malum, nullum deerit bonum! How great is that blessedness, where shall be no evil present, no good absent! This is a blessed City. Men are ambitious here, and seek to be free of great Cities: and not seldom buy it dearer than the Captain bought his Burgeship. But no such honour as to be Denizens of this City: whereof once made free, how contemptibly they will look at the vain endeavours of worldly men! Think, Beloved, yea know; how sweet soever the gains of this lower City be: it is yet far short of the gains of heaven. And you will one day say; There is no City to the City of GOD. Where f Reu. 21. 4. shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor any more pain. Death with all his Apparitors, that cite the whole world to his Court, sorrow, crying, pain, shall be no more. g Math. 10. 23. They shall persecute you from City to City, saith Christ: till at last we come to this City, and then out of their reach. O that this clay of ours should come to such honour! Well may we suffer it to endure the World's tyranny, and to be afflicted by the Citizens thereof: alas, we are but Prentices, and they will use us hardly till our years be out. When that day comes, we shall be free possessors of this City. You hear now the gate and the City, what should you do but enter? Pass through the gate of grace; a holy & sanctified life; and you shall not fail of the City of glory. Whither once entered, you shall sing as it is in the Psalm, Sicut audi●…imus ita et vidimus. As we have heard, so have we seen in the City of our God. We see that now which was preached to us; yea and ten thousand times more than ever could be uttered. You shall say to Christ, as the Queen of Sheba to Solomon; h 1. King. 10. 7. I heard much of thy glory; but behold, the one half was not told me. You saw jerusalem before in a Map; now you shall walk through the streets, and observe the towers and bulwarks; fully contemplate the glory. But my discourse shall give way to your meditation. The joys are boundless, endless: the Lord make us free of this City. Amen. spiritual eye-pleasing: OR, THE BENEFIT of Illumination. EPHES. 1. 18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ●…ou may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance is in the Saints. THE special grace that here Paul prays for his Ephesians, is Illumination. wherein is described to us an Eye. Object. The eye is spiritual, the object celestial. The Instrument is●…gracious, the spectacle glorious. The eye enlightened; there is the organ: the hope of God's calling, and the rich inheritance of the glorified Saints; there is the object. The Eye is described by the Situation. Qualification. The Site is the Understanding: the Qualification is Enlightened. The Eye Is the most excellent organ of sense. Saint Augustine applies Seeing to all the senses. Hear and see, touch and see; and the Psalmist hath, Taste and see how gracious the Lord is. Other senses discern only things near them: this, remote and distant objects. Some say the roundness of the Eye resembles the Unity of the Deity; which is one and perfect: and the triangular sight, the Trinity of persons. This is too curious: happy is that intellectual eye, whose object is the blessed Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; whose delight is good, yea God. In a clear eye the looker sees his own image: so God in a sanctified understanding sees a limited resemblance of his infinite self. And as some Physicians say, that if looking in a sick man's eyes, they see their image, there is hope of life: but the want of this resultance is held an argument of instant death: whereby they give themselves a prognosticke sign, whether the Patient will die of that sickness, or recover it; by the reflection of his eyes. But it is certain, if God's image be not in the understanding, instat mors animae, the soul is in danger: if it shine there, there is comfort of life, yea life of comfort. Hence it is that the God of this world doth so strive to blind the minds of them that believe not; ne imago Dei▪ etc. that the light of 2. Cor. 4. 4. the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the Image of GOD, should not shine unto them. God hath set two lids, to defend the corporal eye from annoyances. So he hath given the understanding duas palpeb●…; Faith and hope to shelter it. For the eye is not more tender to the body, than the understanding is to the soul. And therefore Satan seeks by all means to hurt it: either by offering it violent blows, which the shield of Faith bears off; or by throwing dusts into it, (gifts blind the eyes) which the other lid of hope for better riches, keeps out. The Situation Of this spiritual eye is in the Soul. God framing man's soul, planted in it two faculties: the Superior, that is the Understanding, which perceiveth and judgeth: the Inferior, that is the will, which being informed of the other, accordingly follows or flies, chooseth or refuseth. The Scripture favouring the simplest capacity, compares these two powers of the soul, to two known parts of the body. The understanding to the Eye; the Affections to the Foot: the eye directing, the foot walking. Every man is naturally borne blind and lame: as Zedekiah captivated to the King of Babylon; first they put out his eyes, and then 2. King. 25. 7. they lamed his feet with fetters of brass. So is every man by nature; and therefore easily made a slave to the king of infernal Babylon, if the mercy of Christ should not redeem him. This consideration reacheth forth to us two uses: the one of Instruction, the other of Reprehension. 1. This teacheth us to desire in the first place, the Enlightening of our eyes; and then after, the strengthening of our feet. So that sweet Prophet ordereth his prayers, Psal. 25. First Show me thy ways, O Lord: teach me thy paths. Then Led me in thy truth. First, clear my eyes, Psal. 25. 4. 5. then enable my feet, Psal. 119. Make me to understand Psal. 119. 27. 32 the way of thy precepts. And then I will run the way of thy Commandments. He that would sail safely, must get a good Pilot, before good rowers. Swift horses without a skilful wagoner, endanger more. He that labours for feet before he hath eyes, takes a preposterous course: for of the two, the lame is more likely to come to his journeys end, than the blind. Could he run as swift as Hazael, and outstrip the young Hart on the mountains; yet being blind, he would hardly hit the way to Heaven. There is but one way thither; by-paths innumerable: it is a thousand to one against him, that he misseth the right. If he be set into it, yet there are so many blocks, rubs, obstacles put before him by the Devil, and the world; that he can no more go into the true way, than he could discern it from the false. But if a man hath eyes, there is hope he will creep to heaven, though on lame feet. He sees where jerusalem stands, and hath direction for the way; (as travelers in scrolls; from such a village to such a city, etc.) so the word of God prescribes his journey; From Faith to virtue, from virtue to knowledge, from knowledge to temperance, from temperance 2. Pet. 1. 5. to patience, etc. till he comes to enter into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord jesus Christ. Hence we see, there is Vers. 11. somewhat more hope of a vicious person, that hath a good understanding; then of an utterly dark and blind soul, though he walks upon zealous feet. Let them know, that they will come to heaven without eyes, when the wicked come out of hell without feet. Which lets us see the kind love of the Popish Clergy to their people, and how unfeignedly they desire their going to Heaven; when they pluck out their eyes, & send them thither. So they may grope for it, as the Sodomites did for the door of Lot's house. That which they call the Gen. 19 11. Mother of Devotion, Ignorance; Augustine calls Pessiman matrem, the worst Mother. Pessimae matris Ignorantiae, pessimae itidem duae filiae sunt: scilicet falfitas, et Dubietas: illa miserior, ista miser abilior: illa perniciosior, ista molestior. There are two evil daughters of the most evil Mother, Ignorance, Falsehood and Doubting: the former is more miserable, the latter more pitiable: that more pernicious, this more troublesome. Let them that plead so impetuously, their Religion authentical from the Fathers, (not cum Patribus reijci●…r) read the opinion of a great Father, concerning a main point of their doctrine, Ignorance. Chrysostome says; Praecedit scientiae virtutis c●…ltum: knowledge Chrys. in Polil. li. 3. Nemo potest fideliter appetere quod ignorat: et malum nisi cognitum sit, non timetur. of virtue must ever go before devotion: For no man can earnestly affect the good he knows not: and the evil whereof he is ignorant, he fears not. So that true love to good, and hatred to evil, cannot occur to a heart nescient of them both. For Scientia conscientiam dirigit, conscientia scientiam perficit. Knowledge rectifies conscience, so well as conscience perfits knowledge. Con must ever be in composition: and so kindly uniting knowledge to devotion, there ariseth Conscience. If they allow not then their people eyes, they may as well lame their feet; and so send them like the Syrian band, in stead of Dothan, to Samaria. They say, This is not the way to heaven, nor is this the City of life: follow me, & 2. King. 6. 19 I will bring you to the man (jesus Christ) whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria. 2. This reprehends a common fashion of many Auditors. When the Preacher begins to analyse his Text, and to open the points of doctrine, to inform the understanding; they lend him very cold attention. That part of the Sermon is spent in slumber; as if it concerned us not. But when he comes to apply his conclusions, and to drive home the use of his inferences by application; then they begin to rouse up themselves, and lend an ear of diligence. As if they had only need to have their hearts warmed, and not to have their minds warned, & enlightened with knowledge. But alas! no eyes, no salvation. Your affections are stirred in vain, without a precedent illumination of your souls. You must know to do, before you can do what you know. And indeed he that attends only to exhortation, and not to instruction, seems to build more upon man's zeal, than God's Word. Both do well together: attend to the Doctrine, and suffer also the Word of exhortation; that you may have both clear eyes, and sound feet: those which God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. I come from the Situation, to the Qualification Of this spiritual eye: enlightened. For this blessing the Apostle prays to the a jam. 1. 17. Father of lights; from whom comes every good and perfect gift: from him, and from him only, comes this grace of Illumination. Man's mind is not only dark, but b Eph. 5. 8. darkness, till the Spirit of knowledge light on him, and lighten him. Though c 2. King. 25. Zedekiah was in Nebuchadnezzars Court, that great Monarch, newly delivered of his monstrous ambition; to whom all the glories and pleasures of the world came a gossipping: yet he saw none of this pomp and magnificence; his eyes were wanting. So blind d judg. 16. Samson among the merry Philistines, saw none of their rich apparel, costly cheer, and glorious triumphs. When the natural man comes into the Temple, among the Congregation of God's Saints, his soul is not delighted with their prayers, praises, psalms, and service: he sees no comfort, no pleasure, no content in their actions. True, he doth not, he cannot; for his understanding is not enlightened, to see the hope of their calling, and the glorious riches which the Spirit of grace and consolation sheds into them. He sees no whit into the awful Majesty of God, filling all with his glorious presence, and ruling all events with his providence; even disposing evil to his glory. Nothing of the beauty, mercy, pity of his Saviour, sitting at the right hand of his Father: not his Highness being in heaven, nor yet his nighness to his brethren on earth. Nothing of e Heb. 12. 22. Mount Zion, the City of the living God, the celestial jerusalem; not of the company of innumerable Angels; nor of the general assembly, and company of the first borne which are written in Heaven; not of God, the judge of all; nor of the spirits of just men made perfect; nor of jesus the Mediator of the new Testament; nor the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things then that of Abel. What more than a world of happiness doth this man's eye not see! Hereupon we call a mere fool a natural. The worldlings have esteemed, and misnamed Christians God's fools: but we know them the fools of the world. The greatest Philosopher is but a sot to the weakest Christian: therefore Philosophy (unbaptized with grace) is said to be monoculate, to have but one eye, and that is of natural Reason; a left eye of the soul. But the Christian hath two eyes: the left eye of Reason, whereby he may see into the secrets of nature, as far as the Philosopher: and the right eye of faith, which the other wanting cannot conceive the mystery of godliness. This f 1. Tim. 3. 16. mystery to him, is but like a high candle to a blind man. God only then must give Solomon wisdom; and to his Father, a knowledge above his Teachers. g jam. 1. 5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. The first Character our forefathers taught us, was Christ's Crosse. Our first spelling lesson; In the Name of the Father, etc. To teach us, that even all human knowledge, much more divine, is derived from God's fountain. There are two reasons, why we must all beg of God for ourselves, as Paul did for his Ephesians, this grace of Illumination. 1. Our spiritual blindness came upon us by God's just curse for our sins. As the Philistines put out Samsons eyes, for his many mischiefs done them: so GOD on far greater cause blinded Adam, and his perpetual issue. He had pure and good knowledge; but because his ambition was appetere prohibitum, to desire that was forbidden: his punishment was perdere concessum, to lose that he had. Now the same hand that laid on this penalty, must take it off. The blind men in the Gospel, recovered not their sight till Christ came. They were as types to us; to teach us that only the Spirit of Christ can restore our spiritual eyes. Therefore of this h reve. 3. 18. Spirit are we counseled to buy eye-salve, to anoint our eyes, that we may see. 2. This original defect is increased by actual transgressions. We were borne ignorant, we have made ourselves blind; putting out even that remaining spark of nature. We i Phil. 3. 19 mind earthly things: setting not only our k Colos. 3. 2. affections, but even fixing our whole knowledge on this World. And it is impossible that man's eye should look on earth and heaven also at one instant. It is a rule in Philosophy; Nothing receives any thing, but that is empty of all other things of a contrary nature. The ear must be empty of all sounds, the taste of all savours, the eye of all colours; before there can be entertainment given to a new object. The smell possessed with Rew, cannot sent the Rose: the taste infected with gall, imagines all morsels bitter: and a green glass held before the eyes, presents all things looked on, green. So if the soul's eye be taken up with the gaudy vanities of this pied world, it cannot discern the things, that concern everlasting peace. The understanding than must be withdrawn from earth, that it may contemplate heaven. This confutes their practices, that have vowed a Monkish life, addicted to speculation & eyeing of heaven; yet are perpetually raking in the mud of the earth to get money; with an impossibility of reconciling these two opposite objects to their eyes at once. In vain they lift up ceremonial eyes of a forced devotion; for the eye of their heart is fixed downwards: Unless they have squint-eyed souls, that can look two ways at once. But I rather think, that like watermen, they look one way, and row another: for he must needs be strangely squint-eyed, that can at the same instant fasten one of his lights on the light of glory, & the other on the darkness of iniquity. The riches above and below are remote things; Quorum dum aliud contemplatim aspicimus, aliud contemptim despicimus: whereof whiles we admire the one, we vilipend the other. This blindness then being both hereditary to our natures, (and hereditary diseases are not easily cured) and, augmented by our wilful disorders; can be taken away by no hand but Gods. l john 9 32. Since the World began was it never heard, that any man (not man, but God) opened the eyes of one that was borne blind; and had increased this caecitie by his own accessive and excessive wickedness. He that would desire inspection into others blindness, had need of clear eyes himself. Cast out the beam in thine own eye, that thou mayst pull out the mote in thy brothers; saith our Saviour. Let us take with us then the eyes of grace, that we have; that we may the better look into that blindness of nature, we had. There is in this blind eye diseases and defects. The diseases are double, so are the defects. The Diseases. 1. The Cataract, which is a thickness drawn over the eye, and bred of many causes: this especially, either from the rheum of vainglory, or the inflammation of malice. From this eye there is no reflection, or returning the own beams, whereby a man may contemplate himself. But even the optic nerves, and the visory spirits are corrupted: the memory cannot revolve, nor the mind present itself, what it is; nec in se descendere tentat. This dark mind is the vault, where Satan keeps his Seminary, and sits hatching a black brood of lusts. The means to expel this disease, is to take God's Law into thy hand and heart, and through that glass to look into thyself. m Hagg. 1. Consider your own ways in your hearts, saith the Prophet. Teipsum Concute: tecum habita: te consul, dic tibi quis sis. Plumbe-deepe into thy own breast: n Isid. de sum. bon. lib. 1. Animi tui abyssum intra. A man offends less, by searching sin with too deep, then with too short an instrument. Though this be, saith o In meditat. Abselme, gravis angustia; a hard exigent. Si me inspicio, ●…ipsum non tolero; si non inspicio, nescio. Si video, horror; si non videro, mors est. If I look into myself, I cannot endure myself; if I look not, I cannot know myself. If I see myself, there is horror: if I see not, there is death. This inspection is difficult. Difficile est se nosse, sed beatum. It is a hard, but a happy thing to know one's self. Private sins are not easily spied out. Difficilius est invenire, quam interficere; as Caesar said of the Scythians. It is harder to find them out, then to root them out. Innumerable sins are in a man; if not in actual and ripe practice, yet in growing seeds. Qui indulget uno vitio, amicus est omnibus. He that is partially indulgent to one sin, is a friend to all. It is a pains well taken, to study thyself. How sweet a rest doth that night bring, whose sleep is prevented with a recognition of ourselves! p De consid. Bernard teacheth man a threefold consideration of himself: Quid, quis, qualis fit. What by nature, who in person, what kind of man in conversation. Which particulars when he casteth up, he shall find in sum; Himself a miserable sinner. Si cupis bonus fieri, primùm crede quòd malus fis. If thou wouldst be good, first know that thou art evil. Chrysostome amplifies this self knowledge, by teaching a man to consider; what he is in himself, dust Chrys. in tract. de symb. lib. 13. Quid Intra se Quid Infra se Quid Supra se Quid Contra se Quid Ante se Quid Post se. and ashes: what is within him; much wickedness: what above him, an offended justice: what below him, a burning lake: what against him, Satan and sin: what before him, vain pleasure: what behind him, infallible death. But alas! what is all this that hath been said of the eye, if God enlighten not that mental eye to see it? He must open our eyes, to behold the wonderful things of his Law. Otherwise man's sight to these objects, is but as oculus noctuae ad lumen solis. Spiritual joys he cannot perceive; and what he conceives of death and hell, he thinks of them senselessly like a beast, or desperately like a Devil. If his conscience begins to wake, he sings her asleep again. And as in some, the fuliginous vapours arising from the lower parts of the body, blind the eyes: so in him the fumous evaporations of the flesh's lusts, have caused absolute blindness. The spirit of God, with the saving instrument of grace, can only take away this Cataract. 2. There is another disease, called the Pearl in the eye; a dangerous disease, and hereof are all worldlings sick: for earthly riches is such a pearl in their eye, that they cannot see the pearl of the Gospel, which the wise Merchant sold all he had to purchase. By distrusting and distracting cares of the world, this intellectual eye is not only depraved, but deprived of light. Affectio mundi, infectio animi: our souls are affected, infected with this contagion. We are easily inclined, and declined from our supernal bliss, by doting love of these transient delights. And ubi amor, ibi oculus: the eye follows the heart, with more diligence than a servant his Master. Now it is no wonder if that eye be blind, which the Devil hath daubed up with the dirt of this world! Covetousness is an Engrosser, wheresoever it dwells: and as it would engross the whole Universe to it unsatiate self, so it takes up the whole soul, with all the affections and desires of it. It gives every member and faculty press-money, and binds all their contention to get riches. It leaves not so much as an eye for ourselves, not a thought for God. Quicquid Gregor. in mor. de se intrinsecus agatur oblitus est animus, dum extrinsecus occupatur. Whiles the mind is externally busied, it forgets what is done in itself, what shall become of itself. This pearl than must be cut out of the worldlings eye, with the sharp knife of repentance; otherwise he is likely never to see heaven. For it may be well said to them, as the Philosopher answered to some, that asked him curious questions of the world; whether it had a soul, whether it were round, etc. Vos de mundo solliciti estis, & vestram immunditiem non c●…atis. You are busy examiners concerning the world, but idle neglecters of your unclean selves. These are the Diseases: there is also a double defect in this natural Eye. 1. It perceives only natural and external things; qua ante pedes sunt; which lie at their feet, 2. Pet. 1. For It cannot see a far off. It beholds only the bark or 2. Pet. 1. 9 rind; but not the inward virtue. It can perceive what thy riches are, thy house adorned, thy lands tilled, thy grounds stocked: but not those spiritual blessings, and celestial privileges, that belong to thee as thou art a Christian. It judgeth the Cabinet by the Leather and cover, not by the costly jewels in it. It may see jobs outward affliction, not his inward consolation. If God swells their garners with plenteous fruits, and fills their bones with marrow, this they see: but the hope of God's calling, the comforts of the Gospel, the saving health of jesus Christ, and the promises of eternal life, they not see. The world is their circumference; other things Nec capiunt, nec cupiunt; neque tenent manibus, nec cernunt oculis; they neither comprehend nor covet; neither hold, nor behold them. A beast hath one kind of eye, a natural man two, a Christian three. The beast hath an eye of Sense, the natural man of Sense and Reason, the Christian of Sense, of Reason, and of Faith. Each of these hath his several objects, several intentions. The eye of sense regards only sensual things: the eye of reason only sensible and natural things: the eye of faith, spiritual, supernal, and supernatural things. The eye of sense doth not extend to intelligible things, and matters of discourse. Tell a bruit beast of Philosophy, and the conclusions of nature, he understands you not. The belly of Sense hath no ears for such instructions. Let it be fed, nourished, have the appetite delighted: of further felicity it hath neither notion, nor motion. Nec noscit, nec poscit. The eye of Reason sees further than that of Sense; and hath (more than common Sense) a rational and discursive apprehension of intelligible objects. For the bodies of creatures, the bruits see them as well as man, and perhaps some better: but in these bodies he perceives hidden virtues, obiectuall to the scope of understanding, which the beast cannot see. I confess that many a man is defective in the gradual ascents of reason. Tell a rustic or mechanic that the Sun is greater than the whole earth, or that a little star is larger than his car-wheele; and he derides thy boldness, and thinks thou wouldst be admired for telling ally. Though this by the eye of mature reason is discerned perfect truth. The eye of Faith sees further than both the former; for it looks into the hope of our calling, and the glorious inheritance of the Saints. The Christian hath not only an eye of Sense common with beasts; nor an eye of reason common with men; but also an eye of faith proper to his profession. Wherein he goes beyond the natural man, further than the natural man goes beyond the beast. The unregenerate livesall his days in a mist: he cannot look up to heaven; in comparison whereof that world he sees, is but a base moale-hill; and himself is like a blind mole, digging in it. Yea in this very world, his own proper element, how little doth he truly perceive! There is no herb or flower he treads on, that he truly knows. Yea he is a stranger at home, and is ignorant of what is in his own bosom. But for things that concern a better world, he hath no insight. The natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto 1. Cor. 2. 14. him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Those things are incredible, impossible to him, which we build our faiths on. Happy then are their eyes that see these things. In matters of the world our simplicity moves pity, or makes sport: let it content us, that these losses are requited by our spiritual knowledge, seeing further into better matters. That wherein we are ignorant, is transient & contemptible: that which we know, is glorious and eternal. The ignorance of the former shall not hinder our blessedness; the knowledge of the other shall accomplish it. 2. The second defect in this eye is an in solid levity: it is roving, like Dinahs', and ravished abroad; but wants self-inspection. Two things exceedingly move men; a Cicero. de or●…. ●…b. 3. Similitude and Example. When men judge others very evil, they begin to think themselves good. Nothing doth sooner blind us then comparisons. He that would mount to a high opinion of his own worth, by comparing it to the base wickedness of another; b Sen. Perinde est, ac si quis ad clandos respiciens, s●…am miretur velocitatem: is like one that observing a Cripples lameness, wonders at himself that he is so swift. The curious man goes abroad, c Bern. Et exterius omnia confiderat; qui sic interna despicit: and is so intentive upon foreign businesses, that he forgets his own. They are common questions; Quid ille fecit? What hath he done? and Quid ille faciet? d joh. 21. 21. What shall he do? But not What have I done? not e Acts 16. 30. What shall I do that I might be saved? They are like Tailors, that have taken measure of many men, never of themselves. Such a man doth not smite his own bosom with the Publican, but breaks his neighbour's head with the Pharise. It is good for a man to keep his eyes at home, and set them about the domestical business of his own heart: lest at last Omnibus notus, ignotus moritur sibi; he that lived known to all, dies in ignorance of himself. I cannot leave this excellent Organ, the eye; till I have showed you two things. 1. The danger of spiritual blindness. 2. The means to cure it. Spiritual blindness shall appear the more perilous, if we compare it with natural. The body's eye may be better spared then the souls. As to want the eyes of Angels, is far worse than to want the eyes of beasts. The want of corporal sight is often good, not evil: evil in the sense, good in the consequence. He may the better intent heavenly things, that sees no earthly to draw him away. Many a man's eye hath done him hurt. The sons of God Gene. 6. 2. saw the daughters of men. David from the roof of his Palace saw Bethshabe. Per oculorum beneficium intrat cordis veneficium. The lightning of lust hath scorched the heart through those windows. Malus oculus, malus animus. An evil eye makes an evil mind. The Apostle speaks of eyes full of adultery: it is a fearful thing to have an eye great with whoredom. And there be eyes full of covetousness, lusting after the grounds and goods of other men: as ahab's eye was full of Nabaoths' vineyard. But non tutum est conspicere, quod non licitum est concupiscere. Let not thine eye be enamoured of that, which thy heart must not covet. You see therefore, that sometimes the loss of corporal sight doth the soul good: and the eye of faith sees the better, because the eye of flesh sees not at all. Besides, the bodily blind feels and acknowledgeth his want of sight: but the spiritually thinks that none have clearer eyes than himself. He that wants corporal eyes, blesseth them that see: this man derides & despiseth them. Their blindness is therefore more dangerous, Qui suam ignorant ignorantiam; that know not they are blind, as Laodicea, reve. 3. This conviction Christ gave to the jews. reve. 3. 17. john 9 41. If ye were blind, ye should not have sin: but now ye say, We see, therefore your sin remaineth. The blind in body is commonly led either by his servant, or his wife, or his dog: there may be yet some respect in these guides. But the blind in soul is led by the world, which should be his servant, is his traitor: or by the flesh, which should be as a wife, is his harlot: or by the devil, which is a dog indeed, a crafty cur, not leading, but misleading him. He that is blind himself, and led by such blind, or rather blinding guides, how should he escape the rubs of transgression, or the pit of destruction! Now the means to clear this Eye, is to get it a knowledge of God, of ourselves. That the eye may be cured, this knowledge must be procured. Now God must be known by his Works. Word. Spirit. 1. By his Works. The book of Nature teacheth the most unlearned, that there is a Deity. This may be called natural Theologic. For e Rom. 1. 20 his invisible things may be understood by his visible works. Praesentemque refert qualibet herba Deum. Not a pile of grass we tread on, but tells us there is a GOD. f job 12. 7. etc. Ask the beasts and they will tell thee; the fowls of the air the fishes in the Sea; the earth will declare unto thee, that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this. When an Eremite was found fault with, that he wanted books; he answered, that there could be no want of books, when Heaven and Earth stood before his eyes. g Psal. 90. 1. The heavens declare the glory of GOD: and the firmament showeth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech: and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. All these creatures speak GOD; in whom is the act of all powers, & from whom the power of all acts: whether thou have a carnal affection, filled with vanity; or a curious head, filled with variety; or a Christian heart, filled with verity; despise not the pedagogy and manuduction of the World, leading thee to know God. 2. But this book reads only to us, (that ask An sit) Deus est; that there is a God. If we ask further, Quis sit, Who this God is, or how to be worshipped; it cannot expound it. It brings us only like that h Act. 17. 23. Athenian Altar, Adignotum Deum; To the unknown God. We must turn over a new leaf, search another book to take out this lesson. Search the Scriptures; for they give this testimony. So Zachary. i Zach. 8. 23. Ten men out of all languages of the Nations shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a jew; saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that GOD is with you. In the former, the book is the World, the school Nature's light; the scholar man, quatenus homo; as he is man. But here the Book is the Scripture, the School the light of grace, and the scholar Christian man, as he is a Christian. There was the eye of Reason exercised; here of faith. There was taught GOD in his creatures; here God in his Christ. 3. But this scriptural knowledge (common to the wicked) is not sufficient; there must be a spiritual knowledge: whereby, though he s●…es not more than is in the Word, yet he sees more than they, that see only the letter of the Word. k 1. joh. 2. 27. The anointing which you have received, teacheth you all things. Call we then earnestly upon the Spirit of Illumination for this knowledge. For it is not obtained per rationem, sed per orationem; not by reason, but by prayers. l Eph. 3. 18. For this cause I how my knees to the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, etc. That you may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, & depth, and height: & to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. Now we must learn to see ourselves, and this selfecontemplation must be made by a Natural glass by a Moral glass by a Spiritual glass. 1. Naturally, by looking into the constitution & composition of our own persons; as Paul distinguisheth us into m 1. Thes. 5. 23. Body, Soul, Spirit. For thy Body, it was not only n Psal. ●…39. 15 fashioned beneath on the earth, but of the earth. Our first Parents were made of the earth: of the earth was their meat: of their meat their blood: of their blood their seed: of the seed our bodies. Corrupta et corrumpentia corpora; bodies corrupt of themselves, and corrupting the souls. For thy Soul, it is a real, spiritual, invisible, and indivisible substance; diffused by God into thy body. Who by placing this soul in thy flesh, hath set thee in the midway, betwixt the bodiless Spirits above, and the mindless bodies below. This soul is preserved by neither element nor aliment, but by him only that made her; and to whom, she resteth not, till she returns. For thy Spirit, it is called vinculum and vehiculum, a bond and a Chariot. It is a bond to unite a divine and heavenly soul, to an earthly elementary body; both these extremes meet friendly by this Tertium, a firmamental Spirit. It is called a Chariot, because it carrieth the soul's faculties to all organs and parts of the body, and that with wonderful speed. 2. Morally, by considering how frequently we have transgressed those virtues, to which the very Heathen gave a strict obedience. Where is our justice, temperance, patience? We have idle designs, and idler desires; and give way to all evil that may be either thought or wrought: and what we dare not act, we dare like. We loath (like fond sheep) the good pastures of fit benefits, and bleat after the browse of vanities. Like erring Planets, we keep not the ecclyptike line of virtuous mediocrity. As God hath all good in himself, all evil only in knowledge: so we on the contrary, have much good in knowledge, all evil in ourselves. 3. Spiritual knowledge goes yet further; even in medullas, et penetralia cordis. It searcheth the heart; and if in that most inward Chamber, or in any cabinet thereof, it can find an Idol, it brings it forth. It sees when the torrent of time bears thee down the stream of custom; what faintness is in thy faith, what coldness in thy zeal, when the awe of man gives the fear of God a checkmate. It sounds the lowest depth of the Conscience; and spyeth blemishes in the face of whitest innocence. So it brings the best soul down on her knees; teacheth her the necessity of humbleness; and puts this prayer in her mouth; Lord be merciful to me a sinner. We have now done with the Organ of Seeing; the understanding or Souls Eye: let us come to the object to be seen, The hope of his calling; and the riches of the glory of God's inheritance in the Saints. The Object Is clear and transparent to a sanctified Eye. The Philosophers propound six necessary occurrences to our perfect Seeing; and you shall see them all here met. 1. Firmness or good disposition of the Organ that seeth. A rolling eye beholds nothing perfectly. A Dinahs' eye is the prologue to a ravished soul. This must be a composed eye, steadfastly settled on the divine object: saying with David, My heart is fixed, O Lord, my heart is fixed. The proposed glory is so infinite, that it may well take up the whole eye; for it shall one day take up the whole man. Enter thou, good servant, into thy master's joy: it is too great to enter into thee. This Object is so immense, that we cannot well look besides it. 2. The Spectacle must be objected to the sight: the eye cannot pierce into penetralia terrae, or sublimia coeli: nor can the understanding see into these supernatural joys, unless the Lord object them to it. Hence it is that many neglectfully pass by (〈◊〉 lumine lumen) the light, for want of eyes to regard it. But God here produceth the wardrobe of his glory to the sanctified eyes; as if he said, Uenite & videte, Psal. 46. Come, and see. So Moses; Psal. 46. 8. Exod. 14. 13. Stand still, and see the salvation of God. So Christ to his Apostles. It is given to your eyes to see these things, to others but by parables. 3. That there be a proportional distance betwixt the organ and the object: neither too near, nor too far off. A bright thing held too near the sight, confounds it: be it never so bright, if too far off, it cannot discern it. God hath sweetly ordered and compounded this difference. Those everlasting joys are not close by our eyes, lest the glory should swallow us up: for mortal eyes cannot behold immortal things; nor our corruptible sight see steadfastly that eternal splendour. Who can see God, and live? And though you say, it is the soul that sees; yet even this soul, whiles it is prisoned in this muddy vail, or rather jail, the flesh, hath by reason of the others impotency and passiblenesse, a thick cloud cast between itself and glory. o 1. Cor. 13. 12. For now we see through a glass darkly: but then face to face. Now I know in part, then shall I know, even as also I am known. The best eye upon earth looks but through a glass, a lattice, an obscuring impediment. Now on the other side, lest this object should be too far off, that the intellectual eye could not reach it, behold, God hath given it the first fruits; p Rom. 14. 17. Righteousness, peace of conscience, and joy of the holy Ghost; a prelibation of glory. It sees the earnest of the Spirit, sealing us up to the day of redemption; a pledge of those joys, which otherwise no eye hath seen, no ear heard, nor heart on earth conceived. 4. It is required that the objected matter be substantial; not altogether diaphanous & transparent, but massy, and of a solid being. Otherwise the sight cannot perceive, nor the mind well conceive, the nature which is so subtle & sublimed: but intends itself still further, till it can acquiescere in materiam visibilem; rest itself on some visible object. But this Object here proposed, is no empty Chimaera, or imaginary, tralucent, eyrie shadow, but substantial: the hope of God's calling, and a glorious inheritance: which though nature's dull eye cannot reach, faith's eye sees perfectly. For Hac est fides, credere quod non vides. And the subject of this spectacle is by demonstration proved solid and substantial: because▪ nothing but that can give this intellectual eye firm content and complacency. How go the affections of man in a rolling and ranging pace from one creature to another! now thy heart is set upon wealth; thou wilt have it, though thou dig for it in visceribus both matris & filiorum; in the bowels of the earth, and of the sons of the earth. Say wealth is come, thou art then for honour: thy riches are a ladder, whereby thou wouldst climb to dignity. Dedecet divitem esse ignobilem. Nobility gotten hath not settled thee: thou art traversing new desires. Thy lust presents thee a beauteous paramour: unclean desires now fill up thy scene; and thou playest, like that german, many parts thyself; a golden Ass, a proud Lion, a luxurious Goat. Wealth and greatness commands thy pleasure; thy lust is answered: then thou art for music, and so actest a fourth part; thou art thine own fiddler. Now thy blood is to be heated with delicates; thou must be indulgent to thy throat with lust-provoking meats; and so playest yet another part, a Cater to uncleanness. When all is done, Non contenta quies; non est sedata libido. When thou hast thus wandered, and begged of every poor creature a scrap of comfort, yet thou art but clawed, and cloyed with variety, with vanity; not contented. It is all but one little crumb to one half dead of hunger. Couldst thou pass over the vast Universe, from the convexe superficies of heaven, to the centre of hell: yet the immense capacity, rapacity of thy desires will not be satisfied. Well then did Augustine confess: Fecisti nos ad te, & Conf. lib. 1. cap. 1. inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te. O Lord, thou didst make us for thee; and our heart cannot be quiet till it rest in thee. Nothing but the Trinity of persons in that one Deity, can fill the triangular concave of man's own heart. The fire flieth to his sphere, the stone falleth to his centre, the rivers run to the sea, as to their end and rest; and are but violently detained in any other place. The needle touched with the Loadstone, stands ever trembling and quivering, till it enjoy the full aspect of the Northern Pole. Thus the Lord is only our Centre; the very life of satisfaction; full of perfect and infallible comfort; and he alone can content the boundless apprehension of this intellectual eye. All other are but shadows and vanities, but this matter objected in my Text, satisfies. The world cannot, but this can; the hope of God's calling, and his glorious inheritance, etc. 5. Clearness of space betwixt the Organ and the object. For the interposition of some thick and gross body, prevents the faculty of the Eye. The quickest eye cannot see through hills; and a crass cloud is able to hide the Sun from us at noon day. On necessity, that we may behold with our understandings eyes, this celestial object; the hope of our calling; there must be a removing of all thick and impenetrable obstacles. 1. Some have whole mountains betwixt their eyes and heaven: the mountains of vainglory hinder their sight. They are ravished with the bravery of earth: they think there is no heaven but at Court; no further scope of ambition, then to be great in this world. If you tell them of the glory of God's Inheritance given to his Saints, alas, they believe not your prattle: they cannot see it. They cannot indeed; for who can see through mountains? 2. Others, to make surer prevention against their sight of heaven, have rolled the whole earth betwixt that and their eyes. These are the covetous, who are rooting down to the Centre. If you tell them of this hope, etc. they answer, Non videmus nisi terram; we see nothing but earth. Well may they say so: for what eyes can see through the vast and condensed body of the earth? 3. Others yet have interiected such obscure and pitchy clouds, between their sight and this Sun of glory, that they cannot see. Whether of errors, that darken the light of the truth: Or of affected ignorance, that blinds their own eyes: Or of blasphemous Atheism; they will see nothing, but what they do see. a 2. Pet. 3. 4. Where is the promise of his coming? Since the Fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. Nil novi video; I see no new thing: it was so, and it is so. Non aliud vidêre patres, aliudue nepotes Aspicient. Or of rude and crude impie●…ies, which both blear their own eyes, and shadow heavens graces from them. Thus the Devil deals with them, as the pharisees servants dealt with Christ: first they blind him, and then buffet him, and bid him prophecy b Mark 14. 65 who smote him. First he puts out their eyes with their own iniquities, and then leads them about to make himself sport. They cannot see the way to bliss, they have blinded themselves; interposed such clouds betwixt them and heaven, that this glorious light cannot shine unto them. There must be then a clearer space: and this God grants to faith. c Acts 7. 55. 56. Stephen full of the holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of GOD, etc. Behold, I see the heavens open, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Though this be taken for more than a spiritual sight; yet hence we have this comfort; that our eyes of Faith shall see God now in Grace, and our eyes of flesh hereafter in glory. 6. Lastly, the object must be stable and firm, for if it move too swiftly, it dazzleth the eye, and cannot be truly (according to the perfect form of it) beholden. An oar in the river often seems to the passengers as if it were broke●… by reason of the swift and violent motion of the water. An arrow cuts the air with such quickness, that we can scarce discern it; which lying at the mark is easily seen. God hath therefore answered our desires, and fitted our understandings with a stable object: which Paul calls an exceeding & eternal weight of glory. A weight; substantial and permanent: not a light transient matter, 2. Cor. 4. 17. nor a swift voluble nature; but weighty. Therefore let us not look on the things which are seen, but on the things Vers. 18. which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. It is here called an Inheritance, which none can take from us: that subtle Lawyer Satan, shall never be able to pick cavils against it. You must not expect, that I should enter into a particular resolution of our objected comforts: I must reserve that to a more liberal time. Only now let us set them in our meditation, and settle ourselves to attain them. Contemn we, condemn we the foolish choice of worldlings, in regard of our portion and better part, never to be taken from us. Why should I dislike my gold, because he prefers his copper? The least dram of these joys shall outwaigh all the pleasures of earth. And as one torment in hell shall make the reprobate forget all earthly vanities: so the least drop of this pleasure shall take from us the remembrance of our former miseries. We shall not think on our poverty in this world, when we possess those Riches: and forget our contemptible baseness, when God shall give us that Glory of Saints. He shall not much remember the days of his life, because God answereth Eccl. 5. 20. him in the joy of his heart. God give us to see these things now in grace, that we hereafter may see them in glory. Amen. THE COSMOPOLITE: OR, WORLDS FAVOURITE. LUKE 12. 20. But God said unto him; Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: than whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? THIS is the Covetous man's Scripture; and both (like an unflattering glass) presents his present condition, what he is: and (like a fatal book) premonstrates his future state, what he shall be. And because; as no man would be thought of others, or will think himself a worldling; so nor apply to himself the terror of this Text: therefore this Scripture doth both indigitate and single him out, with a Tu es h●…mo; and when it hath set himself before himself, it tells him how he shall stand before the Tribunal of God: with a lost name, with a lost soul, with a lost world, with a lost and never to be recovered heaven. We shall perceive more plainly the Cosmopolites fearful judgement, if we take a precursory view of the Parables former passages. First we have the Rich man, vers. 16. prospering in his wealth: not only in the usurious gains, which his money, Prosperity permitted to the wicked. fraud, oppression, or unjust dealing might get: but even in those things which God by the hand of nature did reach forth to him. For his ground brought forth plentifully. So deep a draft have the wicked often drunk in the common cup of blessings. Their Bull gendereth and faileth not: their Cow calueth and casteth not. They spend job 21. 10. their days in wealth. Yea, will you hear yet a larger exhibition? They are not in trouble as other men, neither are Psal. 73. 5. 7. they plagued like others. There they have exemption from misery. Their eyes stand out for fatness: they have more than heart could wish. There they have accumulation of felicity. Secondly, we have him caring what to do, vers. 17. Care keeps wealth company. He had so much gain, so much grain; that his rooms could not answer the capacity of his heart. What shall I do, because I have no room, where to bestow my fruits? Care is the inseparable companion of abundance. unâ recipiuntur divitiae & solicitudo. They, to whom is given most wealth, are most given to carking, sharking, and solicitous thoughtfulness, with a little inversion of our saviours meaning; Where is much given, there is much, yea more required. Those hearts whom the world hath done most to satisfy, are lest of all satisfied: still they require more, and perplex themselves to get it. A reasonable man would think, that they who possess abundant riches, should not be possessed with abundant cares. But care not for to morrow, saith Christ. Cuius enim diei spatium Chrys. in Math. 6. te visurum nescis, quam ob causam illius solicitudine torqueris? Why shouldst thou disquiet thyself with thought of provision for that day, whose evening thou art not sure to see? Thirdly, we have his resolution; which in his purpose, hath a double succession (though no success) for their disposed order and places. This will I do, vers. 18. what? 1. I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. He thinks of no room in visceribus pauperum, in the bowels of the poor: which the Lord hath proposed to him, a fit receptacle of his superfluity. He minds not to build an hospital, or to repair a Church; either in cultum Christi, or culturam Christiani: to the worship of Christ, or education of orphans, or consolation of distressed souls: but only respects Horreum suum, and Hordeum suum: his Barn and his barley. The want of room troubles him: his harvest was so great, that he is crop-sick. The stomach of his Barn is too little to hold that surfeit of corn he intends it; and therefore in anger he will pull it down, and make it answerable to his own desires. 2. This he takes as granted, and upon the new building of his Barn, he builds his rest, ver. 19 Then I will say to my soul; Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. He dreams his belly full, and now his pipes go: he sings requ●…em, and lullabies his spirit in the cradle of his barn. This sweet news he whispers to his soul. Though he had wearied his body with incessant toils, and made it a galleyslave to his imperious affection: yet his soul had been especially disquieted, and therefore he promiseth his soul some ease. In this indulgent promise, there is a Preface, and a Solace. 1. The Preface assures his soul much goods, and many years; multas divitias, multos annos. He knew that a scant and sparing proffer would not satisfy his boundless desires: there must be show of an abundant impletion. It is not enough to have an ample rock or dista●…e of wealth, unless a longevall time be afforded to spin it out. Philoxenus his wish coupled with his pleasant viands a long throat, (Crane-like); to prorogue his delight: for shortness doth somewhat abate sweetness. Rex horae, a king of one hour can scarce warm his throne: it keeps a Christmass-lord flat, that he knows his end. If this man had been his own Lord, how excellent an estate would he have assured himself▪ His Farm should have been so large, and his lease so long, that I doubt whether Adam in Paradise had a greater Lordship, or Metbushalem a longer life. The last of his desires is of the longest size: give him much goods, and much time, abundance of joys, and abundance of days; and you hit or fit the length of his foot. 2. The Solace is a dance of four paces; Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. The full belly loves an easy Chair; he must needs join with his laborious surfeits the vacation of sleep. He hath taken great pains to bring death upon him; and now standing at his door, it hears him talk of ease. He promiseth himself that, which he travels to destroy, life: and even now ends what he threatens to begin. So worldlings weary and wear out their lives to hoard wealth: and when wealth comes, & health goes, they would give all for life. O fools! in continual quest of riches, to hunt themselves out of breath; and then be glad to restore all at once for recovery. The next pace is, Eat: his bones must not only be pleased, but his belly. It is somewhat yet, that this man resolves at last no more to pinch his guts: therefore what before he was in their debt, he will pay them with the usury of surfeits. He purposeth to make himself of a thin starveling, a fat Epicure; and so to translate Parcum into Porcum. The third pace is, Drink: where gluttony is bid welcome, there is no shutting out of drunkenness. You shall not take a Nabal, but he plies his goblet, as well as his trencher. And this is a ready course to retire himself from his former vexation; to drown his cares in Wine. The last pace is a Levalto; Be merry: When he hath got junkets in his belly, and wines in his brain, what should he do, but leap, dance, revel, be merry, be mad! After feasting, must follow jesting. here be all the four passages: he sleeps care away, he eats care away, he drinks care away, and now he sings care away. His pipes be full, and they must needs squeak, though the name of the good, yea the name of GOD be dishonoured. But to such a mad-merry scoffer might well be applied that verse, which was sounded in the ear of a great Rhymer dying: Desine ludere temerè, nitere properè surgere, de pulvere. Leave playing, & fall to praying: it is but sorry jesting with death. Thus his dance was like Sardanapalus; Ede, bibe, lude: Eat, drink, and be merry: but there is one thing mars all his sport; the bringing of his soul to judgement. He promiseth a merry life, and a long life; but death says nay to both. He gratifies his soul, & ratifies his state; but cozens himself in all. It may be said of him, as King john of the fat Stag dying; See how easily he hath lived, yet he never heard Mass. This was the sweet, but the sour follows. Qui gaudebit cum mundo, non regnabit cum Hierom. Christo. He rejoiceth with the World, but must not live in glory with Christ. Thus far the Rich man acts; now comes in God's part: which turns the nature of his play, from Comike purposes to Tragic events. He behights all peace and joy to himself; But God said; Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be taken from t●…e, etc. The words contain an Agent, Patient, Passion, Question. The Agent is God; But God said. The Patient is the rich Foole. The Passion. This night shall thy soul be required of thee. The Question which God puts to him, to let him see his folly; Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? The Agent, God. The Rich man was purposing great matters, but he reckoned without his host: he resolves thus and thus; But God said to him. Hence two observations. 1. That the purposes of men are abortive, and never come to a happy birth, if God bless not their conception. Man purposeth, and God disposeth. The horse is prepared to the battle, but the victory is of the Lord. It is a holy reservation in all our purposes; Si Deo placuerit: If it shall please the Lord. a jam. 4. 13. Go to now ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a City, and continue there a year, & buy and sell, and get gain. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. Ye ought to say, If the Lord will. For neither tongue can speak, nor foot move, if the Lord shall enervate them: as he did b Luke 1. 22. Zaobaries' tongue in the Temple, and c 1. Kin. 13. 4. jeroboams arm, when he would have reached it out against the Prophet. In vain man intends that, whereagainst God contends. Sisera resolves on victory, GOD crosseth it with overthrow. Yet thinks Sisera, jael will succour me, d judg. 4. 17. For there is peace between jabin King of Hazor, and the house of Heber the Kenite. No, even there ●…he arm of the Lord is ready to encounter him; a draft of milk shall be his last draft, and the hand of a woman shall kill him, that hath escaped the hand of an Army. The jews may say, We will fly away 〈◊〉 swift horses. But God saith, Your Persecutors shall be swifter. Senacherib purposeth to lick up Israel as the Ox grass; and though he found the Land before him as an Eden, to leave it behind him as Sodom; But God said, He shall go home without his errand: An hook in his nostrils shall rain him back. e Esa. 14. 13. 15. The King of Babylon says in his heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: and I will be like the most High. But God said, Thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. H●…d made himself so sure of Christ, that rather than to fail of cutting off the prophesied King, he slays his own son: He might so, but he shall not touch God's Son. With what lavish promises do the Spaniards flatter themselves, when they baptized their Navy with the name of Inv●…nsible? England is their own, they are already grasping it (warm with gore) in their clutches. But God said, Destruction shall inherit their hopes: and the remainder of ruin shall be only left to testify, what they would have done. men's thoughts promise often to themselves, Multa magna; many things, great things: they are plotted, contrived, commenced; yet die like jonah's Gourd, when we should expect their refreshing: Quia non fort●…it Deus, because God hath not blessed them. Ambition may rear turrets in emulation of heaven: and vainglory build Castles in the air; but the former shall have no roof, as the latter hath no foundation. Philip threatened the Lacedæmonians, that if he entered their Country, he would utterly extinguish them. They wrote him no other answer but Si, If: meaning, it was a condition well put in, for he never was like to come there. Si S I non esset, perfectum quidlibet esset. But in the menaces of angry Tyrants, and purposes of hasty intenders, there is an If, an included condition, that infatuates all. Let our lesson hence be this. That our purposes may be sped with a happy success, let us intend in the Lord, for the Lord. 1. Let us derive authority of our intentions from his sacred Truth; which gives rules not only to live well, and to speak well, but even ad bene c●…gitandum, to think well. It is a wicked purpose to fast till Paul be killed; to wreak malice, to satisfy lust. Inauspicious and without speed are the intents, whose beginning is not from God. Let no purpose pass currant from thy heart, till God hath set on it his stamp and seal of approbation: Let his Word give it a Fiat: Whatsoever ye do, yea or intent to do, let both action of hand, and thought of heart be all to God's glory. 2. Let us in all our purposes reserve the first place for God's helping hand. f john 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing, saith Christ. But it is objected that Paul spoke peremptorily to his Corinthians. g 1. Cor. 16. 5. I will come unto you when I shall pass through Macedonia. And David, h Psal. 66. I will go to the house of the Lord. I answer, Cor tenet, quod lingua tacet: they that had so much grace in their hearts, wanted not this grace; et noscere et poscere facultatem Domini, to know and desire the Lords permission. You shall never take men so well affected to good works, that do not implore God's assistance. Though they do not ever express in word, yet they never suppress in thought, that reservation; If it please God, as Paul doth afterwards in that place; i 1. Cor. 16. 7. If the Lord permit. If any will dare to resolve too confidently, patronizing their temerity from such patterns; as if their voluntates were potestates, let them know that like Tailors, they have measured others, but never took measure of themselves: that there is great difference betwixt a holy Propet or Apostle, and a profane Publican. 2. Observe, that God now speaks so to the Covetous, that he will be heard: he preacheth another kind of Sermon to him then ever he did before: a fatal, final, funeral Sermon, a Text of judgement; This night shall they fetch away thy soul. For this is God's Lecture, himself reads it; But God said. He had preached to the wordling often before; and those Sermons were of three sorts. 1. By his Word. But cares of the world choke this Seed: the heart goes after covetousness; even whiles the flesh sits under the pulpit. This is the devils three-winged arrow, (wealth, pride, voluptuousness) whereby he nails the very heart fast to the earth. It is his talon of lead, which he hangs on the feet of the soul, the affections; that keeps her from mounting up into heaven: with the printed beauty of this filthy Harlot he bewitcheth their minds, steals their desires from Christ, and sends them a whoring to the hot Stews of hell. Thus is God's first Sermon quite lost. 2. By judgements on others, whose smart should amaze him. For God, when he strikes others, warns thee, Tua res agitur, etc. When the next house is on fire, thy cause is in question. God hath smitten Israel, that judah might fear. Though Israel play the Harlot, yet let not judah offend. k Hos. 4. 15. Ephraim is joined to Idols: let him alone. When the plague knocks at thy neighbour's door, it tells thee, I am not far off. God's judgement on the l Luk. 13. 5. Galileans, and men in Sil●…e is thus applied by Christ, to draw others to repentance, lest they likewise perish. But what if thousands fall on the worldlings right hand, & ten thousands about him, he dreams of no danger: his own gold gives him more content, than all this terror. The Devil hath hoodwinked him with gain; and so carries him quietly (like a hooded hawk) on his fist without baiting to hell. This Sermon is lost also. 3. By crosses on himself; and this Sermon comes a little nearer to him; for it concerns his feeling. The first was objected to his ear, the second to his eye, this last to his sense. But as the first Sermon he would not hear, the next not see, so this he will not feel: m jer. 5. 3. he is stricken, but he hath not sorrowed. He imputes all to his ill luck, that he loseth the game of his worldly desires: he looks no more up to heaven, than if there was none. n Psal. 10. 4. God is not in all his thoughts. All these Sermons are lost. But now God will be heard: He said; he spoke home; a word and a blow. He will be understood, though not stood under. Uociferat, vulnerat: per dictum, per ictum. This is such a Sermon, as shall not pass without consideration. So he preached to Pharaoh, by frogs, flies, locusts, murrain, darkness: but when neither by Moses vocal, nor by these actual lectures he would be melted, the last Sermon is a Red Sea, that drowns him and his army. The Tree is bared, manured, watered, spared in expectancy of fruits: but when none comes, the last sermon is the Axe: it must be o Math. 3. 10. hewn●… down and cast into the fire. This kind of argument is unanswerable, and cannot be evaded. When God gives the Word, innumerable are the Preachers: if the lower voices will not be heard, death shall be feared. God knocks long by his Prophets, yea p Reu. 3. 20. stands at the door himself; we will not open. But when this Preacher comes, he opens the door himself, and will not be denied entrance. q Rom. 10. 21. All the day long have I stretched forth my hands unto thee; manum misericordiae, the hand of his mercy: it is not embraced. Now therefore he stretcheth out manum justitiae, the hand of his justice; and this cannot be avoided. All that long Day is past, and now the worldlings Night comes. This night shall they require thy soul. The Rich man must hear this Sermon; there is no remedy. But GOD said. We are come from the Doer, to The Sufferer, or Patient; And his title is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Thou fool. What? If this had come from a poor Tenant's mouth, it had been held a petty kind of blasphemy. Is the rich man only held the wise man, at all parts; and doth God change his title with such a contradiction? Is the world's gold become dross? the rich Idol a fool? It is even a maxim in common acceptation; He is wise, that is rich. Dives and Sapiens are voces convertibiles; Rich and wise are convertible terms, imagined to signify one thing. When the rich man speaks, all the people give (bareheaded) silence and attention. As if no argument could evince such a necessity, as the chief Priests to judas; Tantum dabo: So much will I give thee. Tantus valor in quatuor syllabis. Such force is Math. 26. 14. there in four syllables, and but two words. It is not only eloquence, but enchantment; and they that use it, prevail like Sorcerers; unless perhaps they light upon (multis è millibus unum) a Peter, r Acts 8. 20. Thou and thy money be damned together. If he that can plead by the strongest arguments, be the wisest man, how doth God call the Rich man Fool? If a man should travel through all conditions of the World, what gates would not open to the rich man's knock! In the Church surely Religion should have the strongest force; yet riches thrusts in her head even under Religion's arm, and speaks her mind. Money once brought the greatest Preacher of the Gospel, even the Author of the Gospel, Christ himself, to be judged before an earthly Tribunal. Now the Servant is not greater than his Lord: no wonder if money plays the rex still, and disposeth places to men of the greatest worldly (not the best heavenly) gifts. For a gift prospereth which way soever it goeth. It were somewhat tolerable, if money did only hinder us from what we should have; but it wrings from us also what we have. In the Courts of justice, Law should rule: yet often money overrules law and Court too. It is a lamentable complaint in the Prophecy of Esay: s Esa. 59 14. judgement is turned away backward, and justice standeth a far off: for truth is fallen in the street; and equity cannot enter. If there must be contention, judgement should go forward; and is it turned backward? justice should lay a close ear to the cause of the distressed; and must it stand a far off? Truth is fallen in the street. O the mercy of God! in the street? Had it fallen in the wilderness, it had been less strange; but in the street, where every body passeth by, and no body take it up! miserable iniquity. Equity cannot enter; what, not equity? Are they not called Courts of Equity? and must that which gives them denomination, be kept out? Now all this perversion, eversion of justice is made by money. This turneth t Amos. 5. 7. judgement to wormwood, poisons a good cause: or at least into vinegar; as wine that stands long, becomes sour. And you are beholding to that Lawyer, that will restituere rem, get you your right, though he doth it cunctando; by delays. There is many one of whom that old verse may be inverted, Talis homo nobis cunctando diminuit rem. In the wars valour bears a great stroke, yet not so great as money. That Macedonian Monarch was wont to say, He would never fear to surprise that City, whose gates were but wide enough for an ass laden with gold to enter. How many Forts, Castles, Cities, Kingdoms hath that blown up, before ever gunpowder was invented! I need name no more. What quality bears up so brave a head, but money gives it the checke-mate! It answereth all things, saith Solomon. u Eccl. 10. 19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but Money answereth all things. By all this it appears, that Riches is the greatest wisdom: but we must take out a writ, Ad melius inquirendum. If wealth be wit, what means Christ here to call the Rich man Fool? yes, good reason. x 1. Cor. 1. 20. God hath made foolish the wisdom of this world. If God calls him so, he gets little to have the world esteem him otherwise. y 2. Cor. 10. 18. Not he that commendeth himself, nor whom the world commendeth, is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. An ounce of credit with God, is worth a talon of men's praises. Frustra commendatur in terris, qui condemnatur in coelis. The world commends, but God condemns; which of these judgements shall stand? I might here infer doctrinally, that all Covetous men be fools: and that in his censure, that cannot deceive, not be deceived. but I should prevent the issue of this Text, to say and show this now. I therefore content myself to say it now, to show it anon. It may be cauilled, that Follie is rather a defect in the understanding, Covetousness in the affections. (For so they distinguish the soul, into the intellectual and affectionate part.) How then is this attribution of fool, proper to the worldling? The truth is, that the offence of the will & affections doth mostly proceed from the former error of the mind. Our desire, fear, love, hatred, reflecting on evil objects, arise from the deceived understanding. So there is a double error in the covetous man's mind, that makes him a fool. 1. He conceives not the sufficiency of God's help; and therefore leaves him, that will never leave his. He thinks God's treasury too empty to content him: he sees not his glory, and therefore will not trust him on bare promises. The good man sweetens his most bitter miseries with this comfort: The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance. But all God's wealth cannot satisfy him. O nimis Psal. 16. 5. avarus est, cui Deus non sufficit: He is unmeasurably covetous, whom God himself cannot satisfy. here is one argument of his folly. 2. Having left God, who (rested on) would not have left him, he adheres to the world which cannot help him. The mind of man, like the Elephant, must have somewhat to lean upon: and when the Olive, Fig▪ tree, Vine are refused; he must put a judg. 9 15. his trust under the shadow of the Bramble. When the Israelites had forsaken the King of Heaven, they make to themselves a b jer. 7. 18. Queen of heaven: Moses is gone, c Exod. 31. 1. up, make us gods which shall go before us. Admiratur mundum, reijciens Dominum. He falls off from God, and falls in with the world. Here be both the parts of his folly: d jer. 2. 13. He hath committed two evils; forsaken the fountain of living waters, and hewed himself a broken cistern. We see the Patient; let us come to The Passion or suffering. This is the point of war, which my Text sounds like a Trumpet, against all worldlings: This night shall thy soul be required of thee. Favour them in this, and they think all well; but in this of all they must not be favoured. This suffering is aggravated by four circumstances Quid. What; the Soul A quo, of whom: of thee Quomodo, how: shall be required Qando, when; this night. What. The Soul, thy soul: not thy Barns, nor thy crop; neither the continent, nor content: not thy gods, which thou holdest dear; not thy body which thou prizest dearer; but thy soul, which should be to thee dearest of all. Imagine the whole convexe of heaven for thy Barn, (and that were one large enough) and all the riches of the world thy grain, (and that were crop sufficient:) yet put all these into one balance, and thy soul into the other; and thy soul out-waighes, out-values the world. What is the whole world worth to him that loseth his soul? The Soul is of a precious nature. One in substance like the Sun, yet of divers operations. It is confined in the body, not refined by the body, but is often most active, when her layler is most dull. She is a careful housewife, disposing all well at home; conserving all forms, and mustering them to her own serviceable use. The senses discern the outside, the circumstance, the husk of things: she the inside, the virtue, the marrow; resolving effects into causes; compounding, comparing, contemplating things in their highest sublimity. Fire turns coals into fire: the body concocts meat into blood; but the soul converts body into spirits; reducing their purest forms within her dimensive lines. In man's composition there is a shadow of the Trinity. For to make up one man, there is an elementary body, a divine soul, and a firmamental spirit. Here is the difference: In God there are three persons in one essence, in us three essences in one person. So in the Soul there is a trinity of powers, vegetable, sensitive, rational: the former would only be; the second be, and be well; the third be, be well, and before ever well. O excellent nature, in whose cabinet ten thousand forms may sit at once; which gives agitation to the body, without whom it would fall down a dead and inanimate lump of clay. This Soul shall be required. Thy Soul which understands what delight is; and conceives a tickling pleasure in these covetous desires. But to satisfy thy soul, thou wouldst not be so greedy of abundance: for a little serves the body. If it have food to sustain it, garments to hide it, harbour to shelter it, liberty to refresh it, it is contented. And satiety of these things doth not (reficere, sed interficere) comfort, but confound it. Too much meat surfeits the body, too much apparel wearies it, too much wine drowns it: only Quod convenit, conseruat. It is then the soul that requires this plenitude, and therefore from this plenitude shall the Soul be required. Thy Soul, which is not made of a perishing nature, as the body; but of an everlasting substance: And hath by the eternity thereof a capablenes of moreioy, or moresorrow: it must be ever in heaven, or everin hell. This night must this Soul receive her doom; thy Soul shall be required. That Soul which shall be the bodies perpetual companion, saving a short divorce by the hand of death in the grave: but afterwards ordained to an everlasting reunion. Whereas all worldly goods being once broken off by death, can never again be recovered. The soul shall return to the body, but riches to neither; and this Soul must be required. This is a loss, a cross beyond all, that the worldlings imagination can give being to. How differ the wickeds thoughts dying, from their thoughts living! In the days of their peace they forget to get for the soul any good. Either it must rest itself on these inferior props, or despair of refuge. The eye is not scanted of lustful objects, the ear of melodious sounds, the palate of well relishing viands. But the soul's eye is not fastened on heaven, nor her ears on the Word of God: her taste savours not the bread of life; she is neither brought to touch, nor to smell on Christ's Vesture. Animas habent, quasi inanimata vivunt: regarding their flesh, as that pampered Roman did his; and their souls as he esteemed his horse: who being a spruce, neat, and fat Epicure, & riding on a lean scragling jade, was asked by the Censors the reason. His answer was, Ego curo meipsum, statius verò equum: I look to myself, but my man to my horse. So these worldlings look to their bodies, let who will take care of their souls. But when this night comes, with what a price would they purchase again their Souls, so mortgaged to the devil for a little vanity! Now curare non volunt, then recuperare non valent. With what studious and artificial cost is the body adorned, whiles the beggarly soul lies in tottered rags! The flesh is pleased with the purest flower of the Wheat, and reddest blood of the grape, the soul is famished. The body is allowed liberty, even to licentiousness, the Soul is under Satan's lock and key, shackled with the fetters of ignorance and impiety. At this night's terror, to what bondage, hunger, cold, calamity, would they not subject their bodies; to free their souls out of that friendless and endless prison! Why cannot men think of this before it be too late? It will sound harshly in thine ear, O thou riotous or avarous worldling, when this Passing-bell rings; Thy soul shall be required. If the Prince should confiscate thy goods, which thou lovest so dearly, this news would strike cold to thy heart: but here thy soul is confiscate. The devil prizeth this most: he says, as the King of Sodom to Abraham, Da mihi animas, caetera sumetibi: Give me the Soul, take the rest to thyself. Gene. 14. 21. Of whom. Of thee; that hadst so provided for thy soul in another place: for though earth be a dungeon in regard of heaven, yet is it a Paradise in respect of hell. This world was his selected and affected home; and from thence shall death pluck him out by the ears. If this news of the Souls requiring had come to a faithful Christian, he would have welcomed it; and judged it only the voice of the Feastmaker, finding him in the humble room of this base earth; a Luk. 14. 10. Friend, sit up higher. Or that voice of heaven that spoke to john; b Reu. 4. 〈◊〉. Come up hither. Sat no longer in the vale of tears, but ascend the mountain of glory. A trumpet calling him to Mount Tabor, where he shall be transfigured for ever. This time would be to him, the non ultra of his joys and desires: he fought all his combat for this, that he might c 1. Pet. 1. 9 receive the end of his faith, the salvation of his soul. He is content to live here till God call him; but his d Phil. 1. 23. desire is to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. Bonus vitam habet in patientia, mortem in desiderio. He is patient to live, but willing to die. To him e Eccl. 7. 1. the day of death is better than the day of his birth. job f job 3. 3. cursed the day of his birth. And jeremy said, g jere. 20. 14. Let not the day wherein my Mother bore me be blessed. But blessed is the hour of death: h Reu. 14. 13. So saith the Spirit; blessed are they that die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours. Both Philosophers and Poets could so commend the happiness of this time, that they thought no good man truly happy till it saluted him. Dicique beatus Ante obitum nemo, supremaque funera debet. The ethnics ignorant of a better life future, honoured this with great solemnities, and kept prodigal feasts on their birthdays; as i Math. 14. 6. Herod when he was served with the Baptists head for his second course. But the Christians were wont to celebrate the funerals of the Martyrs; as if we did then only begin truly to live when we die. For though the soul is gotten when man is made, yet it is (as it were) borne when he dies: his body being the womb, and death the Midwife, that delivers it to glorious perfection. The good man may then well say, k ovid. Trist. 1. Eleg. 21. Mors mihi munus erit, with a Poet; or rather, l Phil. 1. 21. Death shall be my advantage, with an Apostle. His happiest hour is, when In manus tuas Domine, he can say, Into thy hands, Lord, I commend my soul. For Anima non amittitur, sed praemittitur. But this Of thee is terrible. Thou that never preparedst for death; were at a league with hell, securely rocked asleep in the cradle of thy Barn, that didst put far away from thee the evil day, & given it a charge de non instando: thou that cried'st Peace, peace, on thee shall come sudden destruction: thou that saidst Soul be merry, to sorrow shall Thy soul be required. Thou that never esteemedst thy soul so dear as thy wealth, but didst set that after thy stables, which might have been equal to Angels; Thy soul. Thou that wert loath to hear of death, as having no hope of future bliss; that wouldst not give thy possession on earth, for thy expectation in heaven: as that French Cardinal, that said; He would not give his part in Paris for his part in Paradise. Of thee shall a soul be required. This point is sharp, and makes up his misery. How. Required. The original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, They shall require it. This is such a requiring, as cannot be withstood. GOD requires thy obedience, thou deniest it: the poor require thy charity, thou deniest it: the World requires thy equity, thou deniest it. But when thy soul shall be required, there must be no denying of that; it cannot be withheld. Who shall require this soul? Not God; he required it in thy life, to sanctify it, and save it, thou wouldst not hearken to him; now he will none of it. What should God doewith a drunken, profane, covetous, polluted, sensual soul? He offered it the Gospel, it would not believe; the blood of Christ, it would not wash and be clean: it is foul and nasty, God requires it not. Or if he require it, it is to judge and condemn it, not to reserve and keep it. Recusabit Deus iam oblatum, quod negabas illi requisitum. God will refuse thy soul now offered, which thou deniedst him while he desired. Not heaven; those crystalline walks are not for muddy feet, nor shall lust-infected eyes look within those holy doors. m Reu. 21. 27. In no wise shall enter into that City any thing that defileth, or worketh abomination. There is a room without for such, Chap. 22. 15. a black room for black works. What should a worldling do in heaven? his heart so full of envy and covetise, would not brook another's felicity. If there be no gold there, he cares not for coming at it. But he shall be fitted; for as he requires not heaven, so heaven requires not him. It will spare him no place; not that it wants room to receive him, but because his heart wants room to desire it. n 1. Cor. 6. 9 The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But because this general menace doth not terrify him, read his particular name in the bill of indictment, ver. 10. Nor the Covetous. Heaven is for men of an heavenly conversation. It was but Nebuchadnezzars Phil. 3. 20. dream, Dan. 2. GOD will not set a golden head upon earthen feet; give the glory of heaven, to him that loves nothing but the baseness of this world. The Angels require it not; those celestial Porters, that carry the souls of the Saints, as they did the soul of Lazarus, into the bosom of Abraham, have no commission for this man's soul. This rich man might be wheeled and whirled in a Coach, or perhaps Pope-like, be borne on men's shoulders; but the poor beggar, whose hope is in heaven though his body on earth, that could neither stand, go, nor sit, is now carried in the highest state, by the very Angels; when the other dying, hath no better attendance than devils. And so if you ask, who then require his soul; sith neither God, nor heaven, nor the blessed Angels will receive it; why, devils: they that have right to it by God's just decree, for his unjust obedience. God's justice so appoints it, for his sins have so caused it, Satan challengeth his due, his officers require it. Thou hast offended, oh miserable Cosmopolite, against thy great Sovereign's Law, Crown, and Majesty; now all thou hast is confiscate; thy goods, thy body, thy soul. Thou, whose whole desires were set to scrape all together, shalt now find all scattered asunder: thy close congestion meets with a wide dispersion. Every one claims his own: the world thy riches, the worms thy carcase, the devil thy soul. Lust hath transported thine eyes, blasphemy thy tongue, pride thy foot, oppression thy hand, covetousness thy heart; now Satan requires thy soul. Not to give it ease, rest, or supply to the defects of thy insatiate desires; no, dabit in cruciatum, he shall deliver it over to torment. When. This night. In this dark Quando lie hid two fearful extremities; Sadness, and Suddenness. It is not only said, In the night, but in This night. 1. In the Night; this aggravates the horror of his judgement. The night is a sad and uncomfortable time: therefore misery is compared to the Night, and joy said to come in the Morning. Pray that your flight be not in the night, saith Christ to the jews; as if the dismal time would make desperate their sorrow. The night presents to the fantasy, which then lies most patient of such impressions, many deceiving and affrightful imaginations. Well then may a true (not fantasied) terror work strongly on this wretch's heart, whiles the night helps it forward. All sickness is generally stronger by night, then by day: this very circumstance of season than aggravates his misery; making at once his grief stronger, himself weaker. But what if we look further than the literal sense; and conceive by this night the darkness of his soul? Such a blindness as he brings on himself, though the day of the Gospel be broke round about him. The cause of night to a man, is the interposition of the earth betwixt him and the Sun. This worldling hath placed the earth, the thick and gross body of riches, between his eyes and the Sun of righteousness. And so shine the Sun never so clear, it is still night with him. There is light enough without him, but there is darkness too much within him. And then darkness must to darkness; inward to outward, as Christ calls it, utter darkness. He would not see whiles he might, he shall not see when he would. Though he shall for ever have fire enough, yet it shall give him no light: except it be a little glimmering, to show him the torments of others, and others the torments of himself. 2. This night, the sadness is yet increased by the suddenness. It will be fearful, not only to be surprised in the night, but in that night when he doth not dream of any such matter; when there is no fear, nor suspicion of apprehension. His case is, as with a man that having rested with a pleasing slumber, and been fed with a golden dream; suddenly waking finds his house flaming about his ears, his wife and children dying in the fire, robbers ransacking his coffers, and transporting his goods, all lovers forsaking, no friend pitying, when the very thrusting in of an arm might deliver him. This rich man was long asleep, and been delighted with pretty wanton dreams, of enlarged barns, and plentiful harvests; (as all worldly pleasures are but waking dreams) now he starts up on the hearing of this Soule-knell, and perceives all was but a dream; and that indeed he is everlastingly wretched. The suddenness increaseth the misery. The rich man hath no time to dispose his goods, how shall he do with his soul? If in his health, wealth, peace, strength; succoured with all the helps of nature, of opportunity, preaching of the Gospel, counsel of ministers, comfort of friends, he would not work out his salvation: what shall he do when extreme pangs deny capableness to receive them, and shortness of his time prevents their approaching to him? He hath a huge bottom of sin to unravel by repentance, which he hath been many years winding up by disobedience: now a great work, and a little time do not well agree. This sudden call is fearful, This night shall thy soul be required. Yet before I part from this point, let me give you two notes. 1. There is mercy in God, that it is hac nocte, this night; not this hour, not this moment. Hac nocte was sudden, but hoc momento had been more sudden; and that this larger exhibition of time is allowed, was Gods mere mercy, against the worldling's merit. He that spared Niniveh many forties of years, will yet allow her forty days. He that forbore this wretch many days, receiving jonas 3. 4. no fruit worth his expectation, will yet add a few hours. God in the midst of justice remembers mercy: much time he had received, and abused; yet he shall have a little more. When the Lords hand is lifted up to strike him, yet he gives him some lucida interualla monitionis, warning before he lets it down. But let not the worldling presume on this: sometimes, not an hour, not a minute is granted. Sword, Palsy, Apoplexy, Impostume makes quick dispatch: and there is no space given to cry for mercy. But what if a paucity of hours be permitted? ancient wounds are not cured in haste, the plaster must lie long upon them. There was one man so saved, to take away desperation: and but one so saved, to Vnuslatio in fine poenituit: unus quidem ut null●…s desperet; solus autem, ut nullus praesumat. bar presumption. Conversion at the eleventh hour is a wonder, at the twelfth a miracle. All thieves do not go from the gallhouse to glory, because one did; no more than all Asses speak, because God opened the mouth of one. Flatter not thyself with hope of time. Nemo sibi promittat, quod non promittit evangelium. Let no man August. promise himself a larger patent, than the Gospel hath sealed to him. 2. The day of the wicked turns at last to a night. After the day of vanity, comes the night of judgement. Now is the time, when the rich man's Sun sets; his light and his delight is taken from him. His last sand is run out; the clock hath ended his latest minute, his night is come. His day of pleasure was short, his night of sorrow is everlasting. Extremum gaudij luctus occupat. Vexation treads on the heels of vanity. Man's life is compared to a Day. This day to some may be distinguished into twelve hours. The first gives us nativity; even in this hour there is sin; an original pravity, indisposition to good, proneness to evil. Secondly, Infancy; God now protects the cradle. Thirdly, Childhood; and now we learn to speak and to swear together; the sap of iniquity begins to put out. Fourthly, Tender age, wherein toys and gauds fill up our scene. Fiftly, Youth: this is a madding, a gadding time. Remember not the sins of this time, Psalm. 25. 7. job 13. 26. prays David: their remembrance is bitter, says job. Sixtly, Our high noon. God that could not be heard before for the loud noise of vanity, now looks for audience, for obedience. Seventhly, This is full of cares & crosses; the dugs of the world taste bitter; it is full time that this hour should wean us. Eightly, Brings us to a sense of mortality, we feel our blood decaying. Ninthly, Our bodies go crooked and stooping, to put us in mind that they are going to their original earth. Tenthly, We are even as dying: we do die by degrees: our senses first fail us, our eyes are dim like old isaac's, our ears deaf, our taste dull: our grinders are done, our stilts unable to support us. eleventhly, We are a burden to ourselves, to our friends: we long for death, if any hope of a better life hath possessed our hearts. The twelfth hour it comes. Which of these hours pass over us without God's mercies, without our voluntary unthankfulness; unless those first hours wherein our ignorance is uncapable of such observance? All thy day long have I stretched out my Rom. 10. 21. hands unto thee, saith God. If none of these hours reclaim us, our day is spent, and the night comes; that night wherein no man can work; actively to comfort, joh. 9 4. though passively he work for ever in torment. I know, that God cuts many one short of most of these hours, and often shuts up his daylight, before he comes to his noon. But howsoever man pass from Infancy to childhood, from childhood to youth, from youth to age: yet senectutem nemo excedit; none can be more than old. Though tam senex nemo, quin putet se annum posse vivere; no man is so old, but still he thinks he may live another year. And therefore lightly the older, the more covetous; and Quò minus viae restat, eò plus viatici qu●…ritur: the less journey men have, the more provision they make. God allows this liberal time to some: but what enemies are we to ourselves, that of all these twelve hours, allow ourselves not one! Many post off their conversion from day to day, sending Religion afore them to thirty, and then putting it off to forty; and not pleased yet to overtake it, promise it entertainment at threescore: at last death comes and allows not one hour. In youth men resolve to allow themselves the time of age to serve God: in age they shuffle it off to sickness; when sickness comes, care to dispose their goods, loathness to die, hope to escape martyrs that good thought; and their resolution still keeps before them the length of Gracious street at least. If we have but the lease of a Farm for twenty years, we make use of the time and gather profit. But in this precious Farm of Time we are so ill husbands, that our Lease comes out, before we are one pennyworth of grace the richer by it. Take heed; it is dangerous trifling out thy good day, lest thou hear this message in the evening; This night shall thy soul be required of thee: Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? This is the Question. It were somewhat if thou mightest perpetually enjoy them thyself: if thou couldst fetch down eternity to them. As those in the 49. Psalm; whose inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling Psal. 49. 11. places to all generations: they call their lands after their own names. But there is a Quamdiù, and a Quousque. How long! Hab. 2. How long? Thou that lodest thyself with thick clay? How far! Esa. 14. How far? Thou that Hab. 2. 6. madest the earth to tremble, and didst shake the Kingdoms. Here is a Non ultra to both: thy power is confined, thy time is limited: both thy latitude and extension are briefed up; here's thy period; a full stop in the midst of the sentence. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? He that should read thy history (being ignorant of thy destiny) and find so plentiful a happiness in the first page of the book: grounds so fertile, cattle so prospering, house so furnished, possibilities stro●… king thy hopes, hopes milking thy desires, desires dancing to the tune of thy pleasures; promises of larger barns, more opulent fruits; and all this with ease, yea with hearts-ease: Soul be merry: and coming now to the end of the page, but not of the sentence; turning over a new leaf, thinking there to read the maturity and perfection of all, should find a blank, an abrupt period, an unlooked for stop, would surely imagine, that either destiny was mistaken, or else some leaves were torn out of the book. Such a Cuius erunt haec omnia would be a terrible dash in a story of happiness so fairly written, and promising so good an Epilogue. But here is his end, you must read him no further: He, whom you have seen Exod. 4. 13. this day, you shall see him again no more for ever. Whose shall these things be, O worldling? Were thy grounds as Eden, and thy house like the Court of jehoiakim: yet dost thou think to reign, because thou closest thyself in Cedar? no; jer. 22. 15. advenit finis t●…us; Thy end is come; Whose shall these things be? It were something yet, if thy children might enjoy these riches. But there is a man that hath no child; yet is there no end of his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with wealth. And he saith not, For whom do I travel, and bereave Eccl. 4. 8. my soul of this good? The prodigal would be his own heir and Executor: but this covetous man bequeathes neither legacy to himself, nor to any known Inheritor. The other desires to see en end of all his substance: this man to see only the beginning. He hunts the world full cry, yet hath no purpose to overtake it: he lives behind his wealth, as the other lives beyond it. But suppose he▪ hath children, and then though he famish himself to feed them fat; though he be damned, yet if his son may be made a Gentleman, there is some satisfaction. But this Cuius erunt is a scattering word, and of great uncertainty. Whose shall they be? perhaps not thy children's. They say, Happy is that son, whose father goes to the Devil; but thou mayst go to the Devil, and yet not make thy son happy. For men make heritage's, but God makes heirs. He will wash away the unholy seed, and cut off the generation of the wicked. Solomon had a thousand wives and concubines, and consequently many children; yet at last he wants one of his seed to sit upon the throne of David, or to bear rule in judah: jer. 22. 30. and S. Luke derives Christ from Nathan the younger brother. For thus saith God of C●…oniah, whom he calls Luk. 3. 31. Coniah; cutting short at once his name, his life, his hope of posterity. Write this man childless. It often so falls out, that to a man exceeding wealthy, is denied a fuccessour of his own loins. Let him have children, he is not sure those children shall possess his riches. But those riches perish Eccl. 5. 14. by evil travel: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. A scatterer succeeds a gatherer: avari heres dissipans: the father loved the world too well, and the son cares not for it. The sire was all for the rake, and the son is all for the pitchfork. So Whose shall these be? even his that will one day pity the poor. He will love the poor so well, that he will not rest till he be poor with them for company. This is the portion of the wicked, job. 27. 13. 14. & the heritage which oppressors shall receive of the Almighty. If their children be multiplied, it is for the sword, and their offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. Children are a great plea for Covetousness, for Oppression. Art thou covetous because thou hast children? Remember to make Christ one of thy children. If thou hast one, make him the second: if two, make him the third; if three, the fourth: how many soever thou hast, let Christ be one; let the poor have a child's part. This is the way to get a blessing to all the rest: when Christ is made a brother to thy children, and hath a legacy bequeathed him; he will bless the portions of the other; the seed of the righteous shall not beg their bread. It is a sweet Psal. 37. 26. verse of the Psalm, worthy of observation, as it is full of comfort. The good man is ever merciful, and dareth, and his seed is blessed. The world thinks, the more a man giveth away, the less should be left to his children: but the Lord witnesseth otherwise: let a man lend to the borrower, give to the beggar, be merciful to the distressed, and this is the way to make his Seed blessed. Charitable works do not hinder the children's wealth, but further it: what thou givest to the poor, will be a sure undecaying portion to thy posterity. Duplicatum erit filijs justi, quod justus dedit filijs Dei. GOD will double that to thy children, which thou hast given to his children. Men flatter themselves, and cozen their consciences, with a tolerablenesse of usury; when moneys be put out for their children's stocks. Alas, saith a man, I can leave my children but a little: but by that they come to age of discretion to use it, it will be jollily increased. I may be quickly gone, & when I am dead, they have no skill to employ it; I will therefore safe-bind it for them, by good bonds with allowance of interest. God often in the Scriptures hath promised to be a Father of the fatherless, and to provide for those, whom the Parents faith have left to his protection. By this promise did Christ commend himself to his Disciples, a joh. 14. 18. I will not leave you Orphans: we translate it comfortless, the original is Orphans, or fatherless children. b Psa. 146. 9 The Lord relieveth the fatherless, and the widow. You may read 2. Kin. 4. that God would work a miracle; rather than a poor widow, with her two fatherless children, should want. Hath God made himself their Guardian, and must their means be secured by usurious contracts? Surely GOD hath just reason to take this the most unkindly of all the rest. Leave not thy children the inheritance of thy sin, turn not the providence of God from them by iniquity, who hath promised to protect them, if committed to him. Lo the wit of a worldly man! he takes thought to make his children rich, and yet takes the only course to undo them. No casualty shall fall upon their stocks, (so they plot) by an act of God or man: but here certain loss falls presently upon their souls; and a final ruin shall impartially at last consume their estates. For God will blast the stocks and branches, that are planted in the moorish and muddy ground of usury. The dependence on God is abandoned, and how justly may the Lord forsake them, that forsake him! Neither is this sin only damnable to the Parents, but also dangerous to the children: who are by this means died in the very wool of their youth, with the scarlet wickedness of Usury. There was a Devil, whom the Disciples of Christ could not cast out: and when Christ expelled him, the Mark. 9 21. spirit tore the man, and he fell on the ground wallowing and foaming. Christ then asked, How long is it ago since this came unto him? To which the Father answered; Of a child. If Usury be hardly thrown out of the affections, the wonder is little; seeing that devil hath possessed him of a child. The new mortar, wherein Garlic hath been stamped, will not a great while lose the smell. It is a fearful advantage, that thou givest Satan over thy children, when thou bringest them up in Usury. As much might be said for Oppression; thy depopulations pull down the Country, that thou mayest build up thy posterity. Which way canst thou turn thine eyes from beholding the infatuation of such hopes? One generation is thus raised up high; and the next comes down as low, even to contempt and beggary. But perhaps if thou hast no children, yet thou hast a brother. c Eccl. 4. 8. There is one alone, and there is not a second: yea, he hath neither child nor brother, yet is there no end of his labour. Say thou hast a brother, yet is not Christ thy brother in Heaven, dearer to thee then any son of thy mother? Is not he that hath adopted thee coheir to his eternal purchase, an inheritance of glory, worthy of some part of thy earthly possessions? Never brother did so much for thee as he hath done. Nature made a man thy brother in thy Parent's blood; he made thee his brother by his own blood. Remember then his needy brethren, and in him thine. He is nearest in blood, that is dearest in good: but if thou hast any faith, none did thee ever so much good as Christ. And to take away all plea from the hart of uncharitableness, Christ calls the poor his Brethren, affirms their releevers Blessed, and invites them to an everlasting kingdom. d Mat. 25. 40. In as much as ye have done it to the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. But thou hast a brother in the flesh: wilt thou therefore covet, extort, oppress, and so go to hell for thy brother? It is ill done in any to divert amorem fratris, in odium sui; the love of his brother into hate against himself. Yet is not this all, but when thou hast purposed most for thy brother, God shall disappoint him of all. Whose shall these things be? no not thy brothers. e Eccle. 2. 26. To the sinner the Lord gives travail, to gather and to heap up: but at last he bestows that heap of treasure upon him that is good before God. Thou bequeathest it to thy brother, but God dispose●…h it to his children. But thou hast no brother; Yet thou hast kindred and friends; and to help thy cozens to wealth, thou wilt cozen thy own soul. Alas! it is a mystery of knowledge, to discern friends. f Prou. 19 4. Wealth maketh many friends: they are friends to the wealth, not to the wealthy. They regard not Qualis sis, but Quantus: not how good thou art, but how great. They admire thee to thy face, but inwardly consider thee only as a necessary evil, yea a necessary devil: and when thou diest, are ready to sing thy soul a Dirige to hell. If thine eyes be ever opened, thou wilt hate such suborners of bastard thoughts to thy heart: as a recovered man, having drunk a loathsome potion in his sickness, doth ever after hate the very cruse it was brought him in. But say, thy friends stick truer to thee, and one holds thy aching head, another runs for Physic, a third, by helping thee to change sides, seeks to mitigate thy pains; yet still thou complainest of unremedied torments. Oh then hadst thou not better make the God of comfort thy friend; who would neither be wanting in his presence, nor scanting in his consolations? Worldly friends are but like hot water, that when cold weather comes, are soon frozen. Like Cuckoo's, all Summer they will sing a scurvy note to thee, but they are gone in july at furthest: sure enough before the fall. They flatter a rich man, as we feed beasts, till he be fat, and then feed on him. A true friend reproves thee erring, though perhaps not suddenly. Iron is first heat, then beaten: first let him be heat with due and deserved praise for his good, then cool and work him with reprehension for his evil. As Nurses when their children are fallen, first take them up, and speak them fair; and chide or correct them afterwards. These friends love not thy souls good, but thy body's goods: let them not carry away thy hart from Christ. But if thou so resolvest, that these friends shall enjoy thy riches: yet God saith, Cuius erunt, whose shall they be? Thy kindred or friends shall not eat the grapes of thy planted vineyard: no, a stranger shall eat thereof. g Eccl. 6. 2. God giveth not thee power to eat thereof; no nor him thou desirest; but a stranger eateth it. Dabitur digniori, it shall be given to one good in God's sight. Perhaps to such a man's posterity, whom thou now scornest. The h job 27. 17. wicked heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay. They may prepare it: but the just shall put it on, & the innocent shall divide the silver. Now see thy folly, O covetous Churl, whose desires were all set on a Nunquam satis; Whose shall those things be? Not whom thou choosest, but whom God appointeth. Thy children are God's charge, if thou wilt faithfully trust him with them: otherwise, couldst thou bind thy lands, and bequeath thy goods; settle thy whole estate, so sure as either strength of Law, or wit of Lawyers can devise, yet Cuius erunt; whose shall these things be? Lo, now thou hast enough: thy head aches, thy conscience pricks, death requires thy body, Satan thy soul: couldst thou not wish that thy Barns had been less, and thy charity more? That as GOD blessed thy store, so thou hadst returned some liberal testimony of thankfulness to his Church & poor again? Especially, when neither thyself, nor thy Assigns shall enjoy these things. Whose shall they be? All these particulars suruaied, give the covetous Cosmopolite three brands. He is branded in his Soul, in his riches, in his good name. In his Soul, Thy Soul shall be fetched away. In his riches, Whose shall these things be which thou hast provided? In his name, Thou fool●…. Whereupon we may justly infer this Conclusion; as the Sum Of all: that abundant wealth can bring no good, either to Soul, Body, or Name. Man is said to have three lives; Spiritual, Corporal, and Civil, as the Lawyers call it: the life of his good name. Neither to this, nor to the life of his Soul or Body, can multitude of riches confer any good. This Text shall prove it in all the particulars. 1. To the Soul can opulency procure no benefit. All Christians know that good for the Soul is the passion and merits of Christ; faith to apprehend these; repentance to mortify sins: sanctification to give us celestial lives; and salvation to glorify our persons. But can any of these be bought with money? Thou and thy money perish together, that thinkest the gifts of God may be purchased Acts 8. 20. with money. God will not barter away his graces (as the Indians their gold) for thy gauds and rattles. He will not take the mortgage of a Lordship for the debt thou owest him. The smoke of thy sacrifice smells never the sweeter, because thou art clothed in silks; or canst sit down to tell thy Michaelmas thousands. Thy adulteries cannot be commuted for in heaven, nor thy usuries be answered by a fine before the Tribunal of the highest. Thou mayest as soon and easily mount up to heaven with wings of lead, as by feathers of wealth. Indeed they can do a man as much good in distress of conscience, as to have his head bound with a wet cloth in a cold morning can cure the headache. If wealth could keep a man from hell, how few rich men would be damned? But he is not sanctior quiditior; nor is salvation vendible to a full purse. The doctrine of Rome may affirm it; but the decree of God will not afford it. This Cosmopolite had barns and bars, but these cannot hedge in his Soul; that is required. 2. To the body perhaps there is some more expectation of good; but no more success. Thou art anguished; will thy wealth purchase health? Sleep is denied thy senses, and after many changed sides and places, thou canst find no rest: go now, empty thy coffers, and try what slumber the charms and chimes of gold can ring thee. Thy stomach loathes meat; all thy riches are not sufficient sauce, to get thee an appetite. Couldst thou drink Cleopatra's draft, it will not ease thy headache. The Physician will take thy money, and give thee Physic: but what Physic will give thee infallible health? But the rich man hath a fire, when the poor sits cold: the rich an harbour, attendance, and delicate provision, when the poor wants both house and home, meat and money, garments and company. For though riches gather many friends; the poor is separated from his neighbours. Prou. 19 4. No part of my Sermon hath denied, but the competency of these earthly things is a blessing: neither dare I infer, that the want of these is a curse; for the best have wanted them, not the Saviour of men himself excepted. But what is this to abundance? Is not he as warm that goes in russet, as another that russles and ruffles in his silks? Hath not the poor labourer as sound a sleep on his flock-bed, or pad of straw, as the Epicure on his downbed, with his rich curtains and coverings? Doth not Quiet lie oftener in Cottages, then in glorious manors? The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to Eccl. 5. 12. sleep. And for a good appetite, we see the toiling servant feed savourly of one homely dish, when his surfeited master looks lothingly on his farre-fetched, and dear-bought dainties: sitting down to his second meal in a quandary whether he should eat of his best dish or nothing: his stomach being such a coward, that it dares not fight with a chicken. This Gentleman envies the happiness of his poor Hind, and would be content to change states with him, upon condition he might change stomachs. It is not then the plenitude, but competency of these things, that affords even the rich content. So that a man's estate should be like his garment, rather fit then long: for too much troubles him; and the satiety of these earthly riches doth rather kill, then conserve the Body. 3. The name perhaps hath some hope of luxurious share in this abundance, and thinks to be swelled into a Colossus; over-straddling the world. Indeed here's the Centre: for I persuade myself, few worldlings can propound to themselves any well-grounded expectation of good to their souls, or help to their bodies, by their accumulation of treasures. Only in his nomen potius quam omen quaeritur; there is more hope of a great name, then of good content. And now for the Name; what's the event? Come his riches ill, his credit is the Commons curse. Populus sibilat, the world rails at him living: and when he dies, no man says, It is pity; but It is pity he died no sooner. They shall not lament for him, with Ah Lord, or Ah his glory. But he shall be buried with the burial of an jer. 22. 18. vers. 19 Ass; that hath lived the life of a Wolf. His glorious Tomb erected by his enriched heir, shall be saluted with execrations: and the passengers by will say, here lies the devils Promoter. Come his wealth well, yet what is Credit, or how may we define a good Name? Is it to have a Pageant of crindges & faces acted to a taffeta jacket? To be followed by a world of hangs-by; and howted at by the reeling multitude, like a bird of Paradise, stuck full of pied feathers? To be daubed over with court-morter, flattery; and set up as a Butt, for whores, panders, drunkards, cheaters, to shoot their commendations at? To be licked with a sycophants rankling tongue; and to have poor men crouch to him, as little dogs use to a great mastiff? Is this a good name? Is this credit? Indeed these things may give him a great sound: as the clapper doth to a bell; makes it have a great sound, but the bell is hollow. They are empty gulls, whose credit is nothing else but a great noise, forced by these lewd clappers. A rich worldling is like a great Cannon, and flatterers praises are the powder that charge him; whereupon he takes fire, and makes a great report; but instantly goes off, goes out in stench. He may think himself the better, but no wise man, no good man doth: and the fame that is derived from fools, is infamy. That which I take to be a good Name, is this: Laudari a Land dignis; to be well esteemed of in Christian hearts; to find reverence in good men's souls. Bonum Sen. de Morib. est laudari, sed praestat esse laudabilem. It is a good thing to be praised, but it is a better to be praiseworthy. It is well that good men commend thee in their consciences, but it is better when thy good conscience can commend thee in itself. Happy is he, whose own heart doth not condemn him. This credit wealth cannot procure, but grace: 1. john 3. 21. not goods, but goodness. The poorest man serving God with a faithful heart, finds this approbation in sanctified affections, when golden asses go without it. I confess, many rich men have had this credit, but they will never thank their riches for it. Their greatness never helped them to this name, but their goodness. They have honoured the Lord, and those the Lord hath promised that he will honour. So that all the reputation which wealth can procure a man in God's judgement, is but Thou fool. In that parabolical history, Luk. 16. mention is made of a rich man, but none of his name; as if it were unworthy to stand in the Lord's book. here is all the credit of the wicked; their very memories shall rot; and their great Name shall either not be remembered, or remembered with detestation. Lo now the benefit of worldly wealth; & the brands which disfigure the Soul, Body, Name of covetous men. For his Reputation, Follie challengeth it: for his riches, uncertainty devours it: for his Soul, Satan claims it. He is gone in all respects; and now there is nothing left of him, but his infamy in the thoughts of men, his goods in the keeping of the world, his body in the prison of the grave, and his soul in the hand of hell. Abijt, he is gone: a tempest hath stole him away in the night; saith job. i job 27. 19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not. Therefore it is said, Luk. 16. There was a certain rich man; k Chrysost. Erat, non est, there was, there is not, he is now gone. l Psal. 37. 36. Luk. 16. 19 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green Bay tree. Yet he passed away, and l●…e be is not: yea I sought him, but he could not be found. To conclude, it may yet be objected; that though much wealth can procure to soul, body, or name, no good; yet it may be an antidote to prevent some evil, or a medicine to rid them all of some malady. The insufficiency of such a promise in riches, is punctually also confuted in this Text. For neither the Rich man's Soul, body, nor estate is secured by his abundance. Infernal spirits fetch his soul: temporal men possess his wealth: eternal censures blast his good name: and the worms prey upon his carcase. What evil then can riches either prevent or remove from man? 1. Not from the soul: all evil to this, is either Poenae, or Culpae; of sin, or of punishment for sin. For Sin, what vice is evacuated by riches? Is the wealthy man humbled by his abundance? no, he is rather swelled into a frothy pride; conceiting himself more than he is, or at least imagining, that he is either (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) or (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,) the man or some body. And as pride is radix omnis peccati; the root of all sin; so riches is the root of pride, Divitiarum vermis superbia, saith S. Augustine. When the sum of prosperity heats the dunghill of riches, there is engendered the snake of pride. Wealth is but a quill, to blow up the bladder of high-mindedness. Saint Paul knew this inseparable consequence, when he charged Timothy, to Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded. And do we think that the heat 1. Tim. 6. 17. of malice will be slaked by riches? no, it is fired rather into combustion; and now bursts forth into a flame, what before was forced to lie suppressed in the embers of t●…e heart. Is any man the more continent for his abundance? No. Stat quaevis multo meretrix mercabilis auro: whores are led to hell with golden threads. Riches is a warm nest, where lust securely sits to hatch all her unclean brood. From fullness of bread, the Sodomites fall to unnatural wantonness. Ceres' et Liber pinguescunt Venerem. Oppression is not abated by multiplication of riches; but rather Longiorem & magis strenuam reddit manum; gives it a longer and stronger arm. For as the poor cannot withstand, so the rich will not restrain the tyranny of great oppressors. They covet fields, and take them by violence: Mic. 2. 2. how? Because their hand hath power. For Punishment, what security is in money? Doth the Devil baulk a Lorldly house, as if he were afraid to come in? Dares he not tempt a rich man to lewdness? Let experience witness, whether he dare not bring the highest Gallant both to sin & shame. Let his food be never so delicate, he will be a guest at his table; and perhaps thrust in one dish to his feast, drunkenness. Be his attendance never so complete, yet Satan will wait on him too. Wealth is no charm to conjure away the Devil: such an amulet & the Pope's holy-water, are both of a force. Inward vexations forbear not their stings, in awe of riches. An evil conscience dares perplex a Saul in his Throne, and a judas with his purse full of money. Can a silken sleeve keep a broken arm from aching? Then may full Barns keep an evil conscience from vexing. And doth hell fire favour the Rich man's limbs more than the poors? Hath he any servant there, to fan cold air upon his tormented joints? Nay, the nameless Dives goes from soft linen to sheets of fire, from purple robes to flames Luke 16. of the same colour, purple flames: from delicate morsels, to want a drop of water. Herod, though a King on earth, when he comes to that smoky vault, hath not a cushion to sit on, more than the meanest Parasite in his Court. So poor a defence are they for an oppressed Soul. 2. Nor from the body can riches remove any plague. The lightning from heaven may consume us, though we be clad in gold: the vapours of earth choke us, though perfumes are still in our nostrils: and poison burst us, though we have the most virtual Antidotes. What judgement is the poor subject to, from which the rich is exempted? Their feet do as soon stumble, and their bones are as quickly broken. Consumptions, Fevers, gouts, Dropsyes, Pleurisies, Palsies, Surfeits; are household guests in rich men's families, and but mere strangers in cottages. They are the effects of superfluous fare and idleness; and keep their Ordinary at rich men's tables. Anguish lies oftener on a Downbed, then on a pallet: diseases wait upon luxury, as close as luxury upon wealth. These frogs dare leap into King Pharaohs chamber, and forbear not the most sumptuous palace. But money can buy medicines: yet what sick man would not wish, that he had no money, on condition that he had no malady. Labour and moderate diet are the poor man's friends, & preserve him from the acquaintance of Master Doctor, or the surfeited bills of his Apothecary. Though our worldling here promiseth out of his abundance, meat, drink, and mirth: yet his body grows sick, and his soul sad: he was before careless, and he is now cureless: all his wealth cannot retain his health, when God will take it away. 3. But what shall we say to the Estate? Evils to that are poverty, hunger, thirst, weariness, seruillitie: We hope wealth can stop the invasion of these miseries. Nothing less: it rather mounts a man, as a Wrestler does his combatant, that it may give him the greater fall. Riches are but a shield of Wax, against a sword of power. The larger state, the fairest mark for misfortune to shoot at. Eagles catch not after flies: nor will the Hercules of ambition lift up his club, but against these Giants. There is not in poverty that matter, for a Great man's covetous fire to work upon. If Naboth had had no Vineyard to prejudice the command of ahab's Lordship, he had saved both his peace and life. Violent winds blow through a hollow willow, or over a poor shrub, and let them stand: whiles they rend a pieces Oaks and great Cedars, that oppose their great bodies to the furious blasts. The tempests of oppressing power meddle not with the contemptible quiet of poor Labourers, but shake up rich men by the very roots; that their blasted fortunes may be fit timber for their own building. Who stands so like an eyesore in the tyrannous ●…ight of Ambition, as the wealthy? Imprisonment, restraint, banishment, confiscation, fining, and confining are Greatnesses Intelligencers; instruments and stairs to climb up by into rich men's possessions. Wealth hath four hindrances from doing good to the State. 1. God usually punisheth our overloving of riches with their loss. He thinks them unworthy to be rivals with himself: for all height and strength of love is his due. So that the ready way to lose wealth, is to love it. Et delectatio perdet. 2. The greatness of state, or of affection to it, opens the way to ruin. A full and large sail gives vantage to a Tempest: this pulled down, the danger of the gust, and of shipwreck by it, is eluded: and it passeth by with only waves, roaring as if it was angry for being thus prevented. He that walks on plain ground, either doth not fall, or riseth again with little hurt. He that climbs high towers, is in more danger of falling; and if he fall, of breaking his neck. 3. We see the most rich Worldlings live the most miserably; slaved to that wealth, whereof they keep the key under their girdles. Esuriunt in popina, as we say, they starve in a Cook's shop. A man would think, that if wealth could do any good, it could surely do this good; keep the owner from want, hunger, sorrow, care: No, even these evils riches do not avoid, but rather force on him. Whereof is a man covetous, but of riches? when these riches come, you think he is cured of his covetousness: no, he is more covetous. Though he hath received desiderium animi, yet he keeps still animum desiderij. The desires of his mind granted, abolish not his mind of desires. So a man might strive to extinguish the Lamp, by putting oil into it; but this makes it burn more. And as it is with some, that thirstily drink harish and ill-brewed drinks, have not their heat hereby allayed, but inflamed: So this worldlings hot eagerness of riches is not cooled, but fired by his abundance. 4. That which makes a man easy to hit, makes also his wound grievous. The Poet tells us, that when Codrus his house burns, (a little cottage in the Forest) he Iuv●…. Satyr. 4. stands by and warms himself at the flame: he knows that a few sticks, straw and clay, with a little labour, can rebuild him as good a Tabernacle. But if this accident light upon the usurers house, distraction seizeth him withal: he cries out of this Chamber, and that chest, of his Closet and Cabinet, of his bonds & mortgages, money and plate; and is so much the more impatient, as he had more to lose. In a word, here is all the difference betwixt the rich and poor: the poor man would be rich while he lives, and the rich would be poor when he dies. For it is small grief to leave hunger, cold distress, bondage, hard lodging, and harder fare: but to forsake full Barns, full purses, music, wine, junkets, soft beds, beauteous women, and these lust-tickling delights; and to go with death to the Land of forgetfulness, this is the terror. I end then as Paul concludes his counsel to rich men, Lay up for yourselves a good foundation against the 1. Tim. 6. 19 time to come, that you may lay hold on eternal Life. THE BAD LEAVEN: OR, THE CONTAGION OF SIN. GALAT. 5. 9 A little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump. THIS Epistle was written with St. Paul's own hand: chap. 6. 11. Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with my own hand. It is for quality excellent, for quantity large. He wrote not so long an Epistle to any other Church with his own hand. Indeed he wrote a letter to Philemon with his own hand, vers. 19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand: but it was short. He wrote longer Epistles to the Romans and Corinthians, but not with his own hand, but by Scribes. We have cause therefore to regard it more: as his pains were greater in writing, so let our diligence be greater in observing. The main purpose of it is to discover: 1. That ill conjunction of Moses and Christ, the ceremonies of the Law, with the sanctimony of the Gospel. 2. The free Grace and justification by the blood of Christ without the works of the Law. In this the Galatians had received a beginning, but now had admitted a recidivation. For this cause the Apostle chides, vers. 7. Ye did run well: who did hinder you that you should not obey the Truth? Where there is a Concession, and a Conviction: a step; and a stop. The Concession or Step, ye did run well. The Conviction or Stop; Who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth? In the former he compares Christianity to a race: all men must first be viatores in this valley of tears, before they can be Assess●…res, and sit with Christ in his kingdom of glory. Only as it agrees with a Race in many things; as labour, it's no idle thing to be a Christian; shortness, it is a Race, the perplexity is recompensed with the brevity: continuance, the runner must hold out the last step, if he will obtain the prize. So there are some differences. 1. In other races many run, only one wins the goal: but in this all that run faithfully, shall reign triumphantly. Though they cannot run so fast as others, nor so far as others; yet even they that came at the eleventh hour into the Vineyard, received they penny, so well as they that came at the third. For the Lord regards not Quantum, but ex quanto: not how much, but how well. What ever hour they are called, let them spend the aftertime in a zealous diligence. 2. In other races one hinders another, but in this journey one helps another. The more the merrier: no envy or grudging, either in the way or the goal. Dispar gloria singulorum, sed communis latitia omnium. There may be different glory of some, yet there is a common joy of all. Every good man is a spur to his brother. Peter and john ran to Christ's Sepulchre: john outran Peter unto the grave, Peter outwent john into the grave. But we run together unto Christ's Throne; some come before, some after, all meet in the Communion of Saints. 3. In other races the runner obtains a prize that shall perish; all the runners here get an incorruptible crown. They run for a little prize, a little praise; we for eternal glory. Run we then cheerfully; behold, a kingdom lies at the stake. God give us all eyes of faith to see it, and hearts of obedience to run to it, through the power of jesus Christ. In the latter the Apostle may seem to put a superfluous question; Who did hinder you? For there are many adversaries. As first Satan, the General of that damned crew that hinder our passage to heaven. Paul excuseth himself to the Thessalonians: a 1. Thes. 2. 18. Zach. 3. 1. We would have come unto you once and again, but Satan hindered us. Zach. 3. joshua the high Priest stood before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan stood at his right hand to resist him. Where God hath his Church, Satan hath his chapel. So also wicked men; such as have taken the devils oath of Allegiance. What the Devil cannot do immediately by himself, he does mediately by his Instruments. To err Humanum, is the weakness of a man; but to seduce diabolicum, is the part of a Devil. It is ill to play the woman, worse to play the beast, worst of all to play the Devil. But what special hinderers the Apostle means, we shall have precise occasion in some future passages to demonstrate. Only I must not omit, that the Apostle gives a direct resolution by way of negation, vers. 8. This persuasion com●…eth not of him that calleth you. God is no ways the Author of error and sin. He that wils the death of no sinner, will not lead him into the ways of destruction. Indeed he suffes Satan to temptal, but to a diverse purpose: the good to try them, the reprobate to destroy them. The temptations of the godly are for their instruction; of the wicked for their destruction. james tells us, that b jam. 1. 17. every good gift comes down from the Father of lights: is it evil? it cometh not from God. The Apostle telling the Ephesians of lusts, blindness, wantonness, obstinacy; concludes piercingly, Non sic didicistis Christum. c Ephe. 4. 20. Ye have not so learned jesus Christ. Art thou perverted? thou never learnedest this of Christ. d jam. 1. 13. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God tempteth no man. In him we live, move, and have our being. A Gentile Poet sung it, a Christian e Act. 17. 28. Apostle sanctified it, all the creatures in heaven and earth cry Amen unto it. Life is his, whether we live well or ill: motion is his, whether we lift up our hands to prayer or murder: but the pravity and corruption of these is none of his. Is any part of body, or power of soul depraved? This cometh not from him that calleth us. What is then the cause of sin? I answer, properly nothing: it hath indeed a deficient cause, but no efficient cause. It is a defect, privation, or orbity of that God made; the thing itself he never made. Will you ask what is the cause of sickness? I answer, the destitution of health. If what's the cause of darkness; the absence of the Sun: if of blindness, the deficiency of seeing. What is the cause of silence? no cause: there are causes of speech, organs, air, etc. take away these, what follows but silence? you see the light: who ever saw darkness? you hear speech: who ever heard silence? Man forsook grace: sin came in at the backdoor. It is a bastard brought into God's house by stealth. Woe to them that shall root their filthiness in the deity. If they be seduced, to cry, f jere. 4 10. Lord, thou hast deceived us. No, destruction is of thyself, O Israel; in me is thy 〈◊〉. We have all gotten this sin from Adam; Mulier quam tu, etc. The woman which Thou gavest me; as if GOD had given him a woman to tempt him. Haec est ruina maxima, Deum putare causam ruinae: This is the greatest destruction that can be, to charge God with the cause of our destruction. No, O Father of heaven, be thou justified, and the faces of all men ashamed. Let us look home to our own flesh; from thence it cometh that destroyeth. Me, me, adsum qui feci. The Lord put not only this confession in our mouths, but this feeling in our hearts; that all our evil cometh from ourselves, all our good from jesus Christ. Of him that called you: He hath called you to liberty, will you entangle yourselves in new bondage? who pities him that being redeemed from prison, wilfully recasts himself into it? Or that saved from the fire, will run into it again? Art thou Titio ereptus, and yet hast a mind to be burned? He hath called you not to the ceremonies, but to their Antitype; not to those legal Lambs, but to that evangelical Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world. Will you be directed by Lamps, when the Sun is risen? no, he hath called you to the truth and comforts of the Gospel; obey that call: And then he that hath persuaded you to virtue, by calling you to grace, shall crown you with eternal glory. Now one argument whereby the Apostle deters them from blending judaism with Christianity, is derived from the danger of corrupting the doctrine of the Gospel: A little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump. One ceremony of the legal rites observed with an opinion of necessity, soureth all that sweetness of redemption that cometh by Christ. This Divine Aphorism may thus logically be resolved; into a Predicate, Subject, and Copula. The Predicate, leaven: the Subject, lump: the Copula, leaveneth. Or thus there is a thing Active; Leaven. Factive, soureth Passive, the lump. But because the whole speech is allegorical, let us first open the metaphor with the key of proper analogy; and then take out the treasure, such observations as may be naturally deduced from it. Most properly our Apostle by leaven understands false doctrine, and by lump the truth of the Gospel: so the sense is this; one heresy infects a mass of truth. Or if we restrain it to persons, by leaven he meaneth false Teachers, and by lump the Church of Galatia: and so a teacher of the bondage to the Law, sours the liberty of the Gospel. g verse 2. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. Or if yet we will look upon it with more general view, we may by leaven understand sin, by lump man, by leavening Infection. Here are three respondences, and all worthily considerable. First taking leaven for false Doctrine, so we find in the new Testament four sorts of leavens, Math. 16. Beware of the leaven of the pharisees, and of the Sadduces; there be two of them; the pharisaical, and the Sadducean leavens. Math. 16. 6. Mark. 8. Beware of the leaven of Herod, there's the third. The fourth is my Text, the leaven of mingling mosaical Mark. 8. 15. ordinances with Christ's Institutions. It will not be amiss to take a transient view of these Leavens: for though former times had the originals, we ha●…e the Counterpaines: we have parallel leavens. 1. To begin with the pharisees; to these I may well liken our Seminaries; one egg is not liker another. Even a jesuit wrote in good earnest, Non malè comparari Pharisaeos Catholicis; Papists are fitly compared to the pharisees. Whether he spoke it ignorantly or unwittingly, or purposely; I am sure Caiphas never spoke truer when he meant it not. Shall we take a little pains to confer them? The pharisees had corrupted, yea in a manner annulled the Law of God by their Traditions: and for this h Math. 15. 6. Christ complains against them. Now for the Papists, this was one of their Tridentine decrees; With the same reverence and devotion doc we receive and respect Traditions, that we do the books of the old and new Testaments. Shut thine eyes and hear both speak, and then for a wager which is the Pharise, which the Seminary? Indeed to some traditions we give locum, but locum suum; a place, but their own place. They must never dare to take the wall of the Scripture. Again, the pharisees corrupted the good Text with their lewd Glosses. The law was, that no Leper might come into the Temple; their traditional Gloss was, that if he were let down through the roof, this was no offence. As that drunkard, that having for sworn going to a certain Tavern, yet being carried thither every day on men's shoulders, thought he had not broken his oath. Their Sabbath days journey was a thousand Cubits; their Gloss understood this without the walls, and walking all day through the city no sin. The Papists are not behind them in their foul interpretations, not shaming to call that sacred Writ a nose of wax, formable to any construction. Paul subscribes his two Epistles to the Thessalonians thus; Missa fuit ex Athenis; a Papist cries out straight, Here's a plain text for the Mass. Psal. 8. Omnia subiecisti pedibus eius; Thou hast put all things under Psal. 8. 〈◊〉. his feet: This is spoken of the beasts subjection to man: their Gloss construes it of men's subjection to the Pope. So Esa. 49. They shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet. Here Esa. 49. 23. saith their Gloss, is a plain proof for kissing the Pope's feet. Our Saviour says; i Mat. 18. 3. Except ye become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven: Hereupon Saint Francis commands one Massaeus to tumble round on the earth like a little child, that he might enter. If thy foot offend thee, saith Christ, out it off. Hereupon when the penitent confessed to S. Anthony that he had kicked his mother, he urged him with that Text: the man went and cut off his foot, but S. Anthony (honestly to make him amends) set it on again. Were these not goodly constructions? So the new elected Pope in his solemn Lateran Procession, must take copper money out of his Chamberlains lap, and scatter it among the people, saying, k Act. 3. 6. Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give unto you. And is not this a probable truth, a praisable bounty? Seven years penance is enjoined to a deadly sin; because Miriam was separated seven days for her leprosy; and God saith to Ezekiel, chap. 4. I have given thee a day for a year. Oh genuine and most neighbourly concording of Scriptures! When God's word subjects Priests to Kings, their Gloss subjects Kings to Priests, at least to Popes. But as when they determined to kill the Emperor Henry the seventh, that they might be sure to poison him, they stuck not to poison their own God in the Sacrament. So purposing to tear the honour, and deface the majesty of Kings, they first offer violence to the sacred word of God. In these damnable Glosses it is hard to decide; whether Pharise is beyond Papist, or Papist beyond Pharise. But Dum haec malè construunt, seipsos malè destruunt. Their evil construction of the Scriptures brings a worse destruction to themselves. They make that serve the turn of their policy, which God meant to serve the turn of his glory. The pharisees cleaved to the letter, but despised the Spirit: so do Papists. Hoc est corpus must be materially there: for this they wrangle, fight, burn the contradicters; yet few of them care to find it spiritually there. Dabo claves, I will give thee the keys; therefore none can enter heaven except the Pope open the doors. Whereas Peter's two keys, one of knowledge, the other of power, are fitted to two locks, Ignorance, and Induration. But we know who keeps the keys, and lets in many thousands to heaven without the Pope's leave. l Reu. 3. 7. These things saith he that is holy and true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth, that shutteth, and no man openeth. Some of the Rabbins affirmed that God requires two things concerning his law, Custody and Work: custody in heart, work in execution. The pharisees thought it enough to have it in their frontlets, not in their hearts. So the Romist hath his opus operatum; prayers numbered on beads, fastings, pilgrimages, etc. and then cries like Saul; m 1. Sam. 15. 13 Blessed be thou of the Lord; I have performed the commandment of the Lord. The pharisees justified themselves by their works, and would not stick to say of the Law, All this have I kept from my youth. Do not the Papists so? do they not climb to salvation by their own works, & justify themselves? Those thought it not only easy to fulfil the Law, but possible to do more than they were bound to. They thought it not worth thanks to perform what they were bidden. God's Law was too little for their holiness. They plied God with unbidden oblations, gave more than they needed, then was commanded. I pay tithes of all, said that Pharise: of all? it was more than he needed. If God would have a Sabbath kept, they over-keepe it: let a house be on fire, that day they would not quench it. And what other is the boasting opinion of the Romanists? it is nothing with them to content God, they can earn him, supererogate of him. Yea these jewish Papists have done more then enough for themselves, many good works to spare for others: this they call the Church's Treasure, & they sell them for ready money. But Christ taught us all to say, We are unprofitable servants; intimating, that do what we can, yet God is a loser by the best of us. To omit the miserable penances of the pharisees, pricking themselves with thorns, and wounding their flesh with whips; wherein it is not possible for a Papist to go beyond them. If the misusing, macerating, lacerating their own bodies be a means to come into heaven, surely the pharisees should enter far sooner than the Papists. Yet were those kept out, and shall these enter? n Mat. 5. 20. Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. The people were so besotted on them, that they thought if but two men should go to heaven, the one must be a Scribe, the other a Pharise. But here was strange news; neither of them both shall come there. So the Papists think, that if but two men be saved, one must be a Friar, the other a jesuit. He that should say, neither of them both was likely to speed so well, should have the whole multitude stare upon him for such a Paradox. The pharisees bragged much of Moses Chair; just so do our Papists of Peter's Chair. The pharisees justified it that there was no error in theirs: the Papists affirm that there's no possibility of error in theirs. The pharisees thundered against the poor people, o joh. 7. 49. This people who knoweth not the Law, are cursed. So the Pope thunders his curses and excommunications against us: but (we bless God) his thunder cannot reach us. I would other places had no more cause to fear his thunder. Then would they answer him, as Gregory the fourth was answered, when he purposed peremptorily to proceed against Lewis le Debonaire; the French Bishops answered in flat terms; Si excommunicaturus veniret, excommunicatus discederet: If he came to excommunicate, he should be sent back excommunicated. The pharisees compassed Sea and Land to make Proselytes; p Mat. 23. 15. and when they had made one, they make him twofold more the child of hell than themselves. Do not our Seminaries so? Yes they are Compassers too, like their grand Master. job. 2. much like those Circulatores, and Circumcelliones, a limb of the Donatists. They creep into Lady's houses, I had almost said into their Chambers: the Pursuivant in modesty hath forborn the Gentlewoman's bed, and miss him. Confession and Penance are the principal wheels, whereupon the Engine of their policy runs. By the first they find out men's secret inclinations; by the other they heap riches to their Tribe. They will not lead a Novice into the main at first, to make him believe the Pope's infallibility of judgement, authority to decrowne Kings, to make Scripture no Scripture, and no Scripture Scripture, etc. This meat is too tough, it will not down: therefore they court his affections with pleasing delights, smooth semblances, and moderate constructions; as near to the religion from which they would pervert him, as possibly may be afforded. So by degrees they gain him, God and the Truth loseth him. In their own Countries, places of freedom, they vizor their hearts, in England they vizor their faces too. The pharisees made difference of oaths. q Mat. 23. 16. Whosoever shall swear by the Temple, it is nothing: but whosoever shall swear by the Gold of the Temple, he is a debtor. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold or the Temple that sanctifieth the gold? That was their doctrine, this was Christ's reproof. So the Papists have their distinctions betwixt a material and a formal oath: one to bind the conscience, the other not. Out of such an unlucky copulation of fraud and malice, was that monstrous stigmatic Equivocation engendered. A damned egg, not covered by any fair bird, but hatched as the Poets feign of O sprays, with a thunderclap. A mere bastard, whosoever was the Father, Jesuits keep the child, and bring it up as their only darling. But they have their Bulls of dispensation for it: fit, they should all speed, as some did once with their bulls. Two Seminaries came into England with their two Bulls, but being apprehended, those two Bulls called in a third Bull, which was Bull the hangman, to dispatch them both. Lastly, the pharisees used to r Mat. 23. 14. devour widows houses, & for a pretence to make long prayer. It is evil to devour a man's house, worse to devour a widows house, worst of all when their lips seemed to pray, to be chewing that morsel. jerusalem had never worse pharisees then Rome: these were mere bunglers to the Jesuits. The new pharisees have made very Proselytes and Novices of the ancient.. A widows cottage filled the pauch of an old Pharise. Large Patrimonies and fair revenues will not stop the throat of the jesuit. They devour the Land as Pharaohs lean kine, and yet look hunger-starved still. You shall have them first fall in with the wife, as the devil did with Eve: but they cozen the husband of his inheritance, as the devil couzoned Adam. Even other Orders among them, cry shame upon the Jesuits: they prole away all with a face of sad piety and stern mortification. Forgive my unseasonable prolixity; you see one dangerous Leven. 2. The next is the Leven of the Sadduces: hear their doctrine, Math. 22. They say there is no resurrection. Act. Math. 22. 23. Acts 23. 8. 23. The Sadduces say there is no resurrection, neither Angel, nor spirit. I would we had no matches for them, but we have too many; that either deny futurum aliquid post mortem, that any further thing is to be done or suffered, or enjoyed after death: or else affirm faeliciter fore universis, that every man shall be happy. They have studied reasons against the Resurrection. The flesh turns into rottenness, rottenness to dust, etc. But St. Aug. cuts them off with reason: Qui potuis formare nowm, non poterit reperare mortuum? He that could make man of nothing, surely can revive him of a small thing. Facilius est restituere, quam constituere: It is far easier to repair then to prepare. They tell us, s Eccl. 9 4. It is better to a living dog, than a dead Lion: which is true among beasts, like themselves: but among men a dead beast is better than a living Atheist. Like dogs they bark at heaven, but they cannot bite it: it is out of their circumference. Though they build up reasons and treasons like Babel; yet they prove but Confusion. They would pull God out of his Throne, if it were possible: but he is safe enough out of the reach of their malice, else it had gone ill with him before this. Their song is; t 1. Cor. 15. 32. Let us eat and drink, (they think of no reckoning to pay) for to morrow we die. They promise to morrow, yet kill themselves to day. This is their song, but the Holy Ghost adds the burden: u Heb. 9 27. After death cometh the judgement. It is appointed unto men once to die; to all men once, to Atheists twice, for there is a second death. Their first death makes way to their last judgement. They are in some respect worse than the Devil; he knows and acknowledgeth a Deity; these say, There is no God. a jam. 2. 19 The devils believe and tremble; these have neither faith nor fear. The devil quakes at the day of judgement; these deride it. b Math. 8. 29. Art thou come hither to torment us before th●…ime? There's their terror. Where is the promise of his coming? For since the Fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation. There's their derision. The devils say, c Acts 19 15. jesus we know: these are like that doubting spirit, Si filius Dei, d Mat. 4. 6. If thou be the Son of God; as if they made question whether he was so or not. Strange ●…euen the father of sins cometh short of his sons: and there be Atheists upon earth when as there are none in hell. But they profess some religion among us; it may be so; but they fit and square it to their own humours: as that Giant dealt with his guests, for all whom he had but one bed; if they were too short for it, he racked them out longer; if too long, he cut them shorter. But Insculptum est omnibus esse Deum: it is written in all hearts by the pen of nature that there is a God. It is not possible to get out these indelible characters. Say what they will, they would give much to be sure that the Scripture was not true. The discourse of reason confutes them. e job 12. 7. Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee: the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee. Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of GOD hath wrought this? Praesentemque refert qualibet herba Deum. The little pile of grass tells us, there is a God that made it. Besides, they have a conscience within them, God's deputy in the soul, which will speak for the Maker and Master, and be heard too. Qui negat esse Deum, mihi negat, et tibi, non sibi. He that denies there is a God, denies it to me, and to thee, but never to himself. You may sooner pull his heart out of his breast, than this conception out of his heart. Thus is their leaven tossed back into their own teeth: they will not now acknowledge this; they shall one day feel this. Oculos quos culpa clausit, poena aperiet: the eyes which Atheism hath shut, damnation shall open. This is a cursed leaven. 3. The next leaven is that of the Herodians: here crafty and dissembling hypocrites might be thought their fittest and most suitable parallels: because Christ calls Herod a Fox. f Luke 13. 32. Go and tell that Fox. But the Herodians were rather noted for profane fellows; and so we must seek out other matches. Such as carry in their gestures a tepidity of religion, a looseness of life: that turn the grace of God into wantonness: and make that which brings salvation to all, a means of confusion to themselves. This disease is Interius, within: and quickly becomes Interitus, a violent destruction. Professed Atheists, and open Heretics, are through the manifestation of their malice prevented: these are bosom Serpents, that sting in silence. Aristotle says, that Extreme is less hurtful, which is nearest to the medium, and doth communicate with it in something. Prodigality is less noxious than Avarice, because it hath this common with liberality, to give: which the other hath not. Fiery zeal is dangerous: by this Paul g Act. 22. 4. persecuted Christ, by this the jews h Rom. 10. 2. crucified Christ. But profane coldness is worse, because it is further from the mean, which is zeal in religion. By these wretch's lewdness among us, the Romish adversaries take advantage to slander our Religion. They say our Profession is a doctrine of liberty, that we preach for faith, and against works: but Wisdom is justified of ●…er children. Thus we preach, i Rom. 2. 9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil: but glory and peace to every man that worketh good. And k 1. joh. 3. 3. every man that hath hope in Christ, purifieth himself. And this is l jam. 1. 27. Pure religion, and undefiled before God; to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep ourselves unspotted from the World. Our faith is not an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, imagined in the brain; but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, seen in our life. We teach that justification and Sanctification are inseparable friends. If men will not be reform, we conceal not from them Gods renuntiation; m Reu. 22. 11. If any man will be filthy, let him be filthy still. Our dissolute conversation cannot annihilate the truth of our doctrine. Howsoever the Samaritan, not the jew, relieved the wounded man, yet the jews religion was true, and not the Samaritans. How polluted soever we are, yet their hands are not clean enough to take up stones against us. If they rejoice and triumph in men's wickedness, they profess imitation of the devil in a cursed mirth. Good Christians have learned to n Ezek. 9 mourn for abominations, not to laugh at them. To return to those dissolute wretches; they sing not with the Church a Tenebo t●… Domine, o Cant. 3. 4. I held him, and I would not let him go: all their delight is in a Nunc dimittis, they are glad to be gone. It were not amiss if we were well rid of them, being thus incorrigible. p 1. Cor. 5. 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump. What leaven the Apostle there means, he declares ver. 13. Put away from among yourselves that wicked person. When jonah was cast out of the Ship, the Sea ceased from her raging: when Zimri was slain, the plague stayed: when Baal was destroyed, Israel had peace. If these cursed Levens of Superstition, Atheism, and Profaneness were purged, how sweet a lump would the Church of England be! We cannot hope it, yet let us pray for it; Miserere Deus, cleanse us from these levens for the merits of thy Son our blessed Saviour jesus Christ. 4. There is a fourth leaven, to which Saint Paul hath principal respect in this place; and that is the mixing of Law with Gospel; I mean Ceremonial and legal rites with the truth of jesus Christ. This leven might well die in forgetfulness, and have moulded away, if there had not been a late generation of Thraskites to devour it as bread. They must abstain from Swine's flesh, and from blood, and that upon conscience to the Ceremonial law. But he that thus abstains from blood and flesh, the flesh and blood of Christ shall do him no good. What is this but to lick up the Galatians vomit? to swallow that hard and indigestible leven, which Saint Paul took so much pains about, to get out of their stomachs. But let it sleep with them in the dust: it is dead and buried, let us not disquiet the grave to revive it. Now to the second way of considering these words, taking leven personally, for Leveners, false Teachers, indeed Heretics: I will only note two things, one of doctrine, another of discipline. For doctrine out of my Text, that they sour the whole lump: for discipline, that therefore the Church should restrain and correct them. The leven of Heresy spreads far. q 2. Tim. 2. 17. Their word will eat as doth a canker; or a Gangrene. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is an Option, or Election, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to make choice. A laudable word at first among Philosophers, taken for a right form of learning. In Divinity it is a word of disgrace, and intends a stubborn deviation from the received Truth. It is more than Error. Aug. Errare possum, Haereticus esse non possum. I may err, I cannot be an Heretic. Qui sua pestifer a dogmata defendere persistunt, h●…retici sunt. They that wilfully go on to maintain their pestilent opinions, are Heretics. It hath the right property of a Gangrene, it frets as it goes; vires acquirit eundo: Heresies in the soul are like ulcera depascentia in the body, they eat up the parts about them. Of this God is the deficient cause, who suffers it. 1. In respect of the wicked, that their just condemnation might not be hindered. r 2. Thes. 2. 11 For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should b●…leeue a lie. 2. In regard of the faithful, that their tentation might assure them Gods: s 1. Cor. 11. 19 There must be heresies, (or schisms) that they which are approved, may be made manifest among you. With this premonition God prepared Israel, that when a false Prophet or Dreamer should come unto them, t Deut. 13. 3. God doth prove you, to know whether you will love the Lord with all your heart. For this cause are Heresies, u Tertul. Vt fides habendo tentationem, haberet etiam probationem; that faith admitting a trial, might receive an approval. Of this Satan is the efficient cause: the father of lies never loved the Father of Truth. Wicked and perverse men are the instrumental causes: they are so overwise, that the curdle of their wit procures a breaking out into faction. cum discipuli veritatis non erunt, magistri erroris sunt. Refusing to be the scholars of Truth, they become the Schoolmasters of error. So the precedent cause in such, is self-love, the cause that grows out of the other, and nearer to the main effect (or rather defect) is discontent. If the Church forget them in dealing her legacies of preferment, they will tear her bowels for it. If their mother pleaseth not their humours with an expected indulgence, they will be so bold as kick her sides. Pride steps in for a third cause: unless I forget her place, for she disdains an inferior room; and yet of all sins, as none presumes higher, so none is thrust lower, even x Esay 14. 15. to the bottomless pit. Saint john doth witness thus much of Diotrephes. a john 3. Epist. verse 9 I wrote unto the Church, but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth us not. He is called by Beda, Haeresiarcha superbus. Hypocrisy must needs be admitted for a fourth motive to heresy. Applause must be had, if not by being good, yet by seeming so. Omnes haeretici sunt hypocrit●…, saith jerom, Every heretic is an hypocrite. Like Vipers they never come to light, but with some rupture to the womb of their mother. Thus heresy creeps in at a little hole, but infects, infests the whole house: like a plague that comes in at the windows; and then propagates itself beyond all measure. b Sene. Erroris non est finis: there is no termination of error. Therefore the only way to refute heresies, is to fetch them back to their original. H●…reses ad sua principia refer, est refell●…re. If you can reduce them to their first, you see their last. As if a man would dry up a stream, he cannot do it in the main; but goes first to the Springhead, stops up that: the river will fail of itself. As in the bodily Gangrene the part affected grows tumid and cadaverous, the colour fades and becomes blackish: So in the spiritual, the mind grows tumid & swelling: c Colo. 2. 18. Vainly puffed up with a fleshly mind: the fair colour of profession gone: d Phil. 3. 18. walking as enemies to the cross of Christ. We know how the heresy of Arrius did spread, when totus orbis ingemuit factum se videns Arrianum: the whole world groaned, feeling itself made (not Christian, but) Arrian. There was a long disputation about two words; little differing in sound, much in sense, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Arrians holding Christ like God in substance; the orthodox Christians holding him one with God in substance. O the world of ink and blood that was spent about this! The Pope rose by degrees: first above Bishops, then above patriarchs, then above councils, then above Kings, then above Scriptures, now last of all above GOD himself. So the Apostle speaks of Antichrist: e 2. Thes. 2. 4. He exalteth himself above all that is called God. From so poor a beginning he hath risen prettily for his time. Thus Popery crept up in the dark: like a thief putting out the lights, that it might more securely rob the house. Whiles it broached opinions, that like to sweet wines pleased the palate, it led many liquorish affections to hell; not unlike the Butcher, who claws the Ox till he cuts his throat. Thus the leaven of heresy spreads. But the Church must take care lest it spread too far: Let them alone in quiet (yet what quiet can they have that disturb themselves?) and then f 2. Tim. 3. 13. Evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Augustine says of Arius his schism in Alexandria; Una scintilla fuit: That it was at first but a little spark: but because not, Statim suppressa, totum orbem eius flamma populata est: the flame of it singed the whole world, not being extinguished in time. The kindling fire is easily quenched: when it possesseth the Town, it rageth and rangeth like a tyranny, scorning the offers of suppression. g Rom. 16. 17. Now therefore, I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine that ye have learned, and avoid them. The malice of an heretic, h Aug. Uel dolenda tanquam hominis, vel cavenda tanquam hostis, vel irridenda tanquam imprudentis: is either to be lamented, as a man's, or avoided, as a foes, or derided, as a fools. When proud Martion said to Polycarpus, Non me agnoscis? Dost thou not know me? Yes, replied that good Saint; Agnosco te Primogenitam Satanae: I acknowledge thee the devils eldest son. If it prove an uncurable Gangrene, Ense recidendum, ne pars syncera ●…rahatur; cut it off to save the rest. Pereat unus potius quam unitas. Better lose one of the whole, than the whole for one. It is Hypocrates maxim: Quae ferro non curantur, ignis curet: where the knife can do no good, fire must. However heretics escape fire temporal, let them beware fire eternal. For ourselves, bless we God, that hath cleared the way of truth among us; and thrust this leaven out of our coasts. Whiles the plague road circuit in our streets, we prayed: when it ceased, we praised God. No plague so dangerous as Heresy: whiles that ranged in our Church, as Silvius said of ruinated Constantinople, O miseram urbis faciem! So we of our Church, O miseram Ecclesiae faciem! This leprosy gone, she is now fair in the eyes of her Beloved: Christ now kisseth her lips, and for this, let us kiss the feet of jesus Christ. A little leaven, leueneth the whole Lump. Now let us resolve this Allegory another way: and conceive By leaven, Sinne. Lump, Man. Levening, Infection. In effect; a little sin makes the whole man in body and soul, unsavoury to the Lord. For method in proceeding; first, we will view the Metaphor, the Similitude of sin to leaven: then examine how a little of this can sour the whole lump. The similitude holds in many respects, albeit one be here principally intended, the souring quality; yet may the rest be justly considered. 1. leaven is not bread, but the corruption of that which maketh bread. Sin is not a created quality, but the corruption of a created quality. God made not sin: Who then? the devil begot it on man's lust: i Eccles. 7. 29. This I have found, that God made man upright: but they have sought out many inventions: Tricks enough to make themselves miserable. That which rottenness is in the Apple, sourness in the Wine, corruption in the flesh, such is sin in the Soul: Fetida qu●…dam qualitas, a thing never good since it took being, only usurps the place of good, and occupies the seat where a happy and perfect quality stood. It is like a jehoiakim that sits in the Throne of a josiah: as that bad son of so good a father k 2. King. 23. 35 gave the silver and the gold of the Temple to Pharaoh Necho: so this, gives the endowments of nature, of reason, of affection, to the black Prince of darkness. Or as the Pope pretends, that he sits in the chair of Peter▪ yet what that blessed Saint attributed to Christ; l Act. 3. 12. Why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us? as if we by our own power or holiness had made this man to walk. m Act. 4. 10. Be it known to you, that by the name of jesus of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, this man now stands whole before you. This the Pope attributes to relics and blocks: there is no disease, but he hath appointed some puppet to cure it. Prohpudor? quis, cui? Such is the practice of sin: the bounty of God n Hos. 2. 8. gives corn, and wine and oil, multiplies silver and gold; and even these, sin gives to Baal. It is depranatio boni, and deprivatio boni: one is active, the other passive: the latter a necessary consequent of the former. It depraves our power of obedience to God actually; it deprives us of God's good grace and blessing passively. The one is inseparable to the other: For he that forfeits Bonum unde, shall lose Bonum inde. They that spoil that grace whence they might do good, shall lose that glory whence they expect good. The first breach of one Law took away all power to keep any: and by it we are disabled to all. 2. The very same substance of meal that would make bread, by addition of salt becomes leaven: The very same work that might be good and acceptable to God, by addition of our pravity becomes evil. Thus the best actions of an uniustified person, are so leavened with his own corruption, that God abhors them. o Esay 1. 14. Your new Moons and your appointed Feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble to me, I am weary to bear them; when ye make many prayers, I will not hear you. What is the reason? Your hands are full of blood. Even sacrifices and supplications (good services in their own nature) are made displeasing by the leaven of sin: p Esay 66. 3. He that killeth an Ox, is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a Lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck. Sacrifices God commanded, and often commended: yet victimae impiorum: the oblations of the wicked are abominated. Non speciosalaus in ore peccatorum. Praise becometh not the mouth of a sinner. Every unregenerate man Claudicat in rectis, halts in the straightest path. Omnia naturalia bona polluta, omnia supernaturalia amissa; His portion of natural good is defiled; but of supernatural good all share is vanished. Peccavi, was David's voice, after his sinful Arithmetic: the same was judas his voice, after his damned treason. Similis sonus, non sinus; there was the same sound, but not the same heart. Esau wept as much after the loss of the blessing, as Peter after the denial of his Master: Similes lacrimae, non animae: like tears, but unlike souls. The Pharise went to Church so well as the Publican: but the Publican came home rather justified then the Pharise. The pharisees threw bounteously into the Treasury: the poor widow two Mites: yet Christ commends the poorer gift, for the richer charity. That work which seems the same, In identitate operis, yet differs much Ratione agentis, in respect of the workers. Many Heathen excelled us in moral virtues, yet the ignorance of Christ did shut heaven against them. q Aug. Vae tibi, Aristoteles: laudaris ubi non es, & damnaris ubi es: Woe to thee, O Aristotle, who art commended where thou art not, and condemned where thou art: yea even in a justified man's works, though pure from the Spirit, yet passing through his hands, there is some tang of this leaven, enough to keep them from being meritorious. Look then well both to the justification of thy person, and the sanctification of thy works. Thou indeed confessest sin to be damnable, but it would grieve thee to go to hell for thy good deeds. Though a man should give all his goods to the poor, yet wanting Faith and Love, he may for his charity go to the devil. Pray then, that thy defects may be supplied by Christ; r Ephes. 5. 2. Who gave himself a sacrifice for us to God of a sweet smelling savour: perfuming us with the pleasant odour of his merits. 3. By leaven soured we make rellishable bread for the use of man: so by the vngodly's most cursed sins God will advance his glory. Will Pharaoh harden his heart? I will get me honour upon him, saith God. That leaven of malice which so wred the souls of those Brethren against poor joseph, the Lord made use of to his glory. From that ungracious practice he raised a pedigree of blessings. Otherwise there had been no provision in Egypt, no bread to spare for Israel, no wonders wrought by Moses, no Manna from heaven, no Law from Sinai, no possession of Canaan. So from the unnaturallest murder that ever the Sun beheld, yea, which the Sun durst not look upon; God glorified himself in saving us. The Oppressor impoverisheth the righteous; God sees and suffers: and from his villainy effectuates their good, by taking away those snares to save their souls. The Lord will glorify himself in the vessels of destruction: and the groans in hell shall honour his justice, so well as the songs in heaven honour his mercy. How much better is it to glorify God in faithfulness, that will preserve thee: then in wickedness, which will destroy thee! 4. A man cannot s Mat. 4. 4. Live by bread only, much worse by leaven. No man can live for ever by his righteousness and good works, much less by his sins. Sin is no nourishment to the soul: unless as some Mithridates-like have so enured their bodies to poison, that Venenum nutrit; even venom doth batten them: so others their souls to sin, that they cannot keep life without it. And indeed we say of some things, that they nourish sickness, and feed death. Omne simile nutrit simile: inward corruption is fed & maintained by outward action. Covetice in judas is nourished by filching his master's money. Murder in joab is heartened and hardened with blood. Theft is fatted with booties: pride with gay rags: usury battens by extortion: Sacrilege by Church-robbing. t Ambr. Pascitur Libido convivijs, nutritur delicijs, vino accenditur, ebrietate flammatur. Banqueting is the diet of lust, Wantonness her Nurse, Wine kindles a heat in her blood, and Drunkenness is the powder that sets her on fire. Thus sin feeds upon this leaven: but with the same success that Israel upon quails: they fatted their carcases, but made them lean souls. Though this leaven pass the swallow, yet sticks in the stomach: sin may be devoured, but lies heavy on the conscience: u Prou. 20. 17. Bread of deceit is sweet to a man: but his mouth shall be filled with gravel. x job 10. 15. It may be sweet in his mouth, but it is the gall of Asps in his bowels. Putrid meat is apt to breed and feed worms, so this leaven the worm of conscience: when they once come to feel it work, then ready to cry, This is my death: unless God give them a good vomit of repentance, to put it off their souls, and the sober diet of sanctification to amend and rectify their lives. 5. Lastly, Sin and leaven are fitly compared for their sourness. There is a leaven sharp and sour, but sanative. a Math. 13. 33. The Kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven. But this leaven here is far sourer, yet hath nothing but death in it. It is sour to God, sour to Angels, sour to Saints, sour to the sinner. Sin is sourer than any leaven. 1. Sour to God, who hates nothing but sin. He made man, and man made sin: He loves his own creature, but he hates man's creature. Sin is sourer to him then the devil: For, Non odit peccatum Diaboli cansa, sed Diabolum peccati causa: He hates not sin for the devils sake, but the devil for sins sake. It is so sour to him, that for one sin h●…e plagued a world of men: how will he plague one man for a world of sin! So sour, that he could relish no man for it, till he had killed it in the sides of jesus Christ. We are all so sour, that but for this sweetening and perfume, we could never have been endured. The Scripture, for our understanding, ascribes senses to God: and we find every sense displeased with sin. 1. It is offensive to his smelling: He tells the jews that their sins did stink in his nostrils. So did the old World offend him, that he washed & soused in a deluge: and then after Noah's sacrifice, is said to b Gen. 8. 21. Smell a savour of rest. For this cause they had their Altar of Incense; and God commanded a Perfume to be made to him. c Exod. 30. 34. The Lord said to Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, Stacte, and Onicha, and Galbanum, with pure frankincense: and thou shalt make it a Perfume, pure and holy. Both signified that we all stunk by nature, and are only perfumed by the Incense of Christ's prayers and righteousness. 2. It is offensive to his Tasting: d Esay 5. 2. I looked (after all my pains and kindness) for good grapes, and the Vine brought forth wild grapes. When he comes to taste the vintage of our sins, they are sour grapes. e Amos 5. 7. Ye turn judgement into wormwood: justice is pleasant unto the Lord, but injury bitter as wormwood. So the jews served Christ, in stead of wine they gave him vinegar to drink. He turned their water into wine, they turn his wine into vinegar. Good works of faith and obedience are that f Cant. 7. 9 best wine, which we should give our Beloved: that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep, to speak. But evil deeds are sour to his palate. 3. It is offensive to his Feeling: so sharp, that the Spear, thorns, Whips, and Nails, were blunt to it: Our iniquities were so heavy to his sense, that he plains himself burdened under them, g Amos 2. 13. as a Cart is pressed with sheaves. The Lord of heaven lay groveling on the earth: and as if he were cast into a furnace of his Father's wrath, sweeting drops of blood. They are so harsh still to his feeling, that he challengeth Saul for wounding himself. h Act. 9 5. Why strikest thou me? Saul strikes at Damascus, jesus Christ suffers in heaven. 4. It is offensive to his Hearing. i Gen. 16. 20. The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, because their sin is very grievous. Our dissensions and quarrels are as jarring in God's ears: as if divers distracted Musicians should play upon divers bad Instrument so many several tunes at one time. The confusion of sins brought the confusion of languages: God's ear could not endure the distraction of their hearts, therefore their own ears shall not distinguish the dissonance of their voices. The cry of blood and oppression makes so grievous a noise to heaven, that vengeance must only quiet it. Our murmurings, our oaths, blasphemies, slanders, are like the croaking of frogs, howling of dogs, and hissing of serpents in Gods hearing. 5. It is offensive to his Seeing. k jer. 2. 22. Though thou wash thee with Nitre, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord. Our oppressions are like running ulcers, our adulteries as most sordid and filthy things. l Esa. 64. 6. The Prophet compares it to the most feculent defilement, & loathsome turpitude, that can be uttered. m Hab. 2. 13. Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil: and canst not look on iniquity. O let us abhor that filthiness, which will turn the face of God from us. Neither are they displeasing only to his senses, but grievous to his mind. n Esa. 7. 13. Is it a small thing for you to grieve men, but you will grieve God also? It is dangerous to anger him, that can anger all the veins of our hearts. It was the Prophet Esay's complaint of Israel: o Esa. 63. 10. They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit. Yea they are offensive to his very soul. p Esa. 1. 14. Your new Moons and appointed feasts, my soul hateth. This he protesteth against recidivation, Heb. 10. 38. If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. This is an emphatical speech, and an argument of God's hearty detestation. q Psal. 11. 5. The wicked, and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Therefore he is said to bend his Soul to revenge. r jer. 5. 9 Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? 2. Sour to the Angels: for if they s Luk. 15. rejoice at our conversion, than they grieve at our perversion. How sour is that sin, which brings grief unto the thresholds of joy! They blush at our falls, rejoice at our integrity. t Hebr. 1. 14. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth for them who shall be the heirs of salvation? Let us then feast them with integrity, not with the leaven of iniquity. 3. Sour to the Saints: the Church is our Mother, and she laments to see any child of her womb averse from goodness. Therefore as a loving Mother, whose husband was slain for the safety of herself & children; if she sees any child transgress the rules, and break her husband's Testament; she tells them of their Father's kindness: she describes his deadly wounds and ghastly looks: and to make their facts more odious, she showeth some garment of his imbrued with blood. So the Church often offers to our considerations, how Christ her dear Love and Lord was betrayed, condemned, crucified: tells us, our sins have done this; that they were the judas betraying, the Herod mocking, the Pilate condemning, the Longinus wounding, the band of jews re-crucifying Christ. Now as D●…do adiured departing Aeneas; Per ego te has lacrymas, etc. Per si quid unquam Dulce fuit nobis, horum miserere laborum. So our Mother entreats us, (yet entreating is too low a phrase for a Mother) per talem cruorem, per tantum amorem; by so precious blood, and by so gracious love, to sin no more; at least to abhor such precipices of sin; and forbear (as it were) to choke him with such cursed Leavens. 4. Sour to the sinner himself: for it ever leaves behind it a sting of conscience. It may taste pleasing and palatable at first, but leaven is not sourer at last. Perhaps our judgements may be out of taste; as men in fevers: or Satan (that crafty Apothecary) hath mingled the potion cunningly: yet though saporem amisit, venenum retinet: poison is poison though it come in a golden cup. Esau's pottage went down merrily, but the loss of his birthright was a bitter farewell. Whatsoever service sin doth us, it shows us but an ill-favoured trick at the last. It brings us to the door of Terror, and then bids us shift for ourselves. It is like Lysimachus his draft of cold water, that refreshes him for a moment, and captives him for ever. By Salomon's rule, vexation is entailed to vanity A hedgehog must dwell in Babylon: a pricking Conscience Eccl. 1. in a profane breast. u jer. 4. 18. Thy way an●… thy doings have procured these things unto thee: this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart. Solomon hath the like promotion: x Eccl. 11. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, etc. but know that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement. The verse begins with pleasure, but ends with terror. Sin will be sour at the last. The Allegory thus opened, the special treasure or Instruction remains yet to be drawn out. We perceive what the leaven signifies, and what the Lump. Now we must consider the relation betwixt modicum and totum: a little leaven, and the whole lump. A little Leaven leueneth the whole lump. A little sin infecteth a great deal of righteousness. a jam. 2. 10. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. He hath broken T●…tam Legem, though not Totum Legis. I speak not here of the absolutely (dissolutely) wicked: whose life is like Elreds' reign; Prava in principio, peior in medio, pessima in ultimo: bad in the beginning, worse in the midst, worst of all in the end. But of those that have some good measure of grace, and stand in the state of adoption: yet may admit of Paul's prayer, b 1. Thes. 5. 23. to be sanctified throughout. And upon good reason: for there is an universal corruption, therefore should be an universal sanctification. That young man, that professeth himself to have kept the Commandments; (and Christ began to love him) yet there was a little leaven spoiled all, Covetousness. unum restat, one thing was wanting; c Mat. 19 21. Sell that thou hast, and give to the poor. No, he was costive, and could not abide such a purge. Herod, though he heard many Sermons of john's preaching gladly, (and it is some good thing to hear Sermons with joy) yet the leaven of Herodias marred all. d Gal. 6. 6. Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that teacheth him in all his goods. This was the Apostles Canon; an ordinance that will kill where it lights; yet a world of arguments hath been invented to stop it up. We will give of charity; but any thing of duty? yes, of duty. Well, we will give somewhat of duty: but part of all? yes, part of all. Put out this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we will compound with you: though we take away a talon of your duties, we will return a mite of benevolence. I will tell you a tale: a Signior came with his servant to one of our Lady's Images: (no matter which, for they do not scant her of number.) he threw in an angel of gold; the humble picture in gratitude made a curtsy to him. The servant observing, and wondering at her ladyships plausible carriage, purposed with himself to give somewhat too, that he might have a curtsy. So he puts into the basin six pence, and withal takes out his master's angel: the Image makes curtsy and seems to thank him still. It is common with this City to take away the Clergies angel, and to lay down six pence in the stead: yet look they for curtsy too, but I think no honest man will give them thanks. This little leaven undoes all goodness. e Deut. 5. 33. You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God commands you. All? put out in omnibus, in All, and we will say something to it. But as Deus remittit omnia peccata, aut nulla. God forgives all sins, or none: so we must faithfully resolve against all sins, or we repent of none. As is God's remission, such must be our contrition. Every man is an Adam, a good conscience his Paradise, lust the forbidden fruit: one lust is able to turn him out of all his comforts. Hast thou kept thy hands from injury? yet if thy tongue have offended, thou shalt be judged of thy idle words. Suppose thou hast preserved Castitatem linguae, sobriety of speech (yet f jam. 3. 2. if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man) but thy thoughts have welcomed a pleasing lust, those thoughts have levend thy soul. g Eccles. 12. 14. For God will (not only) bring every work into judgement, but every secret thought, whether it be good or evil. Men have brought that opinion into a proverb; Thought is free: no, thy Thought is God's bondslave. As thou canst not think a good thought but by his suggestion, so nor an evil thought but by his permission. If but thy thought harbour this leaven, the whole lump is soured. Actions men see, thy thoughts only God and thyself. Ille liber inter accusatores, quem propria non accusat conscientia. That man needs fear no accusers, that is freed from the condemnation of his own conscience. There are six motives that infer and enforce a caution of little sins. Little sins are dangerous; because they are Mortalia, they are deadly. Plurima, they are numerous. Insensibilia, not easily felt. Materialia maximorum; they are the materials or seeds of gross sins. Maximas inficiunt virtutes, they leaven the best virtues. Facilius perdunt, they more cunningly destroy the soul. 1. Minima mortalia; even the least offence is mortal in it own nature, culpable of transgression, and liable to malediction. h Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death. It was a strange gloss of Haymo upon that Text: Hoc non de omnibus peccatis intelligendum est, sed de criminalibus. This is not meant of all sins, but only of such as are criminal: such (saith he) as S. john speaks of; i 1. john 5. 16. There is a sin unto death, I say not that thou shouldst pray for it. So S. Paul's indefinite speech of all sins, he restrains to S. john's particular sense of one sin; that sin (which shall never be forgiven) against the Holy Ghost. For otherwise if St. john should intend it of all criminal sins, than it would follow that we should not pray for heretics, adulterers, homicides; which were directly cross to the rule of charity. Certainly Paul in that general rule admitted of no exception; it is an Aphorism wherein no sober judgement can find distinction. The Apostle thought of no venial, when he called all mortal. The wages of sin (not of this or that sin, as sacrilege, robbery, blasphemy, etc. but of sin, any sin, every sin: though men deem it trivial, they shall find it mortal) is death. I know there is a just distinction of sins, of greater & less. Purity and equality of all transgressions is an idle dream. It was a worse murder to kill Zachariah at the Altar, than Uriah in the field. To steal Sacra de Sacro, holy things out of a holy place, is worse theft then to steal profana de profano, common things out of a profane place. The difference of the punishments manifests a difference of the sins. As in heaven one star excels another star in glory: so in hell, one firebrand exceeds another in burning; though all feel the fire hot enough. Christ tells the pharisees, that they make their Proselyte k Mat. 23. 15. twofold more the child of hell than themselves. l Math. 11. 24 Tolerabilius erit Sodomae: It shall be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of judgement, then for Capernaum: and yet the Sodomites were then in hell. They that devour widows houses under the colour of long prayers, m Luk. 20. 4. shall receive greater damnation. As they have been more wicked, they shall be more wretched. This distinction of sins we take up and justify: yea we dare go further, and say there are some sins mortal, and some venial, but not in their own nature. The difference is not ratione Peccatorum, sed Peccantium; not in respect of the sins, but of the Sinners. To the faithful and penitent all sins are venial: to the unbelievers and impenitent, all sins are mortal. It is misericordia remittentis, not natura transgressionis; the mercy of the forgiver, not the quality of the sin, that maketh it venial. All transgressions are mortal in themselves, and by repentance all venial in Christ. The least sin legally considered, is mortal: the greatest sin evangelically considered, is pardonable. This difference we approve: yea we say, that small sins are more easily pardoned: and great sins, when they are remitted, are more hardly remitted. For certainly offenders are more or less punished, according to the quality of the offence. An eye with an eye, but blood with blood, and life with life. Yet still say we not, that a sin is in it own nature venial. For even the least is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, n 1. joh. 3. 4. the transgression of the Law. It is for the doctrine of Rome, to lessen sin, and to extenuate punishment: and that for two reasons. First that they might please the people with some liberty: and next, that hereby they might build up their Purgatory. For they assign mortal sins to hell, and venial to that purging fire. They offer herein a double wrong, both to their own modesty, and to God's mercy. To their own modesty, for they extenuate their faults in sinning: to God's mercy, for they disparaged his goodness in forgiving. They affirm that sins of omission, weakness, forgetfulness, and ignorance, be Praeter legem Dei, but not contra legem Dei: that they be Besides the Law of God, not Against the law of God. This doctrine, like the o Prou. 5. 3. lips of that strange woman, drop as an honeycomb, and are smooth as oil. But their p ver. 4. end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. This is a dangerous delusion; for hence they come so to neglect those less sins, that Peccata minima, be at last thought Nulla. As they have certain Orders among them, Friars Minorites, Friars Minim's, and then Nullani, Nullans. So sin bats and dwindles, from a Minorite or less sin to a Minim or least sin, and from a Minim to a Nullan, to be no sin at all. Thus Incipit esse licitum, quod folet esse publicum. The commonness takes away the heinousness: from being generally practised, it comes to be universally allowed. Every sin is committed against God, q Psal. 51. 4. Against thee, thee only have I sinned. Look upon the infinite Majesty offended, and by that judge the quality of thy offence. There be sins of weakness, sins of ignorance, and sins of malice. Those of weakness, are said to be committed against God the Father, whose special attribute is Power. Those of Ignorance against God the Son, whose special attribute is wisdom. Those of malice against God the Holy Ghost, whose special attribute is love. Whether then they be of weakness, of ignorance, or of malice, they offend either the Power of God, or the Wisdom of God, or the Love of God: therefore acknowledge Secundum magnitudinem Dei, magnitudinem peccati: confess the least sin great and bad, that hath offended a Majesty so Great and Good. 2. Minima plurima, sins less heinous, are the most numerous. Many littles make a much. Small drops of rain commonly cause the greatest floods. Quò minus violentum, eò magis perpetuum: the less violence, the longer continuance. The drizzling sleet, that falls as it were in a mist, fills the channels, they swell the rivers, the overcharged rivers send forth their superfluous waters over the containing banks: now the meadows are polluted, the cornfields spoiled, the cattle drowned; yea even houses, and towns, and inhabitants endangered; and firm continents buried under a deluge of waters. Many little sands gathered to an heap, fail not to swallow a great Vessel. De parvis grandis aceruus erit. You have Eagles, Hawks, Kites, and such great fowls of rapine, flying always alone: but the sparrows and pigeons, that devour the grain, by innumerable troops. There were not more grievous plagues to the Egyptians, then came by the contemptiblest creatures: as frogs, lice, flies, locusts: by reason of the monstrous swarms, r Exod. 10. 15. covering the face of the earth, and darkening the Land, and devouring the fruit of the whole Country. Yea even killing the people, that there was no remedy found for their life. Thus great destruction ariseth from little causes: therefore, Non contemnenda quia parva, sed metuenda quia multa. Let us not despise our sins because they are little, but fear them because they are many, saith Augustine. The small drops of sin, continually falling, have drowned many souls. As they have been our Arms to fight against GOD, so God will make them his Armies to confound us. Timenda ruina multitudinis, etsi non magnitudinis. Let us fear them for their number, though we slight them for their nature. A pace is but a little space of ground; yet a thousand paces make a mile, and many miles bring to hell. Si negligis quia non pessima, caveas quia plurima. If they be not the worst, they are the most: and is it not all to one purpose, whether one Goliath, or a thousand Philistims overcome thee? The bird brings so many little straws as makes up her nest: the reprobate so many little sticks, as makes up his own burning pile. Augustine saith, there is in Sin both weight and number. Et si non timeas quando expendis, time quando numeras. judge them by tale, and not by weight. Put a wanton speech, a loose gesture into the balance, (though Christ found it heavy, & every soul shall, for whom he did not bear it, yet) it is censured vix culpa, a little faulting, a little failing: so little, that were it less, it were nothing. But now leave thy Geometry, & come to Arithmetic: begin to number thy wanton works, and unchristian gestures, and carnal thoughts; now lo, they come in by troops and herds, thicker than the frogs into Egypt, miraris numerum: thou standest amazed at their number, and now criest, Miserere mei Deus; Lord have mercy on me a most wretched sinner. Yet when thy recognition hath done the best, and thy memory represented those swarms of sins to thy conscience, thy view is as far short, as will be thine answer: neither can extend ad millesimam, vel minimam partem. Thou hast not seen one of a thousand. t Psal. 19 12. Who can understand his errors? O Lord, cleanse thou me from my secret faults. Thus it is not Trutina, but Scrutinus, that will teach thee the danger of these little sins. Thou didst never st●…ale thy neighbour's goods by breaking into his house, therefore pleadest not guilty to that Law, Thou shalt not steal. Examine, thou shalt find passed from thee so many covetous wishes, as make up a robbery. Thou art no swearer, yet through the door of thy lips have scaped out so many idle words, as being put together will make up a blasphemy. Thou never madest the member of Christ, a member of a harlot by uncleanness: yet thou hast given indulgence to as many lustful thoughts and desires, as being summed, will make up a great adultery. I fear that many who have forborn the forbidden bed, have yet by their lusts scatteringly and forgetfully admitted, framed up an adultery as great as David's. Some that have made a conscience of grand oaths, and impudent blasphemies; yet have ejaculated so many loud, lewd, and false attestations, as have conflated a blasphemy no less impious than Rabshakeh's. A tradesman disdains to lie, abhors to oppress: yet hath uttered so many commodities of dissimulations, concealments, false warranting, cunning frauds, as make up an oppression equal to Ieconiah's. A Protestant abhominates sacrilege, and downright robbing the Church: yet hath so long been bold to make use of this Impropriation: or if in a meaner condition, with his Compositions, Customs, detinies, legal alienations, leasses and fines, as make up a sacrilege not inferior to Achan's. Put my money to Interest? No, saith another, I defy all usurious contracts: yet by his pawns, mortgages, forfeits, couznages, and such tricks known best to GOD his judge, the Devil his Engineer, his Scrivener, and himself, he puts down unconverted Zaccheus for usury. Oh the incredible souls lost in the Labyrinth of these unsuspected, (and in their imagination justifiable) sinners! 3. Minima Insensibilia; these little sins are not so easily felt, therefore most pernicious. If a man hath died his hand in blood, irrequieta conscientia; a peaceless conscience haunts him with unceslant vexation: let him hate his brother, this little murder he feels not. The devil like a roaring Lion is soon heard: forming himself to a fox, his insinuation is not perceived. He roars in monstrous iniquities, in treason, murder, sacrilege, oppression: these be thundering sins, that will waken the soul if it be not lethargized. But creeping like a silent Fox, he devours the grapes without disturbance. u Cant. 2. 15. Take us the Foxes, the little foxes: for they spoil the Vines. If Satan hue at the timber, and knock at the foundation of the house, we hear the noise, and preserve the building. They are those small Teredines, little sins, that in sensibly eat it to dust, and it is ruined ere we are aware. So long as Sin comes not in thunder, it never wakens men: if it do not enter into theomachy, and denounce open war against GOD, they make but a tush of it. To abuse the good creature is nothing, so long as they are not drunk: to give nothing to the poor is no sin, so long as they take not from the poor: to sleep out the Sermon is but a little drowsiness, all is well so long as they break not the Sabbath in absence from Church. These and such like are the common thoughts, and so trivial an estimate they bear of these sins, that they think God should do them wrong to call them to any reckoning for them. Thus they sow sins, as that enemy did tars, here a little, and there a little: but grown up, the whole field was overgrown with them. A sin that cannot be committed, Sine grands corruption sui, gravi laesione proximi, magno contemptu Dei: without his own notorious depravation, his brother's grievous oppression, God's manifest contempt and provocation; this quickly amazeth a man, and he starts back from the devils first offer. If the devil at first had come to judas, here's a hundred pieces, betray thy Master: none, he was not yet hardened enough in villainy: let Satan first work him to hypocrisy, then to covetousness, and lastly he shall prevail him with him for treason too. He might refuse a hundred pieces before, now he will take thirty. When that good Prophet wept upon Hazael, he asked; Why weary my Lord? He answered, Because I 2. King. 8. 13. know the evil that thou wilt do to the children of Israel. Their strong helds wilt thou set on fire, slay their young men with the sword, dash their children against the stones, and rip up their women with child. He replied, What, is thy servant a dog, that I should do this great thing? He thought it impossible, that the devil should ever work him to so horrid a mischief. But he did it: ambition brought him to a kingdom, a kingdom brought him to tyranny, tyranny to insolence, insolence not only to oppression of his own, but to invasion of other countries: among which Israel felt the smart, in the burning of her Cities, and massacring her Inhabitants. Thus by degrees he was wrought to this selfe-incredited mischief: as impossible as at first he judged it, at last he performed it. Doubtless there be some that would shudder at the temptation to perjury: yet pedetentm, by insensible steps they arrive at it: by lying they come to swearing, by swearing to forswearing. If the Usurer had an oppressed man's widow, and orphans lying and crying at his doors, perhaps shame, if not remorse, would seize on him: but let him exact, enhance, oppress, excoriate the Commonwealth, and not hear it in a public clamour, he never wincheth for the matter. A fact that looks at the first blush horrid and intolerable, is presently either avoided, or within some modest limits restrained: but another Dum parvum creditur, securius in usu retinetur: the opinion of paruitie abates the opinion of pravity: that which is weakly censured, is strongly retained. Our officious lies, soothing adulations, amorous wishes, wanton songs, scoffing at Ministers, censuring of Sermons; being reproved, we laugh them out. But these laughing sins, will be one day found crying sins. And if we cry not to God for mercy by repentance, they shall cry to God against us for vengeance. 4. Minima materialia maximorum: little sins are the materaills of great sins. The seeds of all sins are naturally in us: not so much as treason, homicide, perjury, but are in us Quoad potentiam, yea Quoad naturam et propensionem: there is in our nature a proclivity to them. Now the heart is so apt ground to produce and mature these Innata mala, inbred seeds to actualls, that without the preventing Grace of GOD we cannot avoid them. Thou art a Christian, and fearest not that ever thou shouldst apostate into the denial of thy Saviour: yet let me say thou hast the materials of this sin within thee, timorousness and self-love. Thou sayest, Sure I shall never be a drunkard, that belluine folly shall never apprehend me: yet thou hast the materials of this within thee, and that naturally and hereditarily from thy first Grandmother Eve: a sweet tooth in thy head, a liquourish appetite to delicate meats, and intoxicating wines. Thou canst not be a traitor, nor admit of conspiracy against thy Sovereign, yet the material of this wickedness is within thee. That which we call Gunpowder, is made of the fault & fatter earth: in the ground are the materials, which when Art hath concocted, chimed, prepared, charged, and discharged, it overturns towers and towns, forts and cities. We were once too near justifying by a woeful experience the violence of it: but the goodness of our good Lord jesus averted it. So in thy earth, thy heart, there is this salt and spumy matter, the mineral of treason; unless the reason of a man, and Religion of a Christian keep it from eruption. Thou art resolved never to think highly of thine own worth, yet thou hast the seed of pride within thee: thou art naturally (as Luther said) borne with a Pope in thy belly: there's the material, to be too well affected to thy own doings It is impossible, thou thinkst, for thee to be made an usurer, now thou hast no money: yet thou hast the seed of usury within thee; and Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit: all the sons of Adam love earth too well. Who shall ever persuade thee to bow down before an Idol? yet a dainty feast persuades thee to worship thine own belly: this is no Idolatry. It was but a little Cloud, that Eliahs' servant saw, a 1. King. 18. 44. rising out of the sea like a man's hand: yet it portended a great shower. Sin seems at first like a little cloud, but it prognosticates a deluge of ensuing wickedness. The careless Gallant by many trifles often fetched, runs so far in the Mercer's books unawares, that he cannot endure to hear of a reckoning. These little arrearages, taken up on trust, runs our souls so deep into God's debt, that if the blood of Christ do not pay it: though we be sold wife and children, and all we possess; b Math. 18. 25. non habenius unde, we can never discharge it. 5. Minima peccata maximas in ficiunt virtutes: a little sin infects a great deal of righteousness. The Leprosy infected the garments, and the very walls of the house; but Sin hath infected wood and wool, and walls, earth, air, beasts, plants, & planets: and stuck a scar on the crystal brow of nature itself. c Rom. 8. 22. For we know that the whole creation groaneth, and traveleth in pain together until now. If the great world groan for man's sin, shall not the little world, man, groan for his own sin? Send a little temptation in at the ear, or eye; it will not rest working, till it run like poison to the heart. David let in a little leaven at his eye, it quickly wrought to his heart, gangrened to adultery, to blood; hardly cured. A little Coliquintida spoils all the broth: a spot in the face blemisheth all the beauty. d 2. King. 5. 1. Naaman the Syrian is plentifully commended: He was captain of the host, a great man with his master, and honourable, because the Lord by him had given deliverance to Syria: he was also a mighty man of valour: but he was a Leper. This same But mars all; But he was a Leper. So in the soul, one vice disgraceth a great deal of virtue. When he was cured and converted by Elisha, first he's charitable, offers gold & garments, but he excepts bowing in the house of Rimmon: he is devout, and begs earth for sacrifice, but excepts Rimmon: he is religious, and promiseth to offer to none but the Lord, but he excepts Rimmon. This little leaven, this But Rimmon, soured all. e Eccl. 10. 1. Dead flies cause the ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour. The Apothecary's unction is a thing praised in the Scriptures, compounded of many excellent simples, made (not so much for medicine, as) for Odour: yet the flies of death putrify it. So doth a little folly him that is in reputation for Wisdom and Honor. When one commended Alexander for his noble acts, and famous achievements; another objected against him, that he killed Calisthenes. He was valiant, and successful in the wars: true, but he killed Calisthenes. He overcame the great Darius: so, but he killed Calisthenes. He made himself master of the world: grant it, but still he killed Calisthenes. His meaning was, that this one unjust fact poisoned all his valorous deeds. Beware of sin, which may thus leaven the whole lump of our soul. Indeed we must all sin, and every sin sours: but to the faithful and repentant Christian it shall not be damnable. f Rom. 8. 1. There is no damnation to them that are in jesus Christ. There is in all corruption, to most affliction, to none damnation, that are in Christ. Our leaven hath soured us, but we are made sweet again by the all-perfuming blood of our blessed Saviour. 6. Minima peccata facilius destruunt: the least sins are the most fatal to men's destruction. Anima est tota in toto: so that if the toe aches, the head feels, the eye le's fall a tear, the very heart mourns. So let but the eye lust, the soul is in danger to be lost. Mors per fenestras, faith the Prophet. g jer. 9 21. Death comes in at the windows, then enters into the Palaces, to cut off the children without, and the young men 〈◊〉 the streets. Is it but an unclean thought? Mors in illâ; as the children of the Prophets cried Mors in ollâ: there is death in it, and for it. A dram of poison diffuseth itself to all parts, till it strangle the vital spirits, and turn out the soul from her Tenement. h jam. 3. 5. How great a matter a little fire kindleth! It is all one whether a man be killed with the prick of a little thorn, or with the he wing of a broad sword, so he be killed. We have seen a whole arm impostumated with a little prick in the finger: if Satan can but wound our heel, (as the Poets feign of Achilles) he will make shift to kill us there; even from the heel to send death to the heart. Therefore Christ calls Hatred murder, a wanton eye adultery: besides the possibility of act, they are the same in the intention of heart. The hornet is a little fly, yet it stings deadly. I know that heavier sins shall have a heavier weight of punishment: yet is the least heavy enough to sink the soul to the bottomless pit. Greater fury of iniquity shall have the hotter fire, but O let us never feel the heat of one. A little leak sinks a great vessel. Pope Marcelline being accused for Idolatry, answered for himself; I did but cast a few grains of Incense into the fire; that was little or nothing. Yes, it was manifest offering to Idols, is that nothing? Christ would not obey Satan in his minimis: he would not answer his desire in the smallest suit he could request; i Mat. 43. of turning stones into bread, even while he was so hungry as forty days fasting could make him. Teaohing us to deny Satan in his best motions; lest custom of having them granted make him so impudent, as to take no repulse in his greatest temptations. This is the devils method of working, as it is in the first Psalm: Blessed is the man that hath not walked, etc. First he gets a man to walk a turn or two with him in sin, as it were to confer and debate the matter. After some walking, lest he should be weary, he prevails with him to stand in the way of sinners; after admission of the thought, to commission of the act. Lastly, he persuades him for his ease to fit down in the seat of the scornful; falling to despise God, and deride all goodness. Thus he brings him from walking to standing, from standing to sitting still: and this is limen inferni, the very threshold of hell. We judge of sin, as of the Sun; little because far off: yet indeed it is bigger than the earth. The nearer we come to the sense of iniquity, the greater it appears. Was it such a sin for Adam to eat a forbidden Apple? Yes, the greatness is remonstrable in the event, it brought destruction upon himself and his posterity. Is it such a heinous offence for David to know the number of his people? Do not Princes make good their Muster-books by such a Quare, and numeration? The plague witnessed the greatness of it, and himself cries, Peccavi, k 2. Sam. 24. 17 I have done wickedly. Look on the least sin in Satan's false glass, and it seems contemptible: behold it in the true glass of God's Law, and it appears abominable. The Devil stands betwixt wicked men and their sins all their life: but placeth their sins betwixt heaven and themselves in death: writes them in Text letters on the Curtains, that their amazed souls cannot choose but read them. Thus he that led them living by sin to presumption; now drives them dying by sin to desperation. Satan seems modest, and will be contented with a little, when he can get no more: he will play at small game, before he sit out. Wilt thou not cut throats? yet quarrel and appoint fields: not so, yet hate thine enemies: not profess hatred, yet watch occasions to hinder his good: if thou wilt not injure his estate, yet at least scandalise his good name. He will take little, rather than nothing. The Israelites in the Desert had no rich and costly sacrifices to offer to l Num. 25. 2. Baal Peor. They had not such store of beasts, but the oblations to God took them up. I cannot see what they should have fit for this sacrifice to Baal, except Manna and water: (too good for the Devil) but he ●…s content with this. Yet it is evident that they committed Idolatry. m 1. Cor. 10. 7. Neither be ye Idolaters, as were some of them: as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Rather than want their custom, Satan will take such as they had. Will Naaman worship God? yet let him worship Rimmon too: no, he will not do so, yet let him bow to Rimmon: no, nor so much: yet let him n 2. Kin. 5. 18. bow before Rimmon: the Devil is glad of this, where he can get no more. Thus Pharaoh minceth and limits with Moses concerning the dismission of Israel. God's charge was; Let my people go three days journey in the wilderness, to celebrate a feast to the Lord. Now Exod. 8. and 10. chap. mark how Pharaoh would compound it. First Sacrifice to God in this land: no, saith Moses, we must go into the wilderness. Then saith Pharaoh, If there be no remedy, Go, and go to the wilderness, and sacrifice to your God; but go not far: nay, we must go three days journey. Then Pharaoh; Go ye the men, but leave your children behind you: nay we must go old and young, sons and daughters. Then Pharaoh; Go ye men, women, and children, so far as your feet can measure in three days: but your flocks and your herds shall be stayed: nay, we will not leave a hoof behind us. So when the Devil perceives no remedy, he falls to indenting with niggardly grants and allowances. Somewhat hath some savour; give him at least a thought, a word, a look (as Lot's wife) and it something pleaseth him. Among the Heathen they used to join together Epula and Sacrificia: with solemn sacrifices to their gods, solemn banquets among themselves. So the Apostle delivers the custom of the Moabites, 1. Cor. 10. 7. In the midst of their Idolatry, they sat down to eat & drink. So the Psalmist writes of that cursed commixtion of Israel with Moab; that they had Idolatrous feasts. o Psal. 106. 28. They joined themselves to Baal-Peor: and did eat the sacrifices of the dead. One nation had a custom in these superstitious feasts, to sacrifice to their Idol Capita, some Noble men's heads according as it fell to their lots, together with their hearts and their livers. It came to the turn of the King's special favourite, thus to lose his life: the King resolving both to keep the custom, yet to save his friend, objected that God was no murderer, nor delighted in the blood of men. That if he were a God, he was certainly good, and goodness stood not in the desire of his own creatures destruction. Therefore in stead of the man's head, he offered the head of an onion: and for blood, heart, and livers of men, all these of birds or beasts. The Devil must be pleased with this: he saw that this little homage was some acknowledgement of his sovereignty. Satan can hold a man's soul in by a little, as a bird that hangs in the net by a claw. Perhaps shame & fear keeps some from eruption into scandalous things: the appearance is vizarded, the affection is not mortified. Like an Eunuch, he doth not beget palpable & gross turpitudes: yet hath a lust, itch, and concupiscence: this little serves the devils turn. Satan would keep away the light of the Truth from a man; well, he is so seated that he will have it; by knowledge he seems to cast out Satan. Yet if he can but insinuate into his affection, this little cord will pull him in again with ease. Must he lose the Sconce of thy understanding? Let him hold the Citadel of thy desires: this little gate will let him in at his pleasure. I draw to conclusion; let this teach us all to make a scrutiny in our souls, and seriously to repent of this little leaven. Little in quantity, great in quality: little in estimation, powerful in operation. Little in the sight of men, judging, by outward appearance, great in the sight of God judging in truth. Lot said of the City of Zoar; p Gen. 19 20. Is it not a little one? and my soul shall live: thou sayest of thy sin; Is it not a little one, and why should my soul die? A little Postern opened, may betray the greatest City. jonathan tasted but q 1. Sam. 14. 43 a little honey on the top of his wand, and hardly he escaped death for it. A little leaven makes the head heavy, and the heart sick. Eschew this little, if thou wouldst be great in heaven. r Mat. 5. 19 For whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. Minimus, that is indeed Nullus: the least there, because he shall not be there at all. Let no tang of corruption come to thy least part, if thou desirest to preserve body and soul s 1. Thes. 5. 23. blameless to the appearing of our Lord jesus Christ. Repentance must be to all dead works: sanctification takes liberty in no sin. Nullum peccatum retinendum spe remissionis. No evil must be reserved under the hope of forgiveness. God gave a Law, but no dispensation for any breach of it: his General rules have no exceptions, unless it please the Divine Oracle to dispense with it. Thou shalt not worship an Idol: no, not to save my life? Not to save life, as those three servants of God professed to Nabuchadnezzar. t Dan. 3. 18. If the God we serve will not deliver us, yet we will not serve thy gods, nor worship thy golden image. Thou sayest, Minimum est, it is little: but in minimis fidelem esse, magnum est: to be faithful in a little, is no little virtue. u Luk. 19 17. Well done, good servant: thou had been faithful in a little, therefore I will make thee ruler over much. He that is not careful in a little, is not to be trusted for more. If any man will corrupt his conscience for a pound, what would he do for a thousand? If judas will sell his Master for thirty pence, about some 22. shillings of our money; what would he have sold for the Treasury? God never gave a Non obstante for sin. The Pope indeed gives Bulls and Indulgences, & Pardons for cursed works before their perpetration: but God never allows leave to do ill. The Pope says, Kill an heretical King. God says, Touch him not: woe to that soul who takes the Pope's word, before the Lords word. God charged a Prophet, that a 1. King. 13. 9 he should eat no bread, nor drink water in Bethel. Another Prophet came; saying, b Vers. 8. An Angel spoke to me (blessed Angels speak truth: nay more, he spoke) by the word of the Lord. Bring him back, that he may eat bread, and drink water. He did so, but mark the event: returning home, c Vers. 24. a Lion slew him by the way. Believe not a man, believe not a Pope, believe not a Prophet, believe not an Angel against the word of the Lord. Let us refuse iniquity in what extenuation of quantity, or colour of quality soever it be offered us. For sin is like a bemired dog; if it fawns on us, it fowls us. And the least sin is like a little leak in a ship, which if it be not stopped, will sink the whole vessel. The Frenchmen have a military Proverb; The loss of a nail, the loss of an Army. The want of a nail looseth the shoe, the loss of a shoe troubles the horse, the horse indangereth the rider, the rider breaking his rank molests the company, so far as to hazard the whole Army. From slender and regardless beginnings, grow out these fatal and destructive effects. The doors are shut, the thief cannot enter: a little boy is put in at the window, and he opens the door for the great thief; so the house is robbed. A charm is cast in at the window, eye, or ear; that quickly unlocks the door of the heart, till all the rooms be ransacked, not a piece of virtue, or one gem of grace left. Pompey marching to the wars, requested to lodge his Army in a certain City, by whose borders he must needs pass: the Governor answered that he would not trouble his City with so numerous and dangerous a guest. Pompey then desired but entertainment and relief for his sick soldiers, who were perishing for want of succour: the Governor thought, sick men could do them no mischief; this was granted, they admitted. Being there a while, they recovered their health, opened the gates to the rest, so became strong enough to take the City. If Satan cannot get leave for his whole Army of lusts, yet he begs hard for his weak ones, as sins of infirmity: but those sickly soldiers soon get strength to surprise the soul. The trees of the Forest held a solemn Parliament, wherein they consulted of the innumerable wrongs which the Axe had done them: therefore made an Act, that no tree should hereafter lend the Axe a helm, on pain of being cut down. The Axe travels up & down the Forest, begs wood of the Cedar, Oak, Ash, Elm, even to the Poplar; not one would lend him a chip. At last he desired so much as would serve him to cut down the briars and bushes; alleging that those shrubs did suck away the juice of the ground, hinder the growth, and obscure the glory of the fair and goodly Trees. Hereon they were content to afford him so much; when he had gotten his helm, he cut down themselves too. These be the subtle reaches of sin; give it but a little advantage, on the fair promises to remove thy troubles; and it will cut down thy soul also. Therefore Obsta principijs: trust it not in the least. Consider a sin (as indeed it is) a crucifying of Christ; wilt thou say, I may crucify Christ a little? I may scourge his flesh, wound his side, pierce his heart a little? What man loves the Lord jesus, who would either say it, or do it? Consider thy falling into sin, a hurling of thyself down from some high pinnacle: wilt thou say, I may break my neck a little? Consider it a casting thyself into unquenchable fire; wilt thou say, I may burn my soul and body a little! As suffering we think the least misery too great, so sinning let us think the least iniquity too great. So avoiding also little sins, we shall find great favour with jesus Christ. Amen. FAITH'S ENCOURAGEMENT. LUKE 17. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. THESE words were spoken by our Saviour Christ to the penitent and faithful Leper. For induction I will observe two remarkable circumstances, preceding my Text. First, that Christ did mend him, and then commend him: he did purge him, and praise him. 1. He mended him, curing first his body, than his soul. His body of the Leprosy, a disease not more loathsome to endure, then hard to cure. The difficulty of healing it, appears by the answer of the King of Israel, upon the receipt of the King of Syria's letters: a 2. King. 5. 7. Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man doth send unto me, to recover a man of his Leprosy? intimating that only God is able to cure the Leprosy. His soul of the spiritual Leprosy: and this was the perfection of health. For this cure the Prophet so earnestly prays; Sana animam; b Psal. 41. 4. Lord, be merciful unto me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee. This is a supernatural cure, fit only for the great Physician of souls to perform: the more difficult, Quo minus in natura sit, quod profit: because nature hath no influence in her stars, no minerals in her earth, no herbs in her garden, that can heal it. 2 He commends him: of all the ten cleansed, c verse 18. there are none found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. God had his Tithe there, whence he might least expect it. Now what doth Christ commend him for? For his thankfulness, for his humility, for his faith: why these graces were Christ's own; doth he praise him for that himself had given him? Yes, this is God's custom; Sua dona coronat; he crowns his own graces, he rewards his own gifts. Which teacheth how we should understand Reward in the Scripture. d Mat. 20. 8. Call the labourers, and give them their hire. e Mat. 10. 42. Whosoever gives a cup of cold water to a Disciple, shall not lose his reward. This hire and reward, is not the stipend of our labours, but of God's love. He gives us the good of grace, and then rewards it with the good of glory. It is a reward Secundum quid, a gift simpliciter. Compare eternal life to the work, looking no farther, it is a reward. f Mat. 5. 12. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven. But examine the Original from whence it proceeds, than it is the gift of God. g Rom. 6. 23. Eternal life is the gift of God through jesus Christ. He is said to h Exod. 20. 6. Show mercy to them that keep his Commande●…ents: the very keeping the Commandments is not merit, it hath need of mercy. Lo thus the Lord gives grace, then praiseth it, blesseth it, rewards it. Christ clotheth his Spouse with his own i Psal. 45. 8. garments, the smell of Myrrh, Aloes, and Cassia; A white rob of his perfect righteousness imputed; with his golden merits, and inestimable jewels of graces; and then praiseth her; k Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all fair, my Love: there is no spot in thee. When God made the world, with all creatures in it, he beheld it, and Euge bonum; behold, it is exceeding good: so when he makes a Christian (Maiorem, meliorem mundo) and hath furnished him with competent graces, he turns back and looks upon his own workmanship; Ecce bonum, it is exceeding good: he forbears not to commend it. Now what doth he specially commend in this converted Leper? his praising of God. The Leper praiseth God, God praiseth the Leper. He praiseth in his praising two things; the rightness, and the Rareness. 1. The rightness, that he gave praise to God; directed it thither where it was only due. He returned to give glory to God: non mihi sed Deo, saith Christ: not to me, but to God. Perhaps his knowledge was not yet so far enlightened, as to know him that cured him, to be God: therefore bestowed his praise where he was sure it should be accepted, where only it is deserved; on God. I seek not my own praise, saith jesus, but mittentis, the praise of him that sent me. m joh. 8. 54. If I honour myself, my honour is nothing. 2. The Rareness, and that in two respects. 1. That he alone of ten, blessed God, God had but his Tenth: it is much if the tenth soul go to heaven. The godly are so rare, that they are set up n Esay 8. 18. for marks, and signs and wonders; as if the world stood amazed at them. 2. That he only was the Stranger; a Samaritan. Many great virtues were found among the Samaritans; Faith, Charity. Thankfulness: First, Faith; * john. 4. 39 Many of the Samaritans of that City believed on him. Secondly, Charity; It was the Samaritan that took compassion on the man wounded between jerusalem and jericho. The Priest and the Levite passed by him without pity, but the Samaritan o Luke 10. 34. bound up his wounds. Thirdly, Gratitude exemplified in this Samaritan Leper: none of the jews gave God praise for their healing, but only the Samaritan. It was strange that in Gentiles should be found such virtue, where it was least looked for. p Mat. 8. 10. Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel. The least informed did prove the best reform. Samaritan was held a word of reproach amongst the jews; as appears by their malicious imputation to Christ. q joh. 8. 48. Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a Devil? They were esteemed as dogs: r Mat. 15. 26. It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And at the first promulgation of the Gospel, the Apostles received a manifest prohibition; s Mat. 10. 5. Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not. It was therefore rare to reap such fruits out of the wild Forest, cursed like the mountains of Gilboa; t 2. Sam. 1. 21. Let there be no dew, neither rain upon you, nor fields of offerings. To be good in good company is little wonder: for Angels to be good in heaven, Adam in Paradise, judas in Christ's College, had been no admirable matter: to apostate in these places so exemplary of goodness, was intolerable weakness. But for Abraham to be good in Chalde, Noah in the old world, Lot in Sodom: for a man now to be humble in Spain, continent in France, chaste in Venice, sober in Germany, temperate in England; this is the commendation. Such a one is a Lily in a Forest of thorns, a handful of wheat in a field of cockle. Let me not here omit two things, worthy my insertion, and your observation. 1. God's judgement and man's do not concur: the Samaritans were condemned of the jews, yet here nine jews are condemned by one Samaritan. They that seem best to the world, are often the worst to God: they that are best to God, seem worst to the world. When the Moon is lightest to the earth, she is darkest to heaven: when she is lightest to heaven, she is darkest to the earth. So often men most glorious to the world, are obscurest to the divine approbation: others obscure to the world's acknowledgement, are principally respected in God's favour. Man would have cleared the Pharise, and condemned the Publican, when they both appeared in the Temple together; the one as it were in the Choir, the other in the Belfry. But Christ's judgement is, that the Publican u Luke 1●…. 14. departed rather justified. The jews thought, that if but 2. men in the world were saved, the one should be a Scribe, the other a Pharise: But Christ saith, neither of them both shall come there. x Luke 13. 28. You shall see others in the Kingdom of heaven, and you yourselves thrust out. Some like the Moon are greater or less by the Sun of men's estimation. Samuel was mistaken y 1. Sam. 16. in Eliab, Abinadab and Shammah: for the Lord had chosen David. Isaac preferred Esau, but God preferred jacob: and made the father give the blessing to that son, to whom he least meant it. All this justifies that, a Esay 55. 8. my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, ●…aith the Lord. 2. Learn we here from Christ, to give men their due praise to them that deserve praise. God ●…akes of vices with commination, of virtues wit●…●…endation. Let us speak of others sins with grief, of their good works with praise and joy. Of others sins with grief: so did S. Paul. b Phil. 3. 18. Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ. So David: c Psal. 119. 136 Rivers of waters ru●… down mine eyes, because men keep not thy Law. Our Saviour wept over apostate jerusalem: he wept over the people, beholding them as scattered sheep without a shepherd. Who can forbear weeping to see souls muffled & misled by ignorance: like the babes of Niniuch, not able to distinguish the right hand from the left? Alas, there are innumerable souls, that know not their own estate; O pity them. Because thou wilt not hear this, my soul shall weep in secret for thy pride. But let us mention others virtues and good actions with praise. It is the argument of a sullen and proud disposition, not to commend them that do well. Yet there is no ointment so sweet, but there will be some d Eccl. 10. 1. dead flies to corrupt it. There be certain dogs that will bark at the Moon: Critics, that spend the larger part of their time seeking knots in a bulrush. The Snow is not so white, but there is an Anaxagoras to make it black. It was God's commendation of job, that, e job 1. 8. there was none like him in the earth: he had no fellow, yet the devil picks quarrels, and inventeth slanders against him. Traducers of their brethren, I call not Damones, but Damonis agunt: I do not say they are devils, but they do the work of devils. This mischief of depraving, hath also infected the Church: Many a Preacher thinks his own glory eclipsed, if the next Orb be lightened with a brighter Star. Hence they fall to faulting and inveighing; as if there were no way to build up their own credits, but by the ruins of another's disgrace. God doth otherwise; f Luk. 16. 8. The Lord commended the unjust Steward, because he had done wisely. Though he had many faults, yet Christ praiseth him for what was worthy praise: his policy. S. Paul found gross errors in the Corinthians; g 1. Cor. 11. 17. In this I praise you not, that you come together, not for the better, but for the worse. But wherein they did well, he commends them, ver. 2. I praise you brethren, that you remember me in all things. Thus Ezekiel commends Daniel, a Prophet of his own time, and thought it not any derogation from himself. h Ezek. 28. 3. Behold, Art thou wiser than Daniel? As Solomon saith of beggars: A poor man oppressing Prou. 28. 3. the poor, is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food behind it. So a Minister disparaging a Minister, is a breach, whereby the devil comes out; and many souls go into hell. Now to the words: Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. The verse may be distinguished into a Passport, and a Certificate. Arise, go thy way, there is the Passport: Thy faith hath made thee whole, there is the Certificate. He gives him first a Dismission, leave to depart: then a Testimony, or Assurance, both to certify the Church actually, that he was cleansed of his leprosy; but especially to certify his own conscience that he was converted, and that the faith of his soul brought health to his body. In the Passport, or Dismission, there are two words considerable: Surge and Vade; Arise, Go: Surge ad incipiendum, vade ad perficiendum. First, let us speak of them secundum sonum, then secundum sensum. First, according to the History, then according to Mystery. Allegories are tolerable when they be profitable: Nor can it be much from the Text, by occasion of those two words spoken to the ears of the Lepers body, to instruct your souls how to Arise from the Seat of Custom, the couch of sin: and to Go on in the way of salvation. Arise. The Leper casts himself down, and Christ bids him arise. Humility is the Gentleman Usher to Glory. God (that sends away the rich empty from his gates) loves to i Luke 1. 53. fill the hungry with good things. The air passeth by the full vessel, and only filleth that is empty. This is the difference between the poor and beggars: both agree in not having, differ in craving. The proud are Pauperes Spiritus, the humble are, pauperes spiritu: k Math. 5. 3. Blessed are (not the poor spirits, but) the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Such as felt their wants, sought, and besought God for supply. l Luk. 3. 5. Every Valley shall be filled, and every Mountain be brought low. The lowly mind shall be exalted, the high-towring ambitious shall be thrown down. How should God say to the Merchant that glories in his wealth, to the Usurer that admireth his moneys, to the Gallant, that wonders that his good clothes do not prefer him: Arise! alas, they are up already, they were never down. A dwarf in a great throng seeming low on his knees, was bidden by the Prince to stand up: alas, he was before at his highest. God cannot be so mistaken, as to encourage their standing up, who never yet had the manners to cast themselves down. Descendite ut ascendatis ad Deum: cecidistis enim ascendendo contra eu●…. Aug. Descend, that ye may rise up to God: for you have fallen by rising up against God. He that is a Mountebank, must level himself even with the ground: if humbleness hath once thrown him down, and brought him on his knees, he shall hear the Patron and pattern of humbleness, comforting him with a Surge; Arise. The guest that sets himself down at the lower end of the Table, shall hear the Feastmaker kindly remove him; m Luke 14. 10. Friend, sit up higher. If Hester fall at Asuerus feet, he will take her by the hand, and bid her arise. When n Luk. 5. 8, 10. Peter fell down at jesus knees, saying, Depart from me, I am a sinful man, O Lord: He presently was raised up with; Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men. Zacheus is gotten up on high to see jesus; see him he may with his eye of flesh: but he must descend, that he may see him with his eye of faith. o Luk. 19 5. Come down, Zacheus; this day is salvation come to thy house: Descend to the ground, that thou mayst be raised above the clouds. Pride even in good things, Non ditio, sed perditio; is no argument of possession, but destruction. The haughtie-minded looks always beyond the mark, and offers to shoot further than he looks; but ever falls two bows short, humility and discretion: who is heard to say with Paul, p 1. Tim. 1. 15. Quorum ego sum primus; I am the chief of sinners: such an humble confession scarce heard of: But Christ had given him a Surge, on his former humbling: Arise, and bear my name before Gentiles and Kings, etc. Let us all thus cast ourselves down in humility, that the Lord may say to us in mercy, Arise. G●…e. This was the word of Dismission, wherewith Christ sends him away. Though he were healed, therein had his hearts desire; what could he expect more of Christ? why is he not gone? No, he has not yet his Vade, he will not go till he is bidden. He found such sweetness in the Lord jesus, that could you blame him though he were loath to depart? From another man's house, we say, after some small tarrying, Let us save our credits, and go before we are bidden: but from the Lord let us not depart without a dismission. The hearts of the people were so set on Christ, that he was feign to send them often away, Mat. 14. 22. He sent the multitudes Mark. 6. 45. away, Math. 15. 39 He sent the people away. As Simeon, that Swan, which sung his own funeral: Nunc dimittis; Lord, now thou lettest thy servant depart in peace. This makes to the shame of their faces, that without other cause then of weariness, waywardness, or wantonness, will not tarry for their Discedite, but depart the Church without the blessing: they will not stay till Christ bids them Go. They venture therein wretchedly and dangerously, if they could so conceive it, to depart without the Peace of God. It is an usual complaint of man in distress; Quare direliquisti me, Domine? Why hast thou forsaken me, O Lord? God justly answers, Quare direliquisti me, Home? Why didst thou forsake me first, O man? Would you needs depart when you should not? you therefore shall depart when you would not. Discedite, q Math. 7. 23. Depart, indeed a woeful rejection. r Math. 25. 41. Depart from me, ye cursed: why cursed? good reason, you would not tarry for a blessing. Thus is God even with the wicked, Recedistis à me, recedam à vobis: You left me, I therefore leave you. Will you go without bidding? Abite, get you gone. He that will go into captivity, let him go. Deus prior in amore, posterior in odio. God loved us before we loved him, he doth not actually hate us, till we first hate him. Nunquam deserit, nisi cum deseritur: He forsakes not us, till we forsake him: no man can take Christ from thy soul, unless thou take thy soul from Christ. God complains of the jews, that they had left him: s jer. 2. 13. My people have forsaken me. Forsake thee, O Lord, living Father of mercies, and God of all comfort? t jer. 18. 14. Will a man forsake the snow of Lebanon, and the old flowing waters that come from the Rocks? If any will do so, then hear the curse: u jer. 17. 13. O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters. But let them that cleave to the Lord, hear the blessing, x Heb. 13. 5. I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee. Let us hang on the mouth of God for decision of all our doubts, direction of all our ways: like the Centurion's servants, a Math. 8. 9 Going when he bids us, coming when he calls us, doing what he commands us. At his Word let us arise and go on earth; at his Call we shall arise and go to heaven. He that obeys the surge in grace, shall have the surge in Glory: He that goes in the ways of Holiness, shall go into the courts of Happiness. He b Psal. 126. 6. that goeth forth weeping, bearing with him precious seed, shall come again rejoicing, and bring his sheaves with him. c Math. 25. They that have done well, shall go into everlasting life. Thus much of these two words, as they belonged to that person, the Leper: Now let us usefully apply them to ourselves. First, let us observe from this Arise, 1. It is Christ that gives the Surge which reviveth us: we can never stir from the seat of impiety, till he bids us Arise. d joh. 6. 44. No man can come to me, except the Father draw him. The Spirit of Christ must draw us out of the black and miry pit of iniquity; as e jer. 38. 13. Ebedmelech drew jeremy out of the dungeon: We cannot arise of ourselves; Nature hath no foot, that can make one true step toward heaven: f joh. 3. 6. That which is borne of the flesh, is flesh: not fleshly in the concrete, but flesh in the abstract. We cannot speak, unless he open our lips. God says to the Prophet, g Esay 40. 6. Cry. What shall I cry? the Spirit must give the word; All flesh is grass, etc. We cannot stand, unless he gives us feet: h Ezek. 2. 1. Son of man, stand upon thy feet: alas, he cannot, but ver. 2. The Spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet. We cannot see except he gives us eyes. Intelligite, insipientes, Be wise, O ye fools: Alas, they cannot: but Da mihi intellectum, do thou, O Lord, give them wisdom. i Rom. 12. 2. Be ye not conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove, etc. There are first two verbs Passive, than an Active: to show that we are double so much Patients, as we are Agents. Being moved, we move. Acta fit activa voluntas: when God hath inclined our will to good, that will can then incline us to perform goodness. If we cannot speak without lips from him, nor walk without affections from him, nor see, except he give us eyes; then neither can we arise except he takes us by the hand: as Peter took the k Act. 3. 7. Cripple, and lift him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. If the spirit of our Lord jesus give us a Surge, our lame souls shall grow strong and lively in the nerves of graces, we shall Arise and walk; leaping, and singing, and praising God. 2 We must arise, for we are naturally down. By nature a man l 1. joh. 5. 19 lieth in wickedness: m Rom. 6. 4. by grace he riseth to newness of life. Nature and Religion are two opposites: I mean by nature, corrupted nature; and by Religion, true Religion: for otherwise, the accepting of some Religion, is engraffed to every Nature. It is Nature, to n Eph. 2. 1. be dead in sins: it is Religion, to be o Rom. 6. 2. dead to sin. It is Nature, to be p Tit. 1. 16. Reprobate to every good work: Religion, to be q Tit. 3. 1. ready to every good work. It is nature, to be a Lover of ones self, 2. Tim. 3. 2. Religion, to deny one's self, Luk. 9 23. It is nature for a man to r Phil. 2. 21. seek only his own profit: Religion, to s Gal. 5. 13. Serve others by love. Nature esteems t 1. Cor. 1. 21. Preaching, folly: Religion, the power of God to salvation. There are two lights in man as in heaven, Reason and Faith: Reason, like Sara, is still ask; How can this be? Faith, like Abraham, not disputes, but believes. There is no validity in Moral virtues: Civil men's good works are a mere carcase, without the soul of Faith. They are like that Roman, that having fortunately slain his three enemies, the Curiatij: coming home in triumph, and beholding all the people welcome him with acclamations, only his sister weep, because he had slain her love: he embittered his victories with the murder of his own sister. Carnal men may do glorious deeds, flourish with brave achievements: but they mar all, by killing their own sister, the dear soul. Thus we are down by Nature, Grace can only help us up, and make us arise. If you ask how Nature hath dejected us: how we came originally thus depraved: I answer, We know not so well how we came by it, as we are sure we have it. Nihil ad pr●…dicandum notius, nihil ad intelligendum secretius: Nothing is more Aug. certainly true to be preached, nothing more secretly hard to be understood. Therefore, as in case of a Town on fire, let us not busily inquire how it came, but carefully endeavour to put it out. A traveler passing by, and seeing a man fallen into a deep pit, began to wonder how he sell in: to whom the other replied; Tu cogita quomodo hinc me liberes, non quomodo huc ceciderim quaeras: Do thou, good friend, rather study how to help me out, then stand questioning how I came in. Pray to Christ for this Surge: Libera nos Domine, we are naturally down, do thou, O Lord, graciously raise us up. 3. We must Arise before we can Go. First arise, then go thy way, saith Christ. He that is down, may creep like a serpent, cannot go like a man. Thou art to sight with cruel enemies; Not flesh and blood, but u Eph. 6. 12. Principalities and Powers, wicked spirits in high places: Thou wilt perform it poorly whiles thou art along on the ground: The flesh will insult over thee with undenyed lusts. Quicquid suggeritur, caeteris aggeritur: there is not a sinful motion suggested, but it is instantly embraced, and added to that miserable dunghill of iniquity. And is not this wretched, to have Cham's curse upon thee, to be a slave to slaves? The world will hold thy head under his girdle, whiles he tramples on thy heart: thou shalt eat no other food than he gives thee; he will feed thee with bribes, usuries, injuries, perjuries, blasphemies, homicides, turpitudes: none of these must be refused. The devil will tyrannize over thee: thou canst hardly grapple with that great Red Dragon, when thou art mounted like Saint George on the back of faith; Alas, how shouldst thou resist him, being down under his feet? Arise therefore, and x Eph. 6. 13. take the whole armour of God, that you may both Stand, and Withstand. Arise, lest God coming, and finding thee down, strike thee lower. From him that hath not, shall be taken away that he seemed to have. Pauper ubique tacet, is a Proverb more plentifully true in a mystical, then temporal poverty. We say, Qui jacet in terris, non habet unde cadat: he that lies on the ground, hath no lower a descent to fall to: yes, there is a lower place. judas found a lower fall than the earth, when he departed In locum suum, a Act. 1. 25. into his own place. Such was that great Monarches fall, b Esay 14. 12. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer? how art thou cut down to the ground? This was a great descent, from heaven to earth. But, ver. 15. Thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit: This was a greater descent, from heaven to hell. We esteem it a great fall (ceremonially) from a Throne to a Prison: and the devil meant it a great fall (locally) from the Pinnacle to the ground: But there is Abyssus inferna, a lower precipice. David begins a Psalm of prayer, De profundis; c Psal. 130. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord. But there is a depth of depths; and out of that deep there is no rising. Arise now, lest you fall into that deep then. Arise, for if thou wilt not, thou shalt be raised. Si non surrexeris volenter, suscitaberis violenter. If thou refuse to rise willingly, thou shalt be roused against thy will. If thou wilt not hear the first Surge, which is the Ministers voice; thou shalt hear the last Surge, which is the archangels voice. Dicis, Surgam, thou sayst, I will rise; but when! Modo Domine, modò: Anon Lord, all in time. Will not this be a silly excuse at the day of judgement, I will rise anon? Thou must rise d 1. Cor. 15. 52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last Trump. Though thou cry to the e Reu. 6. 16. Mountains, Fall on me, and to the Rocks, Hide me: yet Nulla evasio, thou must arise and appear. There are two voices that sound out this Surge: one evangelical, and that is of mercy; yet we drown this, as Italians do thunder; by Drums, Bells, Cannons. The other Angelical, and that is of justice, a voice unpossible to be avoided. This is that last Sermon, that all the world shall hear: Arise ye dead, and come to judgement. Arise; let us now raise up ourselves from corruption of soul, that we may one day be raised from corruption of body; They that will not rise, their souls must, must, and carry their bodies to judgement. This world was made for man, not man for this world: therefore they take a wrong course that lie down there. He that lies down when he should arise and go, shall rise and go, when he would lie down. He that sleeps in the cradle of security all his life, sins sound without starting: when he once starts and wakes, he must never sleep again. The devil and mischief are ever watching: and shall man, whom they watch to hurt, sleep? He that would deceive the devil, had need to rise betimes. The Lion is said to sleep with one eye open, the Hare with both: the worldling with both eyes of his soul shut. He never riseth till he goes to bed: his soul wakens not, till his body falls asleep on his deathbed: then perhaps he looks up. As sometimes they that have been blind many years, at the approaching of death have seen: (whereof Physicians give many reasons) so the deathbed opens the eyes of the soul. Indeed at that time there is possibility of waking, but hazard of rising. That poor winter-fruit will hardly relish with God. Miserum incipete vivere, cum definendum est. It is wretched for a man then to begin his life, when he must end it. It is at the best but morosa et morbosa panitentia; a wearish and sick repentance: whereas God requires a f Rom. 12. 1. quick and lively sacrifice; this is as sick as the person that makes it. This indeed is not a Conversion, but a Reversion, or mere refuse. To raise the secure from their unseasonable, unreasonable sleep, God doth ring them a peal of five Bells. 1. The first Bell is Conscience: this is the treble, and doth somewhat trouble: especially if the hand of GOD pulls it. Many think of their consciences, as ill Debtors do of their Creditors; they are loath to talk with them. Indeed God is the Creditor, and Conscience the Sergeant, that will meet them at every turn. It makes a syllogistical conclusion in the mind: Reason, like David, draws the sword, and Conscience, like Nathan, knocks him on the breast with the hilts. David made the Proposition, The man that hath done this, shall dnee the death: Nathan the Assumption, 2. Sam. 12. Thou art the man: Conscience the Conclusion, Therefore thou must die. If you hear not, yea feel not the sound of this bell, suspect your deadness of heart: for that City is in danger, where the Alarme-bell rings not. 2. The second Bell is the Stint, or certain to all the rest; Uox evangelii, the voice of the Gospel. This Bell of Aaron is so perpetually rung amongst us, that as a knell in a great mortality, (quia frequens, non terrens) so common that no man regards it. Indeed, if some particular clapper ring melodiously to the ear, we come to please that rather than the soul. Luxurient wits think the Scripture-phrase gross: nothing delights them but a painted and meretricious eloquence. There are some that will not hear this Bell at all: like jeroboam, they will not travel to jerusalem for a Sermon, but content themselves with a Calf at home. Others look that the Preachers tongue should incessantly walk, but let their own hearts lie still. Thus often our Lecturer shall preach, we will give the hearing when we list. Thus many Ministers come to a Parish with their bones full of marrow, veins full of blood: but all is soon spent, and the people never the better. We ring, but you do not rise. 3. The third Bell is the Mean; and this is Suspiria gemitusque morientium; the cries & groans of the dying. Another's Passing-bell is thy warning-bell. Death snatcheth here and there about us, thousands on our left, ten thousands on our right: yet as if we had a Supersedeas, or Protection against it, we neither relent nor repent. Our security is argued of the more madness, because we have so common motions and monitions of death. Yet Nonerimus memores esse necesse mori. How horrible is it to be drunk in a charnel house? As Christ spoke, Let the dead bury the dead: So we bring to the Church dead bodies with deader souls. Forma, favour populi, fervour invenilis, opesque, Surripuere tibi noscere quid sit homo. We confess ourselves mortal, yet we live as if death had no quarrel against us. This Bell is the Mean, but it is too mean to wake us. 4. The fourth Bell is the Counter-tenor: vox pauperum, the cry of the poor. This bell rings loud, either to us for mercy, or against us for cruelty. Let us know, that if it cannot waken us, it shall waken God against us. g jam. 5. 4. Their cries are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaoth. Set not thy soul in danger of the people's curse: by inhauncing, engrossings, oppressions, etc. But thou sayest they are wicked men that will curse, and God will not hear the wishes of the wicked. I answer, it is often seen that the curse of the undone waster, lights upon the head of the undoing Usurer. The imprecation of one evil man may fall upon another: God so suffers it, not because he cursed thee, but because thou hast deserved this curse. Let this Bell make Oppressors arise to show mercy, that God may rise to show them mercy. Otherwise the poor man is ready to pray, h Psal. 7. 6. Arise, O Lord, in thine anger; lift up thyself, because of the rage of our enemies: awake for us to the judgement thou hast commanded. Yea, though they pray not for it, God will do it. i Psal. 12. 5. For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord. I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at it. If this Bel sound mournfully to thee for bread to the hungry, arise to this sound, as that neighbour rose at midnight Luke 11. 8. to relieve his importunate friend. If it cannot waken thy covetous soul to show mercy to Christ tempore suo, in his time of need; nor will Christ arise to show mercy to thee tempore tuo, in thy time of need. 5. The last Bell is the Tenor, the Bow-bell; able to waken all the City. But though that material Bell can teach us when it is time to go to bed, yet this mystical bell cannot teach us the time to arise. This is the abuse of the creatures: k jam. 5. 3. Haba. 2. The rust of the gold cries against the hoarder: the stone out of the wall against the Oppressor: the corn and wine against the Epicure. This is a roaring and a groaning Bell. l Rom. 8. 22. The whole creature groans, and travels in pain under us. This is the creatures ordinary Sermon: Accipe, red, cave; use us without abusing; return thankfulness without dissembling; or look for vengeance without sparing. They seem to cry unto us: We desire not to be spared, but not to be abused: Necessitati subseruire non recusamus, sed luxui: we would satisfy your natural necessity, not intemperate riot. We are the nocent creatures, that cause their innocency to become miserable. And but that the Divine providence restrains them, it is marvel that they break not their league with us; and with their horns, and hooves, and other artillery of nature make war upon us, as their unrighteous and tyrannical Lords. Let some of these Bells waken us: lest as God once protested against Israel, that seeing they would not when it was offered, therefore they should never enter into his rest: Hebr. 3. so a renuntiation come out against us; If any will be filthy, let them be filthy still: if they will not arise, they shall lie still Reuc. 22. for ever. If this peal cannot effect it, yet God hath four things more to rouse us. 1. A Goad, that pricks the skin, and smarts the flesh; Affliction: he hath Crosses and Curses; those gall, these deeply wound: they are able to make any but a Pharaoh arise. It was affliction that wakened David: It is good for me that I was troubled. The Leprosy brought Naaman to the Prophet; the Prophet brought him to God. It is strange, if bloody sides put not sense into us. Yet such was the obduracy of Israel; m jere. 5. 3. Thou hast stricken them, but they have not sorrowed: thou hast consumed them, yet they refused to return. Insensible hearts! n Esay 9 13. The people turneth not to him that smiteth them: neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts. Hast thou been wounded, and wilt thou not be wakened? beware lest God speak to thy soul, as in another sense Christ did to Peter; o Mark. 14. 41. Sleep on now, and take thy rest. 2. He hath to rouse us Thunder of heavier judgements: perhaps the light scratches which some adverse thorns make, are slightly reckoned; scarce change countenance for them. But he sleeps sound, whom thunder cannot wake. Humanas motura tonitrua mentes. When God thundered that menace in the cares of Niniveh, it waked them. Let Absalon fire joabs barley fields, and he shall make him rise. Shake the foundations of the Prison, and 2. Sam. 14. Acts 16. the stern layler will rise a converted Christian; Sirs, what shall I do to be saved? This thundering of judgements should cleanse our air, awaken our sleepy minds, purge our unclean hearts. p Amos 3. 8. If the Lion roar, who will not fear? If the Lord thunder, what man will not be afraid? 3. He hath an Ordnance to shoot off, Death. Statutum est omnibus mori. It is a Statute-Law of heaven, an Ordinance from the Court of justice, Every man shall die. When this Canon is discharged at thy paper-walls, then let thy soul rise, or never. The shooting off this Ordinance made Belshazzar stagger before he was drunk. q Dan. 5. 6. His knees smote one against another, when that fatal hand wrote his destiny on the wall. Indeed most do slumber on the Couch of health, they are quiet, no sickness stirs them: they are at a covenant with the grave: Sed cito finitam datur istam cernere vitam. Praeceps mortis iter: Death makes a headlong progress. This Ordinance carries death in the mouth: it is an even hand that shoots; one that will never miss the mark: let this rouse us. 4. God hath a Trumpet to sound. r 1. Thes. 4. 16. The Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God. Altisona, grandisona Tuba: the loudest Instrument of war; every ear shall hear it. As it was in the days of Noah, and Lot; s Luk. 17. 30. So shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. From eating and drinking, building and planting, buying and selling, marrying and dancing, shall this Trump call them. It shall fetch the Drunkard from his Alebench, the Harlot from her luxurious bed, the Epicure from his riotous table, the Usurer from his Charnel house of men's bones, and beasts skins, his study: now Surgendum est undeque; there must be an universal rising. Well, let us waken before this last Trumpets last summons, lest then we rise only to judgement, and be judged to lie down again in torments. God long expects our rising; Quantò diutius nos expectat ut emendemus, tantò districtius judicabit si Bern. neglexerimus. With how much patience he waits for our neglected conversion; with so much vengeance he will punish our continued rebellion. The Lord of his mercy, give us the first resurrection to Grace, that we may enjoy the Rising to Glory. Arise, and Go. Being got up, it is not fit we should stand still, we must be going. The main work was to raise us; now we are up, I hope an easy matter will set us a going. And to help forward our journey, let our meditations take along with them these three furtherances; the Necessity, the Conveniency, the End. The Necessity, we must go: the Conveniency, how we must go: the End, whither we must go. 1. The Necessity, all that have hope of heaven, must be going. The servants of God under the Law, Exod. 12. 11. the sons of God under the Gospel, Ephes. 6. 15. are commanded to have their Feet shod: to witness their preparation of Going. God doth not only charge Eliah with a Surge, t 1. King. 19 5. Arise; but also with a Vade, u ver. 7. Go. The sitting bird is easily shot; so long as she is flying in the air, the murdering piece is not leveled at her. There were two principal occasions of David's sin, Otium & Oculus: Idleness and his Eye. The one gives Satan opportunity, the other conveniency to iniect his temptation. Otia si tollas, periere Cupidinis arcus. David, hast thou nothing to do? Come, walk with me on thy Palace roof, I will show thee beauty; a snare able to take a Saint. It is necessary therefore to be going; for so we are not so fair a mark for Satan. Adam, so long as he was at his work in the Garden, was safe enough: when he became lazy, and fell a dallying with Eve, Satan shot him. It was Jerome's counsel to Rusticus; Be ever doing, ut quando diabolus veniat, inveniat occupatum: that when the Devil comes with his business, he may find thee at thine own business. So thou shalt answer him knocking at thy door; I am busy; I have no time to talk, with you, Satan. Do you think the Devil could be so sure to meet his friends at the Theatre, Tavern, Brothell-house; but that mistress Idleness sends them thither? Yea by this he takes a worldling by the hand at Church: well met; you are so full of business all the week, that you break your sleeps, cannot take your rest: come, here be two Sermons on the Sunday, sleep out them. The Sabbath seems tedious to some, they have nothing to do? Nothing? Alas, they know not a Sabbaths' days work. To pray, to hear, to read, to meditate, to confer, to visit, to pray again: is all this nothing? Because they labour not in their worldly calling, they think there needs no labour about their Christian calling: the working out their salvation they hold no pains; indeed they take no pains about it. If they did perform these duties, they should find the right spending the Sabbath, not Nullum laborem, sed alium: not no labour, but another kind of labour then ever they conceived. And this not Opus taedij, sed gaudij. Think on that sweet vicissitude of works and comforts; And Breve videbitur tempus tantis variet atibus occupatum: that time must needs seem short, that is spent in such variety of delights. It was the principal of those three faults, whereof Cato professed himself to have so seriously repent. One was, passing by water, when he might go by land: another was, trusting a secret to a woman: but the main one was, spending an hour unprofitably. How many hours, not only on common days, but even upon the holy Sabbath, that concerns the business of our souls, have we unprofitably lavished, and yet never heartily repented them? 2. The Conveniency; if we Go, we must have feet. All our Preaching is to beat the bush, put you from your coverts, and set you a going: but now Quitus pedibus? on what feet must you go? The Foot is the Affection or Appetite, saith S. Augustine. Eô feror, quocunque feror: that carries me, whither soever I go. The foot moves the body, the affection moves the soul. The regenerate soul hath three principal faculties, as the natural body hath three semblable members: the eye, hand, and foot. In the soul the Eye is Knowledge, the Hand is Faith, the Foot is Obedience. The soul without knowledge is like Bartimeus, blind: without faith, like the man with a withered hand: without obedience, like Mephibosheth, lame. True Christians are not Monopodes, one-footed: the Apostle speaks in the plural number, of their feet. a Ephes. 6. 15. Stand, having your Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. He meant not corporal feet: the soul must therefore have spiritual feet, like the bodies, for Number, Nature. For Number, the body hath two feet, so hath the Soul: Affection and Action, desiring and doing. The former, that puts forward the soul, is a hopeful affection. One said, Hope is a foot; Pes Spes: but hope is rather a nerve that strengthens the motion of this foot, than the foot itself. The latter is Action, or operative obedience; that rightly walks in the blessed way of holiness. b Psal. 40. 8. I desire to do thy will, O my God; there's the foot of affection. c Psal. 119. 32. I will run the way of thy Commandments; there's the foot of action. d Vers. 40. I have longed after thy precepts; there is the foot of desiring: e Vers. 59 I turned my feet unto thy testimonies; there's the foot of obeying. For nature, they are fitly compared to feet, and that Ratione Situs for Placing Transitus Passing. For Site or placing, the feet are the lower parts of the body, so are affections of the soul. The head is the director, the foot the carrier: the feet help the head, the head guides the feet. The understanding and affection, are like the blind man and the lame: the lame hath eyes but no feet; the blind hath feet but no eyes. But whiles the blind carries the lame, and the lame directs the blind, both may come to their journeys end. The understanding sees well, but of itself cannot go; the Affection is able to go, but of itself cannot see: let the one direct well, the other walk after that direction, and they will bring the soul to heaven. For Transition or Passing, as the feet corporally, so these spiritually, move and conduct the man from place to place. Indeed none can come to the f john 6. 44. Son, unless the Father draw him: but when he hath given us feet, he looks we should go. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear: he that hath hands, let him work: he that hath feet, let him go. Hence is that exhortation; g jam. 4. 8. Draw near to God, & he will draw near to you. In this foot-manship there is Terminus à quo recedimus, Terminus ad quem accedimus, motus per quem procedimus: From the ways of darkness, from the wages of darkness: to the fruition of light, to the counersation in light. From darkness exterior, interior, inferior. Outward; this land is full of darkness, fraught operibus tenebrarum, with the works of darkness. Inward, h Eph. 4. 18. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, & because of the blindness of their heart. Outer darkness, that which Christ calls i Mat. 22. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: or lower darkness. k Jude vers. 6. He hath reserved the Lost angels in ever lasting chains under darkness. Unto light external, internal, eternal. Outward Light; l Psal. 119. 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Inward light; m Psal. 51. 6. In the hidden parts thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Everlasting Light, n Dan. 12. 3. They shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars for ever and ever. Blessed feet that carry us to o john 1. 8. That light which lighteneth every man that cometh into the world: and to the beams of that Sun, which p Luk. 1. 79. gives light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: happy feet, they shall be guided into the way of peace. Look to thy foot wheresoever thou treadest: beware the gardens of temporal pleasures: Est aliquid quod in ipsis flori●… angat. It is worse going on fertile ground, then on ba●…: the smooth ways of prosperity are slippery, in rough ●…fflictions we may take sure footing. Let your feet be ●…od, saith Paul; your affections restrained: bar lust of her vain objects, turn her from earth to heaven. Set her a traveling, not after riches, but graces. Keep the foot of desire still going, but put it in the right way, direct it to everlasting blessedness. And this is 3. The End, whither we must go, to perfection. Thou hast done well, yet go on still. Nihil praesumitur actum, dum superest aliquid ad agendum: nothing is said to be done, whiles any part remains to do. No man can go too far in goodness. Nimis justus, et nimis sapiens potes esse, non nimis bonus. Thou mayest be too just, thou mayst be too wise, but thou canst never be too good. Summae religionis est, imitari quem colis. It is a true height of religion, to be a follower of that God, of whom thou art a worshipper. Come so nigh to God as possibly thou canst, in imitation, not of his power, wisdom, majesty, but of his mercy. q 1. Pet. 1. 16. Be holy, as the Lord is holy. r Luk. 6. 36. Be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful. The going on forward to this perfection, shall not displease him, but crown thee. Give not over this going, until with Saint Paul thou have quite s 2. Tim. 4. 7. finished thy course. Aim at perfection, shoot at this mark, though thou cannot reach it. When the wrestling Angel said to jacob, t Gen. 32. 26. Let me go, for the day breaketh; he answered, I will not let thee go except thou bless me: happy perseverance! u Cant. 3. 4. When I caught him whom my soul loved, I held him, and would not let him go. O sweet jesus, who would let thee go? Qui tenes tenentem, apprehendentem fortificus, fortificatum Bern. confirmas, confirmatum perficis, perfectum coronas. Thou that holdest him that holdeth thee, that strengthenest him that trusteth thee, confirmest whom thou hast strengthened, perfectest whom thou hast confirmed, and crownest whom thou hast perfected. In the behalf of this continuance, the Holy Ghost gives those exhortations; Hold fast, Stand fast. a Reu. 3. 11. Hold that thou hast, that no man take thy crown. The same to the Church of Thyatira; Tene quod habes, Reu. 2. 25. b Gal. 5. 1. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. It is an ill hearing, c Vers. 7. Ye (not do, but) did run well. The Prophet in his threnes weeps, that d Lam. 4. 5. they which were brought up in scarlet, embrace dunghills. It is just matter of lamentation, when souls which have been clad with zeal, as with scarlet, constantly forward for the glory of God, fall to such Apostasy, as with Demas to embrace the dunghill of this world, and with an avarous hausture to lick up the mud of corruption. joseph had a coat reaching down to his feet: our religion must be such a garment, neither too scant to cover, nor too short to continue ad ultimum, to the last day of our temporary breath. e Reu. 2. 10. Be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life: this crown is promised to a good beginning, but performed to a good ending. Strive to f Eph. 3. 18. comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height. If we can comprehend with the Saints, not only the height of hope, the depth of faith, the breadth of charity, but also the length of continuance, we are blessed for ever. Even the tired horse, when he comes near home, mends his pace: be good always, without weariness; but best at last: that the nearer thou comest to the end of thy days, the nearer thou mayest be to the end of thy hopes, the salvation of thy soul. Omnis coelestis Curia nos expectat, desideremus eam quanto possumus desiderio. The whole Court of Bern. heaven waits for us, let us long for that blessed society with a hearty affection. The Saints look for our coming, desiring to have the number of the elect fulfilled: the Angels blush when they see us stumble, grieve when we fall, clap their wings with joy when we go cheerfully forward: our Saviour Christ stands on the battlements of heaven, and with the hand of help and comfort wafteth us to him. When a noble Soldier in a foreign Land hath achieved brave designs, won honourable victories, subdued dangerous adversaries; and with worthy Chivalry hath renowned his King and Country: home he comes, the King sends for him to Court, and there in open audience of his Noble Courtiers, gives him words of grace, commendeth and (which is rarely more) rewardeth his Valour, heaps dignities, preferments, and places of honour on him. So shall Christ at the last day, to all those Soldiers that have valiantly combated and conquered his enemies; in the sight of heaven and earth, audience of men and Angels, give victorious wreaths, crowns and garlands, g revel. 7. 9 long white robes, to witness their innocency, and Palms in their hands, to express their victory: and finally he shall give them a glorious kingdom to enjoy for ever and ever. Now yet further to encourage our going, let us think upon our company. Four sweet associates go with us in our journey; good Christians, good Angels, good works, our most good Saviour jesus Christ. 1. Good Christians accompany us even to our death. If thou go to the Temple, they will go with thee. h Esay 2. 3. Many people shall say, Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of jacob. If thou say, i Nehem. 2. 17. Come, let us build up the walls of jerusalem: they will answer, k Ver. 18. Let us rise up and build. So when joshua protested to Israel; do what you will, l josh. 24. 15. but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord: they echoed to him; m Ver. 16. 18. God forbid that we should for sake the Lord, to serve other gods: we also will serve the Lord. Thou canst not say with Elias, n Rom. 11. 3. I am left alone; there be seven thousand, and thousand tho●…sands, that never bowed their knee to Baal. 2. Good Angels bear us company, to death in our guarding, after death in our carrying up to heaven. Angelis mandavit; o Psal. 91. 11. He hath given his Angels charge over us: There are malicious devils against us, but there are powerful Angels with us. That great Majesty whom we all adore, hath given them this commission. p Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them, who shall be heirs of salvation? An Angel counsels Hagar Gen. 16. to return to her Mistress; an Angel accompanies jacob in his journey; an Angel feeds Elias; an Angel 1. King. 19 plucks Lot out of Sodom. Gaudent Angeli te conversum Gen. 48. Origen. illorum sociari consortijs. The Angels rejoice at our conversion, that so their number might have a completion. 3. Good works bear us company: Good Angels associate us, to deliver their charge; good works to receive their reward. Though none of our actions be meritorious, yet are none transient, none lost. They are gone before us to the Courts of joy; and when we come, they shall welcome our entrance. Virtutis miseris dulce sodalitium. What misery soever perplexeth our voyage, virtue, and a good conscience are excellent company. 4. Lastly, jesus Christ bears us company. He is both Via and Conuiator; q joh. 14. 6. the way, and companion in the way. When the two Disciples went to Emaus, r Luk. 24. 15. jesus himself drew near, and went with them. If any man go to Emaus, which Bernard interpreteth to be Thirsting after good advice; he shall be sure of Christ's company. If any man s Math. 5. 41. entreat jesus to go a mile, he will go with him twain. None can complain the want of company, whiles his Saviour goes along with him. t 1. joh. 1. 3. Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son jesus Christ. There we find two Persons of the blessed Trinity, our Associates, the Father and the Son: now the Holy Ghost is not wanting. a 2. Cor. 13. 13. The grace of the Lord jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion (or fellowship) of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. Go we then comfortably forward, and b Psal. 107. 30. God will bring us to our desired Haven. But Pauci intrant, pauciores ambulant, paucissimi per●…nt. Few enter the way, fewer walk in the way, fewest of all come to the end of the way; their salvation. Men think the way to heaven broader than it is: But c Math. 7. 14. strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. All say, they are going to glory, but the greater number take the wrong way. A man somewhat thicke-sighted, when he is to pass over a narrow bridge, puts on spectacles to make it seem broader: but so his eyes beguile his feet, and he falls into the brook. Thus are many drowned in the whirlpool of sin, by viewing the passage to heaven only with the Spectacles of flesh and blood: They think the bridge broad, so topple in. Happy eyes that well guide the feet, and happy feet that never rest going, till they enter the gates of heaven. Thus much for the Passport: now we come to The Certificate. Thy faith hath made thee whole. Wherein Christ doth comfort and encourage the Leper. First, he comforts him, that his faith was the means to restore health to his body: then thereby he encourageth him that this faith increased, would also bring salvation to his soul. I might here observe, that as faith is only perceived of God, so it is principally commended of God. The Leper glorified God, and that with a loud voice; there was his thankfulness: he fell down at Christ's feet, there was his humbleness. The ears of men heard his gratitude, the eyes of men saw his humility: but they neither heard, nor saw his faith. But how then, saith Saint james, d jam. 2. 18. Show me thy faith? Himself answers, By thy works. It cannot be seen in habitu, in the very being; yet may easily be known in habente, that such a person hath it. No man can see the wind as it is in the proper essence; yet by the full sails of the ship one may perceive which way the wind stands. The sap of the tree is not visible, yet by the testimony of leaves and fruits we know it to be in the tree: Now Christ sees not as man sees: man looks upon the external witnesses of his gratitude and humility, but Christ to that sap of faith in the heart, which sent forth those fruits. Thy faith hath saved thee. The words distribute themselves into two principal and essential parts: The Means, Thy faith. Effects, Hath made thee whole. The means is partly Demonstrative; Faith; partly Relative, Thy faith. The Quality and the Propriety: the Quality of the means, it is Faith; the Propriety, it is (not another's, but) Thy faith. Faith. This is the demonstrative quality of the means of his healing. But what was this Faith? 1. There is a faith that believes veritatem historiae, the truth of God's word: This we call an Historical Faith; but it was not this faith. e Act. 26. 27. King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets? I know that thou believest. 2. There is a faith that believes Certitudinem Promissi, the certainty of God's promises: that verily is persuaded, God will be so good as his word: that he will not break his covenant with Israel, nor f Psal. 89. 33. suffer his faithfulness to fail unto David: yet applies not this to itself: but it was not this faith. 3. There is a faith that believes Potestatem Dicentis, the Majesty and Omnipotency of him that speaks: so the devil, that God is able to turn g Math. 4. 3. Stones into br●…d: so the Papist, that he can turn bread into flesh, and cause one circumscribed body to supply millions of remote places at once: But it was not this faith. 4. There is a faith believes se moturam Montes, that it is able to h 1. Cor. 13. 2. remove Mountains: a miraculous faith; which, though it were specially given to the Apostles, i Mark. 16. 17. In my name shall they cast out devils, take up Serpents, cure the sick by imposition of hands; say to a Tree, k Luk. 17. 6. Pluck thyself up by the roots, and plant thyself in the sea, and it shall obey them: yet reprobates also had it; for even they that are cast out with a Discedite à me, plead this; l Math. 7. 22. In thy name have we cast out devils, and done many wonderful works. But it was not this faith. 5. There is a faith that believes to go to heaven, though it bend the course directly to hell: that thinks to arrive at the jerusalem of blessedness, through the Samaria of profaneness: a presumption: but it was not this faith. 6. There is a faith that believes a man's own mercy in jesus Christ, and lives a life worthy of this hope, and becoming such a procession: and it was this faith that our Saviour commendeth. When Samuel came to anoint one of the sons of jesse, Eliab was presented to him, and he said, m 1. Sam. 16. 6. Surely the Lords Anointed is before him. He was deceived, he might have a goodly countenance and a high stature: but it was not he: Then passed by Abinadab; nor is this he: then Shammah; nor is this he: Then seven of his sons were presented; The Lord hath chosen none of th●…se. Be here all, saith Samuel? jesse answered, No, the youngest is behind, and he keepeth the sheep. Then said Samuel, Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he come. When he was come, he n Ver. 12. was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look on: And the Lord said, Arise, and anoint him, for this is he. If we should make such a quest for the principal Grace: Temperance is a sober and matronly virtue, but not she: Humility in the lowest is respected of the Highest, but not she: Wisdom is a heavenly grace, similisque creanti, like the Maker, but not she: Patience a sweet and comfortable virtue, that looks cheerfully on troubles, when her breast is red with the blood of sufferance, her cheeks are white with the pureness of innocence, yet not she: justice hath a hand spotless as the brow of heaven, a heart transparent as Crystal, a countenance able to daunt temptation itself, yet not she: Charity is a lovely virtue, little innocents hang at her breasts, Angels kiss her cheeks; o Cant. 4. 3. Her lips are like a thread of scarlet, and her speech is comely, her Temples are like a Pomegranate within her looks; all the ends of the earth call her blessed: yet not she. Lastly Faith appears, beautified with the rob of her saviours righteousness, adorned with the jewels of his graces, and shining in that fairness which he gave her: jam Regina venit, now comes the Queen of Graces: This is she. Now as Faith excels all other graces, so there is a special degree of faith that excels all other degrees. For every faith, is not a saving faith. The King of Syria commanded his Captains, ʸ Fight neither with small nor great, save p 1. King. 22. 31 only with the King of Israel. How should they know him? By his Princely attire, and royal deportment. Perhaps they met with many glorious personages, slew here and there one; none of them was the King of Israel. Setting upon jehoshaphat, they said, Surely this is the King of Israel; no, it was not. One drew a bow at a venture, smote a man in his Chariot, and that was the King of Israel. The faith that believes God's Word to be true, is a good faith, but not Illa fides, that saving Faith. The faith that believes Christ to be the world's Saviour, is a true faith, but not that faith. The faith that believes many men shall be saved, is vera fides, non illa fides, a true faith, but not that faith. The faith that believes a man's own soul redeemed, justified, saved by the merits of jesus Christ; not without works answerable to this belief: this is that faith. That was the King of Israel, and this is the Queen of Isra●…: all the other be but her attendants. There is Fides Sentiends, Assentiendi, and Appropriandi: a man may have the first, and not the second: he may have the first and second, and yet not the third: but if he have the third degree, he hath all the former. Some know the truth, but do not consent to it: some know it, and assent to it, yet believe not their own part: they that believe their own mercy, have all the rest. As meat digested turns to juice in the stomach, to blood in the liver, to spirits in the heart: so faith is in the brain knowledge, in the reason assent, in the heart application. As the child in the womb hath first a vegetative life, than a sensitive, last a rational. So faith, as mere knowledge, hath but a vegetation: as allowance, but sense: only the applying and apportioning the merits of Christ to the own soul by it, this is the rational, the very life of it. But thus we may better exemplify this Similitude. The vegetative soul is the soul of plants, and it is a true soul in the kind, though it have neither sense nor reason. The sensitive soul is the soul of beasts, a true soul; includes vegetation, but is void of reason. The rational soul is the soul of man, a distinct soul by itself, comprehends both vegetation and sense, having added to them the perfection of reason. So there are three kinds or degrees of Faith. 1. To believe there is a God; this is the faith of Pagans, and it is a true faith, though it neither believe the Word of God, nor mercy from God. 2. To believe that what God says is true: this is the faith of devils and reprobates, and a true faith; including the faith of Pagans, and going beyond it; yet it apprehends no mercy. 3. To believe on God, to rely upon his mercy in Christ, and to affy their own reconciliation; this is the faith of the Elect; comprehends both the former, yet is a distinct faith by itself. This faith only saves; and it hath two properties. 1. It is a repenting faith: for Repentance is Faith's Usher, & dews all her way with tears. Repentance reads the Law and weeps. Faith reads the Gospel and comforts. Both have several books in their hands; Poenitentia intuetur Mosem, Fides Christum. Repentance looks on the rigorous brow of Moses, Faith beholds the sweet countenance of Christ jesus. 2. It is a working faith: if it work not, it is dead: and a dead faith no more saves, than a painted fire warms. Faith is a great q Psal. 45. 14. Queen, her clothing is of wrought gold: the virgins her companions that follow her, are good deeds: Omnis fidelis tantum credit, quantum Greg. sperat & amat: & quantum credit, sperat, & amat; tantum operatur. A Christian so far believes, as he hopes and loves: and so far as he believes, hopes and loves, he works. Now as Moses is said to r Hebr. 11. 27. see him that is invisible, because he saw his backparts: and as when we see the members of the body moving to their several functions, we know there is a soul within, albeit unseen: so faith cannot be so invisible, but the fruits of a good life will declare it. Thus by degrees you see what is the right saving faith. As a Lapidary that shows the buyer an orient pearl; and having a little fed his eye with that, outpleaseth him with a Sapphire; yet out-values that with some Ruby or Chrysolite: wherewith ravished, he doth lastly amaze him with a sparkling Diamond transcending all. Or as Drapers show divers clothes of excellent colours, yet at last for a Masterpiece exceed all wi●…h a piece of Scarlet. So there are divers virtues like jewels, but the most precious jewel of all is Faith: And there are divers degrees of faith, as divers coloured clothes; but the saving faith is arrayed in the Scarlet rob, hath dipped and died herself in the blood of her Saviour jesus: yet is she white, pure white as the snow of Lebanon: so are all that be washed in that red fountain. s Reu. 7. 14. They have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Thy Faith. This is the property of that faith that healed him; his own faith. But how could Christ call it His faith, when as faith is God's gift? It is indeed Datum, so well as mandatum. Commanded, t 1. john 3. 23. This is his Commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son jesus Christ. So also given, u Phil. 1. 29. To you it is given in the behalf of Christ to believe on him. And x john 6. 29. This is the work (so well as the will) of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. But this is not given without means, as the woman of Tekoah said to David; y 2. Sam. 14. 14. GOD doth devise means. What's that? a Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing. Now when God hath given a man Faith, he calls it his; Thy faith; for what is freer than gift? So the Prophet calls it their own mercy; b jon. 2. 8. They that wait on lying vanities, for sake their own mercy. As the water in the Cistern is said to be the Cisterns, though it have it from the fountain. But yet how doth Christ call it his faith? had he a faith by himself? c Eph. 4. 5. There is one faith: therefore not more his, then others. In regard of the Object upon whom our faith reflects, there is but one faith: in regard of the subject wherein faith resides, every one must have his own faith. There is no salvation by a common faith: but as all true believers have one and the same faith, so every true believer hath a singular and individual faith of his own. Thy faith: thine for two reasons; to distinguish his Person from common men. Faith from common Faiths. 1. To distinguish his person from others: the Nine had not this Faith. They believed not, but thou believest. Thy faith; this declares him to be out of the common road. d Exod. 23. 2. Thoushalt not follow a multitude to do evil: that B●…llua multorum capitum must not lead thee. Some were devoted to Christ, but e Mark. 2. 4. they could not come nigh him for the press. It was the multitude that f Luk. 18. 39 rebuked the blind man's prayers. As a river leads a man through sweet meadows, green woods, fertile pastures, fruit-loden fields; by glorious buildings, strong Forts, famous Cities; yet at last brings him to the salt Sea: So the stream of this world carries along through rich commodities, voluptuous delights, stately dignities, all possible content to flesh and blood: but after all this brings a man to death, after death to judgement, after judgement to hell. Hear one of the Romists authentical pleas for their Church falls to the ground, universality. They plead Antiquity; so a homicide may derive his murder from Cain. They plead unity: so pharisees, Sadduces, Herodians combined against Christ. They plead universality: yet of the ten Lepers but one was thankful. The way to hell hath the greatest store of passengers: Company is good, but it is better to go the right way alone, than the broad with multitudes. It is thought probably, that at this day Mahometisme hath more under it then Christianity; though we put Protestant, and Papist, and Puritan, and Separatist, and Arminian; and all in the scale to boot: and that mere Paganism is larger than both. Where many join in the Truth, there is the Church: not for the many's sake, but for the Truth's sake. Saint g In Psal. 3 9 Augustine teacheth us to take Religion, not by tale, but by weight. Numbers make not a thing good, but the weight of truth. Some are so mannerly, that they will not go one step before a great man; no not to heaven. Many say with Hushai, h 2. Sam. 16. 18 Whom the people, and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be. But they leave out one principal thing, which Hushai there put in as the prime ingredient; Whom the Lord chooseth: they leave out the Lord. But joshua was of another mind: i josh. 24. 15. Choose youwhat gods soever you will serve; I and my house will serve the Lord. The Inferior Orbs have a motion of their own, contrary to the greater: good men are moved by God's Spirit, not by the Planetary motions of popular greatness. Let us prise righteousness highly, because it is seldom found. The pebbles of the world are common, but the pearls of graces rare. The vulgar stream will bring no vessel to the land of peace. 2. To distinguish his faith from the common faith. Thine; another kind than the pharisees faith. To believe the Word, but traditions withal, vera fides, non pura fides; is a true, but not a pure faith. To believe the Mayor of the Gospel, not the Minor, Vera, non sana fides; is a true, not a sound faith. To believe a man's own salvation, how debauchedly soever he lives, nec vera, pura, sana, nec omnino fides; is neither a true, pure, sound faith, nor indeed a faith at all: but a dangerous presumption. To believe thy own reconciliation by the merits of Christ, and to strengthen this by a desire of pleasing God; is a true, found, saving faith: and this is Fides tua, Thy Faith. Whosoever will go to heaven, must have a faith of his own. In gedeon's Camp every soldier had his own pitcher: among Salomon's men of valour, every one wore his own sword: and these were they that got the victories. The five wise Virgins had every one oil in her own lamp: and only these enter in with the Bridegroom. Another's eating of dainty meat makes thee never the fatter. Indeed many have sped the better for other men's faith: so the Centurion's servant was healed for his master's sake. k Mat. 8. 13. As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. But for the salvation of the reprobates; l jer. 15. 1. Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, saith the Lord, yet my mind could not be toward, such people. m Ezek. 14. 14. Though Noah, Daniel, and job interceded, yet they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness. Pious men's faith may often save others from temporal calamities: but it must be their own faith that saves them from eternal vengeance. Lut●… was wont to say, There is great Divinity in Pronouns. Thy faith. One bird shall as soon fly with another birds feathers, as thy soul mount to heaven by the wings of another's faith. It is true faith, and thy faith: true with other men's faith, but inherent in thy own person that saves thee. True, not an empty faith; Nuda fides, nulla fides. n De fide & oper. c. 23. Inseparabilis est bona vita â fide, imò verò ea ipsa est bona vita, saith Augustine. A good life is inseparable from a good faith; yea a good faith is a good life. So Irenaeus; To believe, is to do Gods will. Thine, therefore we say Credo, not Credimus; I believe, not we believe. Every man must profess, and be accountant for his own faith. Thus much of the Means; now to The Effect. Hath made thee whole, or saved thee: It may be read either way; It hath saved thee, or It hath salved thee. First, of them both jointly, then severally. Faith is the means to bring health to body, comfort to soul, salvation to both. I call it but the means; for some have given it more. Because the Apostle saith, that Abraham obtained the promise o Rom. 4. 13. Through the righteousness of faith: therefore say they, Fides ipsa justitia; Faith is righteousness itself. But let S. Paul answer them, and expound himself: I desire to p Phil. 3. 9 be found in Christ, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, (whose is that?) the righteousness which is (not of us, but) of GOD by Faith. Thus faith is said to save us, not of itself: the hand feeds the mouth, yet no man thinks that the mouth eats the hand, only as the hand conveys meat to the body, so faith salvation to the soul. We say the Ring stauncheth blood, when indeed it is not the Ring, but the stone in it. There are many that make faith an almighty Idol; it shall save: but thus they make themselves idle, and trust all upon nothing. That faith is a meritorious cause of justification; this a doctrine that may come in time to trample Christ's blood under feet. Now these speeches rightly understood; Faith adopteth, faith justifieth, faith saveth; are not derogatory to the glory of God, nor contradictory to these speeches, Christ adopteth, Christ justifieth, Christ saveth. One thing may be spoken of divers particulars in a different sense. God the Father adopteth, the Son adopteth, the holy Spirit adopteth, Faith adopteth: all these are true, and without contrariety. They be not as the young men that came out of the two armies before joab and Abner: q 2. Sam. 2. 16. every one thrust his sword into his fellows side, and fell down together. But like David's r Psal. 133. 1. Brethren, dwelling together in peace. God the Father adopteth as the Fountain of adoption; God the Son as the Conduit; God the holy Ghost as the Cistern; Faith as the Cock whereby it runs into our hearts. Faith brings justification, not by any special excellency it hath in itself, but only by that place and office which God hath assigned it: it is the condition on our parts. So the Apostle instructed the jailor, s Acts 16. 31. Believe ●…n the Lord jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. God's ordinance gives that thing the blessing, which it hath not in the own nature. If Naaman had gone of his own head, and washed himself seven times in jordan, he had not been healed: it was Gods command that gave those waters such purging virtue. If the Israelites stung with these fiery serpents in the Desert, had of their own devising set up a brazen Serpent, they had not been cured: it was neither the material brass, nor the serpentine form, but the direction of God which effected it. It was not the Statue, but the Statute, that gave the virtue. So Faith for it own merit brings none to heaven, but for the promise which the God of Grace and Truth had made to it. In common speech we say of such a man; His Lease maintains him: is there any absurdity in these words? No man conceives it to be a parchment lined with a few words, accompanied with a waxed Label, that thus maintains him: but that House or Land, or rents so conveyed to him. So Faith saveth: I ascribe not this to the Instrument, but to jesus Christ whom it apprehends, and that inheritance by this means conveyed. But now wouldst thou know thyself thus interessed? look to thy faith, this is thy proof. If a rich man die, and bequeath all his riches and possessions to the next of blood; many may challenge it, but he that hath the best proof carries it. To Christ's Legacy thou layest claim, look to thy proof: it is not, t Mat. 7. 22. Lord, Lord, I have prophesied in thy Name: nor, u Luk. 13. 26. We have feasted in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets: but x Mark. 9 24. I believe, Lord, help my unbelief; and then thou shalt hear, Be it unto thee according to thy faith. And this a little faith doth, if it be true. There is a faith like a grain of mustard seed; small, but true: little, but bite it, and there is heat in it: faith warms where ever it goes. In a word, this is not the faith of explication, but of Application, that is dignified with the honour of this conveyance. Hath made thee whole. Faith brings health to the body. There was a a Math. 9 20. woman vexed with an uncomfortable disease twelve years, b Mark. 5. 26. she suffered many things of Physicians; some torturing her with one medicine, some with another, none did her good, but much hurt, c Luke 8. 43. She had spent all her living upon them, and herein, saith Erasmus, was bis misera: her sickness brought her to weakness, weakness to Physic, Physic to beggary, beggary to contempt. Thus was she anguished in body, vexed in mind, beggared in estate, despised in place, yet faith healed her. Her wealth was gone, Physicians given her over, her faith did not forsake her, d Math. 9 22. Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole. There was a woman bowed down with a spirit of infirmity e Luke 13. 11. eighteen years; yet loosed: there was a man bedrid f john 5. 5. eight and thi●…ty years, a long and miserable time, when besides his corporal distress, he might perhaps conceive from that, Eccl. 38. 15. He that sinneth before his Maker, let him fall into the hand of the Physician; that God had cast him away, yet Christ restored him. Perhaps this Leprosy was not so old, yet as hard to cure; yet faith is able to do it; Thy faith hath made thee whole. But it was not properly his faith, but Christ's virtue that cured him: why then doth not Christ say, Mea virtus, and not Tua ●…ides: My virtue, not thy faith hath made thee whole? True it is, his virtue only cures, but this is apprehended by man's faith. When that diseased woman had touched him, g Mark. 5. 30. jesus knew in himself that virtue had gone out of him, and he turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? Yet speaking to the woman, he mentioneth not his virtue, but her faith; h Mark. 5. 34. Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. Faith in respect of the Object, is called in Scripture, i Gala. 3. 22. The faith of jesus Christ: in respect of the subject wherein it is inherent, it is my faith, and thy faith. Thy faith hath made thee whole. Hath saved thee: made whole, not thy body only, that's but part, the worst part: but thy soul also, Totum te, thy whole self: saved thee. The other nine had whole bodies, this tenth was made whole in soul too; saved. The richest jewel Christ left to his Church, is Salvation. k Rom. 10. 1. My he●…rts desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. Not their opulency, not their dignity, not their prosperity, was Saint Paul's wish; but their Salvation. If the devils would confess to us the truth, they would s●…y, The best thing of all is to be saved. That rich man would feign send this news out of hell; l Luke 16. 18. Let Lazarus testisi●… to my brethren, lest they also come into this place of torment. The te●…timony of salvation was blessed news, from the mouth of him that gives Salvation, jesus Christ. The vessel of man's soul is continually in a Tempest, until Christ enter the Ship, and then follows the calm of peace. It is remarkable, that God gives the best gifts at last. Christ gave this Leper m Ver. 14. health: bonum, this was good: For Vita non est vivere, sed valere: It is more comfortable to die quickly, then to live sickly. He gave him a good name, n Ver. 18. that he returned to give glory to God; melius; this was better. But now lastly he gives him salvation, o Ver. 19 Thy faith hath saved thee; Optimum this is best of all. Vltima optima. Hath God given thee wealth, bless him for it: hath he given to thee health, bless him for it: hath he given thee good reputation, bless him for it: hath he given thee children, friends, peaceable days; bless him for all these. But hath he given thee Faith? especially bless him for this: he hath given thee with it, what we beseech his mercy to give us all, Salvation in jesus Christ. I conclude, there is a faith powerful to justify the soul by the righteousness of jesus Christ: but it never dwelled in a bosom that lodgeth with it lust and dissoluteness. p Gala▪ 2. ●…7. If while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves are found sinners, is therefore Christ the Minister of sin? God forbid. Which verse may not unfitly be distinguished into four particulars. Quòd sit, Si sit, An sit, Absit. There is a Concession, a Supposition, a Question, a Detestation. 1. The Concession, Quòd sit; that is so: he takes it granted that all true Christians seek their only justification by Christ. 2. The Supposition Si sit; if it be so, that in the mean time we are found sinners. 3. The Question or discussion, An sit; is it so? is Christ therefore the Minister of sin? 4. The Detestation, Absit, God forbid. Where let us behold what the Gospel acquireth for us, and requireth of us. It brings us liberty: the Law gendereth to bondage: and that, saith Aquinas, Quantum ad Affectum, and Quantum ad Effectum. 1. The Law begets an affection of fear, the Gospel of Love. q Rom. 8. 15. Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father. Brevissima & apertissima du●…rum▪ Testament●…rum differentia, Ti●…or & Aug. Amor. There is a short and easy difference betwixt the old Testament and the new; Fear, and love. 2. The Law brought forth only servants, the gospel sons. r Gal. 4. 26. jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. Libera, quòd liberata, free because she is freed. For s john 8. 36. if the Son make you free, you shall be free indeed. This it brings to us, it also challengeth something of us; t Gal. 5. 13. that we use not our liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. All things are free to us by faith, yet all things serviceable by charity. Vt simul stet servitus libertatis, & libertas servitutis: that the service of Luther. liberty, and liberty of service, might stand together. A Christian for his Faith is Lord of all, for his love servant to all. That therefore we might not abuse our freedom, nor turn the grace of God into wantonness; the Apostle, after the reins given, pulls us in with the Curb: though justified by Christ, take heed that we be not found sinners: a check to over-iocund looseness, a corrective not so much libertatis, as liberatorum; of our freedom, as of ourselves being freed. In vain we plead that Christ hath made us Saints, if our own evil lives prove us sinners. Indeed, as God covenants by the Gospel to remit our sins, so we must condition by the law to amend our lives. For that faith to which the promise of justification and eternal life is made, is a faith that can never be separated from charity. Wheresoever it is, there is love joined with it, bringing forth the u Phil. 1. 11. fruits of righteousness, which are by jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God. This is that faith to which x 2. Cor. 1. 20. all the promises of God are yea and Amen in Christ to the glory of God by us. The Lord that hath made them Yea and Amen in his never-failing mercies, make them also Yea and Amen in our ever-beleeving hearts, through our blessed Saviour jesus Christ. Amen. THE SAINTS MEETING, OR Progress to Glory. Ephes. 4. 13. Till we all meet in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. THe first word of the Text, is a gate to let in our considerations, to contemplate this goodly city which indeed is like jerusalem, a city of 〈…〉 Psal. 122. 4● of the Lord, unto the 〈…〉: to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. And when we are in, let us number and ponder the towers & powers of it: for every pin and pinnacle shall afford us comfort. But we must first pass by this portal; Until: and this very entrance will give us two observations. 1. Teacheth us, that God hath ordained the Ministry of the Gospel to last to the end of the world. Christ hath given Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Teachers: To perfect the Saints, and to edify his body: to continue Till we all meet in the unity of faith etc. So was his promise after his Charge. Math. 28. His charge, Go teach all nations: his promise; Lo I am with you always, unto the end Mat. last chap. last verse. of the world. God will send shepherds, till every lost sheep be brought to the folds of peace. The Minister's voice shall sound, till it be overtaken by the Archangels Trump. The ministration of the Law had an end; but there is none to the ministration of the Gospel, before the end of the world. Hereof may be given a double excellency to the Gospel: and prelation above the Law. It is more Gracious. Glorious. 1. The Gospel is more gracious. a 2. Cor. 3. 6. God hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. The proper office of the Law was to threaten, terrify, condemn. Lex non damnans est ficta & pictalex, saith Luther. That law that doth not condemn, is a feigned and a painted law. But the power of the Gospel is to convert, and save. b Esa. 61. 1. The Lord hath anointed me, (saith the Prophet in the person of Christ) to preach good tidings unto the meek, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the capti●…es, and the acceptable year of the Lord, to comfort all that mourn. The law was called the Ministration of death; but the Gospel, like john Baptist points us to Christ a Saviour; c joh. 1. 29. Behold the Lamb●… of God, t●…king away the sin of the world. The law menaced death; but the Gospel assures us; d Rom. 8. 1. There is no damnation to them which are in Christ. When the law, like a stern Sergeant, arresteth thee; Pay that thou owest; the Gospel produceth an acquit●…ance, ●…ealed in the blood of jesus; and says to thy faith, All is paid. Quod lex operum minando imper●…t, lex fidei credendo impetr●…t. What the law of Aug. works commanded threatening, the new law of faith obtaineth by believing. 2. The Gospel is also more glorious: and that both in regard of the Countenance, and Continuance. For beauty more glorious: because it is more honourable to be the messenger of mercy and life, then to be the minister of terror and death. A deathsman is accounted base, but their feet are beautiful that bring tidings of peace and pardon. e 2. Cor. 3. 9 If the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For Continuance; Moses glory is done away; but the glory of Moses his Lord remains for ever. f joh. 1. 17. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Christ jesus. The type is vanished, banished; but the substance abideth ever. g 1. Cor. 13. 10 When that which is perfect comes, that which is in part is done away. There was a second Testament to succeed the first; but after the second shall succeed none. So that if any man shall wilfully and finally evacuate to himself the virtue of this new Covenant, h Heb. 10. 26. there remaineth no more sacrifice for his sins. Therefore the Apostle concludes; i 2. Cor. 3. 11. If that which is done away, was glorious; much more that which remaineth is glorious. The blood of Christ doth mystically run fresh to the end of the world; therefore the Gospel must be preached, that this blood may be applied. The Gospel is that Star that must bring us to Christ: therefore shall shine till our souls come to him in glory. The very subject of the Gospel is everlasting life: therefore it shall not leave us, till it hath brought us thither. 2 This Until gives matter of exhortation; instructing us to wait with patience for this blessed time; to be content to stay for Gods Until. It is a sweet mixture of joy in trouble, the certain hope of future ●…ase. Thou art captived, thou shalt be freed: thou art persecuted, shalt triumph: thou art fought against, shalt reign: thou art derided, but thou shalt shine in glory. Only quietly expect this Until. k Heb. 10. 37. Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. But Until this recompense of reward comes, ye have need of patience. Labour not a violent extrication of thyself; abide and wait Till we all meet in the unity of faith, etc. We are got through the gate, let us now enter the City: werein we shall find fi●…e principal Passages or Streets What; a●…ting ●…ting. Who; We, yea we All; all the Saints. Wherein; In Unity; that unity; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Whereof; Of the Faith & knowledge of God's Son. Whereunto; To a perfect man, Unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. What; Mee●…e. The meeting of friends is e●…er comfortable. l Act. 28. 15. When the brethr●…n heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appi●… forum: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and to●…ke courage. They have sullen and tetrical spirits, whom the sight of good friends cannot cheer. Fraternum verè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. m Psal. 133. 1. Ec●… qu●…m bonum, etc. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity▪ Some things are good but not pleasant; as afflictions; they are not sweet yet pro●…table n Psal. 119. 71. It was good for me that I have be●…e afflicted▪ that I might learn th●… statutes. Other things are pleasant but not good: The wicked take delight in sin, which s●…ayeth the soul. But this is both Bonum, and Iu●…undum; good and pleasant also. There is a threefold meeting of the godly. 1 In this life, with their souls in their bodies. 2 After death, of their souls without bodies. 3 At the last day, of both together in glory. 1. In this life; and here the communis terminus of their meeting is God's house. Where always Christ himself is one of the number. o Math. 18. 20. Wheresoever two or three of you be gathered together in my name▪ I will be in the midst of you. But to have his blessed society, we must not only bring our bodies, but our minds with them. Quomodo erit Christus in medio nostrum, ●…i nobiscum non erimus? How should Christ be with us if we be not with ourselves? Plus valet consonantia voluntatum qu●…m vocum. The harmony Bern. of our voices is not so pleasing to God, as of our hearts. This is the happiest meeting in this world. The denial of this comfort made the soul of David sick, p Psal. 42. 2. 10 cast down & disquieted within him. And his reviuall was, that he might q Psal. 43. 4. go unto the altar of God, unto God his exceeding joy. Indeed the ungodly think not thus: they are more delighted with the tabernacles of Meshek and the taverns of K●…der. In the 2. of Luke, when joseph Luk. 2. 44. & Mary had lost jesus, coming from jerusalem; they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. But they found him not till they came to jerusalem; & there he was in the Temple. The children of God, when they seek Christ, find him not in the world, among their kindred & friends in the flesh; but in Domo Dei, in the house of God. It is dangerous to be absent from these holy meetings, lest we miss of our saviours company. God did not promise to meet thee here; thou usurer at the Bank, thou drunkard at the alehouse, thou sluggard on thy unseasonable couch; but at the Church. Christ comes to appear to us, and we are gone; some about our farms of covetousness, others about carnal pleasures. In vain we seek God if not in his right Vbi, where he hath promised to be found. Fugienti bonum consortium, obuenit corruptum & corrumpens sodalitium. He that eschews Christian meetings, shall be met withal, either by the Devil when he is lazy, or by the devils friends when he is busy. 2. When death shall manumit and set free our souls from the prison of the body, there shallbe a second meeting. Many have come from east & from west, far remote in place, and have met with Abraham and Isaac, and the holy patriarchs, which lived long before them in this world, in the kingdom of heaven. So already in a Heb. 12. 23. Mount Zion are the Spirits of just men made perfect. The purer part is then glorified, and meets with the triumphant Church in bliss. This meeting exceeds the former in comfort. 1. In respect that our miseries are past, our conflict is ended, & tears are wiped from our eyes. The very release from calamity is not a little felicity. So Austin meditates of this place negatively. b De symb. lib. 3. Non est ibi mors, non luctus: etc. There is no death nor dearth, no pining nor repining, no sorrow nor sadness, neither tears nor fears, defect nor loathing. No glory is had on earth without grudging & emulation; in this place there is no envy. c Idem de vita aeterna. Non erit aliqua invidia disparis claritatis, quum regnabit in omnibus unitas charitatis. None s●…all malice another's glorious clearness, when in all shall be one gracious dearness. God shall then give rest to our desires. In our first meeting we have Desiderium quietis: in this second Quietem desiderij. Here we have a desire of rest, there we shall have rest of desire. 2. In regard, that we shall see God; behold him whose glory filleth all in all. This is great happiness: for d Psal. 16. 11. in his presence is the fullness of joy, & at his right hand are pleasures for ever. We shall not only e Heb. 12. 24. meet with the spirits of just men made perfect, but also with him that made them just and perfect; jesus the mediator of the new covenant: even God himself. 3 Our last meeting, which is called the General assembly and Church of the first borne written in heaven is the great meeting, at the end of the world. When our reunited bodies & souls shall possess perfect glory, and reign with our Saviour for ever. When as no mountain or rock shall shelter the wicked from doom & terror; so no corruption detain one bone or dust of us from glory. f 1. Thes. 4. 17 We shall be caught up together in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we be ever with the Lord. Who; We. There is a time when the elect shall meet in one universality. Though now wear scattered all over the broad face of the earth; dispersed and distressed; yet we shall meet. There is now a Communion of Saints 1. As of all the members with the Head; all have interest in Christ. For he is not a garden flower, private to few; but the g Cant. 2. 1. Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the valleys; common to the reach of all faithful hands. So Jude calls this our h jud. ver. 3. common salvation. 2. So of one member with another: even of the Church triumphant with this militant. They sing Hosannas for us, & we Halleluia's for them: they pray to God for us, we praise God for them. For the excellent graces they had on earth, and for their present glory in heaven. We meet now in our affections, to solace one another, and serve our God: there is a mutual sympathy between the parts. i 1. Cor. 12. If one member suffer, all suffer with it. But this meeting shallbe void of passion, and therefore needless of compassion; though love shall remain for ever. This Instruction is full of comfort. We part here with our parents, children, kindred, friends: death breaks off our society; yet there shall be a day of meeting. k 1. Thes. 4. 18 Comfort one another with these words. Hast thou lost a wife, brother, child; you shall one day meet: though not with a carnal distinction of sex, or corrupt relation which earth afforded. No man carries earth to heaven with him: the same body but transfigured, purified, glorified. There shall be love hereafter, not the offals of it. A wife shall be known, not as a wife; there is no marriage, but the Lambs. Thou shalt rejoice in thy glorified brother, not as thy brother according to the flesh, but as glorified. It is enough, that this meeting shall afford more joy, than we have knowledge to express. This gives thee consolation dying; with grief thou leavest those, thou dearly lovest. Yet first thou art going to one, whose love is greater than Jonathan's; that gave his life to redeem thee. And well pondering the matter, thou art content to forsake all, to desire a dissolution, that thou mayest be with Christ. Yet this is not all; thou shalt again meet those, whom thou now departest from; and that with greater joy, than thou hast left in present sorrow. This comforts us all: if it be a pleasure for friends to meet on earth, where Satan is still scattering his troubles of dissension; what is it to meet in heaven, where our peace is free from distraction, from destruction! where if there be any memory of past things, meminisse iunabit; it shall rather delight us, to think of the miseries gone, and without fear of returning. It is some delight to the merchant, to sit by a quiet fire, and discourse the escaped perils of wracks and storms. Remove then your eyes from this earth; whether you be rich, for whom it is more hard; or poor, for whom it is easier: and know, it is better living in heaven together, then on earth together. So then run your race, that in the end you may meet with this blessed society; the Congregation of Saints in glory. We, yea All we. In this world we must never look to see an universal Church; but at that general day we shall All meet. In heaven there are none but good: in hell none but bad, on earth both good and bad, mingled together. I confess, that the Church militant is the Suburbs of heaven, yea called the Kingdom of heaven; because the King of heaven governs it by his celestial laws; but still it is but heaven upon earth. In God's floor there is chaff mixed with the wheat: in his field cockle with corn: in his net rubbish with fish: in his house vessels of wrath with those of honour. The Church is like the moon, sometimes increasing, sometimes decreasing: but when it is at the full, not without some spots. Now this mixture of the ungodly is suffered for two causes; either that themselves may be converted, or that others by them may be exercised. Omnis malus aut ideo Aug. vivit ut corrigatur: aut ideo ut per illum bonus excerceatur. 1. For their own emendation, that they may be converted to embrace that good, which they have hated. So Saul a persecutor becomes Paul a professor. Marry Magdalen, turpissima meretrix fit sanctissima mulier; a putrefied sinner, a purified Saint. Zacheus, that had made many rich men poor, will now make many poor men rich; when he had paid every man his own; (and that now he judged their own, which he had fraudulently got from them) l Luk. 19 8. Behold half my goods I give to the poor. The thief after a long lewd life, hath a short happy death; and goes from the Cross to Paradise. If these had been rooted up at the first, God's Garner had wanted much good wheat. He that is now cockle, may prove good corn. 2. For the excercise of the godly. For the reprobate do not only fill up the measure of their sins; that so not m 2. Thes, 2. 11. believing the truth, they might be damned for their unrighteousness; making their condemnation both just and great. But they serve also for instruments to exercise the faith and patience of the Saints. Babylon is a flail to bruise the nations, at last itself shall be threshed. They are but the rubbish, where with the vessels of honour are scoured: the vessel made bright; the scouring stuff is thrown to the dunghill. They are Apothecaries to make us bitter potions, for the recovery of our spiritual health: but so that they cannot put in one dram more than their allowance: and when they come to be paid for their bills, they find the sum total their own vengeance. They are like shepherds dogs, that serve to hunt the lambs of Christ to the sheepfolds of peace, but their teeth are beaten out, that they cannot worry us. Fr●…mit lupus, tremit agnus; the wolf rageth, and the Lamb quaketh, but n Luk. 12. 32. fear not little flock; he is greater that is with you, than all they that are against you. Illorum malitia, est ve●…ra militia: their malice is your warfare; but o Rom. 8. 37. in all you shall conquer. They shall make you better, not worse. Hence let us learn. 1. Not to fly from the Church, because there are some wicked men in it. Non propter malos boni sunt deserend●…, sed propter bonos mali sunt tolerandi. Forsake not the good Aug. because of the evil, but suffer the evil because of the good. when we can brook no imperfection in the Church, know then p Aduersus Anabaptist. art. 2 Diabolum nos tume●…acere superbia, that the Devil doth blow us up with pride; saith Calvin. I hold the Church, saith Augustin; full of both wheat and chaff: I better whom I can, whom I cannot I suffer. Fugio paleam, ne hoc sine non aream, ne nihil sim. I avoid the chaff, lest I become chaff: I keep the floor, lest I become nothing. q jam. 3. 2. We sin all in many things: and many in all things: let us fly from all sins, not from all sinners; for r 1. Cor. 5. 10. than we must go out of the world; out of ourselves. But I believe the holy catholic Church; I believe it, though through the shadow of infirmities I cannot see it. Intelligit fides, quae non vides. If it was perspicuous to sense, there was no place to faith, no use or excercise of believing. But here s 2. Cor. 5. 7. we walk by faith, not by sight. All the glory of the King's daughter is Intus, within. Psal. 45. she is glorious within. wretched are they that forsake her, and when they speak of her, bless themselves that they are fled Psal. 45. 14. out of Babel. Blind fools, that will not know jerusalem from Babel. Their fault is the more heinous for two causes. 1. They seemed our most zealous professors: and a lewd servant is easilier brooked than an undutiful son. 2. They know so much, that their own conscience tells them; Ignorance cannot excuse their separation. An ignorant injury is in more hope, both of amends and mercy. All their hot urging, was our purging; not from our vices, but our good order: which when they could not effect, they purged themselves out of our company. And their very malice did us good; for I am sure, we have been ever since the cleaner. They send us word of many unreformed, uncensured evils among us, for which they separate. It cannot be denied, it cannot be avoided, but that among so many millions of men there will be some lepers: but what? must their uncleanness needs infect all? t Aug. Ep. 48. Certè nullius crimen inficit nescientem. Let me not participate of their sin, not shun the Church because they are in it. yea, I am commanded to come, though they be there. If a man will come unworthy, the sin is his: but if I come not because he comes, the sin is mine. God says to the wicked guest, How camest thou in hither? not to the prepared, How came you in with such a guest? His fault cannot dispense with my duty: nor shall my duty be charged with his fault. But our evils are innumerable; I would to God they were less: yet I am sure the Gospel is fair, though our lives be fowl: Our profession is good, though many men's conversation be full of evil. And yet the number of our evils is somewhat abated by their absence: we cannot complain of all evils, whiles we want them. To the unclean, they say; all things are evil; yet they are content to take some evil from us. They will eat victuals, yea and eat them up; as if for anger, rather than hunger. They will purse up our moneys; take advantages of their forfeited bonds; and plead a providence in it; their own providence they mean: and so, though not pray with us, yet pray upon us. If all our things be evil, I perceive they love some of our evil. Let them go: they from us, not us from ourselves. But rather 2. Seeing there are wolves among the Lambs, let us be wise to save ourselves, and patient to suffer others. The good are for thy comfort, the wicked for thy excercise: let thy life be good, to the consolation of the one, and conviction of the other. u Greg. Mor. 1 Non valdè laudabile est, bonum esse cum bonis, sed bonum esse cum malis. For as it is a wretched fault not to be good among the good: so it is a worthy praise to be good among the evil. a Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine, that others may glorify God for your good; and be b 1. Pet. 3. 16. ashamed of their own evil. You are the light of the world; if there be any dimness in your shining, the whole Country is full of snuffers. In the Temple were c 1. King. 7. 50 golden snuffers; we have not many of those, to make us burn brighter: but base stinking ones, that would rather put us out. 3. Let us abhor wicked societies, knowing that they shall be convented again in hell. There must be some acquaintance with them, must be no familiarity. A mere commerce with them is not utterly in itself unlawful, but dangerous. Factum licitum prohibetur, propter vicinitatem illiciti. Thou hadst better lose a good bargain at a worldling's hand, then purchase some of his wickedness. The second Chariot of Egypt taught joseph to swore by the life of Phara●…h. Let them see thy good life, hear thy gracious words: thy true detestation, and wise reprehension of their wickedness. God's servants would have all serve their master, that they might have the more company with them to heaven. But let thy d Psal. 16. 3. delight be with the Saints on earth, and with those that excel in virtue. Let us meet now in sincerity, that hereafter we may meet in glory. e Psal. 119. 63. I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and keep thy precepts. Death may break off for a while this gracious meeting, but our glorious second meeting shall triumph over death: it shall be General; it shall be eternal. Wherein; In the unity. A perfect unity is not to be expected in this life; it is enough to enjoy it in heaven. Indeed the Church is ever but one. There are threescore f Cant. 6. 8. Queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number: My dove, my undefiled is but one, she is the only one of her mother. Though a kingdom have in it many shires, more Cities, and innumerable Towns; yet is itself but one; because one King governs it, by one law. So the Church though universally dispersed, is one kingdom; because it is ruled by one Christ, and professeth one faith g Ephe. 4. 5. There is one body, one spirit, one Lord, one faith. So much Unity now. But that unity which is on earth may be offended, in regard of the parts subiectuall to it. What family hath not complained of distraction? What fraternity not of dissension? What man hath ever been at one with himself? h 1. Cor. 11. 19 There must be divisions, saith Paul: are and must be, by a kind of necessity. But there is a twofold necessity. One absolute and simple: God must be just; a necessity of infallibility. The other exhypothesis, or of consequence; as this, there must be heresies. Satan will be an adversary, man will be proved; a necessity upon presupposition of Satan's malice, & man's wickedness. But woe unto them by whom offences come: we know not the hurt, we bring by our divisions. i Zach. 8. 19 Thus saith the Lord of Hostes. Zach. 8. Love the truth, and peace. Some love peace well, but they care not for truth. These are secure worldlings: let them alone in their sins, and you would not wish quieter men. Pacem quaerunt, Pietatem fugiunt: they seek peace, but they fly righteousness: as if they would disunite those things which God hath joined together, righteousness and peace. Righteousness and peace shall kiss each other. Others love truth well, but not peace. Let them fabric a Church out of their own brains, or rather a discipline to manage it; and they will keep within verges of the main truth. They cannot be content to have good milk, but they must choose their spoon to eat it with. They are wanton children, and worthy the rod of correction: let them be whipped, only discipline may mend them. I would our eyes could see, what hurt the breach of unity doth us. Scilurus his arrows taken singly out of the sheaf, are broken with the least finger: the whole unsevered bundle fears no stress. We have made ourselves weaker, by dispersing our forces. Even the encouraged Atheist walks to Church in the lane of our divisions; and is still no less an Atheist, than the devil was a devil when he k job 1. 6. stood among the sons of God. It is the nature of our controversies to fight peremptorily at both ends, whiles truth and piety is left in the middle, and neglected. Whiles men have contended about the body of Religion, some have thought it quite dead: as no doubt Moses body was, when the l Jude ver. 9 Archangel disputed with the Devil about it. As one said of his Donatists; Betwixt our m Optat. cont. Parm. Licet, and your Non licet, many souls stagger: and excuse their irresolution by our want of peace. Indeed this is eventually one good effect of many controverted points; the way is cleansed for others, though not for themselves. thieves falling out, true men come by their goods. Two flints beaten together, sparkles out fire: and by the wrestling of two poisons, the health is preserved. So are some united to the truth, by these divisions of peace. But others are more unsettled: they condemn all for the dissension of some: our comfort is, God doth not so. The divisions of a few, and that about the husk of Religion, Ceremony; cannot redound to the condemnation of a whole Church. In God's judgement it shall not; we must care little, if in theirs. Do not we know, that Satan by his good will, would allow us neither Truth nor Peace? but if we must have one, will he not labour to detain the other? If he can keep us from Truth, he cares not much to allow us peace. The wicked have security, the devil lets them alone. What fowler sets his gins for tame birds, that will come gently to his hand? But if we embrace the truth, then have at our peace. Shall the Prince of darkness be quiet, when his Captives break loose from him? The good are soon tempted. invidia fertur in magnos. It was the king of Syria his command to his 32. captains; n 1. King. 22. 31. Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the King of Israel. It is the devils charge to his soldiers; fight against none, but the godly, that fight against me. David was safe among his sheep, and Moses leading a private life. No man lays snares for his own birds; nor the Devil for such as o 2. Tim. 2. 26. are taken captive by him at his will. But pax conscientiae is bellum Satanae: and this just war is better than an unjust peace. Let all this give condemnation to peace-haters, and commendation to peace-lovers. There are some quite gone, not diverse but adverse to us; with these war, and no peace: for they have no peace with Christ. Sinews cut in sunder can never be knit, nor can there be Integralis unitas in solutione continui. They will be gone, let them go. I would we were as well rid of all those, whose souls hate unity. The Christians of of the first age were nether Albinians, nor Nigrians: Tertull. the report of faction was scarce heard. Athanasius, on whose shoulder our mother the Church leaned, in her sharpest persecution to take her rest; rejoiced, that though the adversary hate was violent, the love of brethren was sound. Peter was commanded to put up his sword, even when Christ was at his elbow, to heal the greatest wound he could make: why do we smite and hurt, that have not such means of cure? King Richard the holy warrior having taken a Bishop in coat-armour, in the field; was requested by the Pope (calling him his Son) to release him. The King sent not him, but his coat to the Pope; and asked him; An haec esset filii sui tunica? whether this was his sons coat: alluding to the coat of joseph, which his brethren brought to their Father. The ashamed Pope answers; Nec his sons undertakes, wit conscience prepares, scrup●… , and Peace suffers. And now 〈◊〉 ●…hey 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unum, but 〈◊〉; not to 〈◊〉 out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…ake their malice on, but to dissolve and undo the united strength of all. ●…her the sce●…r must stoop to the mitre, or no peace. Between the roots of judah and Levi, by Moses law, the separations and distances were 〈◊〉 ●…de, that neither need to cross another's walk, nor 〈◊〉 ●…clipse another's dignity. The rod of Mose●… was once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serpent, to give terror: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 was preserved; not in campo 〈◊〉, in a 〈◊〉 of wa●…e and sedition; but Testimony tabernaculo; sprow●…ng forth green leaves of Truth, and sweet blossoms of Peace. Well let our enemies cry; Non Pacem petimus Superi, date gentibus iram. Our voice be for Peace. Nulla salus bello, Pacem te poscimus omnes▪ Peace was that last and rich jewel, which Christ departing to his Father, left his Spouse for a legacy. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. This Peace be with us for ever. joh. 14. 27. Whereof. This unity hath a double reference. 1. to Faith. 2. to Knowledge. And the Object to both these, is the Son of God. Of the faith. Faith is taken 2. ways: either passively, or actively Vel pro ●…o Quo creditur. Quod creditur. Either for that whereby a man believes, or for that which a man believes. So it is used both for the instrument that apprehends, and for the object that is apprehended. If we take it for the former, we may say there is also an unity of faith; but by distinction. Faith is one Ratione obiecti, non ratione subiecti: One in respect of the Object on which it rests, not one ●…n respect of the Subject in which it resides. Every man hath his own faith; every faith resteth on Christ. The just shall live by his own faith. Nulla fides pro te, nisi quae in te. Every man must see with his own eyes, reach with his own hand, have a Math. 25. 9 oil ready in his own Lamp, that he may enter in with the Bridegroom. He must labour in the vineyard himself, that would have the penny: he shall not have another's pay. It is a happy perfection of faith, when we shall all believe in one Christ, after one manner. Not one with a Grecian faith, another with a Roman, a third with an Arrian, a fourth with an anabaptistical; but all meet in the unity of one holy Catholic faith. But if we rather take it Pro obiecto quod creditur, for Christ in whom we have believed, we shall all meet in the unity of those joys & comforts which we have faithfully expected. Some believed before the law, some under the law, others under the Gospel: all shall meet in the unity of faith: b 1. Pet. 1. 9 Receiving the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls. Whether some believed in Christ to come, or others in Christ already come, or we in Christ come and gone to glory: Venturus & venit, diversa sunt verba, eadem fides; To come, or come, are diverse words, but there is but one faith. c Ephe. 4. 5. One Lord, one Faith. Now since faith must bring us to our Beloved, and by that we shall come to the Son of God, how precious should it be unto us! Let the great worldlings possess their preposterous wishes; Epicurus his pleasure, Alexander his honour, Midas his gold. Be our delight, desire, prayer, O Lord ●…ncrease our faith: I believe, Lord help my unbelief. There is nothing more honourable, more rich, more pleasant, then to be a true believer: for against this no evil on earth, no devil in hell shallbe ever able to prevail. Of the knowledge. That knowledge which we now have is shallow in all of us, and dissonant in some of us. There is but one way to know God, that is by jesus Christ: and but one way to know Christ, and that is by the Gospel. Yet there are many that go about to know him by other ways; they will know him by traditions, images, revelations, miracles, deceivable fables. But the Saints shall meet in the unity of the knowledge of the Son of God: there shall be union and perfection in their knowledge at that day. But it is objected, that Paul saith; d 1. Cor. 13. 8. knowledge shall vanish away. The manner, not the matter of our present knowledge shall vanish: we shall not know by schools, tutors, or arts in heaven: so the manner of knowing ceaseth. But the matter remains: for e joh. 17. 3. this is eternal life to know God. Now we know Christ in some manner & measure here; but through a window or lattesse. f Cant. 2. 9 My beloved looketh forth at the window, showing himself through the lattesse. Thus the Apostle g 1. Cor. 13. 12. Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. When a man sees a map of jerusalem, wherein is presented the Towers and Bulwarks, he presently conceives what manner of City it is: but imperfectly; as a man that only reads the description of foreign Countries: but when he comes thither, beholds all the streets, palaces, beauty, and glory, he esteems his former knowledge poor, in respect of his present satisfaction. We are now pilgrims, and know no more of our celestial Country, than we can see through the spectacles of faith, in the glass of the Scriptures. In this map we read jerusalem above described to us: a city of gold, whose h Reu. 21. 18. walls are jasper, and her foundations Crystal. We read, that this i 1. Cor. 15. 54. corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal immortality. That there is blessedness in the fountain; joys in show beautiful, in sense wonderful, in weight excessive, in dignity without comparison, and in continuance without end. And that in Christ we are chosen before all worlds, to be Burgesses of this incorporation. But when we shall have white garments put on our backs, and palms in our hands; and k Reu. 3. 21. shall sit with him in his throne, feasting at his table of glory: we shall then say as that noble Queen to Solomon: l 1. Kin. 10. 7. It was a true report of thy glory, O king; that I heard before; but now lo I see, one half was not told me. As worldlings about a purchase, inquire what seat, what delight, what commodities are appertinent to it; except like that fool in the Gospel, they will buy first, and see afterwards. So we may sweetly consult of our future happiness, without curiosity, without presumption: like those that never yet were at home, now after much hearsay traveling thitherwards, we ask in the way; what peace, what delight, what content will be found there: and how much the benefit of our standing house transcends our progress! There are three things bu●…yed about Christ; Faith, Hope, and sight. By the two former we now live without the latter: by the latter we shall then live without the former. m 2. Cor. 5. 7. Now we live by faith, not by sight: then we shall live by sight, not by faith. But for our faith, the world would tread us down: for n 1. joh. 5. 4. this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith, But for our o 1. Cor. 15. 19 hope, we were of all men most miserable: the worldlings were far happier. When these two have done their offices, sight comes in. p 1. joh. 3. 2. We are now the sons of God, it doth not appear yet what we shall be: but we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is. Here is the benefit of sight. These three are like 3. members of the body, the hand, foot, eye. Faith, like the Hand, lays unremoved hold on Christ, Hope, like the Foot, walks toward him in an holy expectation, patiently enduring all wrongs, in hope of sweet issue. Sight, which belongs to the Eye, shall fully apprehend him, when it is glorified. In this bright knowledge we shall all meet. Our present knowledge shall be excelled by our future, in 5. differences. 1. In quality: this is an abstracted knowledge of Christ absent, that a plenary knowledge of Christ present. Ex abstractiva fit intuitiva notitia. The light of a lamp vanisheth, when the glorious sun appeareth. Melanct. If our knowledge were mundus eruditionis, a world of learning, yet is it but eruditio mundi, the learning of the world; of narrow bounds in regard of the knowledge in heaven. 2. In quantity; even that we know now, shall be known then in a greater measure. The orbs, elements, planets, plants; the herbs of the field, parts of our own bodies we know now; but alas weakly in regard of that perfection which this future life shall give us. Indeed the Christian, for his own saving health, knows so much as is able to make him everlastingly blessed: for he knows Christ his Saviour, and that is eternal life. But then he shall know him in a higher measure, and perfectly see those things, now unconceaveable. Paul q 2. Cor. 12. 4. heard unspeakable words in his rapture above, which below he confesseth not possible for man to utter. 3. In perfection or maturity. Our knowledge here grows from degree: there it shall be one and the same, receiving or requiring no augmentation. r Psal. 84. 7. They go from strength to strength: how long? till they appear before God in Zion. 4. In continuance. Earthly knowledge is momentany, all skill in tongs and arts is like the authors, mortal, and shall come to an end. The most famous Artists have often either met with a derogate name, or been buried in oblivion. The study of Christ is only eternal, and shall not be abrogated, but perfected: we shall know then, as we are known. 5. In unity; various, dissonant, and not seldom repugnant is human knowledge: indeed not worthy the name of knowledge; for it is Opinion. Man is contrary to man, yea man to himself: this same unum sentire s 1. Pet. 3. 8. to be of one mind, is difficult, if not impossible to be found. Though we aim our knowledge at one mark, yet some shoot on the right hand, some on the left; some short, & others shoot over; having a t 1. Cor. 8. 1. knowledge that puffeth up. Whose learning hath in it some poison, if it be let go without the true corrective of it. But at this expected day, we shall all meet in an unity of knowledge. Of the Son of God. That eternal Son of God, who in the fullness of time became for us the Son of man, shall then be more clearly known to us. We now believe his truth of perfection, we shall then see his perfection of truth. We shall brightly apprehend the unconceivable mystery of him: who is Filius Dei sine matre, filius hominis sine patre: the Son of God without mother, the son of man without father. If any ask, whether our knowledge shall extend no further then to Christ our Saviour. There is no doubt, but as we know our elder brother set in his throne above all the powers of heaven, so we shall also know the rest of our fraternity. Love is a grace that never fades, and therefore shall have knowledge to make way before it. We shall love the Saints, I may infer we shall know them. u Math. 17. 4. Peter knew Moses and Elias on the Mount, whom yet before he never saw: why then should we not know them in heaven! and if them, why not other of our glorified friends! If nothing but that which is earthly, and savours of corruption shall cease, and fall off like Eliah's mantle; then knowledge must needs remain, being a divine grace, pure and everlasting as the soul. But seek we to know the Son of God here to be our Saviour; and without doubt hereafter we shall know him to be our glorifier. Whereunto. To a perfect man. Before he speaks in the plural number of a multitude, We shall All meet: noweby a sweet kind of Solecism he compacts it into the singular; all into one. We shall All meet to a perfect man. Here lie three notes, not to be balked. 1. This shows what the unity of the Saints shall be; one man. Here they are sometimes said to have a Act. 4. 32. one heart, one soul; there they shall be one man. That not a carnal, corruptible, sinful man, for he may dissent from himself, but a perfect man. Not materially, for there shall be distinct bodies and souls still; as here, but metaphorically in regard of the never-iarring harmony. Oh sweet music, where the symphony shall exceedingly delight us, without division, without frets. 2. The whole Church is compared to a man: we have often read it compared to a body, here to a man. As in other places to a b 1. Cor. 12. 27 Ephe. 4. 16. Body, cuius Cap●… est Christus; whose Head is Christ; so our Apostle here. ver. 16. speaketh of our growing to the Head which is Christ. So in this place to a Man, cuius anima est Christus, whose soul is Christ. Now the soul in the body increaseth not augmentatively, but secundum vigorem, transfusing into the body her virtual powers & operations more strongly. Christ is ever the same. Heb. 13. jesus Christ yesterday, Heb. 13. 8. and to day, and the same for ever. In this soul there is no mutation; but the c Col. 2. 19 body increaseth with the increase of God. For as Christ increaseth the strength of his grace in us, so we grow to perfection. 3. Full perfection is only reserved for heaven, and not granted till we meet in glory; then shall the Church be one perfect man. We may be now d Aug. in joh. 80. mundi, saith Aug. clean, yet still mundandi, to be cleansed. Not so perfect, but still glad of mercy. Our purity is not in facto, but in fieri; inchoate; not finished though begun. All our righteousness consists in the not imputation of our sins. e Psal. 32. 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. Summa perfectio imperfectionis confessio. Our greatest cleanness is the free acknowledging our vileness. The other immunity shall be when there are no passions in men, no lusts capable of sin: now it is well if we live without scandal: without eruption, though not without corruption. Non sine culpa●…ed sine querela. And so the commendation of f Luk. 1. 6. Zacharie must be understood; which calleth him righteous, walking in all the commandments of the Lord, blameless. He lived blameless in the world's eye, not in the Lords. g Psal. 130. 3. If thou shouldest mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand? Especially when his eye of justice only shall look upon it. h Aug. Confess. lib. 9 cap. 13. Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum, si remota misericordia discutiatur. Woe to the most commendable life of man, if mercy be removed when it is examined. It is enough to prove Zacharie a sinner, in that he was a Priest. For it was imposed on the Priest first i Heb. 7. 27. to offer for his own sins, and then the sins of the people: which had been needless, if the Priest had not been guilty of sin, and liable to condemnation. The justification of David seems to rise higher Psal. Psal. 17. 3. 17. Thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing. What! hath God tried him, the searcher of the hearts, that sees into all the inward cabins, and hidden concaves of the soul! and shall he find nothing! not great impieties, not less infirmities? nothing! This phrase seems general, yet is not totally exclusive; nothing against Saul, no treachery or injustice against the Lords anointed. So it is by Euthymius, and must be restrictively considered. Otherwise David had many sins: original, k Psal. 51. 5. I was conceived in sin: actual and public, in slaying not a Philistine, but an Israelite, an Israelite his subject, his honest and worthy subject; and that by the sword of the uncircumcised; and yet more by a wile, sending for him home, and making him drunk. And to ripen this blister, he adulterizeth with his wife: he hath had many wives, robs his poor neighbour of his singular comfort, only wife. These were apparent, uniustifiable impieties; which makes him fall to a Psalm of mercy. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, have mercy upon me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee. These were known to the world; no doubt divers others were known to his own heart; and yet more, which neither the world nor his own heart knew: l Psal. 19 5. who can tell how oft he offendeth? O cleanse thou me from my secret faults. Yet in the matter of Saul, thou canst find nothing. As Bishop Latimer once said in his Sermon before King Edw. 6. For sedition, me thinks for aught I know, if I may so speak, I should not need Christ. David was no traitor, but David was an adulterer. He was in many personal faults an offender: but as a subject he was a good subject; as a King, an excellent Prince. No less is the praise of job; m job. 2. 3 a perfect and upright man; none like him in the earth. Which yet is not to be taken for a positive, but comparative commendation. There was none like him in that part of the earth: and he was perfect in regard of those vicious times. Hear himself speak; n job. 9 2. How shall a man be just with God? and ver. 28. I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. Let then the Pelagian drink never so deep in this justifying cup of their own righteousness; and let the Papist as deeply pledge him: yet perfection is reserved for another world, when we shall meet to a perfect man. Here we may have it partially, there gradually: here so much as belongs Ad viam, to our way. Phil. 3. Let us, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: there only Phil. 3. 15. that is proper Ad patriam, to our country: ver. 12. not as though we were already perfect; but following after, etc. Let us, 1. be humble in acknowledging our own wants and sins; who cannot to God contending with us, o job 9 3. answer one of a thousand. p De quadrup. debito. Nec millessimae, nec minimae parti, saith Bern. 2. Labour to perfection, q Phil. 3. 13. in forgetting those things which are behind, and reading forth unto those things which are before. 3. Comfort our endeavouring hearts with this sweet encouragement; we shall one day meet to a perfect man. To the measure of the stature The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, before translated Age, is now better by our New, and according to Beza, Stature. If any will here ground, that in heaven we shall live in that measure of Christ's age and stature, wherein he died, I subscribe not, but am silent. It is not safe wading without a bottom. Only thus much: there shall be nothing wanting to make our glory perfect: and whether you conceive the 33 year of a man's age, to be the beauty and complete perfection, I dispute not. This implies a spiritual stature, whereunto every Saint must grow. Whence infer. 1. That we must grow up so fast as we can in this life; r 2. Pet. 1. 5. joining to faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, etc. We must increase our talents, enlarge our graces, shoot up in tallness, grow up to this stature. For God's family admits no dwarves: stunted profession was never found. If the sap of grace be in a plant, it will shoot out in boughs of good words, and fruit of good works; always expected the winter of an afflicted conscience. If a table and consumption take our graces, they had never good lungs, the true breath of God's Spirit in them. 2. God will so ripen our Christian endeavours, that though we come short on earth, we shall have a full measure in heaven. We have a great measure of comfort here, but withal a large proportion of distress: there we shall have a full measure, heapen and shaken, and thrust together, and yet running over; without the least bitterness to distaste it. This is a high and a happy measure. Regard not what measure of outward things thou hast, so thou get this measure. Trouble not thyself with many things, this one is sufficient, the better part, the greater measure, never to be lost or lessened. Open both thine eyes of Reason and Faith, and see first the little help that lies in great worldly riches. s jer. 17. 11. As the partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not: so he that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the 〈◊〉 of his days, and at his end shall be a f●…e. A bird that steals young ones from other birds, and tenderly nourisheth them, is mocked for her motherly kindness when they are fligge. Even now she had many running after her, by and by they give her the slip, & are all gone: pleasures, delights, riches are hatched and brooded by the wicked as their own. But when God, at whose command they are, calls them away, they take them to their heels; like fugitives they are gone, and no officer can bring them back. The rich man may shut up his wealth for a season; but as a bird in a cage, if it spy a hole open, it is gone, and flies far enough beyond recovery; towering like an t Prou. 23. 5. Eagle, even up toward heaven. were thy measure never so ample, as full as his Barns. Luke. 12. yet but a night, a piece of a night, & all is gone. u job. ●…8. 13. 14. The first borne of death shall devour his strength, saith Bildad: and it shall bring him to the King of terrors. what help is in weakness? never talk of helping thee with fine flower, and the best grapes, & the richest excrements of worms, silken garments: thou wilt one day say, this is no succour. No: that is succour which will help thee in anguish of thy soul, and distress of thy conscience; calm the troubles of thy spirit, and heal the wounds of thy broken heart, when the horror of death, and terrors, of sin, sharpened with a keen edge of God's justice shall besiege thee: now let the thing be praised that can help thee. No measure of earthly things can give thee ease; but this measure of grace, that shall bring thee to the full measure of glory. Grow thou as high in this world as jonas gourd: a worm shall smite thee, and thou shalt wither. Grow up to this stature of Christ, so fast as thou mayest, and so far as thou canst: and what is here wanting to thy holy endeavours, God shall make up with his happy mercies. Of the fullness of Christ. Adulti Christi. It is not meant the full growth of Christ in the flesh: which was as other children. Luk. 2. The child grew, Luk. 2. 40. and waxed stronger. We read him a babe sucking, at 12. years old disputing, at 30. preaching, and about 33. dying. His increasing was not habitualiter, sed effectualiter. But here we must consider Christ as Head of his Body the Church; and so said to have mensuram staturae adultae, the measure of full stature, when his body is Perfected: now some predestinated members of this Body are yet unborn; which must concur to the perfection, and making up of this stature of the fullness of Christ. Whence we have a sweet and comfortable observation offered us. Till the church be fully gathered together, there is Obseru. in some sort a want to the perfection of Christ. But we must consider Christ two ways; Personally, and mystically. Personal or abstractively in himself, he is not only perfect, but perfection itself. Colos. 1. For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fullness dwell. And. Colos. 1. 19 2. 9 chap. 2. In him dwelleth (not passeth by) the fullness (not a good reasonable measure; and this not only a sufficient fullness, but) all the fullness (not of any created nature, but) of the Godhead (and that not fantastically, but) bodily. Mystically, or in relation to his Body the Church: a 1. Cor. 12. 27. now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And Christ's will is, that b joh. 17. 24. where he is, his members may be there also. So that till the whole Body be gathered to the Head, the head is in some sort not perfect. And in this sense may that Cant. 3. be understood. Behold King Solomon with the Crown, wherewith Cant. 3. 11. his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals. where the Church is said to set a Crown on Christ's head; as if his full and perfect coronation were not come till the day of his espousals and marriage in heaven, when his whole Church shall be crowned together with him. Time was that the other c joh. 20. 6. Disciple out ran Peter to the Sepulchre, and Peter out went that other Disciple into the sepulchre: but at this day, d 1. Thes. 4. 15 they that are alive shall not prevent them that sleep. For e Heb. 11. 40. God hath provided better for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. We shall all go together to glory. What a treasure of joy and comfort is here opened us! Our Saviour so loves us, that he thinks not himself perfect without us. f Psal. 144. 3. What is man, O Lord, or the son of man, that thou soreckonest of him? Thou hast Saints the spirits of just, blessed and obedient Angels, thy own infinite self to delight thee; Quid opus vermiculo? What need hast thou of a worm? What am I, O Saviour, that thou shouldest not think thyself perfect without me? Well may this sweeten all our poverty, misery, disgrace and ignominy, that the world casts upon us. A great Gallant blusheth to see thee take acquaintance of him, looks upon thee betwixt scorn and anger, thinks himself disparaged by thy company: be content, the God of heaven and earth thinks himself not perfect without thee. He that can break thy contemners to pieces, respecteth thee. Thou art unworthy of the favour of jesus Christ, if thou canst not content thyself with it, without the worlds. What a terror shall this be to the wicked, to see those men crowned Kings with Christ, to whom they disdained to give notice in the world. Dives looks with pitiful eyes on glorified Lazarus, who once lay at his gates without the releese of crumbs. It shall be no small aggravation to the vngodly's torments, to say of the Saint, g Wisd. 5. 3. 5. This was he whom we had some times in derision, and a proverb of reproach. We fools accounted his life madness, and his end without honour. Now he is numbered a 'mong the children of God, and his lot is among the Saints. I conclude. Every Saint shall enjoy this full measure of glory: there shall be no scanting, no limitation. None shall complain of lack: there is the fountain, drink thy fill; there is the heap, take as much as thou wilt. There shall be in all an equality, though not of quantity, yet of proportion: which ariseth not from the object, wherein is plenitude; but from the subject, which is not alike capable. A vessel thrown into the sea can be but full; another is but full, though it contain a greater measure. Every one shall possess this fullness; and being full there is no want, therefore no envy. But let us take no thought, who shall sit highest in this kingdom, with the sons of Zebedee: it is enough that we shall be crowned kings. Trouble not thyself for order, only strive for admission. We cannot desire to be more then blessed. Let us get into the City of glory, and let God appoint us a room. Here we see the great difference betwixt this life and the next. In this life we grow up to our full Stature; and then we decrease till we decease; we decline and die. In the other, we come at first to a perfect stature, and so continue for ever. We are here subject to sorrows and sins; the first grievous to us as we are men, the other as we are good men: lo we shall one day be freed, be perfect. It is a sweet meditation that fell from a reverend Divine; that many vegetable & brute creatures do exceed men in length of days, and in happiness in their kind; as not wanting the thing they desire. The Oak, the Raven, the Stork, the Stag fill up many years, in regard of whom man dies in the minority of childhood. This made the Philosophers call Nature a Stepdame to man, to the rest a true mother. For she gives him least time, that could make best use of his time; and least pleasure, that could best apprehend it, and take comfort in it. But here divinity teacheth & reacheth a large recompense from our God. Other creatures live long, and then perish to nothing; man dies soon here, that hereafter he may live for ever. This shortness is recompensed with eternity. Dost thou blame Nature, O Philosopher, for cutting thee so short that thou canst not get knowledge! Open thine eyes: perfect knowledge is not to be had here, though thy days were double to Methushalems'. Above it is. Bless God then rather for thy lives shortness: for the sooner thou diest, the sooner thou shalt come to thy desired knowledge. The best here is short of the least there. Let no man blame God for making him too soon happy. Say rather with the Psalmist; My soul is a thirst for the living God: O when shall I come to appear in the glorious presence of the Lord? who would not forsake a prison for a palace, a tabernacle for a City, a sea of dangers for a firm land of bliss; the life of men for the life of Angels? In the bed of this joy let me repose your souls for this time; meditating of that eternal glory, whereof you shall have a perfect and full measure, thinking that the full coronation of your Saviour carries for you; and lifting up your eyes of sorrow from the valley of tears, to the mount Zion of blessedness, whereon the Lamb of GOD standeth to gather his Saints about him to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of his own fullness. To which place himself for his own merits and mercy's sake in due time bring us. Amen. PRESUMPTION running into DESPAIR. revel. 6. 16. They said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. THis verse may be distinguished into Error. Terror. The error of the reprobate, the terror of the judge. Their error is manifested in their Invocation: in which we may observe To what; Mountains & rocks. For what To fall on them. To hide them. Thus their amazed error and ignorance is expressed in their Prayer. For the terror, the judge is described by his Omniscience; from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne. Omnipotence; from the wrath of the Lamb. Every circumstance serves to aggravate their folly, and desperate fear. 1. They fear God, but too late. 2. They open their lips to confess the invincible power of Christ: before they were either dumb in silence, or blasphemous in contumelies. 3. They pray to the Mountains and rocks, which hear not. 4. To fall on them, which they dare not. 5. To hide them, which they cannot. 6. They beg to be concealed from him that is all eye; from the face of him that sits in the Throne. 7. To be protected from him that is all power; from the wrath of the Lamb. Before we come to their Error, and matter of their invocation, let us examine two things. What they were. did. The Persons. Thus amated with error, and amazed with terror, are described in the precedent verse. The Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, the bond, and the free, hid themselves in the dens and rocks of the mountains. The greatness of man, when it comes to encounter with Obser. God, is weakness and vanity. Is the reprobate a king? the crown on his head is not thunder-proof: lift he his sceptre never so high, there is a sceptre of justice shall smite it down. Is he Great in his country, that (as they write of the Sea about the castle of Mina) the currant goes ever with the wind of his will: be he never so high, there is one higher than he, and the highest of all regardeth it: and Eccle. 8. 5. will subject it. Is he Rich? were he the eldest son of Mammon, and sole heir to all the usurers in the world, can his gold save him? Is vengeance afraid to strike his vessel, because his sails be of silk, and it is ballaced with refined aure? Shall he buy out his damnation with coin? No; the Samuel of heaven will never take bribes. Is he a Chief Captain? Be his looks never so stern, his speech never so imperious, impetuous; he may command here, and go without. Were he General of Xerxes' army, yet he shall find the words of the Psalm truth: Man is not saved by the multitude of an Heast. Is he mighty? were he as Alexander thought himself, till he saw his own blood, the Son of jupiter Hammon; yet woe to man when he shall wrestle with his maker. Proud worm, he may dare to lift up his head, but shall quickly be trodden into slime. When the Lord of hosts is angry, whose wrath shakes the earth, and burns to the bottom of hell; who shall proudly without confusion look him in the face? Silly Giant of men, that thou shouldst dare to grapple, to parley, yea so much as to look at God! Lo greatness! Time was, when if a friend in the Court shall say to thee, as Elisha to the Shunamite. What is to be done for 2. King. 4. 13. thee? Wouldst thou be spoken for to the King, or to the Captain of the host; It would have seemed as high a gratifying, and ratifying of his love to thee; as thou couldst have desired, or he expressed. What favour will it be at this day, to be spoken for to all the Kings of the earth, great men, rich men, mighty Captains? Alas they have need to be spoken for themselves. The greatest Potentate, if reprobate, hath now his honour laid in the dust; & from a public Throne, he creeps into a hole. As ambitious Herod received his pride and glory (with derogation to God; Vox Dei.) in a Theatre: so now his shame & confusion is in the sight of the whole world; of good and bad Angels, of good and bad men. Zenacherib in his ruff could once say; a Esa. 37. 13. Where is the King of Hamath, and the King of Arphad; the King of the City of Sepharvaim, Zena, and juah? But now where is the King of Ash●…r? Thus b job. 12. 19 21. Godleadeth Princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. For their wickedness he poureth contempt upon Princes. Then shall be manifest the unresistible power, and unblamable justice of God: c Esa. 40. 22. 23. Who sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers: stretching out the heavens as a curtain, & spreading them as a tent to dwell in. He bringeth the Princes to nothing, and maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. What privilege then doth these inferior authorities bring with them? That the bondman should thus strive to be free: the freeman to be mighty: the mighty to be a chief Captain: the chief Captain to be rich: the rich to be great: the great to be Kings: till in their opinion nil restat quod praestat, nothing remains to be aspired to. Whereas to these men, Omnia in praesenti parva, in fine nulla, post finem mala: all is for the present little: for Vt Luna, sic sublunaria: as the moon it self, so all things under it are subject to eclipses and changes. In the end they are nothing; death when the game is done, shuffling King and Pawn into one bag. After the end found evil things; for & perduntur & perdunt: they are both lost themselves, and make lost their owners. These so popular wonders, the terror of slaves, and mirror of fools, on whom the eye of the world was fixed with admiration; are glad to hide themselves in holes. where are you, ye great men; that were so ambitions of fame, and made human praise stand in competition with conscience; as if it were the better mistress and worthy of more servants? alas, glad to be shrouded in holes. your Greatness now wisheth itself so little, that it might not be seen. You insatiate covetous, that never ceased joining house to house, land to land; and possessing whole countries, yet whined for lack of elbow-room: lo, you shall at this day be glad of a hole; a dark hollow cave in a rock for your parlour: or more glad if you might be dissolved into nothing. They said. We have described the Persons, What they were: let us see what they did. They said: They open their lips to confess the invincible and inevitable power of Christ. whence derive we two observations. 1. The sense of present misery takes away Atheism. Before their mouths were either shut by silence, or opened by blasphemies; possessed either with a dumb or a roaring devil. God was not in all their thoughts: or Psal. 10. 4. if in their thoughts, not in their lips: or if in their lips, but to his dishonour; not named but in their oaths. Now lo, they speak, and make a desperate acknowledgement of that power, they erst derided. The day of judgement, when it comes, shall find no Atheist. What those degenerate creatures would not believe, they shall see: they would not acknowledge their maker, they shall find their judge: and cry to the mountains, Fall one us, etc. Consider this, d Psal. 50. 22. ye that forget God, lest you be torn in pieces when there is none to deliver you. You may forget him during your short pleasure, you shall remember him for ever in torture. Proceed to e Psal. 139. 20 speak of him wickedly, and like enemies to take his Name in vain; you shall one day fall low before his footstool, not with a voluntary but enforced reverence. You that have denied God on earth, the first voice that shall come from your lips, shall be a hopeless acknowledgement of his majesty. 2. The saying that comes from them is desperate: whence note, that in God's just punishment Desperation is the reward of Presumption. They that erst feared two Presumption running into Despair. little shall now fear too much. Before they thought not of God's justice, now they shall not conceive his Mercy. Consciences, that are without remorse, are not without horror. It is the kindness which presumptuous sin doth the heart to make it at last despair of forgiveness. They say. Behold, God accuseth not, they accuse themselves. God loves to have a sinner accuse himself: and therefore sets his deputy in the breast of man: which though it be a neuter when the act is doing, is an adversary afterwards. The conscience is like the poise of a clock: the poise being down, all motion ceaseth, the wheels stir not: wound up, all is set on going. Whiles conscience is down, there is no noise or moving in the heart; all is quiet: but when it is wound up by the justice of God, it sets all the wheels on working: tongue to confess, eyes to weep, hands to wring, breast to be beaten, heart to ache, voice to cry; and that, where mercy steps not in, a fatal cry; to the hills, Fall on us, and hide us. Sin, and judgement for sin, make the most cruel men cowardly. Tyrants whose frowns have been death; oppressors that have made their poor Tenants quake at their looks; now tremble themselves: & would change firmness with an aspen leaf. They that care not for the act of sin, shall care for the punishment. Tumidi faciendo, timidi patiendo. Nero that could not be tired in cutting throats, is soon weary of his own torment. They that have made others weep, shall desperately howl themselves. Cain, that durst kill the fourth part of the world at a blow, even his own brother; dares afterwards not look a man in the face, lest he f Gen. 4. 14. should be slain. Who durst be more impudently bold with God then judas, when he betrayed his only Son to murderers? yet after the treason who more cowardly than judas? he becomes his own hangman. The curse that follows sin makes Presumption itself to shudder. But what madness is it, not to complain till too late. If our foresight were but half as sharp as our sense, we should not dare to sin. The issue of wickedness would appear a thousand times more horrible, than the act is pleasant. Let this teach us now to think of the justice of God as well as his mercy, that hereafter we may think of his mercy as well as his justice. The mercy of God is abused to encourage lewdness: and wretched men by Christ's merits are emboldened to commit that, for which he died: but so men may run with mercy in their mouths to hell. They that in life will give no obedience to the law, shall in death have no benefit by by the Gospel. When they gave themselves over to lying swaring, coveting etc. they were wont to cry, Mercy, mercy: now lo, they feel what those sins are, and cry nothing but justice, justice; they cannot think on mercy. They that have abused mercy, must be quitted with vengeance. The good now sing; With thee, O Lord, is mercy; therefore thou shalt be feared. The reprobates sing at last, with thee O Lord, is judgement; with thee is storm and tempest, indignation & wrath, confusion and vengeance, and therefore art thou feared. These necessary occurrences, thus considered; let us pass to their Invocation, wherein is exemplified their Error. Here we must observe To what, For what, they call. To what. They are Mountains and rocks; unreasonable, yea insensible creatures: whence we may deduce two inferences; a negative, and an affirmative. 1. Negatively; it is clear, that they have no acquaintance with God, therefore know not how to direct their prayers unto him. If their trust had been in God, they needed not to fly to the M●…aines. So David sweetly. Psal. 11. ja the Lord put I my trust: how Pal. 11. 1. then say you to my soul, Fly as a bird to your mountain? It is God's charge. q Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble: and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. But, Rom. 10. How shall they call on him, in whom they have not Rom. 10. 14. believed? Or believe in him they have not known? and how should they know him but by his word? Alas those mutual passages, and intercourse of means they have ever barred themselves. They would neither suffer God to trouble them by his word, nor would they offer to trouble him by their prayers. h Psal. 14. 4. They will not call upon him, nor will they hear him calling upon them. Therefore as those that never were in the company of God, they know not how to address themselves to him; but rather to rocks and mountains. As extremity discerneth friends; Verè amat, qui miserum amat: so it distinguisheth a man in himself. A sudden disturbance gives a great try all of a Christians disposition. For as in a natural man at such an affrightment, all the blood runs to the heart, to guard the part that is principal: so in a good man at such an instance, all the powers and faculties run to the soul, to save that which is principal. The blood and spirits strive to save the life of the body: faith & hope to save the life of the soul. So that at the sudden assault of some danger, a man shall best judge of his own heart. It may be at other times a dissembler; for man's heart is false, who can know it? yet at such time it will manifest itself, and cannot deceive. If God hath been our familiar friend, and accustomed helper; danger doth not sooner salute us, than we salute him by our prayers. The first thought of our hearts is jesus Christ: the first voice of our lips is Peter on the sea in such an extremity; i Math. 14. 30. Lord save me: our faith is reposed on his wont mercy and protection; We know whom we have believed. Daniel calls on GOD, ere he falls to the Lions; this stops their mouths. The wicked in such misery, are either heavy and heartless, as Nabal; whose k 1. Sa. 25. 37. heart died within him, and he became as a stone. Or desperate as julian, throwing his blood up into the air, with a blasphemous confession. Or sottish, as these here; running to the mountains, unprofitable, unpossible helps. When the blow of vengeance strikes the covetous, he runs to his counting house; if his bags can give him no succour, he is distracted. If any broken reed be their confidence, in these overwhelming woes, they catch drowning hold of that; so they and their hopes perish together. There are some whose tongues are so poisoned with blasphemy, that in an unexpected accident, the very first breath of their lips is a curse, or an oath. As if they would swear away destruction, which every ungodly speech draws on nearer. If these men had been acquainted with God in fair weather, they would not forget him in a storm. But they that will have no familiarity with God in peace, shall have him to seek in extremity. When therefore some sudden peril hath threatened thee with terror, note seriously how thou art affected. Though the danger came unlooked for, let it not pass unthought of: but as thou blessest God for delivery, so examine the good or ill disposedness of thine own heart. If thou find thyself courageous and heavenly minded, on thy confidence in God; take at once assurance of thy faith and God's mercy. He that now stood by thee, will never leave thee. If otherwise, lament thy sins which darken thy soul's way to the mercy-seat; and beseech jesus Christ to store thy heart with better comforts. If thy treasure be in heaven, and thy soul hath been used to travel often thither; when danger comes, it knows the way so well, that it cannot miss it. 2. Affirmatively this presents a soul amazed with fear and folly. They call to the Mountains, that can neither hear nor answer. When the world was destroyed with water, men climbed up to the tops of the Mountains: when it shall be dissolved with fire, they will desire the holes of the rocks, and to lie under the hills. The mountains are but swellings of the earth, and the rocks are furred things; that have no ears: can they hear? or if they hear, can they answer? or if they answer, can they save? when the graves must vomit up their dead, shall the rocks conceal the living? Those five Kings could not be hid in the cave of l josh. 10. 17. Makkedah from joshua; and shall any cave hide from jesus? Whiles guilt and fear consult of refuge, how vain shifts they imagine! Adam would hide his disobedience in the bushes: Saul his rebellion in the crowd of the people. So the hoodwinked fool seeing no body, thinks no body sees him. Helpless evasions! when m 1. Kin. 1. 50. Adoniah heard the trumpets sounding at Salomon's coronation, he quaked and fled to the horns of the Altar. When the ungodly shall hear the Archangels Trump proclaiming the coronation of Christ, they have no Sanctuary, (they never loved it in all their lives) but fly to the rocks and mountains. The grave is a dark and privative place: yet as a prisoner that comes out of a sordid and stinking dungeon, into the open air for his trial in a desperate cause, had rather keep the prison still. So these reprobates newly raised from the earth, cry to it to receive them again; glad to remain (though not on the face of it with pleasure) in the bowels of it with rottenness and solitude; rather then in the open light to come before the judgement seat of Christ. The grave is a drowne-bed to hell. They suddenly start out of their sleep, and meet with ghastly amazedness at the mouth of their sepulchres: beholding on the one side sins accusing, on another side hellish fiends vexing; an anguished conscience burning within, heaven & earth without; above them the countenance of an angry judge, below them a lake of unquenchable fire; round about howling and bitter lamentations: no marvel then if at the world's end they be at their wits end; and cry to the mountains, Fall on us. Let all this declare to men the vanity of their worldly hopes. God is the Preserver of men, not hills & rocks. The rich man is brought in upon a Praemunire, can his gold acquit him in this starchamber? The Epicure thinks to drown sorrow in lusty wines: the oppressor mistrusts not the power of his own hand: the proud refugeth his troubled heart in his trunks: the lustful in his punks: what is this but running to rocks and mountains? Thus madly do men commit two errors. jer. 2. They forsake the creator which would never forsake them; and adhere to the creatures, which can jer. 2. 13. never help them. O Lord; the hope of Israel; all that forsake thee shall be ashamed; and all that dep●…t from thee shall jer. 17. 13. be written in the earth. Now at this day perhaps they would seek to the Lord: but they are answered; Go●… to the gods whom ye have served. Lo then of these gods they shall be weary; as in the 2. of Esay. where these Esa. 2. 20. very words of my Text are delivered. ver. 19 They shall go into the holes of the rocks, etc. it is immediately added; In that day a man shall cast his Idols of silver, and his Idols of gold, which he made for himself to worship, 〈◊〉 the moules and to the bats. Even the spiritual Idolater, the Covetous, shall throw his Images, golden or silver shrines for the Diana of his avarice; his damned coin to combustion, with a vae, Woe unto it, it hath lost my soul. As the sick stomach loathes the meat, whereof it surfeited. Well, let us leave invocation to these Rocks, worldly refuges: and remember that there is one to be called on, who is only able to defend us: a spiritual, holy and happy Rock, jesus Christ. David often calls God his a Psal. 18. 2. and 28. 1. Rock and his refuge. A rock that bears up the pillars of the world. b Deut. 32. 31. Their Rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. He that builds his house of assurance on this c Math. 7. 24. rock, shall stand immovable to wind or weather: he needs not the shelter of mountains; for he shall stand like d Psal. 125. 1. Mount Zion, that a hideth fast for ever. They that despise him, shall find him a Rock also: e Math. 21. 44 if they fall on it they shall be broken: if it fall on them, it will grind them to powder. He is a Stone, the Stone, the f Psal. 118. 22 headstone of the corner; cut out of the Quarry of heaven g Dan. 2. 45. without hands. Of whom we are made h 1. Pet. 2. 5. living stones. He is strong without all things: all things weak without him: trust in him, and you shall have no need to fly to rocks and mountains. For What The benefit that they would have the Rocks and the Mountains do them, is to Fall on them, & hide them. Whence we derive three observations. 1. Despair is ever wishing for death: often impatiently snatching at it in this world; but when the last day comes, so greedily longing for it; that to be sure of it, they desire the mountains to dispatch them. Death by the wicked is now most feared; death at the last shall be the thing most wished: They shall desire death, and shall not find it. They that sit in the warm nest of riches, hatching up their brood of lusts, quake at the hearing of death. There are some fear to die, others not so much to die as to be dead. The former are cowardly, the other unbelieving souls. Some fear both, to whom nothing in life then life is more desirable. But when th●s last extremity comes, m●…ricupiunt, they desire to die. And that death, like a merciless executioner, might not have too many strokes at their lives, they beg help of the Mountains: that they might be thoroughly dispatched at once, without need of a second blow. Cain at his arraignment for his brother would needs live: God grants it; as if it were too much favour for him to die. But he yields it for a curse; as if he heard his prayers in anger. He lives, but banished from God, carrying his hell in his bosom, and the brand of vengeance in his forehead. God rejects him, the earth repines at him, and men abhor him. Lo now Cain would die: himself now wisheth the death he feared, and no man dares pleasure him with a murder. As Nero in the like case; Nec amic●…m, nec mimicum h●…beo; I have neither friend nor enemy: or as Sau●… found in his Armour-bearer, not 1. Sam. 31. 4. a will to kill him, though he had a will to be killed by him. Death these reprobates feared, and only death is now desired. They cry to the mountains; Fall on us. 2 Observe, that rocks and mountains are far lighter than sin. Zachary compares it to a Talon of lead: Zach. 5. Esa. 21. Esay calls it a Burden. Such a weight bore our Saviour, that he groaned under it. I am pressed under you, as a cart Amo. 2. 13. is pressed that is full of sheaves. The wicked that like Babel-builders think to aspi●…e to heaven by multiplying of earth, would be glad if ●…umulitumuli; their bodies might be buried under their heaps of wealth, where their souls had been buried long before. But what is a load of earth, a mountain huger than Aetna, under which jupiter was said subter fulminare Gigantes; what is the whole massy body of the earth to the weight of sin? Think of it ye Theomachor, that strive in your rebellions imponere Pelio●… Ossae: ye rapacious covetous, that load yourselves with thick clay: you lay heavy burdens on the poor, heavier on your own consciences. Sin Hab. 2. may seem light for a season; as a pack made up, but not assayed with one of your fingers: when Satan shall lay it on you, it will break your backs. You bear it now like cork and feathers: at that day you shall judge it heavier than rocks and mountains. Now in contempt of law and Gospel, honesty, and conscience, earth and heaven; they call to pride, ambition, blasphemy, ebriety, luxury, oppression, Fall on us and cover us; wearing pride as a chain, and covering themselves with cruelty as with a garment. Si●… lies at the door, Psal. 73. 6. and they have no sense to take it up. The devil puts his shoulders under the weight, and thus supported they feel it not. But when God's justice shall reprove them, and set their sins in order before their 〈◊〉; yea impose Psal. 50. 21. them on their weak and yielding consciences; how different will their cry be▪ 〈◊〉 f●…ll 〈◊〉, ●…ockes cover us. The swearer saying to these heavy creatures, you are lighter than my oaths▪ the ●…uetous, you are not so ponderous as my oppressions, the adulterer, the whole earth is a gentle pressure ●…o the burden of my lusts. Custom in sin obstupefies a ●…sense: and still like that Roman Milo, his strength e●…creasing with his burden: he that first carried sin a wanton Calf, can at last bear it a goring Ox▪ Menlocke up their iniquities, as the usurer his money, in a Chest; where the light of reproof may not find them out. They pack all their iniquities upon H●…, that will bear them for none but His. Or reserve them to an hours repentance; setting them a day of canceling, but they break it: as if their last breath could dispel and scatter them all into air. But alas, sins than are found heaviest of all: and here like malefactors pressing to death, they cry out for more weight, the accession of rocks and mountains to dispatch them▪ Loath they are to come before the judge, therefore would be pressed to death by these ponderous and massy creatures. The mountains have not been more barren, than they of goodness: the rocks not so hard as their hearts. The cross of Christ hath been held too heavy; repentance too troublesome a guest for their houses: faith and obedience have been cast off as poor friends: all godliness too weighty; now rocks and hills are light. Christ's yoke was not for their shoulders, Satan's must: His law might not be borne it was so heavy; his wrath must be borne, and that is heavyer. Oh then thrice blessed they! whose sins God bindeth up in a bundle, and sinks them in the whirlpool of forgetfulness; that they may never be imposed; for they are too Gen. 4. 13. heavy to be borne. 3. Observe that before these wicked were Lords of nations and Countries; (for they are said to be Princes, Captains, Conquerors; rich men) now they would be glad of one to hide them. Of all their dominions they beg but the barrenest parcel, a rock or mountain: and that to do them a poor office, to conceal them. How much doth man's avarice and ambition covet here; how little contents him hereafter! In death the wickedest Potentate must be content with a grave: after death he would be content with a grave still; yea glad, if in the bottom of a mountain he might be hidden. Hear this ye covetous, that join house to house, and land to land; by disjoining the societies of men: as if you would leave the whole earth to your babes. Excutit Sen. natura redeuntem, sicut intrantem. Nature shall as strictly examine your going out, as it did your coming in. Nun telluris tres tantum cubiti te expectant? do Basil. not only three cubits of ground allot themselves to receive you? Only a grave remains; and all you that boast of your great lands, shall at that day say, haec terr●… mea, and terra tua: this is all my land, this is all thy land: even so much room as thy dusts will take up; & all the remainder of mighty Hercules, will scarce fill a little pitcher. A little quantity of ground hath nature proportioned thee, distst thou possess as much as ever the Tempter showed Christ. When certain Philosophers intentively beheld the Tomb of Alexander; saith one: Heri fecit ex auro thesaurum; body aurum ex Alphons. eo facit thesaurum. Yesterday he treasured up gold, to day gold treasures up him. Another; Yesterday the world did not content him; to day ten cubits contain him. Socrates' carried Alcibiades bragging of his lands to a map of the world, and bade him demonstrate them: Alcibiades could not find them: for alas, Athens itself was but a small and scarce discernible point. A wiser man spoke otherwise of his lands. O Ager, quam multorum fuisti & eris! nunc meus, & postea mescio cuius. O Land, how many men's haste thou been and shalt be! now mine, and hereafter I know not whose. So little ground contents us when we are dead. But when the wicked shall rise again, would it not serve them still with all their hearts? Had they not rather lie in rottenness then combustion? Were not a cold grave more welcome, than a hot furnace? Yes; rather had they be dead without sense, then alive in torment. Now they beg not a city, though a little one as Zoar: not a house, though poor and bleak as Codrus his: not an open air, though sharp and irksome; scorched with the Indian Sun, or frossen with the Russian cold: there is no hope of these favours. Give them but a mountain to fall on them, and a rock to hide them, and they are highly pleased. Here is a strange alteration for the wicked; When they shall go from a glorious mansion to a loathsome dungeon: from the table of surfeit to the table of vengeance: from fawning observants to afflicting spirits: from a bed of down to a bed of fire: from soft linen and silken coverings, to wish a rock for their pillow, and a mountain for their coverlet. Nay, and yet they that commanded so far on earth, cannot command this piece of earth, to do them such a kindness. They could in the days of their pride speak imperiously enough; this land is mine, this town is mine: as Naball said, Shall I take my meat and my drink etc. but now they feel, it was none of theirs; not one hole must shelter them, not one hillock do them service. Nothing helps when God will smite: mountains and rocks are no defence when God pursues. Dost thou think to reign because thou cloathest thyself in Cedar? What, is Cedar against thunder? GOD hath a jer. 22. 15. hand that can strike through Forts, Rocks, and Bulwarks. The sevenfold walls of Babylon cannot defend the Tyrant within them. The heavens melt at the presence of the Lord: if he touch the mountains, they smoke for it. The offspring of the revived world offer to build a Tower, whose top might reach to Heaven. What security could be in it? Are not things nearer to heaven more subject to the violences of Heaven; lightning, thunder, and those higher inflammations? Feriunt summos fulgura montes. In se magna ruunt, summisque negatum est stare diù. God soon made it a monument of their folly and his power. He gives confusion of their voices and their work at once. When God reigned from heaven that greatest shower, that ever the earth did or shall sustain, you know their shifts. They think to over-climbe the judgement; and being got up to the highest mountains, look down with some hope on the swimming valleys. When the water began to ascend up to their refuged hills, and the place of their hope became an Island, lo now they hitch up higher to the tops of the tallest trees; till at last the waters overtake them half dead with hunger and horror. The mountains could not save them in that day of water, nor shall the mountains in this day of fire. It is not then the defence of forts or ports, the secrecy of caves or graves, the bottome-burroughes of hills, or vaultie dens of rocks; not a league with all the elements of the world, beasts of the earth, stones of the street, that can secure them. Be hidden they cannot, what should they then wish but death: they that once trembled to die, do now more quake to live: they would be glad of a riddance, and kiss the instrument of their annihilation. They would prize and embrace it as the best happiness that ever saluted them, if like beasts they might perish to nothing. Here they envy the stork, stag, raven, oak for long life, and chide nature for their own shortness. But at this day they would change with any flower, though the continuance thereof were not so much as jonah's Gourds: and think not to be, was to be happy. The pangs of the first death, are pleasures, in respect of the second. But what hope is there of their security or refuge in mountains; when ver. 14. The very heaven shall depart So Esa. 34. 4. a s●…rowle that is rolled up together, and every mountain and Island shall be moved out of their places. Heaven is expansum tanquam linteum, & diducta la●…ina; but shall then be folded up like a garment; whose beauty is not Hebr. 1. 12. seen: or rolled together like a volume, whose large contents are as it were abridged: not that the matter of the world shall be quite abolished. For as we say now of grace; Adolet non abolet naturam gratia: so we may say of glory: Perficit non perdit mundum gloria. Corruption shallbe taken away, not all the matter that was corrupted. But if all things be thus narrowly searched, how shall the ungodly hope to lie hidden? We have now considered the horror of the Reprobates; let us look to the judge, from whom they desire to be hidden. From the presence of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb. In whom we find an omniscience, and an omnipotence. which circumstances the time allows me but to mention. First for his all knowing Wisdom. From the face. It was ever the fashion of guiltiness, to fly from the presence of God. Adam had no sooner sinned, but he thrusts his head in a bush. Sins inevitable effect is Shame. Though impudence bear it our for a time. jer. 6. They were not ashamed when they had committed abomination: yet they shall one day bear the reproach of jer. 6. 15. Chap. 31. 19 their sins, and be ashamed, yea even confounded. Shame must come; either first to repentance. Rom. 6. what Rom. 6. 21. fruit had you then in those things, whereof you are now ashamed: or at last in vengeance; let them be ashamed that transgress Psal. 25. 3. without a cause. Let this teach us how to judge rightly of sin, that drives us from the face of God. But doth not the glory of the Lord fill all the earth? Whither then shall they go from his face: whither fly from Psal. 139. 7. his presence? we shall find the Prophet concluding in that Psalm; that there is neither heaven, nor hell, nor uttermost part of the sea; nor day nor night, light nor darkness, that can hide us from his face. Our sitting, lying down, rising up, the words of our tongues, ways of our feet, thoughts of our hart, our reins, bones and mother's wombs, wherein we lay in our first informity, are well known to him. Let us not flatter ourselves, as if we would pluck out the eye of knowledge; God hideth his face, he will never see Psal. 10. 11. us. For there is neither couch in chamber, nor vault in the ground; neither bottoms of mountains, nor holes of rocks; neither secret friend, nor more secret conscience; neither heaven nor hell that can conceal us. Of him that sitteth. Christ now sits in glory. Whiles he was on earth how little rested he! He dearly earned that voice, before he heard it; Sit thou at my right hand: now behold he sits. Good rest is the reward of good labour: the week of our days spent, we shall have an eternal Sabbath; enter into God's rest; Apoc. 14. rest from our labours. Hast thou laboured, thou shalt have ease: hast Heb. 3. 11. Reu. 14. 13. thou traveled in the ways of grace, thou shalt sit on the seat of glory. On the throne. Christ at this day shall appear in his true Majesty: on earth he would not be crowned; the reason of his refusal was; my Kingdom is not of this world; now he sits in his Throne. He hath a Kingdom here, but it is secret in the conscience: than it shall be conspicuous; sitting in his Throne. His majesty hath been despised; but now Bring those mine enemies that would not Luk. 19 27. have me reign over them, and slay them before me. Thus differs Christ's first coming and his second. Then in humility, now in glory: then with poor shepherds, now with mighty Angels; then the contempt of nations, now the terror of the world: then crowned with thorns, now with majesty: then judged by one man, now judging all men: then in a cratch, now in a Throne. You see his All-knowledge; now for his Almightiness. From the wrath. The wrath of Christ is his justice: Attribuitur ira Deo per effectum. As man offended seeks revenge: so when God executes judgement, it is called his wrath. But passion in us, perfection in him. He hath long been provoked; give him now leave to strick. You that made so light to trample his blood under your sensual feet, shall now find what his wrath is. Let us now think of this wrath, that we may escape it. The commination Chrise. of hell doth not less commend God's providence, than the promise of heaven. Nisi in●…ntata esset gehenna, o●…es in gehennam C●…beremur. Now or never is this wrath to be escaped: therefore, Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the way; if his wrath be kindled, Psal. 2. 12. yea but a little, Blessed are all they that put their trustin him. Of the Lamb. Christ was called a Lamb in his passion; so here in his coming to judgement; not that he should suffer any more; but to show that the same Lamb that was slain shall give sentence on his murderers. The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the joh. 5. 22. 27. So act. 17. 31. & Reu. 1. 7. Son. And hath given him authority to execute judgement, because he is the son of man. It shall aggravat their vexation, that the Lamb who offered his blood for their redemption, shall now censure them for despising. He that would have been their mediator to pray for them, & their advocate to plead for them, must now be their judge to sentence them. The Lamb that saveth the sheep on the right hand, shall cast off the goats on the left. The Lamb they have contemned, by this Lamb they shall be condemned. Woeful men, whom the wrath of the Lamb lights on: for he shall give them an Ite maledicti. What shall then become of them, but to knock at the gates of heaven whiles those gates are standing, and cry for ever to God but to no purpose! I have no will to end with a terror; yet no time to sweeten your thoughts with those comforts which faith might suck from this last word the Lamb. I say no more: the godly shall find him a Lamb indeed; as willing now to save them, as before to suffer for them. He hath purchased, promised, and prepared a kingdom: & they shall Reign mith him that sits on the Throne, and with the Lamb for evermore. To whom be eternal glory. Amen. MAJESTY IN MISERY OR The power of Christ even dying. MATH. 27. 51. And behold, the vail of the Temple was rend in twain, from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rend: and the graves were opened, and many bodies of Saints which slept, arose. IN the lowest depth of Christ's humiliation, GOD never left him without some evident and eminent testimony of his divine power. He hangs here on the cross dying, yea dead; his enemies insulting over him, where is now his God? If he be able to save us, let him save himself. He bears not only the wrath of God, but even the reproach of men. Yet even now shall his Divinity appear, and break like a glorious Sun through these clouds of misery: he rends the vail, shakes the earth, breaks the stones, raiseth the dead. These two verses stand gloriously adorned with four miracles. 1. The vail of the Temple was rend in twain. You will say perhaps, the substance of it was not so strong, but an easy force might rend it. But ver. 50. Christ was dead before, or died at that very instant. It was above nature, that a dying, yea a dead man, crucified in so remote a place from it, should rend the vail within the Temple. 2. The earth did quake. Say the vail was of less substance, yet the huge body of the earth will try a man's strength. In vain should silly man contend with that, which shall devour him. He cannot move the earth, the earth shall remove him; from walking alive on it, to lie dead in it. Behold the power of Christ; Terram movet; he makes the vast body of the earth to tremble. 3. The rocks rend. Will any yet say, natural causes can shake the earth? then let their malicious cavil be choked with this third miracle beyond exception; he breaks the stones; not little stones, but huge massy rocks. 4. Lastly to stop the mouth of all adversaries to his divine power; he raiseth up the dead. Suscitare mortuos esepulchro, is only proper to God. a Psal. 49. 7. 9 No man can give a ransom to God for his brother, that he should live for ever, and not see corruption. How much less when he is dead, recover him to life again. Here was the finger of God. Now to proceed in order with the miracles. 1. Miracle. The vail of the Temple, etc. This vail was the partition betwixt the Sanctum Sanctorum, & the Sanctum; as it might be the upper part of the Quire. b Heb. 9 7. Into this went the high Priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people. By the renting this vail were many things presignified. 1. This serves for a confirmation of that Christ spoke on the Cross; It is finished. The renting of the vail doth actually echo to his words, and indeed fulfils them. Here is an end put to all the Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the law. In the new Testament one only real and royal Sacrifice, Christ crucified. This was that object whereto all those legal rites looked; & to them all there is now given a Consu●…tum est. So that now Coremonia mortua, Lex mortifera: Ceremonies are dead, and the typical law deadly. Nowm Testamentum latet in veteri, Vetus patet in novo. The Gospel lay hidden under the law, the law is complete in the Gospel. c Gala. 4. 9 Now after that you have known God in his Gospel, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly Elements, whereunto you desire again to be in bondage? God's service is now simple and plain; d joh. 4. 23. in spirit and truth. Christ is said to be the end of the law: the moral law he kept himself sincerely, and satisfied for us sound. The Ceremonial was referred to him, performed of him, fulfilled in him, extinguished by him. They had all Vig●… a Christo, relationem ad Christum, consummationem in Christo. He gave them their beginning, he hath also given them their end. The vail rend, to witness the canceling of that ritual obligation. Christ hath blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against Colos. 2. 14. us, nailing it to his Crosse. That moment was their last gasp; they expired with Christ. But d●…d all Ceremonies then utterly die? No: some were typical prefiguring Christ: those are dead. Some are for decency and order, adminicula devotionis, these are not dead. The law of jewish ceremonies is abolished: but some must be retained. Christ came not to dissolve order. Men consist of bodies as well as souls; and God must be served with both: now bodies cannot serve God without external rites: the Spouse of Christ cannot be without her borders and laces. On necessity there must be some outward observances; but thus qualified. That they be for number few, for signification plain, for observation simple: far from ostentation, farther from superstition. Christ his Spouse must not flaunt it like an harlot, but be soberly attired like a grave matron. Ceremoniae quasi care moniae, wants a carendo; as it were ordained to supply the defects of our nature. Because we could not serve God in that simplicity we ought, therefore we have these helps. Hence it is, that the nearer to perfection, the fewer ceremonies; as it were the more light, the less shadow. In the law were abundant ceremonies, in the Gospel far fewer, in heaven none at all. This condemns the Church of Rome for a glorious Harlot, because she loads herself with such a heap of gaudy ceremonies: and their mass for mere Idolatry, which they believe to be a real propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ, made by the Priests for the sins of quick and dead. This is to build up the vail here rend in pieces, and to accuse Christ of falsehood in his Consummatum est. Is an end put to them, and shall they still retain them, yea obtrude them as principal parts of God's service; yea worship them, yea bind men's consciences to them on pain of damnation? Therefore they are liable to Augustine's censure; who calls such Impios sepulturae viol●…tores; Diggers into the graves of the dead for putrefied and rotten relics. Yea to the judgement of God; who saith, If ye be dead with Christ Colos. 2. 20. 22. from the rudiments of the world: why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to Ordinances? after the commandments and doctrines of men? They will say, Dicit Papa, sanxit Concilium; thus saith the Pope, thus decrees the Council: but we, Dixit Dominus, non Donatus: we hear what the Lord says, in his Scripture concerning the law of ceremonies. 2. The second thing signified by the renting the vail is this. The holy of holies figured the third heaven; where GOD showeth himself in glory and majesty to his Saints. Salomon's Temple had in it three Courts; an utter court whereinto the people were admitted: an inner Court wherein only the Priests and Levites entered: an inmost of all, whereinto the high Priest alone, and that but once a year; and this was called Sanctum Sanctorum. So there is a threefold Heaven: Coelum elementarium, Stellatum, Gloriosum. First the Elementary heaven, wherein are clouds, winds, rain, dew: and the birds are called the birds of heaven, that is of this elementary heaven. The second is the Starrey heaven: So the Sun is said to a Psal. 19 6. go from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it. The last is the Glorious, heaven, the habitation of God himself: and this was signified by the Holy of holies. The vail signified the flesh of Christ: the renting of the vail, the crucifying of Christ: by this is made an entrance into that Sanctum Sanctorum, the heaven of glory. So expressly. Heb. 10. Having therefore boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Heb. 10. 19 blood of jesus; By a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, His Flesh. Heaven gate was shut up by our sins; none but our highest and holiest Priest had passage there: but he rend the vail, suffered his body to be torn by death, that he might give us an entrance. Paul speaking of the legal use of that Holiest place in the Temple, saith thus. Heb. 9 The holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the Holiest Heb. 9 8. of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing. But now by Christ his renting the vail, Patet alti ianua Coeli, the way of salvation is opened. Let this reach forth to us two comforts. 1. There is no fear to be shut out of heaven, if thou have faith in Christ: for to thee is the vail rend, the separation is abolished, Christ is crucified. For So, saith Saint Peter, b 2. Pet. 1. 11. an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ. Indeed to unbelievers and hypocrites, to worldly wolves and luxurious goats the vail is up still. How should they enter the Sanctum sanctorum, that never approached the Sanctum? How shall they see the glory of God, who would never entertain the grace of God? No: to these there are inaccessible bars, and Cherubims with flaming swords, to forbid their entrance. But to every good and faithful Servant the vail is taken away; and Christ says; c Math. 25. 21. enter thou into the joy of the Lord. 2. By this means we have in this world a free access to the Throne of grace by our prayers: the vail and separation of sin and wrath is rend asunder by Christ, and a clear way made for our supplications. The Propitiatory and Mercy-seat, the Cherubims of glory shadowing it, the very presence of God, were within the Holiest: and the people might not approach it, but stood without a far off: Our Saviour hath torn away this vail, and opened our petitions a free passage to the Seat of mercy in heaven. Having such an high Priest over the house of God; (saith Paul immediately after the clearing our way through the vail) d Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a true-heart, in full assurance of faith, etc. We see how far our prerogative excels that of the jews. They were servants, we are sons, and cry Abba Father: they had Priests, we are Priests: they had a bar, to us that vail is rend away. e Heb. 4. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. This is singular comfort, that poor subjects may be sure of access to the King with their petitions; yea more, be heard in all their desires: yea most of all, have an Advocate at the kings right hand to plead their cause. But then remember the Psalmists caution. f Psal. 66. 18. If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Let the servants of Baal cry never so loudly, if lewdly; their prayers are not heard. To the cries of unfaithful sinners the vail is up still; and like a thick cloud reverberates & beats back their orisons; that they cannot ascend to the Throne of grace. Only faith makes a free passage, and a clear conscience hath a clear voice, that can pierce heaven. 3. The breaking down of this vail did make the Holiest and the other part of the temple all one. Whereby was signified, that of two was made one, Jews and Gentiles one Church. g Ephe. 2. 14. He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us. So that now those, the jews called dogs, eat the bread of the children; yea they are the children: and h Gen. 9 27. japhet is persuaded to dwell in the tents of Sem. She is also Beloved that was hated; even the Church of the Gentiles is the Spouse of Christ. The vail that hindered, Paul calls the i Ephe. 2. 15. Law of commandments, contained in ordinances: this he abolished for to make in himself, of twain, one new man. Heaven gate is no wider open to a jew, then to a Grecian. k Gal. 6. 16. In Christ jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God: The Sum of the Gospel, as of the world, is not confined to lighten judea only, but shines universally. There is not one privilege, wherein the Gentile hath not as frank a share, as the jew: the sons of Hagar are adopted the sons of God; and the free l Gal. 4. 26. jerusalem above is the mother of us all. All this did our blessed Saviour work for us by renting the vail; m Ephe. 2. 16. That he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. Oh then let us keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Christ hath made us at one, let us not make ourselves twain. The vail is rend, why set we up new; schisms in doctrine, jars in conversation? The bill of divorcement is canceled: let us love our husband Christ, and for his sake every man his brother. Let us set up no more veils, lest we do it with the curse of building more Iericho's. There is no bond so sure as Religions; no ligaments so strong, as faith and a good conscience. Wretched man, that breakest these t●…es, and rentest thyself from them to whom thou art by Christ united: A mothers, yea a Father's blessing forsakes thee: and thou buildest up a new vail, which thou must look for no more Christ's to come rend asunder. 4. The renting of the vail teacheth us; that when men sin rebelliously against God, no prerogative shall do them good. The Temple was one of their principallest privileges, their glory, their crown. n jer. 7. 4. The Temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. It was a figure of the Church militant as Solomon the builder was a figure of Christ. For this Temple's sake God often spared them. So Daniel prays; o Dan. 9 17. Cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary, that is desolate. Yet when they fall away from God, and crucify their Messias, this prerogative helps not. For here Gods own hand rends the vail, and after gives the whole fabric a spoil to the Gentiles. p Mala. 2. 2. If ye will not hear, if ye will not lay it to heart, I will send a curse upon you, I will curse your blessings: yea I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart. It lies in man's sin, to make God curse his very blessings: and to punish the nocent in the innocent creatures. We see the way, how we may lose Temples, and peace, and Gospel, and all privileges; by running the courses of disobedience. Who can number the blessings we have enjoyed by the Gospel? Let us beware, lest our ungracious and ungrateful lives rob us not of that, with all the appertinent comforts. They that have traveled the Belgic Provinces, can witness the miserable footsteps of war, and the tyranny of desolation. Churches and Cities have no more monuments, but the ruined foundations to testify that they were. Sin made way for blood and massacre; Idolatry pulled down those walls, which otherwise the most sacrilegious hand should have forborn. If there had been no enemy to raze them, they would have fallen alone, rather than covered so blasphemous impiety under their guilty roofs. q Psal. 122. 7. Peace is within our walls, & prosperity within our palaces; blessed for ever be our God of peace for it. Yet we have a subtle adversary, Sacrilege, that incroacheth sore upon us, and r Psal. 83. 12. hath taken many of God's houses in possession. We cannot say, s Psal. 74. 8. They have burnt up all the Synagogues in the land: but they have done very wickedly to the Lords Sanctuaries. The walls stand, and it is well if in many places they do so: but there is not a Levite to feed the people; alas, how can there when there is nothing left to feed a Levite? Covetousness would do as much hurt with us, as war hath done with our neighbours: it would, but I trust in the Lord jesus, it shall not. Though they have rend away God's right, t Mala. 3. 8. Tithes and offerings: they shall never rend away God's Truth and Gospel: rend themselves from it indeed they are likely to do. 5. Lastly, The vail was rend. By renting the part God did threaten the subversion of the whole. If he spare not the Holy of holies, then much less the rest. Ezek. 9 When God had commanded; Slay utterly old & young, maids and children; he adds withal, And begin Ezek. 9 6. at my Sanctuary. If God begin at his Sanctuary, he will not fail to end with the rest: if that shall not scape being profaned, how much less houses built for riot & disorder, pride & ambition! If the Temple of prayers, then surely the dens of thieves. u jer. 25. 29. For lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, & shall ye go unpunished? saith God to the Heathen. If the sacredst things defiled by Idolatry shall be subverted, never think that your fair houses shall stand, when they are made coverts of oppressions, and convents of superstition! when the better things are not favoured, the worst have small hope. So Peter reasons; a 1. Pet 4. 17. If judgement shall begin at the house of God, what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel? If the strong Cedars in Lebanon be rooted up, woe to the rotten-rooted poplars. If the dragon's tail swoop stars from heaven, what shall become of squalid earthy vapours? The Temple was one of the world's greatest wonders; as curious a workmanship as six and thirty years could make it: it wanted not the art of man, yea the blessing of heaven was added to it. Yet now lo, Etiam periere ruinae; this goodly building by sin was brought to ruin, yea even the very ruins are perished. Shall then your Forts and Palaces, worldlings Paradises: full of rapine, empty of charity; stand against all weathers and storms of judgement? No, stone shall fall after stone; and ruin shall one day tell the passengers, as GOD threatened of jerusalem; Here stood a goodly Manner, a sumptuous edifice, a royal Palace. Or if they fall not down in themselves, they shall fall to the owners; whose iniquities have defiled them. God punisheth by certain degrees; first he rends the vail, then rends away the Temple: As by David's hand he first rent Saules garment, and then rend away his kingdom. God at first toucheth men lightly; in their goods, quiet, health: if these stir not to repentance, he proceeds against the whole b 1. Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God? If you set up in this Temple Idols, lusts, and evil affections, God first rends the vail, toucheth you with some gentle afflictions: but if you still continue to make this Temple a den of thieves, the Temple itself will be destroyed. You have heard the first miracle, the renting of the vail. As the jews were wont to rend their garments Theophyl. when they heard blasphemy against God: so it may seem the Temple tore his garments, rend his vail in pieces, when it heard those execrable blasphemies against the Son of God. 2. Miracle. The earth did quake. The Philosophers have given divers natural causes of earthquakes: as by hot and dry exhalations shut up in the bowels of the earth, and labouring for vent resisted by the earth's solidness, there ensueth terrae motus, a shaking of the earth, etc. But this was an extraordinary earthquake; for it happened exactly at the very instant of Christ's death. It might be to set forth the glory of the new Testament, and to vindicate it from inferiority to the old. The law was both given and renewed with an earthquake. Given. Exod. 19 to the hand of Moses. The whole Exod. 19 18. mount quaked greatly. As at the giving mount Sinai, so at the renewing mount c 1. Kin. 19 11 Horeb quaked. As Eliah stood upon the Mount, there passed by a strong wind, and after the wind an Earthquake. So when the Lord of the Gospel died, the earth shook: that d 2. Cor. 3. 9 the ministration of righteousness might not be less glorious, than the ministration of death. This miracle shall give us a threefold instruction. 1. To consider the fierceness of God's wrath against sins and sinners. For God by shaking the earth did no less than threaten the utter subversion of those desperate and bloody wretches. Corah and his confederates were swallowed up of the earth, for rebelling against Moses the Lord's servant. e Hebr. 10. 29. Of much how sorer punishment were these worthy, that had crucified (not the servant, but) the Son of God! If the mercies of God had not been greater than their iniquities, they had not escaped. By this we see how able God is to punish sinners: he shows what he can do; it is his mercy, that he forbears. Some of these were to be converted, therefore concussi, non excussi; moved not removed, shaken but not destroyed. Ostendisti populo gravia, saith the Psalmist. f Psal. 60. 3. Thou hast showed thy people hard things. showed, not imposed: shook the rod, not laid it on. This forbearance of God g Rom. 2. 4. should lead us on to repentance: if not, it is but the forerunner of vengeance. Though now by moving the earth he scare and spare these jews, yet after the earth spewed them out, as an offence to her stomach. O obstinate hearts, that quake not, when the senseless ground quakes that bears so unprofitable a burden. Cannot the earth admonish thee? it shall devour thee. Si non m●…nebit. movebit. If the almighty's hand stirring it, hath not stirred thee to repentance; a Sexton's hand shall cover thee with moulds; a weak shaker shall do it. Think when God moves the earth, he preacheth to thy soul: if thy heart (so little in comparison of that great vast body) will not tremble, know God hath one thing that shall shake thee to pieces; death. 2. The nature of sin is here considerable; so heavy that it makes the very earth to quake. The jews sins were such a burden, that the earth could not bear them without trembling. The earth is fixed, and standeth fast saith the Psalmist; as the Centre of the world: it is strange that to be moved; even so strange is the cause that moves it. It must needs be a monstrous weight of iniquity, that totters the earth on her foundations. But why is the earth so quiet now? Do not innumerable wretches daily crucify Christ; by their oaths, blasphemies, and rebellions in his head; by their persecutions & oppressions in his members? Is not his word derided, his Sacraments despised, his good creatures abused? Why doth not the earth shrink and shake at these horrid impieties? Be still: he that holds his hand from miracles, will not hold it from plagues: They are for borne, not forgiven. God keeps silence, but he sleepeth not: the earth may spare them, but h Psal. 73. 19 Desolation in a moment shall swallow them. To the jews the earth moved, and they stood still: to these the earth shall stand still, and themselves shall be moved. 3. There is nothing on the earth that is not movable, if the earth itself be movable. i Psal. 104. 5. God hath laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be moved. Yet so, that he who laid it, can shake it. If the earth, than whatsoever job 9 6. He shaketh the earth out of her place: and the pillars thereof tremble. is built upon it. k 2. Pet. 3. 10. The earth shall be burnt, saith Peter. What alone? no, the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up. The works of men's hands, the works of their brines, their very thoughts shall perish. l Heb. 12. 27. The Lord's voice shook the earth, and he hath said, yet once again I will shake not the earth only, but also heaven. O blessed place that is not subject to this shaking: whose joys have not only an amiable countenance, but a glorious continuance. The things that are shaken shall be removed, but the things that are not shaken remain for ever. All the terrors of this world move not him that is fixed in heaven. Impavidum ferient ruinae. m Psal. 125. 1. They that put their trust in the Lord, shall be as mount Zion, which cannot beremoved, but abideth for ever. But the Tabernacles and hopes of the wicked shall perish together. n 1. joh. 2. 17. For the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doth the will of God abideth ever. Whereon saith August. Quid vis? Vtrum amare temporalia, & transire cum tempore! an amare Christum, & vivere in aeternum? Whether wilt thou love the world, and perish with it? or love Christ, & live for ever? 3. Miracle. The rocks rend. A wonderful act, to break stones and rend rocks. This gives us two observations. 1. This did foresignify the power and efficacy of the Gospel, that it should be able to break the very rocks. As the death and passion of Christ did cleave those solid and almost impenetrable substances: so the publishing of his death and passion shall rend and break in pieces the rocky hearts of men. So john Baptist said; o Math. 3. 9 God is able of stones to raise up children unto Abraham. The hearts of Zaccheus, Mary Magdalene, Paul, were such rocks; yet they were cleft with the wedge of the Gospel. This is that Rod of Moses, able to break the hardest Rocks; till they gush out with floods of penitent tears. This is jeremy's hammer, powerful to bruise the most obdurate hearts. The blood of the Goat sacrificed, of force to dissolve Adamant. There is power in the blood of jesus, to put sense into stones. Blessed are you, if you be thus brokenhearted for him, whose heart was broken for you. For p Psal. 51. 17. the broken heart the Lord will not despise. 2. Observe the wonderful hardness of the jews hearts. The stones rend and clave in sunder at the cruel death of jesus: but their hearts more stony than stones, are no whit moved. They rend not their garments, much less their hearts: when as the earth rend the Stones her bones, and the rocks her ribs. The flints are softer than they: the flints break, they harden. They still belch their malicious blasphemies, the rocks relent: the stones are become men, and the men stones. O the senselessness of a hard heart: rocks will sooner break, then that can be mollified. Even the hardest creatures are flexible to some agents: flints to the rain, iron to the fire, stones to the hammer: but this heart yields to nothing; neither the showers of mercy, nor the hammer of reproof, nor the fire of judgements: but like the stithy, are still the harder for beating. All the plagues of Egypt cannot mollify the heart of Pharaoh. It is wondrously unnatural, that men made the softest hearted of all, should be rigidiores lupis, duriores lapidibus; more cruel than wolves, more hard than stones. I would to GOD all hard-heartedness had died with these jews; but it is not so. How often hath Christ been here crucified; in the word preaching his Cross to your ears, in the Sacraments presenting his death to your eyes; think, think in your own souls, have not the stones in the walls of this Church been as much moved? God forbid our obdurateness should be punished as theirs was: since they would be so stonyhearted, jerusalem was turned to a heap of stones; and the conquering Romans dashed them pitifully against those stones, which they exceeded in hardness. Here let the wicked see their doom: the stones that will not be softened, shall be broken. There is no changing the decree of God, but change thy nature, and then know thou art not decreed to death. Stony hearts shall be broken to pieces with vengeance: do not strive to alter that doom, but alter thy own stony heart to a heart of flesh, and so prevent it in the particular. Wolves and goats shall not enter into heaven: thou mayest pull stars out of heaven before alter this sentence; but do it thus. Leave that nature, and become one of Christ's sheep, and then thou art sure to enter. No adulter●… nor covetous person, saith Paul, q 1. Cor. 6. 9 shall inherit the kingdo●… of heaven: this doom must stand; but not against thee, if thou be converted. Such were Ver. 11. ye, but ye are washed, etc. You are not such. Had the jews ceased to be stones, they had been spared. God will root thorns and briars out of his vineyard: if thou wouldst not have him root out thee, become a Vine: and bring forth good grapes. God threatens to break the hairy sealpe of him that goes on in sin; yet mayest thou ward this blow from thyself; Go no further on in sin. When God comes in judgement to visit the earth, to shatter rocks, and break stones in pieces; thou hast a heart of flesh, mollified with repentance. Let the earth quake, and the rocks tear; thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. 4. Miracle. The graves were opened, and many bodies of Sanits which slept, arose. Concerning this two questions are moved. 1. Where their souls were all this while before. I answer, where the scripture hath no tongue, we should have no ear. Most probably thus: their souls were in heaven, in Abraham's bosom; and came down to their bodies by divine dispensation, to manifest the power and Deity of Christ. 2. Whither they went afterwards. I answer by the same likelihood, that they died no more, but waited on the earth till Christ's resurrection; and then attended him to heaven. But these things that are concealed, should not be disputed. Tutum est nescire quod tegitur. It is a safe ignorance, where a man is not commanded to know. Let us then see what profitable instructions we can hence derive to ourselves. They are many, and therefore I will but lightly touch them. 1. This teacheth us, that Christ by his death hath vanquished death, even in the grave, his own chamber. That giant is subdued, the graves fly open, the dead go out. This bears ample witness to that speech of Christ. r joh. 11. 25. I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. The bodies of the Saints, what part of the earth or sea soever holds their dusts, shall not be detained in prison; when Christ calls for them: as the members must needs go, when the Head draws them. He shall speak to all creatures, Reddite quod devorastis: restore whatsoever of man you have devoured: not a dust, not a bone can be denied. The bodies of the Saints shall be raised, saith August. s In Enchirid. Tanta facilitate quanta felicitate: with as much easiness, as happiness. t Sen. epist. 36. Desinunt ista, non pereunt: mors intermittit vitam, non eripit. Our bodies are left for a time, but perish not: death may discontinue life, not conclude it. Intermittit●…, non interimitur: it may be paused, cannot be destroyed. 2. Observe, that all the dead do not rise, but Many, and those Saints. The general resurrection is reserved to the last day: this a pledge or earnest of it. Now who shall rise with this comfort? none but Saints: as here Christ takes no other company from the graves, but Saints. u 1. Thess. 4. 16 The dead in Christ shall rise first. Christ is called a Coloss. 1. 18. The first borne from the dead: He hath risen, and his shall next follow him. Every man in his own order; b 1. Cor. 15. 23. Christ the first fruits, afterward they that are Christ's, at his coming. Worms and corruption shall not hinder: he that said To Corruption, thou art my mother: and to the worms, you are my brethren and sisters: said also, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and one day with these eyes I shall behold him. The wicked shall also be raised, though with horror, to look upon him whom they have pierced. But as Christ did here, so will he at the last, single out the Saints to bear him company. 3. This showeth the true operation of Christ's death in all men. We are all dead in our sins, as these bodies were in their graves: now when Christ's death becomes effectual to our souls, we rise again and become new creatures. From the grave of this world we come into the Church, the holy City. But thou complainest of the deadness of thy hart: it is well thou complainest; there is some life or thou couldst not feel the deadness. c joh. 5. 25. The hour is coming & now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear it shall live. If this word hath raised thee from death, and wrought spiritual life in thy heart, thou shalt perceive it by thy breathing, words glorifying God; & by thy moving, in the ways, & to the works of obedience. 4 Observe that these Saints which arose, are said to have Slept. The death of the godly is often called a Sleep. So it is said of the patriarchs and Kings of judah, they slept with their fathers. So Paul saith, they d 1. Cor. 15. 18 sleep in Christ. The Coffin is a couch; In quo molliùs dormit, qui benè in vita laboravit, wherein he takes good rest, that hath wrought hard in the work of his salvation before he went to bed. Foelix somnus cum requie, requies cum voluptate, voluptas ●…um aeternitate. It is a sweet sleep that hath peace with rest, rest with pleasure, pleasure with everlastingness. So the godly sleep, till the Sound of a Trumpet shall waken them, and then eternal glory shall receive them. 5. Lastly observe that jerusalem is called the Holy city, though she were at this time a sink of sin, and a debauched harlot. Either as some think, that she is called holy, because she was once holy. So Rahab is called the harlot, because she was a harlot. Simon is termed the d Math. 26. 6. Leper, for that he was a leper: and e Math. 10. 3. Matthew the Publican, for that he was a Publican. Or else she was called holy for the covenants sake; in regard of the Temple, sacrifices, service of God; and of the elect people of God that were in it. Whence we may infer, how unlawful it is to separate from a Church because it hath some corruptions. Is apostate jerusalem that hath crucified her Saviour, called still the holy City: and must England that departeth in nothing from the faith and doctrine of her Saviour, for some scarce discernible Imperfections be rejected as a foedifragous' strumpet? But there be wicked persons in it: what then? She may be still a holy City. Recedatur ab iniquitate, non ab iniquis. Let us depart from sin, we cannot run from sinners. Thus we have considered the Miracles; let us now look into the causes, wherefore they were wrought. These may be reduced into five. In respect of The Sufferer dying. The Creatures obeying. The jews persecuting. The Women beholding. The Disciples forsaking. 1. In regard of Christ; to testify not only his innocency, but his Majesty. His innocency, that he was as pilate's wife acknowledged, a f Math. 27. 19 Just man. His Majesty as the Centurion confessed, g Math. 27. 54. Seeing the earth quake and the things that were done; Truly this was the Son of God. He seemed a worm, no man: the contempt and derision of the people, forsaken of his confidence: in the midst of all God will not leave him without witnesses; but raiseth up senseless creatures as Preachers of his deity. Est aterni filius, qui illic pendet mortuus. He that hangs there dead on the Cross, is the Son of the eternal God. Rather than the children of God shall want witnesses of their integrity, God will work miracles for their testimony. 2. In regard of the Creatures, to show their Obedience to their Creator: they are not wanting to him, that gave being to them. These demonstrate, it was their Lord that suffered; and that they were ready to execute vengeance on his murderers. The heaven that was dark would have reigned fire on them: the earth that quaked, shook them to pieces: the rocks that rend, tumbled on them: and the graves that opened to let out other prisoners, have swallowed them quick. They all waited but his command to perform this revengeful execution. Who shall now dare to persecute Christ in his members? The stones are thy enemies, the earth gapes for thee, hell itself enlargeth her jaws: if the Lord but hiss to them, they are suddenly in an uproar against thee. Go on in your malice ye raging persecutors: you cannot wrong Christ, no not in his very members, but you pull the fists of all creatures in heaven, earth, and hell about your ears: flies from the air, beasts from the earth, poison from sustenance, thunder from the clouds; yea at last also (though now they help you) the very devils from hell against you. All creatures shoot their malignancy at them, that shoot theirs at Christ. 3. In respect of the jews, his enemies; to shame and confound them. The rocks and graves are moved at his passion, not they. Lapides tremunt homines fremunt. The stones rend, the huge earth quakes with fear; the jews rage with malice. We see how difficult it is to mollify a hard heart: harder than to remove a mountain, raise the dead, cleave a rock, shake the whole earth. It is a great mryacle to convert a wicked man; greater than rending of rocks. Moses rod struck a Rock thrice and did it: ministers have struck men's rocky hearts three hundredth times, and cannot. The graves sooner open, than the sepulchres of sin and darkness: the vast earth sooner quakes, than men's hearts at God's judgements. 4. In respect of the women that stood by; that their faith might be confirmed. For seeing him on the Cross, at their mercy, whose bowels never knew the softness of such a nature: exposed to all the tyranny of their hands and tongs: hands that like cruel chirurgeons searched every part of his blessed body: tongues that ran nimbly through all the passages of obloquy, till they had overtaken reproach itself, and cast it on him: His body at the full will of the torments, and his soul not without intolerable terrors; as they might judge by strange speech that came from him; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Doth man triumph over him, and doth God forsake him? This might breed in their hearts a suspicion: either that he was a deceiver, or else utterly cut off. To stifle this doubt in the very birth, he shakes the earth, and rends the rocks; that as they knew him dying Hominem v●…rum, so they might perceive him doing these miracles not Hominem merum; but the everliving God. These wonders; blow the spark of their faith, almost dying with Christ; and root in their hearts a deep and infallible persuasion of their Saviour. Something there is to keep the faith of the elect from quenching, though Satan reign on it showers of discomforts. Though no object greets the eye of flesh but discouragement yet there is a secret Sp●…it within, that will never suffer the faith to fail. 5. In regard of the Disciples; to shame and convince them for leaving him, Christ had said before, Luk. 19 Luk. 19 40. Si hitacerent, loquerentur lapides. If these (speaking of his Disciples) should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. Lo, this saying is here come to pass: the Disciples hold their peace, the stones speak: they forsake Christ, the rocks proclaim him. Such a shame is it for Apostles and ministers of Christ to hold their peace; that if they be silent, the very stones shall preach against them. The walls, windows, pavements of Churches shall cry out against such Pastors, that undertake the office of a shepherd, and feed Christ his flock with nothing but air. And even you that come to hear; if no remorse can be put into your hearts at the relation of our saviours death: if you have no feeling of his sorrows, no apprehension of these mysteries, no repentance of your sins, no emendation of your lives; know that the very seats whereon you sit, the walls of your Temples, the very stones you tread on, shall bear witness against you. Now the Lord jesus, that at his death broke the Rocks; by the virtue of his death break our rocky hearts; that being mollified in this life they may be glorified in the life to come. Grant this O Father for thy mercy's sake, O Christ for thy merits sake, O holy Spirit for thy name's sake: To whom three persons, one only wise and eternal God, be glory and praise for ever. Amen. THE FOOL And His Sport. PROV. 14. 9 Fools make a mock at sin. THE proverbs of Solomon are so many select aphorisms, or divinely moral Says, without any mutual dependence one upon another. Therefore to study a coherence, were to force a marriage between unwilling parties. The words read spend themselves on a description of two things: the Fool, and his Sport. The Fool is the wicked man: his Sport, pastime, or babble is Sinne. Mocking is the medium or connexion, that brings together the Fool and Sin: thus he makes himself merry; they meet in mocking. The fool makes a mock at sin. Fools. The fool is the wicked: an ignorant heart is always a sinful heart: and a man without knowledge, is a man without grace. So Thamar to Ammon under his ravishing hands; a 2. Sam. 13. 13 Do not this folly. If thou dost it, Thou shalt be as one of the Fools in Israel. Ignorance cannot excusare a toto; wilful not a tanto. b 2. Thes. 1. 8. Christ shall come in flaming fire rendering vengeance to them that know not God. The state of these Fools is fearful. Like hooded Hawks, they are easily carried by the Infernal Falconer to hell. Their lights are out, how shall their house scape robbing? c jer. 4. 22. These Fools have a knowledge, but it is to do evil. They have also a knowledge of good, but not scientiam approbationis: they know, but they refuse it. So God justly quites them: for though he know them ad scientiam, he will not know them ad approbationem. But gives them a Discedite, nescio vos. d Math. 7. 27. I know you not: depart from me ye workers of iniquity. A man may be a Fool two ways; by knowing too Little Much. 1. By knowing too little; when he knoweth not those things, whereof he cannot be ignorant, and do well. e 1. Cor. 2. 2. I determined not to know any thing among you, save jesus Christ, and him crucified. But every man saith he knows Christ. If men knew Christ his love in dying for them, they would love him above all things: how do they know him, that love their money above him? Nemo verè novit Christum, qui non verè amat Christum. No man knows Christ truly, that loves him not sincerely. If men knew Christ, that he should be judge of quick and dead, durst they live so lewdly. Non novit Christum, qui non odit peccatum. He never knew Christ, that doth not hate iniquity. Some attribute too much to themselves, as if they would have a share with Christ in their own salvation. Nesciunt & Christum & seipsos: they are ignorant of both Christ and themselves. Others lay too much on Christ, all the burden of their sins, which they can with all possible voracity swallow down, and blasphemy vomit up again upon him. But they know not Christ, who thus seek to divide Aquam a sanguine, his blood from his water; and they shall fail of justification in heaven, that refuse sanctification upon earth. 2. By knowing too much; when a man presumes to know more than he ought. His knowledge is apt to be pursy and gross, and must be kept low. f Rom. 12. 16. Mind not high things, saith the Apostle. Festus slandered Paul, that g Act. 26. 2●… much learning had made him mad. Indeed it might have done, if Paul had been as proud of his learning, as Festus was of his honour. This is the h 1. Cor. 8. 1. knowledge that puffeth up. It troubles the brain, like undigested meat in the stomach: or like the scum that seethes into the broth. To avoid this folly, Paul fortbids us to i Rom. 12. 16. be wise in our own conceits. Whereof I find woe readings; Be not wise in yourselves; and Be not wise to yourselves. Not in yourselves; conjure not your wit into the circle of your own secret profit. We account the simple Fools, God accounts the crafty Fools. He that thinks himself wise, is a Fool ipso facto. It was a modest speech that fell from the Philosopher. k Sen. ep. 13. Si quando fatuo delectari volo, non est mihi longè quaerendus; me video. Therefore Christ pronounced his Woes to the pharisees; his doctrines to the people. The first entry to wisdom, is Scire quod nescias: to know thy ignorance. Sobriety is the measure for knowledge, as the Gomer was for Manna, Curiosity is the rennet, that turns our milk into curds. Not to yourselves; l Prou. 5. 16. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, saith the wisest king: communicate thy knowledge. Math. 5. Christians must be like lights, that wast Math. 5. 15. themselves for the good of those in God's house. Scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire hoc sciat alter. He that will be wise only to himself, takes the ready way to turn fool. Non licet habere privatam, ne privemur eâ. The closer we keep our knowledge, the likelier we are to lose it. Standing water soon puddles; the gifts of the mind, if they be not employed, will be impaired. Every wicked man is a fool by comparing their properties. 1. It is a fools property Futuranon prospicere, to have no foresight of future things. So he may have from hand to mouth, he sings careaway. So the grasshopper sings in harvest when the Ant labours: and begs at Christmas when the Ant sings. The wicked takes as little care what shall become of his soul, as the natural fool what shall become of his body. Modo Potiar, saith the Epicure: Let me have pleasure now; m Eccl. 9 4. It is better to a living dog then to a dead Lyon. They do not in fair weather repair their house against storms: nor in time of peace provide spiritual armour against the day of war. They watch not; therefore the day of the Lord shall come upon them as a thief in the night, and spoil them of all their pleasures. The main business of their soul is not thought of; nor dream they of an Audite, till they be called by death away to their reckoning. 2. It is a fools property to affect things hurtful to himself. Ludit cum spinis; he loves to be playing with thorns. Neither yet Quod nocuit, docu●…t; hath that which hurt him, taught him caution, but he more desperately desires his own mischief. The wicked do strongly appropriate to themselves this quality. Cum illis ludunt, quae illis laedunt: they love to dally with their own vexation, who else would do at on the world; and hover like wasps about the galley-pot, till for one lick of the honey they be drowned in it! What is your ambition, O ye world-affecters; saith August: but to be affected of the world? what do you seek, but n Confess. lib. 3. per multa pericula pervenire ad plura? per plurima ad pessima? but through many dangers to find more; through easier to find the worst of all? Like that doting Venetian, for one kiss of that painted harlot, to live her perpetual slave? The world was therefore called the fools Paradise; there he thinks to find heaven, and there he sells it to the devil. Noxia quaerunt improbi; o Prou. 7. 23. they hast as a bird to the snare: the devil doth but hold vanity as a sharp weapon against them, and they run full breast upon it. They need no enemies; let them alone, and they will kill themselves. So the envious pines away his own marrow: the adulterer poisons his own blood: the prodigal lavisheth his own estate: the drunkard drowns his own vital spirits. Wicked men make war upon themselves with the engines of death. 3. It is a fools property to prefer trifles and toys, before matters of worth and weight. The fool will not give his babble for the king's Exchequour. The wicked prefers bodies of dust and ashes to their souls of eternal substance: this sin corrupted and time-spent world, to the perfect and permanent joys of heaven: short pleasures to everlasting happiness: a puff of fame before a solid weight of glory. What folly can be more pitiable: then to forsake corn for acorns: a state of immortality for an apple, as Adam did: a birthright with all the privileges for a mess of pottage, belly-cheer, as Esau did: a kingdom on earth, yea in heaven too, for asses as Saul did: all portion in Christ for bacon, as the Gergesites Math. 22. did: a royalty in heaven, for a poor Farm on earth as the bidden guest did. This is the worldlings folly. Villa, bones, uxor etc. Mundus, cura, caro caelum clausere vocalis. To esteem grace and glory less than Farms, oxen, wives: manna than onions, mecrie then vanity: God than Idols. They may be fitly paralelld with the Prodigal. He Luk. 15. forsook 1. His Father's house for a strange country: these the Church, God's house, for the world; a place wherein they should be strangers: and wherein I am sure, they shall not be long dwellers. 2. His Father's inheritance for a bag of money: so these will not tarry for their heritagein heaven, but take the bags which Mammon thrusts into their hands on the present. Who but a Fool will refuse the assured reversion of some great Lordship, though expectant on the expiration of three lives: for a ready sum of money not enough to buy the least stick on the ground? This i●… the worldling's folly, rather to take a piece of●… p-coine in hand, then to trust God for the invaluable mass of glory. 3. He forsakes his loving friends for harlots, creatures of spoil and rapine: so these the company of Saints. For the Sons of Beliall: those that sing praises, for those that roar blasphemies. 4. Lastly the bread in his Father's house, for husks of beans: so these leave Christ the true bread of life, for the draff which the swine of this world puddle in. Here is their Folly to fasten on transient delights, and to neglect the pleasures at the right hand of God for evermore. Psal. 16. 4. It is a fools property, to run on his course with precipitation. Yet can he not outrun the wicked: whose a 2. King. 9 20. driving is like jehu's the son of Nimshi: he driveth as if he were mad. As if he had received that commission, salute no man by the way. b Prou. 27. 12. The wise man seeth the plague and hideth himself, but the fool runneth on and is punished. He goes, he runs, he flies; as if God that rides upon the wings of the wind should not overtake him. He may pass a pace, for he is benefited by the way: which is smooth, without rubs: and down a hill, for hell is a bottom. Facilis descensus Auerni. Hast might be good Prou. 15. 24. if the may were good, and good speed added to it. But this is Cursus celerrimus praeteruiam. He needs not run so fast: for numquamserò ad id venitur, a quo nunquam receditur: the fool may come soon enough, to that place, from whence he must never return. Thus you see the respondency of the spiritual to the natural Fool, in their qualities. Truly the wicked man is a Fool: so Solomon expounds the one by the other. Eccl. 7. Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldst thou Eccl. 7. 17. die before thy time? Fools. Observe, this is plurally and indefinitely spoken. The number is not small; Stult●…rum plena sunt omnia. Christ's flock is little; but Satan's kingdom is of large bounds. Plurima possima; vile things are ever most plentiful. Wisdom flies like the Rail, alone: but fools, like Partridges, by whole coveys. There is but one Truth, but innumerable errors. Which should teach us 1. Not to follow a multitude in evil. In civil actions it is good to do as the most; in religious, to do as the best. It shall be but poor comfort in hell, Socios habuisse doloris. Thou pleadest to the judge; I have done as others: the judge answers; And thou shalt speed as others. 2. To bless God, that we are none of the many: as much for our Grace, whereby we differ from the fools of the world; as for our Reason, whereby we differ from the fools of nature. Now as these fools are many, so of many kinds. There is the Sad fool, and the Glad fool: the Haughty fool, and the Naughty fool. 1. The Sad or melancholy fool is the Envious; that repines at his brother's good. An enemy to all God's favours, if they fall besides himself. A man of the worst diet; for he consumes himself; and delights in pining, in repining. He is ready to quarrel with God, because his neighbours flock scape the rot. He cannot endure to be happy, if with company. Therefore envy is called by Prosper; c Lib. 3. de virtut. & vitijs. De bono alterius tabescentis animi cruciatus: the vexation of a languishing mind, arising from another's welfare. Tantos Inuidus habet iustae poenae tortores, quantos invidiosus habuit laudatores. So many, as the envied hath praisers, hath the envious tormentors. 2. The Glad fool, I might say the Mad fool, is the dissolute; who rather than he will want sport, makes goodness itself his Minstrel. His mirth is to fully every virtue with some slander; & with a ●…est to laugh it out of fashion. His usual discourse is filled up with boasting Parentheses of his old sins: and though he cannot make himself merry with their act, he will with their report; as if he roved at this mark, to make himself worse than he is. If repentance do but proffer him her service, he kicks her out of doors: his mind is perpetually drunk; and his body lightly dies, like Anacreon, with a grape in his throat. He is stung of that serpent, whereof he dies laughing. 3. The Haughty fool is the ambitious: who is ever climbing high Towers, and never forecasteth how to come down. up he will, though he fall down headlong. He is weary of peace in the Country, and therefore comes to seek trouble at Court: where he haunts great men, as his great spirit haunts him. When he receives many disappoyntments, he flatters himself still with success. His own fancy persuades him, as men do fools, to shoot away another arrow, thereby to find the first: so he looseth both. And lastly, because his pride will admit of no other punisher, he becomes his own torment: and having at first lost his honesty, he will now also lose his wits; so truly becomes a fool. 4. The Naughty fool is the Covetous. This is the Folly that Solomon saw under the Sun. You heard before of a merry fool; but the very fool of all is the avarous: for he will lose his friends, starve his body, damn his soul, and have no pleasure for it. So saith the Prophet. d jer. 17. 11. He shall leave his riches in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a Foole. He wastes himself, to keep his goods from waist: he eats the worst meat, and keeps his stomach ever chiding. He longs like a fool, for every thing he sees; and at last may habere quod voluit, non quod vult: have what he desired, never what he desires. He fears not the day of judgement; except for preventing the date of some great obl●…gatio. You would think it were petty treason to call a rich man fool; but he doth so that dares justify it. Luk. 12. Thou Luk. 12. 20. fool, this night shall they fetch away thy soul from thee: than whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? We have anatomised the Fool, let us behold his Sport. He maketh a mock at sin. The Fathers call this Infimum gradum, and Limen inferni; the lowest degree of sin, and the very threshold of hell. It is Sedes pestilentiae, the Scorners chair. Psal. 1. 1. Psal. 1. wherein the ungodly sits, blaspheming God and all goodness. Nemo fit repent pessimus. No man becomes worst at first. This is no sudden evil. Men are borne sinful, they make themselves profane. Through many degrees they climb to that height of impiety. This is an extreme progress, and almost the journeys end of wickedness: Improbo laetari affectu. Thus Abner calls fight a sport. e 2. Sam. 2. 14. Let the young men arise, and play before us. f Phil. 3. 19 They glory in their shame, saith the Apostle; as if a condemned malefactor should boast of his halter. Fools make a mock at sin. We shall the more clearly see, and more strongly detest this senseless iniquity, if we consider the object of the fools Sport; Sinne. 1. Sin, which is so contrary to goodness: and though to man's corrupt nature pleasing, yet even abhorred of those sparks and cinders, which the rust of sin hath not quite eaten out of our nature, as the Creation left it. The lewdest man, that loves wickedness as heartily, as the devil loves him; yet hath some obiurgations of his own heart: and because he will not condemn his sin, his heart shall condemn him. The most reprobate wretch doth commit some contraconscient iniquities: and hath the contradiction of his own soul, by the remanents of reason left in it. If a lewd man had the choice to be one of those two Emperors, Nero or Constantine; who would not rather be a Constantine then a Nero? The most violent oppressor that is cruel to others, yet had rather that others should be kind to him then cruel. The bloodiest murderer desisires that others should use him gently, rather than strike, kill, or butcher him. Nature itself prefers light to darkness: and the mouth of a Sorceress is driven to confess, Video meliora, probóque. The most rigid usurer, if he should come before a severe judge, would be glad of mercy; though himself will show none to his poor bondmen. In bene vivendo requiem natura fateri. Cogitur. It is then first a contranaturall thing to make a mock at sin. 2. Sin, which sensibly brings on present judgements g joh. 5. 14. Thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. Sin procured the former, and that was grievous; 38. years bedrid: Sin is able to draw on a greater punishment; Lest a worse thing come unto thee. If I should turn this holy book from one end to the other; if I should search all Fathers, yea all writers whether divine or humane; I should evince this conclusion; that Sin hales on judgement. Pedisequis sceleris supplicium. If there be no fear of impiety, there is no hope of impunity. Our Machiavellian Politicians have a position: that Summa scelera nicipiuntur cum periculo, peraguntur cum praemio: the greatest wickedness is begun with danger, gone through with reward. Let the Philosophers stop their mouths: Scelus aliquis tutum, nemo securum tulit. Some guilty men have been safe, none ever secure. This every eye must see. Let adultery plead that nature is encourager and director of it; and that she is unjust to give him an affection, and to bar him the action: yet we see it plagued. To teach us that the sin is of a greater latitude, than some imagine it: unclean, fedifragous', perjured. Broad impudence, contemplative Bawdry, an eye full of whores are things but jested at: the committers at last find them no jest, when God powers vengeance on the body, and wrath on the naked conscience. Let drunkenness stagger in the robes of good fellowship; and shrowdit self under the wings of merriment; yet we see it have the punishment, even in this life. It corrupts the blood, drowns the spirits, beggars the purse, and enricheth the carcase with surfeits: a present judgement waits upon it. He that is a thief to others, is at last a thief also to himself; and steals away his own life. God doth not ever forbear sin to the last day; nor shall the bloody Ruffian still h Psal. 55. 23. escape but his own blood shall answer some in present, and his soul the rest eternally. Let the Seminary pretend a warrant from the Pope to betray and murder Princes; and build his damnation on their tetrical grounds; which have Parum rationis, minus honestatis, Religionis nihil; Little Reason, less Honesty, no Religion. Yet we see, God reveals their malicious stratagems, and buries them in their own pit. Piercies head now stands Sentinel, where he was once a Pioneer. If a whole land flow with wickedness, it escapes not a deluge of vengeance. For England; have not her bowels groaned under the heavy pestilence? If the plague be so common in our mouths, how should it not be common in our streets? With that plague wherewith we curse others, the just God curseth us. We shall find in that Imperial state of Rome, that till Constantine's time almost every Emperor died by treason or massacre: after the receiving of the Gospel, none except that reuolter julian: Let not sin then be made a sport or jest, which God will not forbear to punish even in this life. 3. But if it bring not present judgement, it is the more fearful. The less punishment wickedness receives here, the more is behind. God strikes those here, whom he means to spare hereafter; and corrects that son which he purposeth to save. But he scarce meddles with them at all, whom he intends to beat once for all. The Almond tree is forborn them, who are bequeathed to the boiling Pot. There is no rod to scourge such in present; so they go with whole sides to hell. The purse and the flesh escapes, but the soul pays for it. This is Misericordia puniens, a grievous mercy: when men are spared for a while, that they may be spilt for ever. This made that good Saint cry; Lord here afflict, cut, burnt, torture me; Vt in aeternum parcas; Aug. that for ever thou wilt save me. No sorrow troubles the wicked, no disturbance embitters their pleasures: But remember saith Abraham to the merry-liu'ed rich man, i Luk. 16. 25. Thou wert delighted, but thou art tormented. Tarditas supplicij gravitate pensatur: and he will strike with iron hands, that came to strike with leaden feet. Tuli, nunquid semper feram? no; their hellfire shall be so much the hotter, as God hath been cool and tardy in the execution of his vengeance. This is a judgement for Sin that comes invisible to the world, insensible to him on whom it lights. To be k Rom. 1. 28. 2. 5. given over to a reprobate mind; to a hard and impenitent heart. If any thing be vengeance, this is it. I have read of plagues, famine, death come tempered with love and mercy: this never but in anger. Many taken with this spiritual lethargy sing in Taverns, that should howl with dragons: and sleep out sabboth's and Sermons, whose awaked souls would rend their hearts with anguish. fools then only make a mock at sin. 4. Sin that shall at last be laid heavy on the conscience: the lighter the burden was at first; it shall be at last the more ponderous. The wicked conscience may for a while lie a sleep: but l jerom. Tranquilitas ista tempestas est: this calm is the greatest storm. The mortalest enemies are not evermore in pitched fields, one against the other: the guilty may have a seeming truce, true peace they cannot have. A man's debt is not paid by 〈◊〉 bring: even while thou sleepest, thy arrearages run on. If thy conscience be quiet without good cause, remember that Cedat iniustissima pax iustissimo bello: a just war is better than unjust peace. The conscience is like a fire under a pile of green wood, long ere it burn; but once kindled it flames beyond quenching. It is not pacifiable whiles sin is within to vex it: the hand will not cease throbbing so long as the thorn is within the flesh. In vain he striveth to feast away cares, sleep out thoughts, drink down sorrows; that hath his tormentor within him. When one violently offers to stop a source of blood at the nostril, it finds a way down the throat not without hazard of suff●…cation. The strooken dear runs into the thicket, and there breaks off the arrow: but the head sticks still within him, and rankles to death. Flitting and shifting ground gives way to further anguish. The unappeased conscience will not leave him, till it hath showed him hell; nor then neither. Let then this Fool know, that his now feared conscience shall be quickened: his deathbed shall smart for this. And his amazed heart shall rue his old wilful adiournings of repentance. How many have there raved on the thought of their old sins; which in the days of their hot lust they would not think sins. Let not then the Fool make a mock at sin. 5. Sin, which hath another direful effect, of greater latitude; and comprehensive of all the rest. Divinam incitat iram. It provokes God to anger. The wrath of a king is as messengers of death; what is the wrath of the king of kings. m Hebr. 12. 29. For our God is a consuming fire. If the fire of his anger be once thoroughly incensed, all the rivers in the South are not able to quench it: What pillar of the earth, or foundation of heaven can stand, when he will wake them? He that in his wrath can open the jaws of earth to swallow thee, sluice out floods from the sea to drown thee, rain down fire from heaven to consume thee; Sodom, the old world, Corah, drunk of these wrathful vials. Or to go no further, he can set at jar the elements within thee, by whose peace thy spirits are held together: drown thee with a dropsy bred in thy own flesh: burn thee with a pestilence begotten in thy own blood: or bury thee in the earthly grave of thy own melancholy. Oh it is a fearful thing, to fall into the hands of the living God. It is then wretchedly done, thou Fool, to jest at sin that angers God, who is able to anger all the veins of thy heart for it. 6. Sin, which was punished even in heaven. Angeli detruduntur propter peecatum. 2. Pet. 2. God spared not the Angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell. It 2. Pet. 2. 4. could bring down Angels from heaven to hell; how much more men from earth to hell! If it could corrupt such glorious natures, what power hath it against dust and ashes! Art thou better or dearer than the Angels were? Dost thou flout at that which condemned them? Go thy ways, make thyself merry with thy sins; mock at that which threw down Angels. Unless God give thee repentance, and another mind, thou shalt speed as the lost Angels did. For God may as easily cast thee from earth as he did them from heaven. 7. Sin, which God so loathed, that he could not save his own elect because of it, but by killing his own Son. It is such a disease, that nothing but the blood of the Son of God could cure it. He cured us by taking the receipts himself which we should have taken. He is first cast into a Sweat; such a sweat as never man but he felt; when the bubbles were drops of blood. Would not sweeting serve? he comes to incision, they pierce his hands, his feet, his sides; and set life itself abroach. He must take a potion too, as bitter as their malice could make it; compounded of vinegar & gall. And lastly he must take a stranger and stronger medicine than all the rest; he must die for our sins. Behold his harmless hands pierced for the sins, our harmful hands had committed. His undefiled feet, that never stood in the ways of evil, nailed for the errors of our paths. He is spitted on, to purge away our uncleanness: clad in scornful Robes to cover our wickedness: whipped, that we might escape everlasting scourges. He would thirst, that our souls might be satisfied: the Eternal would die, that we might not die eternally. He is content to bear all his Father's wrath; that no pang of that burden might be imposed upon us: and seem as forsaken a while, that we by him might be received for ever. Behold his side become bloody, his heart dry, his face pale, his arms stiff; after that the stream of blood had run down to his wounded feet. O think if ever man felt sorrow like him; or if he felt any sorrow but for Sinne. Now is that Sin to be laughed at, that cost so much torment? Did the pressure of it lie so heavy on the Son of God, and doth a son of man make light of it? Did it wring from him sweat, and blood, and tears, and unconceivable groans of an afflicted spirit; and dost thou O fool, jest at it? Alas that which put our infinite Redeemer God and man, so hard to it; must needs swallow up and confound thee, poor sinful wretch. It pressed him so far that he cried out to the amazement of earth and heaven; My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? Shall he cry for them, and shall we laugh at them? Thou mockest at thy oppressions, oaths, sacrileges, lusts, frauds; for these he groaned. Thou scornest his Gospel preached, he wept for thy scorn. Thou knowest not, O fool, the price of a Sin: thou must do, if thy Saviour did not for thee. If he suffered not this for thee, thou must suffer it for thyself, Passio aeterna erit in te, si passio Aeterni non erat pro te. An eternal passion shall be upon thee, if the Eternals passion were not for thee. Look on thy Saviour, and make not a mock at Sinne. 8 Lastly Sin shall be punished with n Rom. 6. 23. Death: you know what death is the wages of it: not only the first, but the o Reu. 20. 6 second death. Inexpressible are those torments: when a reprobate would give all the pleasures that e●…er he enjoyed, for one drop of water to cool his tongue. Where there shall be unquenchable fire to burn, not to give light; save a glimmering; p Isid. Lib. 1. de Sum. Bon. ad ag gravationem, ut videant unde doleant: non ad consul●…ionem, ne videant unde gandeant: to show them the torments of others, and others the torments of themselves. But I cease urging this terror; and had rather win you by the love of God, then by his wrath and justice. Neither need I a stronger argument to dissuade you from sin, then by his passion that died for us being enemies. For if the agony, anguish, and heart-blood of jesus Christ shed for our sins, will not move us to repentance, we are in a desperate case. Now therefore I fitly leave Paul's adjuration, so sweetly tempered in your bosoms: commending that to your consciences, and your consciences to God. q Rom. 12. 1. I beseech y●… brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto GOD. THE FIRE OF CONTENTION OR The trouble that follows the Gospel. Luk. 12. 49. I come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? BEfore I run upon Division, (and yet Division is the subject of my Text; and for methods sake I must use some division in my discourse) I must let you understand, what this Fire is that is sent; and how innocent our Saviour is that sendeth it. 1. There may be Dessention betwixt the good and the good: and hereof is the Devil the author. It is the Enemy that sows those tars. This is one of the abominations that the Lord abhorreth: a Prou. 6. 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren. God is never the immediate cause of that, which he abominates. b 1. Cor. 11. 16 If any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the Churches of God. To clear Christ and his Gospel from causing this; the tenor of all Scriptures admonisheth us with Saint Peter. c 1. Pet. 3. 8. Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. Unity is the badge of Christianity: we are all the members of one body. d 1. Cor. 12. The eye cannot say to the hands, I have no need of you, etc. We are all stones of one building, therefore must not jar one with another, lest we ruin the whole house. Christ saith, that a kingdom divided cannot stand. The Soldiers would not divide the unseamed coat of Christ: far be it from us to rend his body. There are three grounds of love; virtue, pleasure, profit. Virtue all consent to be the surest and best. That than which is grounded on the best virtue, is the best unity: and this is Faith. love issuing from Faith is a bond able to tie God to man, man to God: and therefore man to man. This knot is tied so fast, that the powers of hell cannot undo it. All other unities, but the Communion of Saints may be broken. There is no peace so indissoluble, as the peace of faith. So contrarily there is no Contention so violent and raging, as that is inflamed by erroneous Religion. e Lib. 2. Ep. 8. Cyprian writes of Novatus, that he would not so much as allow his own Father bread whiles he lived, nor vouchsafe him burial being dead: that he spurned his own wife, and killed his own child within her body. O the unmatchable cruelty, that some men's religion, (if I may so call it) hath embloudied them to! What treasons, conspiracies, massacres, did or durst ever show their black faces in the light of the Sun, like to those of Papists; all vizarded under pretended Religion? The Pope hath a Canon, called Nos sanctorum Predecessorum, etc. We observing the statutes of our holy Predecessors, do absolve those that are bound by fidelity and oath to persons excommunicated from their oaths; and do forbid them to keep their fealty towards them, Quousque ipsi ad satisfactionem veniant: till they come to yield satisfaction. What malicious stratagems against suspended Princes, have not been kindled from this fire? Against what nation hath not this Canon shot the fury? Yea the more to embolden subjects to such pernicious attempts, the Pope makes them believe that the very Apostles take their parts. For so it is manifest by the form of Gregory's sentence; that he commandeth S. Peter and S Paul, as if they were his bailiffs errant, to execute the writs of his pontifical and privative authority. Malice in humour is like fire in straw, quickly up, and quickly out: but taking hold of conscience, like fire in steel; Quod tardè acquisivit, diù retinet; what was long in getting, will be longer in keeping. Religion is the greatest enemy to religion; the false to the true. f Tertull. Favos etiam vespae faciunt: wasps also make combs, though in stead of honey we find gunpowder. Of dissension among professors of the Gospel, Christ is not author: he never gave fire to burn his Church. Yet he hath his hand in it g 1. Cor. 11. 19 There must be heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest. He draws good out of evil; and makes a good Shall of the evil must: so raising a virtue from a necessity. From contentions begot by Satan, he so sweetly works, that the profession of his but darkly glowing before, shall be made to shine brightly. In Q. Mary's time, when persecution wrung the Church, Martyrdom gave a manifest approbation of many (unknown) Saints. The virtues of divers had been less noted, if this fiery trial had not put them to it. God's glory and power are more perspicuous, in strengthening his against their enemies, then if they had none. Christ came not to send this fire; yet he wisely tempers it to our good. 2. There may be Dissension betwixt the wicked and the wicked; and hereof also is Satan author. He sets his own together by the ears, like cocks of the game to make him sport. Hereupon he raised these great Heathen wars, that in them millions of souls might go down to people his lower kingdom. Hereupon he draws ruffian into the field against ruffian: and then laughs at their vainly spilled blood. All the contentions, quarrels, whereby one evil neighbour vexeth another; all slanders, scold, reproaches, calumnies, are his own damned fires. Thus sometimes the ungodly massacre the ungodly, oppressors devour oppressors. h Esa. 19 2. I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; City against city, and kingdom against kingdom. The pharisees against the Sadduces: the Turk against the Pope: the Transgressor against the transgressor. Covetousness shall be against prodigality: baseness against pride: temerity against dastardy. The drunkard spills the drunkard, the thief robs the thief: Proditorisproditor: the Traitor shallbe betrayed, and the cosener shall be cheated. i Esa. 9 21. They shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm; Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh. It is unpossible, that any true peace should be amongst the wicked, whiles they want the soalder that should glue them together, faith. Agreement in evil is not peace, but conspiracy. Wicked men's combining themselves may be a faction, no unity, no amity: for they have but metum & noxam conscientia prosoedere: terror and guilt of conscience for their league. But some may question; doth not Satan in setting reprobates against reprobates, overthrow his own kingdom? I answer. 1. The Devil is politic, and will not divide his subjects, when by their holding together he may divide the Church. So the pharisees though they hate the Sadduces; and the Herodians that despise them both: Math. 22. 16. 23. shall all join forces shake and take hands against Christ. Papists are enemies to Truth, Schismatics to Peace; yet both the Church: which suffers, as her Saviour did, in medio ini●…orum, in the midst of adversaries; not only to her now, but at other times also to themselves. Herod and P●…te, were of enemies reconciled friends, that their united rancours might meet against jesus. The jews and the Lystrians, so diversely religioned, the devil can make agree, to stone Paul. Act. 14. 19 Thus Satan holds them under colours and pay, whiles they can do him any service: but when they can no longer vex others, he falls to vexing of them: and enrageth their thirst to one another's blood, when they have done quaffing the blood of the Saints. 2. The Devil in raising seditions and tumults among his own, intends not the destruction, but erection of his kingdom. Perhaps his forces on earth are weakened, but his Territories in hell are replenished: wherein he takes himself to reign most surely. For Satan, during a man's life, knows not certainly, whether he belongs to God, or to him. Predestination is too mystical and secret a book for his condemned eyes to look into; and repentance hath often stepped in betwixt old age and death: frustrating the hopes of Satan. Therefore he hastens a wicked man, with what speed he can, to hell; for till he came within those smoky gates, Satan is not sure of him; he may start out of his clutches. For this cause he precipitates witches with much suddenness to their ends: whom, one would think, he should let live, that they might do more mischief. No; such is his malicious policy, he would be sure of some: and rather take one soul in present, then hazard all on the vain hope of more gains. 3. There is a Dissension between the wicked and godly; nor yet is Christ the proper and immediate cause of this. For Rom. 12. If it be possible, as much as lieth Rom. 12. 18. in you, live peaceably with all men. 4. There is an enmity betwixt Grace and Wickedness; a continual combat between sanctity and sin: and this is the Fire that Christ came to send. He is to some a living stone, whereupon they are built to life: to others a stone of offence, whereat they stumble to death. Now because the local seat of holiness on earth is in the hearts of the Saints; of wickedness in the Devil and his justruments: therefore it follows, that the evil will persecute the good, and the good may not partake of the vices of the bad. k 2. Cor. 6. 16. What agreement hath the temple of God with Idols! Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. Out of the Egypt of this world hath God called his Sons. We are forbidden all fellowship with the unfruitful works of of darkness; not altogether with the workers: l 1. Cor. 5. 10. For than we must needs go out of the world. It is commanded jerem 15. that the precious be separated from the vile: yet jer. 15. 19 so that they may return to the good, though the good may not turn to them. It is good for the good to sunder themselves from the incorrigible wicked; as being the first stair of the ladder that leaves the earth; and sets the first step of our journey to heaven. God in his eternal decree separated the elect from the Reprobate: in his Vocation, he sequesters them from nature and sin. When he executes particular judgement, he takes Israel from the Tabernacles of Corah: when he will give the general, he will sever the Sheep from the Goats. Christ then, who is the m Esa. 9 6. Prince of Peace, causeth not quarrels between man and man, as they are creatures; but betwixt goodness and evil, as they are contrary natures. That the sons of Beliall hate the sons of God, Christ is not the cause, but the occasion. For when the Gospel separates us from the world, the world than bends his malicious forces against us. So that Peace in sin. Ver. 51. Christ came not to send; but Peace of conscience. Phil. 4. The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, etc. Which because the wicked Phil. 4. 7. will not embrace, therefore n Ver. 52. 53. Five in one house shall be divided: the Father against the Son, and the S●…nne against the Father, etc. The Gospel doth not otherwise work this division, than the Law is said to o Rom. 7. 7. make sin; because it made sin known. Or the Sun is said to cause moths, because it causeth their appearance. Let Paul continue a Pharise, and the pharisees will love him: convert he to a Christian, and they will hate him. Whiles we live after the world, we have peace with the world, none with God: when we are turned to Christ, we have peace with God, none with the world. This ground laid, we will consider, for the better exposition of the words five circumstances. The Fire. fuel. Kindlers. Smoke. bellows. Wherein we shall find Christ's willing, and the fires kindling. Who wils goodness to his chosen, which he is sure, will enrage the wicked to their persecution. The cause thus given, the fire is left to be kindled by others. For though Non sine Deo patimur, yet non a Deo petimur. The instruments of our affliction will be found ungodly; who, though they plead, we have done the will of the Lord, shall go to hell for their labour. The Fire. Is discord, debate, contention, anger, and hatred against the godly. Every man is composed of four elemental humours, whereof one is Choler, resembled to Fire. In whom this Choler is most adust, & puissant, they are usually most hot, furious, fiery. But I speak here of nature; for grace can alter nature, and purge this corruption. Regeneration is the best physic to purge Choler. Many medicines hath Philosophy prescribed against this spiritual disease; but in vain. The Philosopher's servant could scoff his Master: He inveighes against anger, writes volumes against it, & ipse mihi irascitur; and yet he is angry with me. Only grace can (more than give rules) give power to master this madness. Fire and Contention have some resemblances. 1. Debate is like Fire; for as that of all elements, so this of all passions, is most violent. The earth is huge, yet we walk quietly on it; it suffers our ploughs to rend up the entrails of it; to teach us patience. The air is copious, yet admits our respiration. The waters boisterous, yet sail we upon them, against them. But Fire, especially getting the upper hand, is unmercifully raging: it left nothing behind, to witness the former happiness of Sodom. The world's last destruction, shall be by a 2. Pet. 3. 12. Fire: and God useth that, of all elements, to express the very torments of hell; adding b Reu. 21. 8. Brimstone to it. To this is the anger of God likened; c Hebr. 12. 29. Our God is even a consuming fire. So doth debate exceed all passions: floods of correction, can quench the turbulent an fiery spitit which is d jam. 3. 6. set on fire of hell. Only one extreme may drive out another; as we hold our burnt finger to the fire, by a new heat to extract the former. e Math. 3. 11. So the fire of grace only must draw out the Fire of debate; or send it to the everlasting f ver. 12. fire to purge it. 2. Contention is like Fire; for both burn so long, as there is any exustible matter to contend against. Only herein it transcends fire: for fire begets not matter, but consumes it; debate begets matter, but not consumes it. For the wicked study cause of contention, as g 1. King 20. 3. 5. 7. Benhadad against Ahab 1. king 20. So when the Pope could find no just exception against Frederick the Emperor; he quarreled with him for holding the wrong stirrup; when the great Prelate should mount his palfrey; and thought he might easily mistake, for Emperors are not used to hold stirrups, yet he was persecuted almost to excommunication, for it. It is woeful dwelling amongst debateful men, whose souls hate peace: that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, h Rom. 1. 3. without natural affection; which Paul makes a reprobates mark: striking all that stand in their way; and not ceasing to burn, till all matter cease to feed them. Solomon describes such with a fiery comparison. First. ver. 17. he calls him a Busi-body he passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him: Prou. 26. he thrusts himself into impertinent business; and is like one that taketh a dog by the ears; which he can neither hold, nor well let go. ver. 18. He notes his politic villainy. As a madman, who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death; and saith, Am I not insport? he scattereth abroad mortal mischiefs under the colour of jest. And ver. 20. lest the fire should go out, he administers fuel himself. Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out. ver. 21. when he hath kindled this flame, he strives to spread and disperse it; and is as coals to burning coals, and wood to the fire. The words of a talebearer are wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. They penetrate and cruciate the most tender and sensible places. 3. As a little spark grows to a great flame so a small debate often proves a great rent. a jam. 3. 5. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth. The wind at first a small vapour, yet gets such strength in going, that it overturnes trees and towers. b Ecclus. 28. 14. A backbiting tongue hath pulled down strong cities, and overthrown the houses of great men. War is compared to fire. Numb. 21. A fire is gone out of Heshbon, and a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath Numb. 21. 28. consumed Are of Moab, and the Lords of the high places of Arnon. But contention runs like wildfire; so furious a pace, that nothing but blood can extinguish it. 4. As fire is proverbially said to be an ill master, but a good servant: so Anger where it is a Lord of rule is a Lord of misrule; but where it is subdued to reason, or rather sanctified to grace, it is a good servant. That anger is holy, that is zealous for the glory of God. This is Division; a raging fire: and able, whether it take hold of civility or religion, of Burse or Church, to overthrow the common good of both. For civility, the breaking of relatives, is the ruin of substantives. We stand not of ourselves, but upon reference. Want of justice in magistrates, of instruction in governors, of obedience in subjects, of charity in neighbours, destroys the common wealth. Some gather thus much from the fifth Commandment, by good consequence. Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For if Princes rule well and subjects obey well; if masters command right, and servants do right: if Parents instruct children in the fear of God, and children obey parents in that fear; this happy harmony shall preserve the land. If this relation, and reciprocal duty be neglected, all runs to ruin: and the blessing of long life shall be withdrawn. For it is not fit they should have long life, that rebel against those from whom they had, and by whom they hold their life. Begin with the least ascendently. The overthrow of a house is Division. When the husband and wife draw not evenly in the yoke; when the one brings fire & the other hath no water to-quench it: when the children are refractory, the servants wasters; there must needs be a decay of this family. Whereof consists a City, but of many households? If the particulars be ruinated, what will become of the general? When the members are gone where is the Body? If the Magistrates are unjust, the people disobedient, if one profession quarrel with another, and deny mutuality: the head refusing to give guidance, the eyes their sight, the feet to walk, the hands to work; the body of that City dissolves. The dissolution of cities and towns, must needs ruin the Kingdom. When the members fell out with the stomach, that it devoured all, and took no pains; hereon the eye would not see for it, nor the hand work for it, nor the foot walk for it, etc. so the stomach wanting meat, the eyes, hands, feet, and all members faint and languish. Tributes & subsidies are but the dues and duties of the members to the Prince; who, as the stomach, returns all to their welfare and benefit. Dissension in religion doth no less hurt, doth more. It divides a house. Here. Ver. 52. Five in one house shall be divided: two against three, and three against two. And Math. 10. A man's foes shall be they of his own household. Math. 10 36. It dividesa city. How many cities have been destroyed by their own mutinous distractions, whom foreign invasions could not subdue! It divides a Kingdom; whereof France hath long been a bleeding witness: neither hath England been insensible. Ac velut in magno populo, cum saepe coorta est Seditio, saevitque animis ignobile vulgus: Virg. Iámque faces & saxa volant, furor arma ministrat. It overthrows propinquity: the mutual succour of lending, borrowing, giving, relieving is lost. Yea it overturns Nature itself, setting c Math. 10. 35. children at variance against their own parents. There are three very near; Superior, equal, inferior; Parent, wife, children: Ver. 37. yet we must separate from them, rather than from jesus Christ. Yea it is enough to extirpate all; Regem, legem, gr●…gem; Prince, law and people. No wonder then, if the busy devil seeks so studiously to kindle this fire! Eccl. Hist. So Eusebius observes; The subtle Serpent, when persecutions gave the Church breathing space, began to vex her with her own divisions. The Fuel. Whereon this fire works, is the good Profession of the godly. So the rulers against d Dan. 6. 4. Daniel in causa Dei sui: because of his Religion. Psal. 59 The mighty are Psal. 59 3. gathered against me, not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord. They persecuted us, not because they find evil in us, but because they cannot find evil in us. They run and prepare themselves against me, without my fault. Without fault? it is fault enough in their judgement, because we serve the Lord. e 1. Pet. 4. 4. They speak evil of us, because we run not with them to the same excess of riot. If we will not communicate with their vicious customs, we shall participate of their raging cruelties. Against Israel, yea because it is Israel, do they consult: f Psal. 83. 4. Come let us cut off them from being a Nation: that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For this cause was the Babylonian fire kindled against those three servants of God; and the same cause moved mystical Babylon to burn our Martyrs in England. If they would have turned to Idols and Images, the fire had been put out. We would not, could not yield to their superstitions, therefore the Fire burned. But that which is the occasion of evil, cannot be perfectly good. Indeed that simply and of itself causeth evil, is evil itself. But that may be good, which indirectly and by consequence, in man's corrupt nature occasioneth it. The Gospel, and integrity of professing it, is not the efficient but accidental cause; or rather properly no cause, but an occasion of this feud. The bright Sun, shining on mud and filth, is said to cause stench: yet is not the Sun the true cause, but the former putrefaction of the subject reflected on, when a corrupt vapour comes into the fiery region, it is soon inflamed. Their rancorous filth had line quiet, as muck in a dunghill, had not the Sun of the Gospel, shone on it, and stirred it, now howsoever the Gospel is not the direct cause of this, yet surely the occasion. For Athens is quiet enough till Paul comes: and till Christ is borne, jerusalem is hushed in peace. Many parishes stick not to say, we had rest and security enough before: but now since preaching came in, and the Pulpits have been warmed, there is nothing but disturbation and unquietness. How else could this Text be true, that Christ came to send fire on the earth? The deluge of sin was universal, and the waters of iniquity stood untroubled, and all was a Mare mortuum: but when Christ puts fire to this water, no marvel if they wrestle. The devil stirs not till God rouse him; as the wild boar sleeps till he be hunted. Let darkness cover men's impieties, and their slumber is unmolested: produce them to the light and they cannot endure it. The ulcerous side full of dead flesh, feels not till you touch the quick. But let Elias tell Ahab of his Idolatries, john Baptist Herod of his lusts; and then, Thou art mine enemy. The ungodly may pretend other causes, but this is the true one. The Pope refused to confirm an Archbishop Math. Paris. elect, when no insufficiency could be found against him, only because of his age: not considering, that himself being older did manage a greater place. But if the Archbishop was able to travel to Rome and back again to England, sure he was able to have sat in the Chair of Canturbury. Age was the exception; but the truth was the Archbishop's honesty; that he carried not with him to Rome a golden bottle to quench the Pope's thirsty soul: as many others d●d, who returned home with as much wit as they went forth, but not with so much money. Such was the Pope's pretence against Reimundus the good Earl of Tholouse, that he was an Heretic: but when his just purgation and justifying of himself would not pacify his unmerciful Holiness; Act. and. Mon. pag. 273. nor get peaceable possession of his own lands: it was evident to all eyes, that the Pope's desire was not so much to have the Earl part from his Heresy, as from his Heritage. Persecutors plead castigation of errors, but they mean subersion of truth. But great peace is prophesied to the Gospel. Esa. 11. The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb; and the Leopard lie Esa. 11. 6. quietly by the kid etc. And Mica●…. 4. They shall beat their swords, into plowshares, and their spears into pr●…ing Mic. 4. 3. hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. I answer, God will either restrain the fury of these savage beasts, and turn Esau's threats into mildness when he meets jacob. g Psal. 2. 4. He that sits in heaven laughs at their combines. Or many Tyrants shall be converted to the faith of Christ; subjecting their Crowns, and laying down their Sceptres at the feet of the Lamb. Or it may intend that outward universal peace which was through all the world, when Christ was borne in the days of Augustus. But most specially that peace of conscience, and Communion which shall be among the Saints; who shall lay aside all querelous differences, and be made one by the blood of jesus. But when the Gospel came to us in Queen Elizabeth's days of so blessed memory, we also had much peace. We had with Gloria in excelsis Deo, sung also Pax in terris. The iron gates of war were shut up; and the long tossed Ark of our Church had an Olive branch of flourishing peace bestowed on it. The fury of an Adversary was not known; but Righteousness and peace kissed each other. Yet was not this peace without great Fires. 1. There was a great fire of Anabaptisme; a gross, perverse, and sottish sect, that had washed off their Font-water, as unclean: and thought it not enough to run out of Babylon, unless they ran also out of themselves, out of their wits. This combustion could not be well quenched; only we were happily rid of it by the shifting ground. For when the flames were suppressed in England, they burst out beyond Sea. 2. There was a great fire of Brownisme; an Ignis fatuus, fastening on abundance of crude and squalid matter, could not easily be extinguished. It was blown up with the bellows of pride; and because it might not have the own swinge, it fell to direct railing. They say the Church of England may be their mother, but is none of God's wife: why do they not call her plain Whore? For such is a mother that hath children; and no husband. But these the whiles are brave Sons, who care not to prove themselves bastards, that their mother may be noted for an Harlot. But the shame be their own, Integrity she; who hath not defiled her bed, though they have shamed her womb. But whiles they call her Saint john's Beast in the Revelation; let them beware, lest they prove themselves Saint Paul's Beast; to the Phil. chap. 3. ver. 2. Dogs. Surely God never will leave peaceable spirits in England, to go dwell with railers at Amsterdam. 3. There was a raging fire of the Papists; who to maintain their spiritual fire of superstition, made use of material fireto set a whole land in combustion. How unspeakable were their treasons against that gracious Princess: which yet if we gather up into one volume, we shall find their last equalling all; which should have been a fire, a fire indeed; such a one as hell itself could only belch out. But bless we our God, that with sweet showers of mercy rained it out. These fires have been kindled in a Land of peace, though many tears have been showered upon them, & earnest prayers sent up to heaven, for their quenching. Yea, and will be still, so long as that crowne-shorn generation can transport their burning quills into England; and their great Antichrist, the Successor not of Peter, but of Romulus, sits on that fiery Chair. So long as he is suffered to tyrannize over nations, to depose Kings, and dispose Kingdoms: who prays Peter and Pope Hildebrand in his second excommunication of Henry Emp. Paul, (as if they never had taught subjects to obey their Sovereigns) to eradicat and cast out an Emperor from his royalty. Whereupon he conferred the Empire upon Rodolphus, with this blasphemous verse. Petra dedit Petro, Petrus diadem●… Rodolpho. All Kingdoms were to Peter given by Christ: And Peter may dispose them as he list. But as Cardinal Benno affirms, that when this Hildebrand would needs solmnly excommunicate the Em perour, his Chair burst in pieces, being but newly made of suff●…cient timber: so if it were thoroughly broken to fitters never (like jericho) to be rebuilded then (and not till then) Princes may reign in peace. From all this we may observe. 1. That this fire was kindled in Christ's time, and hath burned ever since. For if this rage stroke at the head, it will not favour the members. If the saucy Devil durst meddle and encounter with the Captain, he will not fear to set upon a mean soldier. Remember, saith Christ the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than the Lord: if they have persecuted joh. 15. 20. me, they will also persecute you. We cannot expect that immunity, which our Saviour never found. In the securest and most quiet state of the Church we have found this: that sedition hath trodden on the heels of peace; and persecution been borne into the world, with the feet forward for haste. 2. That the godly must maintain this fire; for there must be in them no deficiency of fuel. They must hold fast integrity, though this be the matter whereupon this fire works. No peace must be had with them, that have no peace with God: I deny not peace in civil affairs, but in conforming our manners to theirs. For righteousness must not yield to iniquity: Christ must be borne, and being borne must reign, though h Math. 2. 3. Herod rage, and the Devil foam, and all jerusalem be troubled at it. i 1. Sam. 5. 3. Dagon must yield to the Ark, not the Ark to Dagon: the ten Tribes come to judah, not judah go to them: Ishbosheth to David, not David to Ishbosheth. The Gospel must be preached though hell break out into opposition: and we must keep faith & a good conscience, though persecutors print in our sides the marks of the Lord jesus. 3. That the fruit of the Gospel is so far from allowing carnal peace, that it gives Dissension. It hath ever been the destiny of the Gospel to bring commotion, trouble, and wars; though no doctrine teacheth so much peace. Math. 10. I came not to Math. 10. 34. s●…nd peace, but a sword. Not that the Gospel of itself causeth wars; for it maketh peace between God and man, man and man, man and his inward soul: but it overturneth the tables of the money-changers, spoileth the Bank of usurers, will not let Herod keep his Herodias, bars Demetrius of his idolatrous shrines, pulls the cup from the mouth of the drunkard, denounceth confusion to the oppressor, unuizardeth painted hypocrisy, and discovers the ugly face of fraud to the world; therefore it hath enemies, even to the effusion of blood, and endevourd extirpation of all that profess it. So that partly this proceeds from our own corruption; that cannot endure the light, because our deeds are evil; and partly from the malice of Satan, who by the growth of the Gospel looseth his jurisdiction. For look how much ground Christianity gets, that bloody infernal Turk looseth. So that neither can the Devil so uncontrollably lead men to quiet damnation; neither can the evil heart be so securely evil. For the Gospel informs the understanding, the understanding tells the conscience, and the conscience will not spare to tell men their wickedness. Though God's hand forbears to strike outwardly, the conscience smites inwardly; and the former unjust peace is broken by a new just war. Men shall by this means know hell before they salute, it and discern themselves in that broad way that leads to damnation. Safe they may be, they cannot be secure. Thus the Gospel begets all manner of enemies, foreign, civil, domestical. Foreign, the Devil who now makes apparent his horns, as if it were high time to bestir himself. He sees, he cannot lead souls to his black kingdom in a twine-threed, as he was wont without reluctancy: he must clap irons upon them, and bind them with his strongest temptations. Civil, the world which erst ticed us on, as a bait doth the fish, not knowing that there is a hook so near the jaws we took it for a kind and familiar friend; but now it is descried and described for a very adversary. Domestical, thy own bosom is disquieted, and thou must muster up all the forces of thy soul, to take the Traitor that lurks within thee, thy own flesh. This is a near and a dear enemy, yet we must fight against it, and that with a will to subdue it; denying ourselves, and forsaking our delighted lusts and pleasures. The godly must be feign to sit, like the Nightingale, with a thorn against their breast. If they scape conflicts abroad, they are sure to have them at home: and if foreign and professed adversaries should give over their invasions, yet this domestical rebel, lust, must with great trouble be subdued. After which spiritual combat, our comfort is that in the end the victory shall be ours. k Ecclus. 28. 22. It shall not have rule over them that fear God, neither shall they be burnt with the flames thereof. Hence we learn five useful lessons. 1. That we have need of Patience: seeing we know that the law of our Profession binds us to a warfare; and it is decreed upon that all that will live godly in Christ, shall suffer persecution. When Fire, which was the God of the Chaldeans, had devoured all the other wooden deity, Canopis set upon him a Cauldron full of water, whose bottom was full of holes artificially stopped with wax: which when it felt the heat of that furious Idol, melted and gave way to the water to fall down upon it, and quench it. The water of our patience must only extinguish this Fire: nothing but our tears moderation and sufferance can abate it. But this patience hath no further latitude, than our proper respect: for in the cause of the Lord we must must be jealous and zealous. l jeron. ad vigil. Meam iniuri●…m patienter tuli, iniuriam contra Sponsam Christi ferre non potui. Our own injuries we must bury in forgetfulness, but wrongs to the Truth of God, and Gospel of jesus Christ, we must strive to oppose and appease. Patience is intolerable, when the honour of God is in dangerous question. Otherwise we must consider, that by troubles God doth try and exercise our patience. Ideo Deus misit in terram bonam separationem, ut mal●…m rumperet coniunctionem. Therefore God sent on earth a good separation, that he might dissolve an evil conjunction. 2. That we must not shrink from our profession, though we know it to be the fuel that maintains this fire. Daniel leaves not his God, though he be showed the Lions; nor those three servants their integrity and abomination of the Idol, though the heat of the fire be septupled. Let the Pope spew out his execrations, interdictions, and maledictions (for his holy mouth is full of curses) yet keep we our faith: it is better to have the Pope curse us, then God. His curse is but like Domitian's thunder: if you give care to the cracks and noise, it seems a terrible and hideous matter, but if you consider the causes and effects, it is a ridiculous jest. Revolt not from the Gospel, from thy faith and innocency, and though he curse, the Lord will bless. Balaam could say; Quomodo maledicam ei, cui non maledixit Dominus? How shall I curse him, whom the Lord hath not cursed? Rash and headlong judgement hurts not the person de quo temerè judicatur, against whom it is denounced; but him that so indiscreetly judgeth. Qui conantur per iram aliena coereere, gra viora committunt. To correct other men's errors in anger, is to commit a greater error than theirs. Let not the thunders of malignant opposers dishearten thy zeal m Hebr. 10. 38. The just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 3. That we think not much of the troublous fires, that are thus sent to wait upon the Gospel. He that gave us that blessed Covenant, meant not that we should stick at these conditions. It is enough to have this Passeover though we eat it with sour herbs: to enjoy the Lily, though among thorns. Let the jews fret and Devils run mad; and many give ground to these persecutions: yet say we with Peter. n joh. 6. 68 Master, whether shall we go from thee? thou hast the words of eternal life. He is unworthy of God's favour, that cannot go away contented with it, unless he may also enjoy the favour of the world. It is enough to have the promise of a Crown, albeit we climb to it by the Crosse. The ancient Christians used to have Crucem Coronatam pictured, a Cross with a Crown on the top of it. Tolle crucem, si vis et habere coronam. Their Hieroglyphic taught men to attain the Crown; by bearing the Crosse. Though the friends and factors of hell compass us round, yet we have heaven within us, would we have it within us, and without us too? that is only the privilege of glory. Cannot Paul endure the o 2. Cor. 12. 9 thorns and buffets of Satan? Let him quiet his heart with God's encouragement. My grace is sufficient for thee. It is enough to have the p Phil. 4. 7. peace of God, which passeth all understanding, though we lack the (ill conditioned) peace of the world. Murmur not that the world denies her wanton solace●…, to tickle thee with vain pleasures: thou hast the q Rom. 14. 17. joy of the holy Ghost. God is thy portion. Though the lot fall short in earthly means, wealth and worship: yet he is well for a part, that hath God for his portion. Content thyself; this fire must go with the Gospel; and thou art unworthy of the immortal gold of grace, if thou wilt not endure it to be tried in the Fire r 1. Pet. 1. 7. Your faith is much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire: and shall be found at last to praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of jesus Christ. 4. That we esteem not the worse of our Profession, but the better. It is no small comfort, that God thinks thee worthy to suffer for his Name. This was the Apostles joy (not that they were worthy, but) that s Act. 5. 41. they were counted worthy to suffer shame for Christ. He refused not to be our Saviour for the shame he was put to: he brooked a purple rob to cover his white innocency; his face, which is worshipped by the Angels in heaven, to be spit on; his soul in the midst of all his unutterable pangs, to be derided and jested at; some wagging their heads, others moving their tongues to blasphemy: and if the manner of death could add to his ignominy, he suffered the most opprobrious: yet saith Paul, for our sakes, t Hebr. 12. 2. he endured the Cross, and despised the shame; this, all this shame, that he might bring salvation to us, and us to salvation. And shall we be ashamed of his profession; that was not ashamed of our protection? If we be, we have read his judgement; He will be ashamed of us before his Father in Heaven. The King doth not cast away his Crown, though it be the occasion of many treasons. Lose not thy hope and hold of a royal Inheritance, because this Title hath many enemies. He was never worthy to wear a wreath of victory, that cowardlike ran out of the bloody field. The unthrifty soul is justly starved, that will not reap and gather his corn, because there be thistles amongst it. He never knew how precious a metal gold is, that will rather throw away his oar, then take pains at the furnace. It is pity that ever the water of Baptism was spilled upon his face, that forsakes the Standard of Christ, because he hath many enemies. Israel had never gotten that promised Canaan, had they been afraid of the sons of Anak. It is honour enough to be a Christian though others that are contemptible do cast contempt upon it. Our Saviour hath armed us with a sweet prediction. u joh. 16. 33. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace: in the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. 5. Seeing the fuel is our integrity; and this they specially strike at; let us more constantly hold together: confirming the Communion of Saints, which they would dissolve. Let us more strongly fortify our unity, because they so fiercely assault it: and cling faithfully to our Head, from whom their sacrilegious hands would pull us, x joh. 6. 68 Lord, whether shall we go from thee? thou hast the words of eternal life. Where those words are found, woe be to us if we are not found. Multitudo inimicorum corroboret unitatem a micorum. Let not brethren fight with themselves, whiles they have enough foreign enemies. It is enough that foes strike us; let not us strike our friends. No nor yet part with our friends and Christ's, because some adversaries are scattered among them. What though the miscellane rabble of the profane: as the Brownists term them, be admitted among us: shall the lewdness of these disannul God's Covenant with his? Yes say they: this is their mercy: Gods is more. He still held Israel for his, when not many in Israel held him for theirs. The desert was a witness of their mutinous rebellion against Psal. 10. 6. God and his Minister; yet the pillar of protection by day and night left them not. Moses was so far from rejecting them, that he would not endure that God should reject them, though for his own advantage. In all companies there will be evil intruders: Satan among the Angels, Saul among the Prophets, judas among the Apostles, Nicholas among the Deacons, Demas among Professors. Yet though Thiatira retains a jezebel, the good are commanded but y Reu. 2. 24. to hold their own. But we reserve the ceremonies of a superstitious Church: but we reserve no superstition in those ceremonies. We have both abridged their number, and altered their nature. As it was a pains not amiss undertaken of late, to reduce the feast of Christ's nativity, as near to the right Quando and period of time, as art and industry could devise: by taking up the loose minutes which in tract of time, and multiplication of degrees, had drawn out a wider distance by certain days, than was congruent to the first Calendar. So hath our Church so near as she could abridged the rank superfluities, and excrescent corruptions, which the Traditional ceremonies, and ceremonial Traditions of Rome had brought in, (and thereby removed her, from that nearness to her Saviour, which she formerly enjoyed) striving to reduce herself concerning Ceremonies; for their number to paucity, for their nature to purity, for their use to significancy. Separate we not then from the Church, because the Church cannot separate from all imperfection. But keep the Apostles rule. a Eph. 4. 15. Follow the truth in love: not only the Truth, but the truth in love. diverse follow the truth, but not truly. 1. Some there are that embrace the truth, but not all the truth: those are Heretics. 2. Some embrace the truth, but not in unity; and those are Separatists. 3. Others embrace the truth in unity and verity, but not in heart: and those are hypocrites. Therefore the Apostle so often urgeth it: Be ye all of one mind: have the same affection. As children of one house have most usually one and the same education: so all God's children must be like affected to God, to Christ, to the Church, and one to another. To God in obedience and piety, to Christ in faith and sincerity, to the Church in peace and unity, to their own sins in hatred and enmity, to one another in love and charity. Employing the graces of God bestowed on us, to the edification and consolation of others: spending ourselves, like torches, to give others light. A Christian, though he be the freest man of all, yet he is servant to all: to Christ for himself, to others for Christ: b Gal. 5. 13. serve one another in love. Let this affection of unity be increased by considering three inconveniences of dissension. 1. A great advantage is given to the enemy. They boast the goodness of others errors, whilst we agree not in our truth. They take opportunity to shuffle in their counterfeit coin, whiles we consent not in our gold; I say not so much for the weight or pureness of sub stance, as for the fashion. Is it not a shame for the children of God to dissent, when the children of hell are at peace? It is a military principle; Tempt not an enemy, by giving him the advantage. What is this, but to hearten their malignant opposition to assault us, when they spy in the City a Breach? Qui unionem rumpit, unitatem ruit: He that dissolves the union of parts, overthrows the unity of the whole. 2. Sin by this means steals up: nor is there an advantage given only to our adversaries of Rome, but to our enemies of hell. Wickedness is a crafty thief; which spying a town on fire, and all hands labouring to quench it, takes his advantage of booties; and what others redeem, he steals. Whiles we are busy about this Fire, the devils factors come abroad, like Nicholas Clerks, and steal away souls. Whiles so many disagree about Christ's descending into ●…ell, Satan gathers many thither. 3 Our souls by this means often become 〈◊〉, & gather corruption for want of scouring them by repentance. Whiles we are careful and curious about mint and cummin, justice and Piety go away neglected. We at once grow hot in contention, and cold in devotion. The fire of the Altar goes out whiles this fire of sedition is fewelled. It was the comparison of a worthy Divine. The means whereby the shepherds take the Pelican, is to lay fire near her nest: which she, in a foolish pity to save her young ones, offers to flap out with her wings, and so is burned herself. So many in a fond compassion to quench this fire, burn their own wings, rather than help others. If our ashes could quench it, we should not grudge them: but since it increaseth with part-taking, let us either quench it with our tears, or by our prayers move God to put it out. Howsoever neglect we not the estate of our own souls; nor suffer our hearts overgrown with the rust of corruption, or moss of security. So thou mayest be like the gold-finer that is all day purifying of metals, till himself be reezed, smooted, and soiled all over. Take heed, thou mayest be so long about the fire, till thou be made black with the smoke. We have brought together the Fire, and the Fuel; now we must look for Kindlers. The Kindler. Of this fire is principally Satan: it is he that brings the fuel of good men's sanctity, and the fire of evil men's iniquity together; and so begets a great flame. This he doth perform either by his Instruments, or by himself. He is the great Bustuarie himself, and hath other deputed inflamers under him. Sometimes immediately by himself. Reu. 12. That Reu. 12. 4. great red Dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven Crowns on his heads: stands before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child so soon as it was borne. When he perceived that the Great Light (Christ) was come into the world, by throwing down his oracles of darkness, he begins to bustle and howsoever he speeds, he will fight two or three bouts with him, in a monomachy or duel, person to person. He durst not trust this battle to an instrument, or fight by Attorney: Per alium desperate; quod etiam per se fieri dubitat. this fire he will kindle himself. As proud as he is, rather than he will hazard the escaping of a soul from his black kingdom, he will in his own proper person take the pains, to hamper him with his strongest temptations. Sometimes by his instruments, which are many thousands: for if we compare numbers: he hath more helpers on earth to kindle this fire, than Christ hath servants to put it out. Therefore he is called the God of this 2. Cor. 4. 4. world: where sub nomine mundi are meant mundani, worldlings. Reu. 12. He is said to deceive the whole world. Reu. 12. 9 He labours to deceive all that are in the world, but he doth deceive all that are of the world. It was he that stirred up covetousness in the Sabeans, and covetousness stirred up their hearts against job. He incenseth Haman, and Haman Ahashueroch against the jews. He provoked judas, & almost all judah against jesus. He kindleth malice in their hearts that kindle these damnable fires: & shall burn in unquenchable fire for his labour. It is he that provoketh the Magistrate to tyranny, the people to disobedience & treachery, the learned to heresy, the simple to security, all to rebellion and impiety. Men little think, whose instruments they are, & whose business they go about, when they put their finger in this fire. It is the devil, that puts slander in their tongues, malice in their hearts, & mischeefein their hands: whereby they labour either seducere or abducere, to corrupt men's souls, or to cut their throats. For Satan's whole intent is to draw men a cultu Dei debito, ad cultu●… suimet indebitum; from worshipping the God of light, to worship Rupert. him that is an Angel of darkness. Oh that men would consider what eternal fire is prepared for them, by whom this mystical fire is kindled! Now Satan kindleth two sorts of fires; General, or special. And either of these is double. The general are extended either to error, or terror. 1. He kindles the fire of open war. He is the great general of that army. Psal. 2. that do band themselves against the Lords anointed. The Dragon and his angels fight against Michael and his Angels: There is no fight against Reu. 12. the Saints, but under his colours. He was the captain in that Parisian massacre; the Pilot to that invincible navy: 88 He is the great master of the inquisition: the grand Cair of all confederacles abroad; the Machiavelli of all conspiracies at home. There was no treason, but was first hammered in his forge & took the damned fire from his breath. The Pope hath been his applauded Instrument many years, to kindle these belluine & Belial fires. Innumerableseditions of wars have been sent from the enginous study of his holy breast to vex Christian Emperors and kings: wherein continually the Pope gave the battle, but the Lord gave the victory: and that where his vicar lest intended it Hildebrand (Hell-brandrather) promised Rodolphus, whom he incensed against his liege-Emperour Henricus, assured conquest: but it seems the Bishop had small power in heaven, whatsoever he pretended on earth: for Rodolphus his overthrow gave Henricus direct proof to the contrary. It appears in a certain letter of Benno to the Cardinals, that this Hildebrand preaching in the Pulpit did so promise and prophecy the death of Henricus, that he bid his auditors no more to take him for Pope, but to pluck him from the Altar: if the said Henry did not die, or were not dejected from his kingdom, before the feast of Saint Peter than next ensuing. But the event proved the Pope a liar in the Pulpit; and therefore I hope took from him all impossibillitie of lying in Cathedra, Indeed he laboured tooth and na●…le, by policy and sorcery, by his friends and fiends to ●…ect this: innumerable were the plots of his treason. One among the rest is observable in the letter of the said Cardinal Benno. that he had hired a villain, observing the place in the Church where th●… Emperor used to pray, to carry up to the roof of the Church a great number and weight of stones; with purpose to let them fall down on the emperors head at his devotion, and to knock out his brains▪ but the traitor being busy to remove a stone of an unwonted hugeness to the place, the plank whereon he stood broke; down they come both to the floor of the Church, & the stone (for it seems his own impiety made him the heavier to fall first to his centre) fell on him, and quashed him to pieces. But what speak I of their particular treasons? a private treachery was but like the French Torney at Chalons. Parvum bellum; a little war: we areto consider their great Fir●…s, which they have kindled in the Christion world: when the Princes would never have broke mutual peace had not the Devil set on the Pope, and the Pope set on them to this eager contention. But lightly as Mars and money made them Popes; so Mars and Simony held them rich Popes. And now through Satan's help they have brought it about; that as at first no Pope might be chosen without the Emperor, so now no Emperor must be chosen without the Pope. Both the swords are their claim; and they will have them both, or they will lift them up both against the deniers: and where the sword spiritual may not be admitted, they will make way for it with the sword temporal. It is fit, they say, that they should bear temporal rule, that follow nearest to God: but the Pope and his Clergy follow nearest to God: therefore are the fittest men to rule. It is answered, if God behere taken for that God, which S. Paul speaks of, the Belly: they follow nearest indeed. From the other and only Phil. 3. 19 true God, they are far enough. If they were not, they would use only spiritual war against the kingdom of Satan; and not meddle with temporal war against the kingdoms of Christian Princes. Plead what they can from the wrested Scriptures, and misunderstood Fathers; yet Frustra Apostolica authoritas pratenditur, ubi Apostolica Scriptura contemnitur: in vain is apostolic authority pretended, where Apostolic Scripture is despised, or perverted. Non cripit mortalia, qui regna dat coelestia. That God warrants not the taking away of earthly kingdoms, that gives the kingdom of heaven. 2 The second general fire he kindles, is error and Heresy; a burning river of poison: that Cup of abomination, which he reacheth out to the world in the hand of that great Babylonian Whore. To maintain this fire, he calls councils, enacts laws, teacheth many Parliaments the promulgation of bloody Statutes: and whereas other laws of Princes (tending to the ruin of iniquity) are ever neglected, those that are made against Christians, have been most severely executed. And lest the Devil in this should appear like himself, the Prince of death and darkness; heesits thundering in the Pope's mouth like an Angel of light, and so directs him; that under In Dei nomine: Amen; he unmercifully condemneth his brother. So that the usurpation of a divine dispensation, must burn the poor members of Christ at the fiery stakes. Now this fire he kindleth by two malicious courses. 1. By obscuring the light of the Gospel from men's eyes; and heartening their affection to darkness. So that the children of the night have so doted upon Ignorance, that they hate and persecute all the means and messengers of illumination. Shine the Sun never so bright, the Papists will see by nothing but candlelight. Therefore it may be, they are permitted tapers, torches, and candles, to content their carnal devotion; that they might not spiritually desire the Light of the glorious Gospel of jesus Christ, who is the image of God. 2. Cor. 4. 4. And if ever their caliginous minds spy the least glimmering of zeal, or feel a little turning from their former impieties; the shrine, picture, or Image of some Saint hath the glory of their conversion. A very block shall have the praise, rather then God. But we can hardly believe, they are converted from darkness to light, that fetch their illumination out of a stone. It is recorded, that at Amesbary, when Queen Alinor the wife of King Henry, 3. Lay there; a man Act. & Mon. pag. 355. ex. Chron. Rob. Amesburiensis. that feigned himself to have been long blind, came to her, and told her that he had now his sight restored a-againe at the tomb of King Henry her deceased husband. The mother easily believed it; but her son Ed●…rd the first knowing this man, that he had been ever a dissolute wretch and vile impostor, dissuaded her from giving faith to it: protesting that he knew so well the justice of his Father; that if he were living, he would sooner pull out both the dissemblers eyes, then restore sight to any one of them. So certainly those Saints, to the virtue of whose dead bones these hypocrites attribute the glory of their conversion and enlightening; would (if they were living) rather say these men had no eyes of grace at all, then that any light was given them out of their dead dusts, or painted resemblances. This is Satan's first project, to cast a thick cloud of invincible ignorance, between men's eyes and the clear Sun. 2. By hindering all those that have a commission to preach it. Zach. 3. He showed me joshua the high Priest Zach. 3. 1. standing before the Angel of the Lord; and Satan standing at his right hand to resist ●…m. A door is opened, but there are many adversaries: saith ●…he Apostle. Will you hear the principal adversary? We would have come unto you (even 1. Thess. 2. 18. I Paul) once and again: but Satan hindered us. The good minister hath no adversary in his calling, but he is of the devils raising. And herein he is either a wolf or a fox; effecting this either by open prevention, or secret perversion. 1 Openly he opposeth not only his Principalities infernal, but also Powers terrestrial against it. What preacher ever began to sing with a clear breast, the songs of Zion; for many hundred years under the Pope's reach: but instantly, Pope, Cardinals, Friars, devils cursed him with bells and candles, and were ready to burn him in flames! Saevit mundus, cum oftenditur immundus. The world is mad, that his dominion and damnation should be spoken against. 2. Secretly he hinders the free preaching of the Gospel, by corrupting their hearts that are deputed to that office. And this he effecteth by infusion of these four hellish ingredients: Heresy against truth: Schism against peace: Popularity against simplicity; and covetise against Charity. 1. He poisons some hearts with heretical points of doctrine; which being lightly most pleasing to the flesh, are drunk with thirsty attention. Heresy is (thus defined) humanosensu electa, Scripturae sacrae contraria, palam docta, pertinaciter defensa: begot of man's brain, contrary to the holy Scriptures, openly taught, and peremptorily defended. By this, so far as the flesh in man prevails against the Spirit, Satan prevails against the truth. So that if they must needs have any of the pure gold of God's word, it shall be so sophisticated, adulterate, and mingled with the dross of human Traditions, that they shall not be able to perceive or receive it. 2. Those whom he cannot corrupt against truth, he incenseth against peace. Division shall accomplish that mischief, which error failed in. Whom he cannot transport to Rome, he ferries over to Amsterdam. He will either keep men on this side the truth, or send them beyond it. Error on the right hand shall cast away souls, if error on the left cannot. Some run so far from Babylon, that they will not keep near jerusalem: as men that run so eagerly from a Lion, that they refuge themselves in the hole of a Serpent. The Schismatic meets with the Romanist, in superstition another way. Thus Quibus nequit tollere veritatem, negat permittere unitatem: It he cannot deprive us of truth, he will not permit us peace. 3. By persuading men to be temporisers, and to catch at the favours of great men. Thus when a Preacher must measure his Sermon by his Lord's humour, the truth of the Lord of Hosts is smothered. Against oppression he dares not speak, because it is his Lord's fault: not against pride because it is his Ladies: not against riot, because it is his young Masters: nor against drunkenness because they favour it whom his Great-one favours. He must not meddle with those ulcers, which he sees to stick on his Patron's conscience. That were the way to lose both present benefit, and future benefice; he dares not do it. Whiles he is their servile chaplain, he must learn Turkie-worke; to make thrummed cushions of flattery for their elbows. It seems, it was not God's business that such a one made himself Minister for; but his own or worse. He hath three Masters: he serves his Lord, he serves himself, he serves the Devil; which of these will pay him the best wages? Thus if Satan can neither take away the truth, nor peace, yet he labours against simplicity: that for fear of men, and hope of men's, they forbear to speak against wickedness. What his kingdom looseth one way, it recovers another. 4. By infecting their hearts with covetousness, and extending their desires to an insatiable wealth. With this pill he poisoned Demas; and judas before him, and thousands after him. The Chair of Rome is filled with this pestilence. England hath found it, though many Princes will not find it. When the revenues of the Crown amounted not to half the Pope's yearly taxes. But we are well eased of that unsupportable burden: Edward the 3. begun it, for he first made the Praemunire against the Pope: and our succeeding Christian Princes have quite thrown him out of the saddle. God did not make his law so long, but man might easily remember it; comprising it all in ten Commandments. But the Pope hath curtalled it, & made it far shorter; abridging the ten commandments into two words; Da pecuniam Give money. And for this the whole law shall be dispensed with. Experience hath still proved, that money was the Apostolical arguments of Rome. An Emperor paid for his absolution 120000. ounces of gold: a dear reckoning for those wares, that cost the Pope nothing. In the reign of Hen. 3. The Pope required the tenths of all the movables in England, Ireland, & Wales: and Ex Math. Parisiens'. because he feared, that such moneys could not be speedily enough collected, he sent over many usurers into the land, which were then called Caursini: who would lend money to those of the Clergy that wanted, but on so unreasonable extortion, that the debtor were still beggared. So that what by his violent exaction, & subtle circumvention by his own usurers (for all they had was the Pope's money) he desired only the tenth part, but he got away also the other 9 And indeed the Pope had reason to maintain usury, for usury maintained the Pope. Neither is this infection bounded up with that Bishop, but dissipated among all his Clergy. Not so much as the very Mendicant Friars, that profess wilful poverty, but have a wilful desire to be rich. They have more holiness in their hands, then in their hearts: their hands touch no money, their hearts covet it. But the great Belphegor sometimes gives them a purge. Whereupon said W. Swinderby; If the Pope may take from the Act. & Mon. pag. 454. Friars to make them keep Saint Frances rule; why may not the Emperor take from the Pope, to make him keep Christ's rule? But whosoever gets, the poor laity looseth all. There was a book called Poenitentiarius Asini, The Asses Confessor; wherein is mentioned this Fable. The wolf, the fox, and the ass come to shrift together, to do penance. The wolf confesseth himself to the fox, who easily absolveth him. The fox doth the like to the wolf, and receiveth the like favour. After this the ass comes to confession, and his fault was, that being hungry he had taken out one straw from the sheaf of a Pilgrim to Rome; whereof he was heartily repentant. But this would not serve, the law was executed severely upon him, he was slain and devoured. By the wolf is meant the Pope: by the fox his Cardinals, Jesuits, Priests: these quickly absolve one another, how heinous ever their offences were. But when the poor Ass, that's the laity, comes to shrift, though his offence be not the weight and worth of a straw; yet on his back must the law be severely executed; and the holy Father the wolf makes a great matter of it. Immensum scelus est, iniuria quam peregrin●…, Fecesti, stramen surripiendo sibi. O the insatiable gulf of that Sea! God grant, that none of that infection ever come over amongst the ministers of the Gospel. There is nothing more absurd, then that those which teach others to seek the kingdom of heaven, and to despise the world; should be found to embrace the world with the neglect of heaven. These are the general fires this malicious Incendiary kindles. There are also too particular and special, which he inflameth in private men's hearts: whereby he prepossesseth them with a prejudicial dises●…mation of the Gospel, for causes either direct, or oblique. Directly for itself, or obliquely and by consequence for private ends. 1. First he begets in a man's mind a dislike of the word for itself. This man esteems preaching but folly: he sees no good it doth, to have one prattling an hour or two in a Pulpit. He is a parishioner to two parishes: to the Congregation he lives with, Quoad corpus; to the Synagogue of Satan, Quoad animam. 1. 1. Cor. 1. 18. Cor. 1. The preaching of the Cross is to them that perish, foolishness: but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. It is horrible when man, dust and ashes, mere folly; shall censure the Wisdom of God. Let them have their wills, be it in their account folly; yet it pleaseth Ver. 21. God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. And without this they must live in error, and die in terror: hell fire will make them change their opinions. 2. Others are wrought to hate it only for second and simister respects. The Masters of that damosel Act. Act. 16. 19 16. Possessed with a spirit of divination, seeing the hope of their gains gone, brought Paul and Silas to scourging; and never left them, till they saw them in prison. When Demetrius perceived the ruin (not so much of the Ephesian Act. 19 24. Diana, as) of his own Diana, gain and commodity in making of silver shrines; he sets all Ephesus in a tumult. The loss of profit or pleasure by the Gospel, is ground enough of malice and madness against it. Cannot a tyrant be bloody, cannot an oppressor depopulate, an usurer make benefit of his money, a swearer brave with blasphemies, a drunkard keep his tavern-session but the Pulpits must ring of it? down shall that Gospel come, if they can subject it, that will not let them run to hell untroubled. Non turban Evangelium, ●…um ab Evangelio non turbentur: let them alone, and they will let you alone. But if you fight against their sins with the sword of the Spirit, they will have you by the ears, and salute you with the sword of death. You see the fires that the Devil Kindleth. It is objected. 1. Satan knows that he can do nothing but by the permission of God. Ans. Therefore not knowing Gods secret will, who are elect, who reprobate, he labours to destroy all. And if he perceive, that God more especially loves any, have at them to choose. If he can but bruise their heels, O he thinks he hath wrought a great spite to God. 2. He knows that though with his tail he can draw stars from heaven, discover the hypocrisy of great Professors; yet he cannot wipe the name of one soul out of the book of life, which the Lamb hath written there. Answ. It is the Devil's nature to sin against his own knowledge. Contra scientiam peccabit, qui contra conscientiam peccavit. 3. He knows, he shall receive the greater damnation, and the more aggravated torments. And the Devil that deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire & brimstone, where the beast & the false prophet are, & shall be tormented Reu. 10. 20. day & night, for ever & ever. Ans. He sins always with purposed malice of heart, proudly against God, and blasphemously against the holy Ghost: though he receive the smart himself. We perceive now the Fire, the Fuel, and the Kindler; let us look to The Smoke. There goes lightly a Smoke before this Fire. Reu. 9 Reu. 9 2. He opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace, and the Sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke, Locusts upon the earth, When we see smoke we conclude their is fire. Christ will not quench the smoking flax; for the smoke Gen. 19 28. without shows a spark of faith within. When Abraham saw the smoke of the country going up as the smoke of a furnace. He knew that the fire was begun in Sodom. This smoke is the sign of persecution ensuing: and it is either Public or Private Public is two fold. 1. The threatening of Tyrants; this smoke came out Act. 9 1. of the mouth of Saul. Act. 9 And Saul yet breathing out threatenings. Such were the Romish vaunts of the Spanish ships: but God quenched that fire in water; and it was but a smoke. He that could forbid the fire to Dan. 3. 25. burn, can also forbid the smoke to become a 〈◊〉. Only the massacre at Paris was a fire without a smoke unless it be smoke enough (as indeed it is) for Papists to live among Protestants. 2. Security is a public Smoke: when men cry Peace, peace; this is the smoke of war. The careless lives of the old world and Sodom, were portentous smokes of their enkindled destruction. Our secure and dead-harted conversations are arguments of the like to us. God both avert that, and convert us. We feast revel, dance, sin, and sing like swans the prognostickes of our own funerals. We are not circumspect to look up on those, which watch us with the keen eyes ofmalice our sleep●… gives themhope & ourselves danger. Neglect of defence heartens on a very coward enemy. Our comfort only is; He that keepeth Israel doth not slumber nor sleep, Psal. 121. 4. The private Smoke, particularly laid to a Christian, is a gentler & more soft tentation. But if this Smoke prevail not, Satan comes with a fiery trial. Ifhe cannot pervert Io seph with his tempting mistress, a kind smoke: he will try what a jail can do. If the devil can draw thee to his purpose with a twine thread, what needs he a Cable rope! If Samson can be bound with green withes, the Philistines need not seek for iron chains. But Satan knows, that some will not, like Adam and Esau be won with trifles: that some will stick to Christ whiles the weather is fair, and there is peace with the Gospel; yet in time of a Math. 13. 21 persecution start away. When he comes with tempests and floods, than the house not built on a rock, b Math. 7. 17. falls. If our foundation be straw and stubble, we know this fire will consume it: but if gold, it shall rather purge and purify it. He will not go about, that can pass the next way. If a soft puff can turn thee from Christ, Satan will spare his blustering tempests: if a smoke can do it, the fire shall be forborn. If Io●… could have been brought to his bow, with killing his cattle, servants, children; perhaps his body had been favoured. So that after gentle temptations look for storms; as thou wouldst after smoke fire. enure thy heart therefore to vanquish the least, that thou mayst foil the greatest: let the former give thee exercise against these latter; as with wooden Wasters men learn to play at the sharp. Be thy confidence in him that ever enabled thee; and affy his promise, that will not suffer thee to be tempted above thy strength. Only handle this weapon with more heedful cunning: and when thou perceivest the dallyings of the Devil, play not with his baits. Corrupt not thy conscience with a little gain, so shalt thou withstand more. Think the easiest temptations a Porcpose before a tempest, smoke before fire, signs and prodigies of a fearful conflict to come. There remains nothing now to be considered but the bellows; that help to maintain this fire. The bellows Are double; Passive and Active. Some blow because they cannot, others because they will not avoid it. 1. The Passive bellows are the godly; for they must have no peace with wickedness; No fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. We must love their persons, Ephe. 5. 11. and pray for them as Christ for his crucifiers. But if they will not be converted, if they cannot be suppressed, we may desire either their conversion or confusion: as God wills none to perish as a creature, but as a sinful creature; not of his own making, but of their own marring. So we must hate not virum, but vitium; reproving and condemning evil works, both by our lips and lives; though our good conversation be the passive bellows to blow this fire. 2. The Active are the wicked; who do profoundly hate the good, in regard of both their actions and their persons. To this their own forwardness is helped by the devils instigation. If thou blow the spark it shall burn: if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: and Ecclus. 28. 12. both these come out of thy mouth. But all men love good naturally. No, not all: for some have not only extinguished the flames of religion, but even the very sparks of nature in their hearts. But some wicked men have loved the godly: True, but not for their actions, not for their persons, not of their own natures. But 1. either because God snafles the horses and mules, and curbs the malicious rage of Tyrants. Or 2. converts them to the faith and obedience of his truth; as he took Saul from his raging cruelty, and made him ready to die for him, whose servants he would have killed: so turning a Wolf into a Lamb. Or 3. else they love the good for some benefit by them: and therein they love not them, so much as themselves in them. So Ahashuerosh loved Hester for her beauty; Nebuchadnezz●…, Daniel for his wisdom: 〈◊〉, joseph because his house prospered by him: and for this cause did the former Pharaoh affect him. But otherwise with blood-red eyes, and faces sparkling fire they behold us; as Haman did Mordecai. They plot like Machiavels', rail like Rabshace's, and conspire like Absalon's. These are the devils bellows here, to blow quarrels among men: and shall be his bellows in hell to blow the fire of their eternal torments. A man that is great both in wealth and wickedness, cannot be without these bellows, Intelligencers, Informers, talebearers. Let these seditious spirits understand their employment; they are the devils bellows; and when their service is done, they shall be thrown into the fire. I conclude▪ All this trouble and calamity shall be but upon the earth: so saith our Saviour. I came to send fire on the earth: In heaven shall be no distraction to break our peace. We should be too well affected to the world, if it had this privilege and exemption: but in vain we seek it, where it is not to be found. In heaven only we shall find it, in heaven only let us seek it. Here we may have desideriu●… pacis, but there only pacem desiderij: here the desires of peace, there peace of our desires. Now than the Peace of God which passeth all understanding, Phil. 4. 7. keep your hearts and minds through Christ jesus. Amen. THE CHRISTIANS WALK OR The King's highway of Charity. EPHES. Chap. 5. Ver. 2. Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us; and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. OUR blessed Saviour is set forth in the Gospel, not only a Sacrifice for sin, but also a direction to virtue. He calleth himself the Truth, and the Way: the truth in regard of his good learning the way in respect of his good life. His Actions are our Instructions, so well as his Passion our Salvation. He taught us both Faciendo, and Patiendo; both in doing, and in dying. Both sweetly propounded and compounded in this verse. Actively he loved us: Passively he gave himself for us. And so is both an ensample for virtue, and an offering for sin. He gave himself, that his Passion might save us: he loved us, that his Actions might direct us. Walk in love, as Christ, etc. We may distinguish the whole verse into a sacred Canon. Crucifix. The Canon teacheth us What: the Crucifix, How. In the Canon we shall find A Precept It is partly Exhortatory Precedent Exemplary. The Precept, Walk in love: the Precedent or Pattern; As Christ loved us. The Precept holy, the Pattern heavenly. Christ bids us do nothing to others, but what himself hath done to us: we cannot find fault with our example. The Crucifix hath one main stock: He gave himself for us. And two branches, not unlike that crossepeece whereunto his two hands were nailed. 1. An offering or Sacrifice. 2. Of a sweet smelling savour to God. To begin with the Canon, the method leads us first to the Precept; which shall take up my discourse for this time. Walk in love. Here is 1. The Way prescribed. 2. Our Course incited. The way is Love: our Course Walking. Love is the Way. And that an excellent way to heaven. Our Apostle ends his 12. Chapter of the 1. Corin. in the description of many spiritual gifts. Apostleship, Prophesying, Teaching, 1. Cor. 12. 28. Working of Miracles, healing, speaking with to●…gues. All excellent gifts; and yet concludes. Ver. 31. ●…ut covet earnestly the best gifts: And yet show I unto you a more excellent Way. Now that excellent, more excellent Way was Charity: and he takes a whole succeeding Chapter 1. Cor. Chap. 13. to demonstrate it: which he spends wholly in the praise and prelation of love. I hope, no man, when I call Love a Way to God, will understand it for a justifying way. Faith alone leaning on the merits of Christ, doth bring us into that high Chamber of Presence. Love is not a Cause to justify, but a Way for the justified. There is difference betwixt a Cause and a Way. Faith is Causa iustificandi: Love is Via iustificat●…. They that are justified by faith, must walk in Charity. For Faith worketh, and walketh by love. Faith and love are the brain and the heart of the Soul: so Gal. 5. 6. knit together in a mutual harmony and correspondence, that without their perfect union the whole Christian man cannot move with power, nor feel with tenderness, nor breath with true life. Love then is a path for holy feet to walk in. It is A Clear Way A Near Way A Sociable Way. Clear. There be no rubs in love. Nec retia tendit, nec laedere intendit. It neither does nor desires another's harm: it commits no evil; nay, a 1. Cor. 13. 5. it thinks no evil, saith our Apostle. For passive rubs, it b Prou. 19 11. passeth over an offence. It may be moved with violence, cannot be removed from patience. c 1. Pet. 4. 8. Charity covers a multitude of Sins: saith Peter: d Prou. 10. 12. All sins, saith Solomon. Covers them partly from the eyes of God, in praying for the offenders: partly from the eyes of the world, in throwing a cloak over our brother's nakedness: especially from it own eyes, by winking at many wrongs offered it. e 1. Cor. 13. 4. Charity suffereth long: the back of love will bear a load of injuries. There be two graces in a Christian, that have a contrary quality. The one is most stout & stern: the other most mild and tender. Love is soft and gentle; & therefore compared to the f Colos. 3. 12. bowels. Viscera Misericordiae. Faith is austere and courageous, carrying Luther's motto on the Shield. Cedo nulli, I yield to no enemy of my faith. So said our precious jewel; I deny my living, I deny my estimation, I deny my name, I deny myself: but the Faith of Christ, and the Truth of God I cannot deny. But love is mild, long-suffering, merciful, compassionate; and so hath a Clear way to peace. Near. Love is also a very near way to blessedness; and as I may say, a short cut to heaven. All God's law was at first reduced to ten Precepts. The laws of nations, though they make up large volumes, yet are still unperfect: some statutes are added as necessary, others repealed as hurtful. But the law of God, though contained in a few lines, yet contains all perfection of duty to God and man. There is no good thing that is not here commanded: no evil thing, that is not here forbidden. And all this in so short bounds, that those ten precepts are called but ten Words. Yet when Christ came he abridged this Law shorter, and reduced the Ten into Two. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart: and thy neighbour as thyself. S. Paul yet comes after and rounds up all into one. God reduceth all into Ten, Christ those ten into Two; Paul those two into one. Rom. 13. Love is the fulfilling of the Rome 13. 10 law. Which is g Contr. Mortion. Lib. 5. Compendium, non dispendium legis; saith Tertullian: an abridging, not enervating of the law of God. So Augustin, God in all his law h De doctrine. Christ. Lib 3. Cap. 10. Nihil praecipit nisi Charitatem, nihil culpat nisi cupiditatem: commands nothing but Love, condemns nothing but lust. Yea it is not only the Complement of the Law, but also the Supplement of the Gospel. joh. 13. Novum mandatum; A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love joh. 13. 34. one another. All which makes it manifest, that Love is a Near way to heaven. Sociable It is also: for it is never out of company; never out of the best company. The delight thereof is with the Saints that are in earth, and with the excellent. The Psal. 16. 3. two main objects of Envy are Highness, and nighness: the envious man cannot endure another above him, another near him: the envious man loves no neighbour. But contrarily love doth the more heartily honour those that are higher, and embrace those that are nigher: and cannot want society, so long as there is a Communion of Saints. Love is the way you hear; our Course is Walking. As clear, near, and sociable a way, as love is, yet few can hit it: for of all ways you shall find this least travelled. The way of Charity, as once did the Ways of Zion, mourns for want of passengers. This path is so uncouth and unbeaten, that many cannot tell, whether there be such a way or not. It is in their opinion, but Via serpentis; the way of a serpent on the earth, or of a bird in the air; which cutteth the air with her wings, and leaves no print or tract behind her. But some Chim●…ra, or mathematical imaginary point; an Ens rationale, without true being. Viam dilectionis ignorant; as the Apostle saith, Uiam pacis; The way of Rom. 3. 17 peace they have not known. Others know there is such a way, but they will not set their foot into it. Their old way of malice and covetousness is delightful; but this is Ard●…a & praerupta via, a hard and a harsh way. Indeed Artis tristissima ianua nostrae: the entrance to this way is somewhat sharp and unpleasant to flesh; for it begins at repentance for former uncharitableness. But once entered into this King's highway, it is full of all content and blessedness; Adlaetoes ducens per gramina fluctus. Walk in love. He doth not say, talk of it, but walk in it. This precept is for course, not discourse. Love sits at the door of many men's lips, but hath no dwelling in the heart. We may say truly of that charity; it is not at nome. A great man had curiously engraven at the gate of his Palace, the image of Bounty, or Hospitality. The needy travelers with joy spying it, approach thither in hopeful expectation of succour. But still silence or an empty Echo answers all their cries and knocks: for hospitality may stand at the gate, but there is none in the house. One among the rest (his hungry trust thus often abused) resolves to pluck down the Image. With these words; If there be neither meat nor drink in the house, what needs there a Sign? Great Portals in the Country, and coloured Post●…s in the City, promise the poor Beggar liberal relief; but they are often but Images: Muta & ●…utila signa; dumb and lame signs: For Charity is not at home: only the shadow without Spe●…illectat ina●…i gives fair and fruitless hopes. We are too much wearied with these shadows of Charity. Ambrose makes two parts of Liberality; Benevolence Offic. lib. 1. cap. 30. and Beneficence. Many will share the former, but spare the latter. They will wish some thing, but do nothing. They have open mouths, but shut hearts: soft words, but hard bowels. To these S. john gives advise Let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in 1. joh. 3. 18. deed and in truth. Opposing works to words, verity to vanity. Verbal compliments are not real implements: and with a little inversion of the Philosopher's sense; The belly hath no ears. The starved soul delights not to hear Charity, but to feel it. Oculate mihi sunt manus: the poors hands have eyes; what they receive, they believe. The gouty usurer hath a nimble tongue: and though he will not walk in love, he can talk of love: for of all members the tongue Postrema senescit; waxeth old last. Let a distressed passenger come to some of their gates, and he shall have divinity enough, but no humanity; wholesome counsel, but no wholesome food. They can afford them exhortation, but not compassion; charging their ears, but in no wise overcharging their bellies. They have scripture against begging, but no bread against famishing. The bread of the Sanctuary is common with them, not the bread of the Buttery. If the poor can be nourished with the Philosophical supper of good moral sentences, they shall be prodigally feasted: but if the bread of life will not content them, they may be packing. But saith S. james; If you say to the poor, Depart in peace, be warmed, be filled: yet jam. 2. 16. give them nothing needful to the body, your devotion profits not; neither them, nor yourselves. There is difference betwixt breath and bread, between wording & working, between mere language, & very sustenance. The Apostle chargeth us to walk, not to talk of love: One step of our feet, is worth ten words of our tongues. The actions of pity do gracefully become the profession of piety. It is wittily observed, that the over-precise are so thwartingly cross to the superstitious in all things, that they will scarce do a good work, because an Heretic doth it. That whereas a Papist will rather lose a penny then a Paternoster: these will rather give a Paternoster then a penny. They are devout and free in any thing, that toucheth not their purses. Thus with a show of spiritual counsel, they neglect corporal comfort: and overthrow that by their cold deeds, which they would seem to build up by their hot words. That the poor might well reply; More of your cost, and less of your counsel would do far better. Walk in love. Do not step over it, nor cross it, nor walk besides it, nor near it, but walk in it. The doctrine in full strength directs us to a constant embracing of Charity. The whole course of our living, must be loving: our beginning, continuance, end, must be in Charity. Two sorts of men are here specially reprovable. Some that seem to Begin in Charity, but end not so. End in Charity, that never walked so. Some have had apparent beginnings of love, whose conclusion hath halted off into worldliness, whiles they had little, they communicated some of that little: but the multiplying their riches, hath been the abatement of their mercies. Too many have verified this incongruent and preposterous observation; that the filling their purses with money, hath proved the emptying their hearts of Charity. As one observes of Rome; that the declination of piety, came at one instant with the multiplication of metals. Even that Clergy, that poor cared only to feed the flock; once grown rich studied only to fill the pail. Ammianus Marcellinus saith of them, that Matronarum oblationibus ditabantur, they were enriched by Lady's gifts. And heruepon, together with that unlucky separation of the Greek head from the Latin body, the Empire began to dwindle, the Popedom to flourish. Now plenty is the daughter of prosperity, ambition of plenty, corruption of ambition. So Divitiae veniunt, Relligioque fugit. Religion brings in wealth, wealth thrusts out Religion. To this purpose, and to prevent this ready evil, was God's charge by the pen of David. a Psal. 62. 10. If riches increase, set not your heart upon them. For till they increase, there is less danger. But saith one; Societas quaedam est, etiam nominis, vitijs & divitijs. Wealth and wickedness are near of kin. Nimia bonorumcopia, ingens malorum occasio. Plenty of goods, lightly occasions plenty of evils. Goodness commonly lasts till goods come: but dition of state; altars condition of persons. How many had been good, had they not been great! And as it was said of Tiberius; He would have made a good subject, was a very ill King: so many have died good servants, that would have lived bad masters. God that can best fit a man's estate here, that it may further his salvation hereafter; knows that many a man is gone poor up to heaven, who rich would have tumbled down to hell. We may observe this in Peter; who being gotten into the High priests Hall, sits him down by the b Mark. 14. 54. warm fire, and forgets his master. Before Peter followed Christ at the hard heels, through cold & heat, hunger and thirst, trouble and weariness; and promiseth an infallible adherence. But now he sits beaking himself by a warm fire, his poor Master is forgotten. Thus his body grows warm; his zeal, his soul cold. When he was abroad in the cold, he was the hotter Christian; now he is by the fireside he grows the colder. Oh the warmth of this world, how it makes a man forget Christ! He that wants bread, pities them that be hungry: and they that want fire have compassion of the poor cold and naked: but the warmth and plenty of the world starves those thoughts. When the Princes are at ease in Zion, they never c Amo. 6. 6. grieve for the affliction of joseph. Whilst usury can sit in furs; ambition look down from his lofty turrets: lust imagine heaven in her soft embracings; Epicurism study dishes and eat them: pride study fashions & wear them: the downe-troden poor, exposed to the bleakeayre, afflicted, famished, are not thought on. So easily are many that begun in love, put by riches out of the way: and made to forbear Walking in Charity, even by that which should enable their steps. Thus avarice breeds with wealth, as they speak of toads that have been found in the midst of great stones. Though the man of mean estate, whose own want instructs his heart to commiserate others, say thus with himself; If I had more goods, I would do more good: yet experience justifies this point, that many have changed their minds with their means: and the state of their purse hath forspoken the state of their conscience. So they have d Gal. 3. 3. begun in the charity of the Spirit, and ended in the cares of the Flesh. Every man hath a better opinion of himself, then to think thus. As Hazael answered Elisha; when the good Prophet told him with tears, that he should burn the cities of Israel with fire, slay the inhabitants, rip up the women with child, and dash the infants against the stones e 2. King. 8. 13. Am I a dog that I should do this horrid thing? So you will not think, that being now mean, you relieve the distressed; if you were rich, that you would rob, spoil, defraud, oppress, impoverish them. O you know not the incantations of the world. It is a Pipe, that (beyond the Sirens singing) makes many sober men run mad upon it. I have read of an D. White. Serm. at the spital. exquisite musician, of whom it was reported, that he could put men into strange sits and passions, which he would as soon alter again with varying his notes: inclining and compelling the disposition of the hearer to his strains. There was one, that would make trial how he could affect him; daring his best skill to work upon his boast●…d composedne●… and resolution. The Musician begins to play; and gave such a Lacrymae, so sad and deep a lesson that the man fell into a dampish melancholy; standing as one forlorn, with his arms wreathed, his hat pulled over his eyes, venting many mournful sighs. Presently the Musician changeth his stroke into mirthful & lusty tunes: and so by degrees into jigs, crotchets, and wanton airs: then the man also changeth his melancholy into sprightly humours, leaping, and dancing, as if he had been transformed into air. This passion lasting but with the note that moved it; the Musician riseth into wild raptures, masks and Antics. Whereupon he also riseth to shouting, holloing, and such frantic passages, that he grew at last stark mad. Such a charming power, said a worthy Divine, hath the music of money and wealth, and such fits it works in a man's heart. First it takes him from peaceful settledness, and from great content in his little, and puts him into dumps; a miserable carking thoughtfullnes, how to scrape together much dirt. Next when he hath it, and begins with delight to suck on the dugs of the world; his purse, his barns, and all his, but his heart, full: he falls to dancing, and singing requiems; f Luk. 12. 20. Soul take thine ●…ase, eat, drink, and be merry. Then shall his table standfull of the best dishes, his cup of the purest wine, his back with the richest robes: and he conceits a kind of immortality in his coffers: he denies himself no satiety, no surquedry. But at last the worlds bedla●…-musicke puts him into frenzi●…: he grows rampant. Runs into oppressions, extortions, depopulations, rapes, whoredoms, murders, massacres: spares not blood or friendship, authority nor v●…ssalage, widow nor orphan, Prince nor subject: Nec 〈◊〉, nec Ar●…; neither poor man's co●…tage, nor Church's altar, Yea, if the Common wealth had but one throat, as Nero wished of Rome, he would cut it. O the unpacifiable madness, that this world's music puts those into, which will dance after his Pipe. For this cause saith our Apostle, continue in the Charity thou hast begun; Walk in love g Gal. 5. 7. Ye did run well, who did hinder you? Doth wealth keep you from charity? h ver. 8. This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. God never meant when he gave you riches, that you should then begin to be covetous. He did not for this purpose show new mercy to you, that you should take away your old mercies from his. There are other, that seem to end in Love, who never all their days walked in this heavenly path. They have a will lying by them, wherein they have bequeathed a certain legacy to the poor; something to such a Church, or such an Hospital. But this will is not of force till the testator be dead, so that a man may say, though the will be ready, yet to will is not ready with them: for God shall not have it, so long as they can keep it. These can wish with Balaam, to die Christians, but they must live Pagans. Having raised thousands out of their sacrilegious and inhospitable Impropriations; they can bestow the dead hope of a little mite on the Church. In memorial whereof the heir must procure an annual recitation; besides the monumental sculpture on the Tomb. Be his life never so black, and more tenebrous than the vaults of lust, yet said a Reverend Divine, he shall find a black prophet, for a black cloak, that with a black mouth, shall commend him for whiter than snow and lilies. Though his unrepented oppressions, unrestored extortions, and bloud-drawing usuries, have sent his soul to the infernal dungeon of Satan; whose parishioner he was all his life; yet money may get him cannonizd a Saint at Rome, and rob him with spotless integrity and innocence. So diverse among them, that lived More Latronun yet in death affected Cultum martyrum. Hence Epitaphs and funeral orations shall commend a man's charity, who never all his days walked two steps in love. But it is in vain to write a man's charity in a repaired window; when his tyrannous life is written in the bloody and indelible characters, of many poor men's ruin and overthrow. Nor can the narrow plaster of a little poor benevolence, hide and cover the multitude of gaping wounds, made by extortion and unmercifulness. No, God hates the Sacrifice of robbery: i 1. Psal. 16. 4. their drink offerings of blood will I not offer; said David. The oblation that is made up of the earnings of the poor, is an abomination, offending God's eye, and provoking his hand. First restore the lands and goods of others, injuriously or usuniously gotten: let not an unjust penny lie rotting on thy heap and heart: and then build Hospitals repair ruined holy places, produce the fruits of mercy, walk in love. Otherwise it is not smooth marble, and engraven brass, with a commending epitaph; that can any more preserve the name from rotten putrefaction, than the carcase. But for all that, the memory shall stink above ground, as the body doth under it. It is a desperate hazard, that a wicked man by a charitable will shall make amends for all: whereas commonly an usurers Testament is but a Testimony of his lewd life. There is small hope, that they end in charity who would never walk in love. There be others that cannot walk in Love, through a double defect, either of eyes, or of feet. Some have Feet, but want eyes. Eyes, but want feet. 1. Some have the feet of affections, but they lack eyes; and so cannot descry the true and perfect way of love. Indeed no man can find it without God k Psal. 25. 4. Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. For it is he that directs l 1 Ver. 8. sinners & wanderers to the way. These want him, that should m Esa. 48. 17. Lead them by the way that they should go. They think that by building up a ladder of good works, their souls shall on meritorious rounds climb up to heaven. They cannot distinguish between Viam regni, and causamregnandi. They suppose, if they relieve Seminaries, fast Lents, keep their numbredorisons, pro digally sacrifice their bloods in treasons for that Roman Harlot; this is via dilectionis; the way of love. So the silly servant, bidden to open the gates, set his shoulders to them, but with all his might could not stir them whereas another comes with the key, & easily unlocks them. These men so confident in their good works, do but set their shoulders to heaven-gates: alas! without comfort: for it is the key of faith that only opens them. These have nimble feet, forward affections, hearts workeable to charity, and would Walk in Love if they had eyes. Therefore Let us prayfor them. n Psal. 143. 8. Cause them to know the way, O Lord, wherein they should walk. 2. Other have eyes, but they want feet: they understand the way of love, but they have no affection to walk in it. They know that false measures, forsworn valuations, adulterate wares, smooth-checked circumuentions, painted cozenages, malicious repine, denied succours; are all against love. Noscunt & poscunt. They know them, but they will use them. They know that humbleness, kindness, meekness, patience, remission, compassion, giving and forgiving; actual comforts, are the fruits of love. Norunt & nolunt, They know it, but they will none of it. These know but walk not in love. It is fabled, that a great king gave to one of his subjects, of his own mere favour, a goodly city; happily replenished with all treasures and pleasures. He does not only freely give it, but directs him the way; which keeping, he should not miss it. The rejoiced subject soon enters on his journey, and rests not till he comes within sight of the City. Thus near it, he spies a great company of men digging in the ground: to whom approaching, he found them casting up white and red earth in abundance. Wherewith his amazed eyes growing soon enamoured, he desires a participation of their riches. They refuse to join him in their gains, unless he will join himself in their pains. Hereupon he falls to toiling, digging & delving, till some of the earth falls so heavy upon him, that it lames him; and he is able to go no further. There he dies in the sight of that City, to which he could not go for want of feet: & looseth a certain substantial gift, for an uncertain shadow of vain hope. You can easily apply it. God of his gracious favour, not for our deserts, gives man his creature a glorious City: even that whose o Reu. 21. 19 foundations are of jasper, Sapphire and Emerald etc. He doth more, directs him the way to it; Go on this way, Walk in love. He begins to travel, and comes within the sight of heaven: but by the way he spies worldlings toiling in the earth and scraping together white and red clay; silver and gold, the riches of this world. Hereof desirous, he is not suffered to partake, except he also partake of their covetousness, and corrupt fashions. Now Mammon sets him on work, to x Effodiun●…r opes irritameta malorum. Metam. dig out his own damnation: where after a while this gay earth comes tumbling foe fast upon him, that his feet be maimed, his affections to heaven lost: and he dies short of that glorious City, which the king of heaven purchased with his own blood, and gave him. Think of this, ye worldlings; and seeing you know what it is to be charitable, put your feet in this way; Walk in love. There be yet others, whose whole course is every step out of the way to God; who is Love; and they must walk in Love, that come unto him. 1. There is a path of Lust: they err damnably, that call this the way of love. They turn a spiritual grace into a carnal vice: and whereas Charity and Chastity are of nearer alliance then sound; these debauched tongues call uncleanness love. Adultery is a cursed way, though a much coursed way for a whore is the highway to the Devil. 2. There is a path of malice, and they that travel it, are bound for the Enemy. Their evil eye is vexed at God's goodness: and their hands of desolation would undo his mercies. Other men's health is their sickness, others weal their woe. The Jesuits and their bloody Proselyts are pilgrims in this way. We know by experience the scope of their walks. Their malice was strong, as Savire in saxa; but they would turn jerusalem in aceruum Lapidum; into a heap of stones. Yea such was their rage: that Nil reliqui fecerunt, Vt non ipsis elementis fieret iniuria; they spared not to let the elements know the madness of their violence. They could not draw fire from heaven, (their betters could not do it in the days of Christ on earth) therefore they seek it, they dig it from hell. Flectere cum nequeunt Superos, Acheronta movebunt. Here was a malicious walking. 3. There is a counterfeit path; & the travelers make as if they walked in love, but their love is dissimulation. It is not dilectio vera, true love, which S. joh. speaks 1. joh. 3. 18. of. nor dilectio mera, as Luther; not a plaine-hearted love. They will cozen you unseen, and then like the whore in the Proverbes, wipe their mouths, and it was not they. Their art is Alios pellere aut tollere; to give others a wipe or a wound: & judas-like they salute those with a kiss, against whom they intent most treason. 4. There is a way directly cross to love: which neither obeys God, for love keeps the commandments; nor comforts man, for love hath compassion on the distressed. These have feet swift enough, but p Rom. 3. 5. swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. They are in q 2. King. 25. 7. Zedechiahs' case: both their eyes are put out, and their feet lamed with the captive chains of Satan; so easily carried down to his infernal Babylon. These are they that r Mic. 2. 2. devour a man and his heritage. Therefore Christ calls their riches, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; things without them, as if they had swallowed them down into their bowels. The phrase is used by job Luk. 11 s job. 20. 15. He hath swallowed down riches, & he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly. When this vomit is given them, you shall see strange stuff come from them. Here the raw and undigested gobbets of usury; there the mangled morsels of bloody oppressions: here five or six impropriate Churches, there thousand acres of decayed tillage: here a whole casket of bribes, there whole houses and patrimonies of undone orphans; here an Enclosure of commons, there a vastation of proper and sanctified things. Rip up their conscie nces, and this is the stuffing of their hearts. These walk cross to the Cross of Christ; as Paul saith, they are Enemies, cursed t Phil. 3. 18. walkers. Whereupon we may conclude with Bernard. u De considerate. Lib. 1. Periculosa tempora iam non instant, said extant: the dangerous times are not coming, but come upon us. The cold frost of indevotion is so general, that many have benumbed joints; they cannot walk in love. Others so stiff and obdurate, that they will meet all that walk in this way, and with their turbulent malice strive to justle them out of it. Therefore David prays: a Psal. 104. 4. Preserve me from the violent men, that have purposed to overthrow my goings. Let us then upon this great cause, use that deprecation in our Let any. From pride, vainglory, & hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, malice & all uncharitableness; Good Lord deliver us. I am loath to give you a bitter farewell, or to conconclude with a menace. I see I cannot, by the times leave, drink to you any deeper in this cup of Charity. I will touch it once again, and let every present soul that loves heaven, pledge me. Walk in love The way to life everlasting is love; and he that keeps the way is sure to come to the end. b 1. joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. For this are the works of mercy, charity piety, and pity so much commended in the Scriptures, & by the Fathers, with so high titles: because they are the appointed way, wherein we must walk, and whereby we must work up our own salvation. Therefore the Apostle claps in the neck of good works; c 1. Tim. 6. 19 laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. Thereby we lay the ground of salvation in our consciences and take assured hold of eternal life. He that goes on in love, shall come home to life. This comforts us; not in a presumption of merit, but in confident knowledge, that this is the way to glory: wherein when we find ourselves Walking, we are sure we are going to heaven: d Psal. 138. 5. and sing in the ways of the Lord: Great is the glory of the Lord. Now therefore e Colos. 3. 12. Put on (as the elect of God, holy, and beloved) bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, etc. As you claim any portion in those gracious blessings, Election, Sanctification, and the love of God; as you would have the sweet testimony of the Spirit, that you are sealed up to the day of Redemption: Put on mercy, kindness, meekness, long suffering: let them be as robes to cover you all over. Yea bowels of mercies; let them be as tender and inward to you as your most vital parts. Lay forbearance and forgiveness as dear friends in your bosoms. Depart from iniquity: for f Prou. 16. 17. the high way of the upright is to depart from evil: and he that keepth his way, preserveth his soul. And g Colos. 3. 14. above all these things put on Charity, which is the bond of perfectness; Walk in love. h Gal. 6. 16. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. Amen. LOVES COPY OR The best Precedent of Charity. EPHE. 5. 2. As Christ loved us. WE distinguished the whole verse into a Canon, and a Crucifix. The Canon consisted of a Precept, and a Precedent. Love is the Subject: and it is both commanded and commended. Commanded in the Charge, which you have heard. Commended in the Example, which you shall hear. I determined my speech with the Precept; Walk in love. The Precedent or Pattern remains to be propounded and expounded; As Christ loved us. Every word is emphatical: and there be four, signifying four several natures. Here 1 As is a word of 1 Quality 2 Christ 2 Majesty 3 Loved 3 Mercy 4 Us 4 Misery. Two of these words be Vincula or Media; that join and unite other things; Sicut and Dilexit: As and Loved. As directs our love to God and Man, by the exemplified rule of Christ loving us. Walk in love to others, As Christ loved us. Loved is that blessed reconciling nature; whereby Gods good Greatness descends to our bad baseness; and the Just gives to the unjust Salvation. For what other nature but Mercy, could reconcile so high Majesty, and so low Misery! As According to Zanchius his observation on this place, is a note of Quality, not Equality; of Similitude not of Comparison. We must love others As Christ loved us; As; for the manner, not for the measure. His a Cant. 8. 6. love was strong as Death; for to the death he loved us. It was a bright & clear fire; many matters could not quench it; yea water and blood could not put it out. b joh. 3. 16. God so loved the World: so freely, so fatherly, so fully; as no tongue can tell, no heart think. c Ephe. 3. 19 The love of Christ passeth knowledge. To think of equalling this love, would be an impossible presumption. Our love is inconstant, weak; a mingled, and often a mangled love, mingled with self love, and mangled with the wounding affections of the world. Our love is feign, his strong: ours fickle, his constant: ours limited, his infinite. Yet we must follow him so fast as we can, and so far as we may; Walking in love, as he loved us. His Walking in love was strange and admirable: he took large steps; from heaven to earth, and from earth to heaven. As Bernard on that speech of the Church concerning her Beloved. d Cant. 2. 8. Behold! he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. He leaps from heaven to the Virgin's womb, from the womb to a manger, from the manger to Egypt, from Egypt to judah, from thence to the Temple, from the Temple up to the Cross, from the Cross down to the grave, from the grave up to the earth, and from the earth up to the highest glory. And he shall yet have another leap, from the right hand of his Father to judge quick and dead. These were great jumps, & large paces of love. When he made but one stride from the clouds to the cradle, and another from the Cradle to the cross, and a third from the cross to the crown. To come from the bosom of his immortal father, to the womb of his mortal mother, was a great step. From the lowest hell, or depth of his humiliation; to the highest heaven or top of his exaltation was a large pace. We cannot take such large steps, nor make such strides. These leaps are beyond our agility, our ability. Yet we must follow him in love; stepping so far as we can, and walking so fast as we may. Follow we carefully and cheerfully; though non passibus aequis. The Father, that takes his young son into the field with bows & shafts, and bids him shoot after him, doth not expect that the child should shoot so far as he, but so far as he can. Though we cannot reach Christ's mark, yet e 2. Cor. 8. 12. If there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not. Now this particle As, is not barely similitudinary, but hath a greater latitude: and serves To Confine the Measure of our Imitation. Define Matter Refine Manner 1. This Sicut Confines Our imitation, and limits it to that circumference, which the present rule or compass gives it. We may not follow Christ in all things, but in this thing; Love, As he loved us. Our imitation hath a limitation, that it may not exorbitantly start out of the circle. There are special works, which God reserves to himself; and wherein he did never command or commend man's following: but rather strikes it down as presumption. His Power, his Majesty, his Wisdom, his Miracles, cannot without a contumacious ambition be aimed at. When Lucifer aspired to be like God in Majesty, he was thrown out of heaven. When Adam contended to be like God in knowledge, he was cast out of Paradise. When Nabuchadnezzar arrogated to be like God in Power, he was expulsed his kingdom. When Simon Magus mounted to be like God in working Miracles, and to fly in the air, he was hurled down, and broke his neck. God must not be imitated in his Finger, in his Arm, in his Brain, in his Face; but in his Bowels. Not in the Finger of his Miracles; nor in the Arm of his Power; nor in the Brain of his Wisdom; nor in the Face of his Majesty; but in the Bowels of his Mercy. f Luk. 6. 36. Be ye merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful. And saith Paul; g Col. 3. 13. Put on the Bowels of mercy; as Christ put them on: Forbear, forgive; Walk in Love; As he loved us. Neither Angel nor Man did ever, or shall ever offend, in coveting to be like God in Love, Grace, Mercy, Goodness. So that this Sicut excludes his Miracles, and directs us to his morals. Walk in Love, 〈◊〉 etc. 2. This Sicut Defines. What our Love should be; As Christ was to us. Now his love to us had an infinite extension; and is past the skill of men or Angels to describe. Yet because this is the perfect Copy of our imitation; and the infallible Rule whereby we must square our Charity; I must according to my shallow power wade a little into this infinite and boundless Sea. I will only note four sweet streams of life in his love. It was Holy Sine Merits. Hearty Mode. Kind Despect●…. Constant Defect●…. 1. Holy. The Love of jesus to us was Sancta & sanctificans dilectio: a Love holy formaliter, in itself: and holy effectiuè, in making those holy on whom it was set. He gave himself to us, and for us: and gave us a faith to receive and embrace him. Sine quo nec dil●…cti, nec diligentes fuissemus. Without whom we neither could have received love, nor returned love. Now his love did not only extend to our bodies health, but to our soul's bliss. So he loved us, that he saved us. Our love should likewise be holy & whole: desiring not only our brother's external welfare; but much more his internal, his eternal blessedness. He that pities not a famished body, deserves justly the name of an unmerciful man: but he that compassionates not an afflicted conscience, hath much more a hard heart. It is an usual speech of compassion to a distressed man; Alas poor Soul: but this same, alas poor Soul, is for the most part mistaken. Neither the pittier, nor the pitied imagines the soul pittiable. Very humanity teacheth a man to behold an execution of thieves & traitors with grief: that men to satisfy their malicious or covetous affections, should cut off their own lives with so infamous a death. But who commiserates the endangered Soul, that must then ventor and enter on an eternal life or death? The story of Hagar with her Son Ishmael, is set down by so heavenly a pen, that a man cannot read it without tears. She is h Gen. 21. 14. cast out of Abraham's house with her child that might call her Master father. Bread & water is put on her shoulder, and she wanders into the wilderness: a poor relief for so long a journey, to which there was set no date of returning. Soon was the water spent in the bottle: the child cries for drink, to her that had it not; and lifts up pitiful eyes, every glance whereof was enough to wound her soul: vents the sighs of a dry & panting heart; but there is no water to be had; except the tears that ran from a sorrowful mother's eyes could quench the thirst. down she lays the child under a shrub: and went as heavy as ever mother parted from her only son: and sat her down upon the earth, as if she desired it for a present receptacle of her grief, of herself: a good way off, saith the Text, as it were a bow-sho●…e that the shrieks, yell, & dying groans of the child might not reach her ears: crying out; Let me not see the death of the child. Die she knew he must: but as if the beholding it would rend her heart, and wound her soul; she denies those windows so sad a spectacle; Let me not see the death of the child. So she lift up her voice and wept. Never was Hagar so pitiful to her Son Ishmael, as the Church is to every Christian. If any son of her womb will wander out of Abraham's family, the House of Faith; into the wilderness of this world; and prodigally part with his i jon. 2. 8. own mercy; for the gaudy transient vanities thereof. She follows, with entreaties to him, and to heaven for him. If he will not return, she is loath to see his death: she turns her back upon him, and weeps. He that can with dry eyes, and unrelenting heart, behold a man's Soul ready to perish, hath not so much passion and compassion, as that Egyptian bondwoman. 2. Hearty. The love of Christ to us was hearty; not consisting of shows, and signs, and courtly compliments; but of actual, real, royal bounties. He did not dissemble live to us, when he died for us. Exhibitio operis, probatio amoris. He pleaded by the truest and undeniable argument, demonstration. I love you: wherein? I give my Life for you. Tot ora, quot vulnera; tot verba, quot verbera. So many wounds, so many words to speak actually his love: every stripe he bore gave sufficient testimony of his affection. His exceeding rich gift, shows his exceeding rich love. This heartines must be in our Love; both to our Creator, and to his Image. 1. To God: so he challengeth thy love to be conditioned; with thy Heart, with all thy heart. And this saith Christ, is Primum & Maximum mand●…tum k Math. 22. 38. the First and the greatest Commandment. The first; l Marlorat. Quasi virtualiter centinens reliqua; as mainly comprehending all the rest. For he that loves God with all his heart will neither Idolatrize, nor blaspheme, nor profane his sabboth's; no nor wrong his creatures. The greatest; m Aretius. as requiring the greatest perfection of our love. This than must be a hearty love; not slow, not idle, but must show itself Et properando, & operando: in ready diligence, in fruitful & working obedience. There are many ●…otent to love God alitle, because he blesseth them much. So Saul loved him for his kingdom. These love God Pro seipsis, not Prae seipsis; For themselves, not before themselves. They will give him homage, but not fealty: the calves of their lips, but not the calves of their stalls. If they feast him with venison, part of their Imparked Riches, which is dear to them: yet it shall be but rascal dear, the trash of their substance: they will not feast him with the heart, that is the best dear in their Park. 2. To man: whom thou art bound to love as thyself: where say some, As is but a Tam, not a T●…ntum. As thyself, not As much as thyself: As for the manner, not for the measure. But this is certain; true love begins at home; and he cannot love another sound, that primarily loves not himself. And he that loves himself with a good heart, with the same heart will love his brother: n jacob. de Vorag. in Luc. 10. Serm. 2. In qu●… seipsum, & propt●…r quod seipsum: In that manner, & for that cause that he loves himself. This then commands the same love, if not the same degree of love, to thy brother, that thou bearest to thyself. This hearty love is hardly found. More is protested now then in former times, but less done. It is wittilyob served, that the old manner of saluting, was to take & shake one another by the hand: now we lock arms & join breasts, but not hearts. That old hand full was better than this new armful. Our cringes and complemental bowings promise great humilitic: but the smothered venom of pride ●…es within. We have low looks and lofty thoughts. There are enough of those o Psal. 28. 3. Which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. Whose smooth habits do so palliate, and ornamentally cover their poison; as if they did preserve mud in Crystal. The Romans usually painted Friendship, with her hand on her heart: as if she promised to send no messenger out of the gate of her lips, but him that goes on the heart's errand. Now we have studied both textures of words, and pretextures of manners, to shroud dishonesty. But one ounce of real charity is worth a whole talon of verbal. He loves us best, that does for us most. Many Politicians, (and the whole world now runs on the wheels of policy) use their lovers as ladders, their friends as scaffolds. When a house is to be erected, they first set up scaffolds, by which they build it up: the house finished, down pull they the scaffolds, and throw them into the fire. When the covetous or ambitious man hath his turn served by others; either for his advancing or advantaging; for gain or glory: he puts them off with neglect and contempt. The house is built, what care they for the scaffold? The feat is wrought, let the wise and honest helpers be prisoned or poisoned, sink or swim, stand or perish. Nay it is well, if they help not those down, that helped them up. 3. Kind. The Apostle makes p Col. 3. 12. Kindness one essential part of our love; deriving it from Christ's example: who was Kind to us, both in giving us much good, and forgiving us much evil. And God commendeth, yea commandeth the inseparable neighbourhood of godliness and brotherly kindness. q 2. Pet. 1. 7. Add to your godliness brotherly kindness. For there is no piety towards God, where there is no kindness to our brother. Now Christ's kindness to us consisted in 2. excellent effects Corrigendo. Porrigendo. 1. In correcting our errors, dir●…cting and amending our lives. Non minima pars dilectionis est, reprehendere dilect●…m, It is no small part of kindness, to reprove him thou lovest. Therefore God saith; Th●… shalt reprove thy brother; and not hate him in thy heart. A loving man will chide his erring friend: and he that does not, hates him in his heart. r Aug. de verbis Apost. Serm. 22. Sic vigilet tolerantia, ut non dormiat disciplina. So let patience watch, that discipline sleep not. This was David's desire. s Psal. 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove ●…e, it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head. Our Saviour took this course, but he was pitiful in it: not t Math. 12. 20. breaking the bruised re●…d, nor quenching the smoking flax. He was not transported with passion, but moved with tender compassion, and merciful affection. u Mark. 6. 36. He was moved with compassion toward the people, seeing them as sheep without a shepherd. x Psal. 103. 13. As a Father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. And children are Vicera parentum, saith a In Epist. Paul. ad Philem. Jerome: the very bowels of the parents. Therefore his bowels earned within him, when he saw the weakly blind led by the wilfully blind, and he instructed them. It is no small mercy in a Father, to correct his erring child. This is one office of love almost quite forgotten in the world. Our eyes and ears are conscious of many horridsinnes, whereof we make also our souls guilty by our silence. Like Cameleons, we turn to the colour of our company. Oppressions that draw blood of the Commonwealth, move us not. Oaths that totter the battlements of heaven, wake us not. O where is our kindness! whilst we do not reprove, we approve these iniquities. b Greg. He is conscious of secret society, that forbeareth to resist open iniquity. Thou sayest, it is for loves sake thou sparest reprehension: why, if thou love thy friend, thou wilt gently rebuke his faults. If thou love thy friend never so dearly, yet thou oughtest to love truth more dearly. Let not then the truth of love prejudice the love of truth. 2. In 〈◊〉, reaching ●…orth to us his ample mercies: c 1. Tim. 6. 17. Giving ●…ichly ●…l things to enjoy. Where the Apostle describes God's bounty; that he Gives Freely. Fully. universally. Effectually. 1. Freely; he gives without exchange: he receives nothing for that he gives. ungodly men have honour, wealth, health, peace, plenty: their bellies are filled with his treasure, and they do not so much as return him thanks. His Sun shines, his rain falls on the unjust and ingrateful man's ground. Man when he gives, & respicit & recipit gratitudinem; both expects and accepts thanks, and a return of love: God hath not so much as thanks. For the good, they are indeed grateful: but this Gratia grati is Gratia gratificantis: God gives them this grace, to be thankful: and they may bless him, that he stirs them up to bless him. 2. Fully and richly, as becomes the greatest King. A Duke at the wedding Feast of his daughter, caused to ●…e brought in thirty Courses; and at every Course gave so many gifts to each guest at the Table, as were Dishes in the Course. And I have read of a Queen, that feasted her guests with wines brewed with dissolved precious stories; that every draft was valued at a hundred crowns. Here was royal entertainment; but this was but one Feast. Such bounty continued would quickly consume the finite means of any earthly Prince. Only God is d Ep●…. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. rich in mercy: his treasury fills all the world, without emptying, yea impairing or abating itself. 3. universally; all things. The king hath his Crown, the great man his honour, the mighty his strength, the rich his wealth, the learned his knowledge, the mean man his peace: all at his Gift. He opens his hand wide, he sparseth abroad his blessings, and fills all things living with his plenteousness. 4. Effectually: he settles these gifts upon us. As he gave them without others, so others without him shall never be able to take them away. As he created, so he conserveth the virtues; strength in bread, and warmth in clothes; and gives wine and oil their effective cheerfulness. Be ●…ou so kind as this holy and heavenly pattern, not aiming at the measure which is inimitable, but leveling at the manner which is charitable. Like job, who used not to e job 31. 17. eat his morsels alone: neither to deny his bread to the hungry, nor the fleece of his flock to the cold and naked. Let thy stock of kindness be liberal, though thy stock of wealth be stinted. Give Omni petenti, though not Omnia petenti; as that Father excellently. 4. Constant. For with Christ is no variableness, f jam. 1. 17. no shadow of change. But g joh. 13. 1. Whom he once loves, he loves for ever. Fickleness is for a Laban, whose h Gen. 31. 〈◊〉. countenance will turn away from jacob: and his affection fall off with his profit. I have read of two entire friends, well deserving for their virtues; that when the one was promoted to great wealth and dignity, the other neglected in obscurity: the preferred, though he could not divide his honour, yet shared his wealth to his old companion. Things so altered that this honoured friend was falsely accused of treachery, and by the blow of suspicion thrown down to misery: & the other for his now observed goodness raised up to a high place where now he requites his dejected friend with the same courtesy: as if their minds had consented & contended to make that equal, which their states made different. O for one dram of this immutable Love in the world! Honour's change manners: & we will not know those in the Court, who often fed us in the country. Or if we vouchsafe to acknowledge them as friends, we will not as Suitors. Hereon was the verse made. Quisquis in hoc mundo cunctis vult gratus haberi: Det, Capiat, Quaerat, Plurima, Pauca, Nihil. He that would be of worldly men well thought: Must always Give, Take, Beg, Much, Little, Nought. Men cannot brook poor friends. This inconstant charity is hateful; as our English phrase premonisheth; Love me Little, and Love me Long. 3. This Sicut Refines Our love; Walk in love, as Christ loved us. Where As is not only similitudinary, but causal. Love because Christ loved us: for this cause, as after this manner. Which serves to putrify our love, to purge it from 1. john 4. 19 corruption, and to make it perfect. Dilectio Dei nosfacit & diligibiles & diligentes: both such as God can love, and such as can love God. For it is the love of Christ to us, that works a love to Christ in us. A man will ever love that medicine, that hath freed him from some desperate disease. Christ's Love hath healed us of all our sores and sins: let us honour and love this medicine, compounded of so precious simples, water and blood. And let us not only affectionately embrace it ourselves, but let us invite others to it i Psal. 66. 16. Come and hearken all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. Christ. I have been so punctual in this word of Quality, that I can but mention the rest. The word of Majesty is Christ; who being almighty God, coequal and coeternal with the Father and the Spirit; took on him our nature: and was factus homo, ut pro homine pacaret Deum. God was made man, that for man he might appease God. Thus did so great a majesty stoop low for our love; Non exuendo quod habuit, sed induendo quod non habuit: not by losing what he had, but by accepting what he had not; our miserable nature. k Bern. Tract. de diligendo Deo. Ipse dilexit nos & Tantus & tantum, & gratis tantillos & tales. He that was so great loved so greatly, us that were so poor and unworthy freely. Loved Is that word of Mercy, that reconciles so glorious a God to so ungracious sinners. The cause which moved Christ to undertake for us, was no merit in us, but mere mercy inhim. He Loved us, because he loved us: in our Creation when we could not love him: in our Redemption, when we would not love him. Loved us, notbutthat he loveth us stil. But the Apostle speaks in this time, to distinguish the love wherewith he now loveth us, from that whereby he once Loved us. l Rom. 5. 10. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by his death: much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Though it be also true, that m jer. 31. 3. from everlasting he Loved us. Us Is the word of Misery: Us he loved, that were so wretched. The word is indefinite; Us, all us. Us be we never so unworthy: All us, be we never so many. 1. Us that were unworthy of his love, from whom he expected no correspondence. That he loved the blessed Angels was no wonder, because they with winged obedience execute his hests n Psal. 103. 20. and do his word. Yea that he loved his very reasonless and insensible creatures, is not strange: for o Psal. 148. 8. fire and hail, snow and vapour, stormy wind and tempest fulfil his word. But to love us, that were weak, ungodly, sinners, enemies. Rom. 5 weak, no strength to deserve: ungodly, no piety to procure: sinners, no righteousness to satisfy: enemies, no peace to atone: for we hated him, and all his p Math. 10. 22. ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. To love such us, was an unexpectable, a most merciful love. He that wanted nothing, loved us, that had nothing. Immortal eternity loved mortal dust and ashes. O if a man had Ora mill fluentia melle, yea the tongues of Angels, he could not sufficiently express this love. q joh. 3. 16. So God loved the world: Mundum immundum, the unclean world; that not only not r joh. 1. 10. received him; but even crucified and killed him. 2, All of us, without acception of persons. This is the s joh. 1. 29. Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. The Gospel proclaims an universal Si quis; Whosoever believes, and is baptized, shall be saved. Qui seipsum excipi●… se ipsum decipit. He that excepts himself, beguiles his own soul. Hence I find three inferences, observable, which I will commend to your consciences, and your consciences to God. Dilecti diligamus. Dilectos Diligentes 1. We are loved ourselves, therefore let us love. He that bids us love, loved us first t joh. 15. 12. This is my Commandment, that ye love one another. Why? As I loved you. Non aliud jussit, quam gessit: he chargeth us with nothing in precept, which he performed not in practice. Therefore Si tardi su●…us ad ●…andum, non tardi simus ad redamandum. Though we have not been forward to love first, let us not be backward to return love. Dilecti diligite u 1. joh. 5. 11. If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. Magnes amoris amor: and the sole requital which God requires for his rich love, is our poor love; that only may love him, but have nothing to give him, that is not his. 2. They are beloved whom thou art charged to love. He that bids us love others, loves them himself. It is fit we should love those whom Christ loves. If thou love Christ, thou art bound to love others, because he loves them: yea with that very same love, wherewith he loves thee. Therefore Dilectos diligamus. 3. They also love God, whom God commands thee to love. The love of Christ is so shed abroad into all Christian hearts, that they unfeignedly affect jesus their Saviour. They love him, whom thou lovest, therefore love them. It is fit, we should love them highly, that love God heartily. Therefore Diligentes diligamus. Thus you have heard Loves Walk, or Race: now then saith Paul; So run that you may obtain. I will end with an Apologue, an Epilogue, a Parable. Charity, and certain other her rivals, or indeed enemies would run a race together. The Prize they all ran for, was Felicity; which was held up at the gaols end by a bountiful Lady, called Eternity. The runners were Pride, Prodigality, Envy, Covetousness, Lust, Hypocrisy, and love. All the rest were either diverse or adverse, neighbours or enemies to Charity. I will, Herald-like, show you their several equipage; how they begin the Race and end it. 1. Pride, you know, must be foremost; and that comes out like a Spaniard, with daring looks and a tongue thundering out braves: mounted on a sprightly jennet named Insolence. His Plumes and Perfumes amaze the beholder's eyes and nostrils. He runs as if he would overthrow Giants and Dragons: yea even the great Red-Dragon, if he encountered him: and with his lance burst open heaven gates. But his jennet stumbles, and down comes Pride. You know how wise a king hath read his destiny; Pride will have a fall. 2. The next is Prodigality; and because he takes himself for the true Charity, he must be second at least. This is a young Gallant, and the horse he rides on, is Luxury. He goes a thundering pace, that you would not think it possible to overtake him: but before he is got a quarter of the way, he is spent, all spent; ready to beg of those, that begged of him. 3. Envy will be next, a lean meager thing, full of malicious mettle, but hath almost no flesh. The horse he rides on is Malcontent. He would in his journey first cut some thousand throats, or powder a whole kingdom, blow up a State; and then set on to heaven. But the hangman sets up a Galowse in his way, whereat he runs full butt, and breaks his neck. 4. Then comes sneaking out Co●…eteousnes; a hunger-starved usurer, that sells wheat, and eats beans: many men are in his debt, and he is most in his own debt: for he never paid his belly and back a quarter of their dues. He rides on a thin hobbling jade called unconscionablenes which for want of a worse stable he lodgeth in his own heart. He promiseth his soul to bring her to heaven: but tarrying to enlarge his barns, he lost opportunity and the prize of salvation: and so fell two bows short; Faith and Repentance. 5. Lust hath gotten on loves cloak, and will venture to run. A leprous wretch, and riding on a trotting beast, a hee-goate; was almost shaken to pieces. Diseases do so cramp him, that he is feign to sit down with Vae misero: and without the help of a good Doctor or a Surgeon, he is like never to see a comfortable end of his journey. 6. Hypocrisy is glad that he is next to Charity; and presumes that they two are brother and sister. He is horsed on a halting hackney (for he does but borrow him) called Dissimulation. As he goes, he is offering every man his hand, but it is still empty. He leans on Charity's shoulder, and protests great love to her: but when she tries him to borrow a little money of him for some merciful purpose; he pleads, he hath not enough to serve him to his journeys end. He goes forward like an Angel, but his trusted horse throws him, and discovers him a Devil. 7 The last named, but first and only that comes to the prize at the goals end, is Charity. She is an humble virtue, not mounted as the other racers, but goes on foot. She spares from her own belly, to relieve those poor Pilgrims that travel with her to Heaven. She hath two Virgins that bear her company; Innocence, and Patience. She does no hurt to others, she suffers much of others; yet was she never heard to curse. Her language is blessing, and she shall for ever inherit it. Three celestial Graces, Glory, Immortality, and Eternity, hold out a Crown to her. And when Faith and Hope have lifted her up to heaven, they take their leaves of her; and the bosom of everlasting Mercy receives her. A CRUCIFIX OR A Sermon upon the Passion. EPHES. 5. 2. He hath given himself for us, an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet swelling savour. THis latter part of the verse is a fair and lively Crucifix, cut by the hand of a most exquisite carver: not to amaze our corporal lights with a piece of wood, brass, or stone curiously engraven, to the increase of a carnal devotion. But to present to the eye of the conscience, the grievous Passion, and gracious compassion of our Saviour jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, etc. This Crucifix presents to our eye seven considerable Circumstances Who, Christ. What, Gave. Whom, Himself. To whom, To God. For whom, For us. After what manner, An offering & Sacrifice. Of what effect. Of a sweet savour. The points, you see, lie as ready for our discourse, as the way did from Bethanie to jerusalem: only fail not my speech, nor your attention, till we come to the journeys end. Who. The Person that gives is Christ: the quality of his person doth highly commend his exceeding love to us. We will ascend to this consideration by 4. stairs or degrees and descend by 4. other. Both in going up, and coming down, we shall perceive the admirable love of the giver. Ascendently. 1. We will consider him Hominem; a man. a joh. 19 5. Behold the man, saith Pilate. We may tarry and wonder at his lowest degree; that a man should give himself for man. b Rom. 5. 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die. But this man gave himself for unrighteous man to die; not an ordinary, but a grievous death, exposing himself to the wrath of God, to the tyranny of men and Devils. It would pity our hearts to see a poor dumb beast so terrified, how much more Hominem, a man, the Image of God! 2 The second degree gives him hominem innocentem, an Innocent man. Pilate could say. c Luk. 23. 14 I have found no fault in this man. No nor yet Herod. No nor the Devil, who would have been right glad of such an advantage. So pilate's Wife sent her husband word. d Math. 27. 19 Have thou nothing to do with that just man. So the Person is not only a man, but a just man, that gave himself to endure such horrors for us. If we pity the death of malefactors, how should our compassion be to one Innocent! 3. In the third degree, he is not only Homo, a man; and justus homo, a good man; but also Magnus homo a great man: royally descended from the ancient patriarchs and Kings of judah. Pilate had so written his Title, and he would answer▪ not alter it; Quod scripsi, scripsi. And what was that? e joh. 19 19 jesus of Nazereth, the King of the jews. Now as is the Person, so is the Passion: the more noble the giver, the more excellent the gift. That so high a King would suffer such contempt and obloquy to be cast upon him; when the least part of his disgrace had been too much for a man of mean condition! That a Man, a Good man, a Great man bore such calumny, such calamity for our sakes; here was an unmatchable, an unspeakable love. 4. This is enough, but this is not all: there is yet a higher degree in this Ascent: we are not come to our full Quantus. It is this; he was Plus quam homo, more than man: not only maximus hominum, but mator hominibus; the greatest of men, yea greater than all men. Not mere filius hominis, but verè filius Dei: he was more than the Son of man, even the Son of God. As the Centurion acknowledged f Mark. 15. 39 Truly this man was the Son of God. Here be all the four stairs upwards; a Man, a Harmless man a Princely man; and yet more than man, even God himself. Solomon was a great king; but here is a Greater than Solomon. Solomon was Christus Domini; but here is Christus Dominus: he was the anointed of the Lord; but this is the Lord himself anointed. And here all tongues grow dumb; & admiratio sealeth up every lip. This is a depth beyond sounding. You may perhaps drowsily hear this and coldly be affected with it; but let me say, Principalities and Powers, Angels and Seraphins stood amazed at it. We see the Ascent; shall we bring down again this consideration by as many stairs? 1. Consider him Almighty God taking upon him Man's nature: this is the first step down wards g joh. 1. 14. The word was made flesh, and dwelled among us. And h Gal. 4. 4. God sent forth his Son made of a woman. And this was done i Aug. Epist. 120. Naturam suscipiendo nostram, non mutando suam: by putting on our nature, not by putting off his own. Homo Deo accessit, non Deus a serecessit. He is both God and man, yet but one Christ: one not by confusion of substance but by unity of person. Now in that this Eternal God became man, he suffered more, than man can suffer either living or dead. That man should be turned into a beast, into a worm, into dust, into nothing; is not so great a disparagement as that the glorious God should become man. k Phil. 2. 6. 7. He that thought it not robbery to be equal with God, was made in the likeness of man. He that is l Hebr. 1. 4. more excellent than the Angels, became lower than the Angels, that he might advance us as high as the Angels. Even the brightness of God's glory takes on him the baseness of our nature: and he that laid the foundations of the earth, and made the world, is now in the world made himself. This is the first descending degree. 2. The second stair brings him yet lower. He is made man: but what Man? Let him be universal Monarch of the world: and have fealty and homage acknowledged to him from all kings and Emperors, as his viceroys: Let him walk upon Crowns and sceptres, and let Princes attend on his Court: and here was some Majesty, that might a little become the Son of God. No such matter. Indust formam servi; m Phil. 2. 7. He took upon him the form of a servant. He instructs us to humility by his own example n Math. 20. 28. The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. o Esa. 43. 24. O Israel, thou hast made me to serve with thy sins. He gave himself for a Minister, not for a Master; ad servitutem, non ad dominationem. He that is God's Son, is made man's servant. Proudly blind, & blindly poor man, that thou shouldest have such a servant, as the Son of thy maker. This is the second step downwards. 3. This is not low enough yet. I am a worm no man; saith the Psalmist in his Person. Yea the shame of men, and contempt of the people. He is called. Psal. Psal. 24. 7. 24. the King of glory. Be ye open ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. But Esa. 53. He Esa. 53. 3. is despised and rejected of men: we hid as it were our faces from him: he was despised, and we esteemed him not. O the pity of God, that those two should come so near together, the King of glory, and the shame of men. Quo celsior maiestas, eò miserior humilitas. Thus saith the Apo stle, he made himself of no reputation. He that requires Phil. 2. 7. all honour as properly due to him, makes himself (not of little, but) of no reputation. Here was dejection; yea here was rejection. Let him be laid in his poor cradle, the Bethlemites reject him; the manger must serve, no room for him in the Inn. Yea p joh. 1. 11. He came to his own, and his own received him not. All Israel is to hot for him; he is glad to fly into Egypt for protection. Come he to jerusalem? which he had honoured with his presence, instructed with his Sermons, amazed with his miracles, wet and bedewed with his tears▪ they reject him. I would, and ye would not. Comes he to his kindred? they deride & traduce him, as if they were ashamed of his alliance. Comes he to his Disciples? q joh. 6. 66. They go back & will walk no more with him. Will yet his Apostles tarry with him? So they say ver. 6. 8. Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. Yet at last one betrays him, another forswears him, all forsake him: & jesus is left alone in the midst of his enemies. Can malice yet add some further aggravation to his contempt? Yes, they crucify him with malefactors. The quality of his company, is made to increase his dishonour. In medio Latronum, tanquam Latronum immanissimus: In the midst of thieves, as it were the Prince of thieves; saith Luther. He that thought it no robbery to be equal to the most holy God, is made equal to thieves and murderers; yea tanquam Dux; as it were a Captain amongst them. This is the third step. 4. But we must go yet lower. Behold now the deepest stair, and the greatest rejection. Affligit me Deus r Lement. 1. 12 the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger s Esa. 53. 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him: he hath put 〈◊〉 to grief. No burden seems heavy, when the comforts of God help to bear it. When God will give solace, vexation makes but idle offers and assaults. But now to the rejection of all the former, the Lord turns his back upon him as a stranger: the Lord wounds him as an enemy. He cries out; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? How could the Sun and stars, heaven and earth stand, whiles their maker thus complained! The former degree was deep; he was crucified with evil doers; reckoned amongst the wicked. Yet thieves fared better in death than he. We find no irrisio, no insultation, no taunts, no invectives against them. They had nothing upon them but pain; he both contempt & torment. If scorn and derision can vex his good soul, he shall have it in peals of ordinance shot against him. Even the basest enemies shall give it: jews, Soldiers, Persecutors yea suffering malefactors spare not to flout him. His blood cannot appease them with out his reproach. But yet the disciples are but weak men, the jews but cruel persecutors the Devils but malicious enemies: all these do but their kind, but the lowest degree is; God forgets him, and in his feeling he is forsaken of the highest. Weigh all these circumstances, and you shall truly behold the Person, that gave himself for us. What We come to the Action, Dedit. Giving is the argument of a free disposition. joh. 10. a joh. 10. 17. 18. I Lay down my life. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. He that gives life to us, gave up his own life for us. He did not sell, set, let, or lend, but give. Oblatus est, quia ipse voluit. He was offered, because he would be offered. No hand could cut that stone from the quarry of heaven: no violence pull him from the bosom of his Father; but Sua misericordia, his own mercy: he gave. b Cant. 〈◊〉. 8. He cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. He comes with willingness and celerity: no human resistance could hinder him; not the hillocks of our lesser infirmities, not the mountains of our grosser iniquities, could stay his merciful pace towards us. He gave his life; who could bereave him of it? To all the high Priests armed forces he gave but a verbal encounter; I am he: and they retire and fall backward. His very breath dispersed them all. He could as easily have commanded fire from heaven to consume them, or vapours from the earth to choke them. He that controls Devils, could easily have quailed men. More than twelve Legions of Angels were at his beck; and every Angel able to conquor a Legion of men. He gives them leave to take him; yea power to kill him: from himself is that power, which apprehends himself. Even whiles he stands before Pilate scorned, yet tells him; Thou couldst have no power against me, nisi datam desuper; unless it were given thee from above. His own strength leads him, not his adversaries. He could have been freed, but he would not. Constraint had abated his merit: he will deserve, though he die. The loss of his life was necessary, yet was it also voluntary. Quod amittitur necessarium est, quod emittitur voluntarium. Therefore he gave up the Ghost. In spite of all the world he might have kept his soul within Ambro. his body; he would not. The world should have been burnt to cinders, and all creatures on earth resolved to their original dust; before he could have been enforced. Man could not take away his Spirit, therefore he gave it. Otherwise if his Passion had been only Operis, and not voluntatis; material and not formal; it could not have been meritorious, or afforded satisfaction for us. For that is only done well, that is done of our will. But it is objected out of Hebr. 5. that he offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto Hebr. 5. 7. him that was able to save him from death. Hence some blasphemers say, that Christ was a coward in fearing the natural death of the body. If he had so feared it, he needed not to have tasted it. Christ indeed did naturally fear death; otherwise he had not been so affected as an ordinary man. Yet he willingly suffered death, otherwise he had not been so well affected as an ordinary Martyr. But he prays thrice; Let this cuppasse. Divines usually distinguish here: the Sententiaries thus. That there was in Christ a double human or created will: the one voluntas ut natura; a natural will; the other voluntas ut ratio, a reasonable will. Christ according to his natural will trembled at the pangs of death; and this without sin: for Nature abhorreth all destructive things. But in regard of his rational will, he willingly submits himself to drink that cup. Not as I will O Father, but as thou wilt. Aman, saith Aquinas, will not naturally endure the lancing of any member: yet by his reasonable will he consents to it, for the good of the whole body: reason masters sense, and cutting or cauterizing is endured. So Christ by the strength of his natural will feared death: but by his Reason perceiving, that the cutting, wounding, crucifying of the Head, would bring health to the whole Body of his Church; and either he must bleed on the Cross, or we must all burn in hell: behold now he willingly and cheerfully gives himself an offering and Sacrifice to God for us. But was it a mere temporal death that our Saviour feared? No, he saw the fierce wrath of his Father, and therefore feared. Many resolute men have not shrunk at a little: divers Martyrs have endured strange torments with magnanimity. But now when he that gave them strength, quakes at death; shall we say he was a Coward? Alas! that which would have overwhelmed man, would not have made him shrink: that which he feared, no mortal man but himself ever felt. Yet he feared. The despair of many thousand men was not so much, as for him to fear. He saw that which none saw, the anger of an infinite God. He perfectly appre hended the cause of fear; our Sin and torment. He saw the bottom of the Cup; how bitter and dreggish every drop of that vial was. He truly understood the burden, which we make light of. Men fear not Hell, because they know it not. If they could see through the opened gates, the insufferable horrors of that pit; trembling & quaking would run like an ague through their bones. This insupportable load he saw: that the sponge of vengeance must be wrung out to him; and he must suck it up to the last and least drop. Every talon of our iniquities must be laid upon him, till as a cart he be laden Amo. 2. 13. with sheaves. And with all this pressure he must mount his Chariot of death, the Cross; and there bear it, till the appeased God gave way to a Consummatum est; It is finished. The Philosopher could say, that Sapiens miser magis est miser, quam stultus miser: a wise man miserable, is more miserable than a fool miserable; because he understands his misery. So that our saviours pangs were aggravated by the fullness of his knowledge. No marvel then if he might justly take David's words out of his mouth; Thy terrors have I suffered with a troubled mind. This thought drew from him those tears of blood. His eyes had formerly wept for our misdoings: his whole body now weeps; not afaint dew, but he swett out solid drops of blood. The thorns, soourges, nails fetched blood from him; but not with such pain as this Sweat. Outward violence drew on those: these the extremity of his troubled thought. Here then was his cause of fear. He saw our everlasting destruction, if he suffered not: he saw the horrors which he must suffer to ransom us. Hinc illae lachrymae: hence those grons, tears, cries, and sweat: yet his love conquered all. By nature he could willingly have avoided this cup: for loves sake to us he took it in a willing hand. So he had purposed, so he hath performed. And now to testify his love, saith my Text, he freely Gave. Whom? Himself. This is the third circumstance, the Gift; Himself. Not an Angel: for an Angel cannot sufficiently mediate between an immortal nature offended, and a mortal nature corrupted. The glorious Angels are blessed, but finite and limited: and therefore unable to this expiation. They cannot be so sensibly c Heb. 4. 15. touched with the feeling of our infirmities; as he that was in our own nature; in all points tempted like as we are, sin only excepted. Not Saints; for they have no more oil than will serve their own Lamps. They have enough for themselves, not of themselves; all of Christ: but none to spare. fools cry, Give us of your cyle. They answer, d Math. 25. 9 Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. They could not propitiate for sin, that were themselves guilty of sin; and by nature liable to condemnation. Wretched Idolaters, that thrust this honour on them against their wills: how would they abhor such sacrilegious glory! Not the riches of this world. e 1. Pet. 1. 18. We were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold. Were the riches of the old world brought together to the riches of the new world; were all the mineral veins of the earth emptied of their purest metals: this pay would not be currant with God. It will cost more to redeem souls f Psal. 49. 67. They that trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches: Yet cannot by any means redeem their brother, nor Give to God a ransom for him. The servant cannot redeem the Lord. God made a man master of these things: he is then more precious than his slaves. Not the blood of Bulls or Goats. Hebr. 9 Alas, those legal sacrifices were but dumb shows of this tragedy, the mere figures of this oblation; mystically presenting to their faith, that Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. This Lamb was prefigured in the sacrifices of the law, & now presented in the sacraments of the Gospel: slain indeed from the beginning of the world Who had power. Prodesse, to profit us; before he had Esse, a being himself. None of these would serve. Whom Gave he then? Seipsum, Himself; who was both God and man: that so participating of both natures, our mortality, and God's Immortality, he might be a perfect Mediator. g Aug. Confes. Lib. 10. cap. 43 Apparuit igitur inter mortales peccatores & immortalem justum, mortalis cum hominibus, justus cum Deo. He came between mortal men and immortal God, mortal with men, and just with God. As man he suffered, as God he satisfied: as God and man he saved. He gave himself; See Totum Himself Wholly Solum Only 1. All himself, his whole Person, soul and body. Godhead and manhood. Though the deity could not suffer, yet in regard of the personal union of these two natures in one Christ, his very passion is attributed in some sort to the Godhead. So Act. 20. It is called the blood of God. And 1. Cor. 2. 8. The Lord of glory is said Act. 20. 28. to be crucified. The Schools distinction here makes all plain: He gave Totum Christum, though not Totum Christi: All Christ, though not All of Christ. Home non valuit, Deus non voluit. As God alone he would not, as man alone he could not make this satisfaction for us. The Deity is impassable; yet was it impossible without this Deity for the great work of our salvation to be wrought. If any ask how the manhood could suffer without violence to the Godhead; being united in one Person: let him understand it by a familiar comparison. The Sunbeams shine on a tree; the axe cuts down this tree, yet can it not hurt the beams of the Sun. So the Godhead still remains unharmed, though the axe of death did for a while fell down the manhood. Corpus passum est dolore & gladio. Anima dolore non gladio. Divinitas nec dolore nec gladio. His body suffered both sorrow and the sword: his soul sorrow not the sword: his Deity neither sorrow nor the sword. Deitas in dolente, non in dolore. The Godhead was in the Person pained, yet not in the pain. 2. Himself only; and that without a Partner Comforter. 1. Without a Partner, that might share either his glory, or our thanks: of both which he is justly jealous. Christi passio adiutore non eguit. The sufferings of our Ambr. Saviour need no help. Upon good cause therefore we abhor that doctrine of the Papists: that our offences are expiated by the passions of the Saints. No, not the blessed Virgin hath performed any part of our justification, paid any farthing of our debts. So sings the Choir of Rome. Sancta virgo Dorothea, tua nos virtute bea, cor in nobis novum crea. Wherein there is pretty rhyme, petty reason, but great blasphemy: as if the Virgin Dorothy were able to create a new heart within us. No; h 1. joh. 1. 7. but the blood of jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. His blood, and his only. O blessed Saviour, every drop of thy blood is able to redeem a believing world. What then need we the help of men? How is Christ a perfect Saviour, if any act of our redemption be left to the performance of Saint or Angel? No, our souls must die, if the blood of jesus cannot save them. And whatsoever witty error may dispute for the merits of Saints; the distressed conscience cries, Christ, and none but Christ. They may sit at Tables and discourse, enter the Schools and argue, get up into the Pulpits and preach; that the works of good men is the Church's treasure, given by indulgence, and can give indulgence; and that they will do the soul good. But lie we upon our deathbeds, panting for breath, driven to the push, tossed with tumultuous waves of afflictions, anguished with sorrow of spirit; then we sing another song: Christ & Christ alone: jesus and only jesus: Mercy, mercy: pardon, comfort for our saviours sake. i Act. 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 2. Without a Comforter: he was so far from having a sharer in his Passion, that he had none in compassion; that (at least) might any ways ease his sorrows. It is but a poor comfort of calamity, Pity; yet even that was wanting. k Lam. 1. 12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Is it so sore a sorrow to Christ, and is it nothing to you? a matter not worth your regard, your pity? Man naturally desires and expects, if he cannot be delivered, eased; yet to be pitied. l job. 19 21. Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends: for the hand of God hath touched me. Christ might make that request of job, but he had it not: there was none to comfort him, none to pity him. It is yet a little mixture of refreshing, if others be touched with a sense of our misery; that in their hearts they wish us well, and would give us ease if they could: but Christ hath in his sorest pangs not so much as a Comforter. The Martyrs have fought valiantly under the banner of Christ, because he was with them to comfort them. But when himself suffers, no relief is permitted. The most grievous torments find some mitigation in the supply of friends and comforters. Christ after his monomachy or single combat with the devil in the desert, had Angels to attend him. In his agony in the garden an Angel was sent to comfort him. But when he came to the main act of our redemption, not an Angel must be seen. None of those glorious spirits may look through the windows of heaven; to give him any ease. And if they would have relieved him, they could not. Who can lift up, where the Lord will cast down? What Chirurgeon can heal the bones, which the Lord hath broken? But his mother, & other friends stands by, seeing, sighing, weeping. Alas! what do those tears, but everease his sorrow? might he not justly say with Paul. m Act. 21. 1●…. What mean ye to weep, & to break mine heart? Of whom then shall he expect comfort? Of his Apostles? Alas they betake them to their heels. Fear of their own danger drowns their copassion of his misery. He might say with job; Miserable comforters are ye all. Of whom then? The jews are his enemies, and vie unmercifullnes with devils. There is no other refuge but his Father, No, even his Father is angry: & he that once said; n Math. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; is now incens●…d. He hides his face from him, but lays his hand heavy upon him; & buffets him with anguish. Thus Solus patitur: he gave himself, & only himself, for our redemption. To whom? To God; and that is the fourth circumstance. To whom should he offer this sacrifice of expiation, but to him that was offended? and that is God. Against o Psal. 51. 4. thee, thee only have I sinned; and done this evil in thy sight. p Luk. 15. 21. Father I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight. All sins are committed against him: his justice is displeased, and must be satisfied. To God: for God is angry, with what, and whom? with sin and us, and us for sin. In his just anger he must smite; but whom? In Christ was no sin. Now shall God do like Annas or Ananias. q joh. 18. 22. If I have spoken evil, saith Christ, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? So Paul to Ananias r Act. 23. 3. God will smite thee thou whited wall: for Sittest thou to judge me after the Law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the Law? So Abraham pleads to God s Gen. 18. 25. shall not the judge of all the earth do right? Especially right to his Son? and to that Son which glorified him on earth, and whom he hath now glorified in heaven? We must fetch the answer from daniel's prophecy t Dan. 9 26. The Messiah shall he cut off, but not for himself. Not for himself? For whom then? For solution hereof we must step to the first point; and there we shall find. For Whom; For us. He took upon himour person, he became surety for us. And lo, now the course of justice may proceed against him. He that will become a Surety, and take on him the debt, must be content to pay it. Hence that innocent Lamb must be made a Sacrifice: and u 2. Cor. 5. 21. he, that know no 〈◊〉 in himself, must be made sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Seven times in three verses doth the Prophet Esay Esay. 53. 4. 5. 6. inculcate this. We, Our, us. We were all sick, grievously sick; every sin was a mortal disease. Quot Vitia, tot febres. He healeth our infirmities, saith the Prophet: Chryso. he was our Physician; a great Physician. Magnus Venit medicus, quia magnus iacebat agrotus. The whole world was sick to death, & therefore needed a powerful Physician. So was he; and took a strange course for our Cure. Which was not by giving us physic, but by taking our Physic for us. Other patients drink the prescribed potion; but our Physician drunk the potion himself, and so recovered us. For us. Ambr. a De Fid. ad Grat. Lib. 2. cap. 3. Pro me doluit, qui pro se nihil habuit quod doleret. He suffered for me, that had no cause to suffer for himself. O Domine jesu, doles non tua, sed vulnera mea. So monstrous were our sins, that the hand of the everlasting justice was ready to strike us with a fatal and final blow: Christ in his own person steps between the stroke and us; and bore that a while, that would have sunk us for ever. b Aug. de Doctrine. Christian. Lib. 1. c●…p 14. Nos immortalitate malè usi sumus, ut moreremur; Christus mortalitate benè usus est, ut viveremus. We abused the immortality we had to our death: Christ used the mortality he had not to our life. Dilexit nos; he loved us; & such us, that were his utter enemies. Here then was love without limitation, beyond imitation. Unspeakable mercy, says Bernard; that the king of eternal glory should yield himself to be crucified, c Serm. de quadruplici debito. Protam despicatissimo vernaculo, immò vermiculo: for so poor a wretch, yea a worm and that not a loving worm, not a living worm: for we both hated him and his; and were dead in sins and trespasses. Yea for All us; indefinitely: none excepted that will apprehend it faithfully. The mixture of Moses Perfume is thus sweetly allegorized d Exod. 30. 34. God commands him to put in so much frankincense as Galbanum, and so much Galbanum as frankincense. Christ's Sacrifice was so sweetly tempered: as much blood was shed for the peasant in the field, as for the Prince in the Court. The offer of salvation is general: whosoever among you ●…areth God, and worketh righteousness; to him is the word of this salvation sent. As there is no exemption of the greatest from misery, so no exception of the least from mercy. He that will not believe and amend, shall be condemned be he never so rich: he that doth, be he never so poor shall be saved. This one point of the Crucifix, For us requires more punctual meditation. Whatsoever we leave unsaid, we must not huddle up this. For indeed this brings the Texthome to us, even into our consciences, & speaks effectually to us all: to me that speak, and to you that hear; with that Prophet's application, Thou art the man. We are they, for whose cause our blessed Saviour was crucified. For us he endured those grievous pangs for us that we might never taste them. Therefore say we with that Father e Aug. d●…sancta virginit. cap. 55 Toto nobis figatur in cord, qui totus pro nobis fixus in cruse. Let him be fixed wholly in our hearts who was wholly for us fastened on the Crosse. We shall consider the uses we are to make of this, by the ends for which Christ performed this. It serves to Save us. It serves to Move us. It serves to Mortify us. 1. To save us. This was his purpose & performance●…l he did, all he suffered, was to redeem us. f Esa. 53. 5. By his stripes we are healed: by his Sweat we refreshed: by his sorrows we rejoiced: by his death we saved. For even that day, which was to him Dies Luctus, the heaviest day that ever man bore; was to us Diessalutis, g 2. Cor. 6. 2. the accepted time, the day of salvation. The day was evil in respect of our sins & his sufferings: but eventually in regard of what he paid, and what he purchased; a good day, the best day; a day of joy and jubilation. But if this Salvation be wrought for us, it must be applied to us; yea to every one of us. For that some receive more profit▪ by his passion than others, is not his fault▪ that did undergo 〈◊〉, but theirs that do not undertake it; to apply it to their own coscience●… But we must not only believe this Text in gross; but let every one take a handf●…ll out of this sheaf, & put it into his own bosom. So ●…rning this F●…r us into For me. As Paul. Gal. 2. h Gal. 2. 20. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, & gave himself for me. Blessed faith, that into the plural Us puts in the singular soul. Me. Se dedit pro me. Every one is a rebel, guilty & convicted by the supreme Law; death waits to arrest us, and damnation to receive us. What should we do but pray, beseech, cry, weep, till we can get our pardon sealed in the blood of jesus Christ: and every one find a sure testimony in his own soul, that Christ gave himself for me. 2. This should move us: was all this done for us, and shall we not be stirred? i Lam. 1. 12. Have ye no regard? Is it nothing to you, that I suffer such sorrow as was never suffered? All his agony, his cries, and tears, and groans, and pangs were for us: shall he thus grieve for us, and shall we not grieve for ourselves? For ourselves I say; not so much for him. Let his passion move us to compassion, not of his sufferings, (alas our pity can do him no good) but of our sins which caused them. k Luk. 23. 28. Daughters of jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For ourselves: not for his paeynes▪ that are past, but for our own that should have been, and (except our faith sets him in our stead▪) shall be. Shall he ●…eepe ●…o us, for us, and shall we not mourn? Shall he drink so deeply to v●… in this cup of sorrow, and shall we not pledge him? Doth the wrath of God make the Son of God shri●…ke o●…t; and shall not the servants for whom he suffered t●…mble? l Hieron. in Math. Om●…s creatura compatitur Christ●… 〈◊〉. Every creature seems to suffer with Christ. Sun, earth, rocks, sepulchres: Solus miser 〈◊〉 non compatitur, pro quo solo Christus patitur. Only man suffers nothing, for whom Christ suffered all. Doth his passion tear the Uaile, rend the stones, cleave the rocks, shake the earth, open the graves; and are our hearts more hard than those insensible creatures, that they cannot be penetrated? Doth heaven and earth, Sun and elements, suffer with him, and is it nothing to us? We, wretched men that we are, that were the principals in this murder of Christ: whereas judas, Caiphas, Pilate, Soldiers, jews, were all but accessaries and instrumental causes. We may seek to shift it from ourselves, & drive this heinous fact upon the jews: but the exe●…utioner doth no●… properly k●…l the man. 〈◊〉 peccatum 〈◊〉 est. Sin, our sins were the murderers. Of us he suffered, and for us he suffered: unite th●…se in your thoughts and tell me if his passion h●…th no●… cause to move us. And yet so obdurate are our hear●…s; that we cannot endure one hours discourse of this great business. Christ was many hours in dying for ●…s, we cannot sit one hour to hear of it. O that we should find fault with heat or cold in hearkening to these heavenly ●…isteries; when he endured for us such a 〈◊〉, such a sweat, such agony; that through his flesh and skin he sweat drops of blood. Doth he weep tears of gorebloud for us, and cannot we weep tears of water for our sel●…es? 〈◊〉 how would we die for him, as he died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are w●…ry of hearing, what he did fo●… us▪ 3. This should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ delivered 〈◊〉 to death for ou●… 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us from death, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. H●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de●…troy the devil, but to m 1. joh. 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Neither doth he take only from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the ●. 8. 1●… power to condemn●… 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the ● Rom. 6. 6. 12. power to rule and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chri●… death, as it answers the Iusti●… of 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so it must kill in 〈◊〉 the will of 〈◊〉. Christ in ●…ll parts suffered, that ●…e in all parts might 〈◊〉 mortified. His ●…fferings were so abundant, that men c●…not know the●…r number, nor Angels their na●…ure, nei●…her 〈◊〉 nor Angels their measure. His Passion ●…ound an end, our thoughts cannot. He Suffered At all times In all places In all senses In all members In body and soul also All for Us 1. At all times: in his childhood by poverty and Herod: in the strength of his days by the powers of earth, by the powers of hell, yea even by the powers of heaven. In the day he lacks meat, in the night a pillow. Even that holy time of the great Passover is destined, for his dying. When they should kill the Paschall La●…be in thankfulness, they slay the Lamb of God in wickedness. They admire the shadow, yet condemn the substance. All for us; that all times might yield us comfort. So the Apostle sweetly p 1. Thess. 5. 10. He died for us, that whether we wake or sheep, we should live together with him. 2. In all places: in the cradle by that Fox: in the streets by revilers: in the mountain by those that would have thrown him down headlong: in the Temple by them that q joh. 8. 59 to●…ke up stones to cast at him. In the high Priests hall by buffe●…rs, in the garden by betrayers: by the way laden with his cross. Lastly in calvary, a vild and stinking place, among the bones of malefactors, crucified. Still all for us; that in all places the mercy of God might protect us. 3. In all Sense●…. For his taste, lo it is ●…icted with gall & vinegar; a bitter draft for a dying man. His touch felt more; the nails driven into his hands and feet: and in those places wounded lies the greatest pain, being the most sinewy parts of the body. His Ears are full of the blasphemous contumelies, which the savage multitude belc●…ed out against him. Not him, but Barrabas, they cry to Pilate; preferring a murderer before a Saviour. Will you read the speeches obiectuall to his hearing! See Math. 27. ver. 29. 39 42. 44. 49. In all consider their blasphemy, his patience. For his Eyes, whether can he turn them without spectacles of sorrow? The despite of his enemies on the one side showing their extremest malice: the weeping and L●…menting of his mother on the other side; whose tears might wound his heart. If any Sense were less afflicted it was his Smelling: & yet the putrefied bones of Caluarie could be no pleasing savour. Thus suffered all his Senses. That Taste that should be delighted with the wine of the vineyard, r Cant. 7. 9 that goeth down sweetly, is fed with vinegar. He looks for good grapes, behold s Esa. 5. 4. Sour grape●…: he expects wine, 〈◊〉 receives vinegar. That Smell that should be refre●…hed with the odor●…ferous sent of the t Cant. 6. 2. beds of spices, the piety of his Saints; is filled with the stence of iniquities. Those hands that sway the Sceptre of the heauen●…▪ 〈◊〉 faineto carry the Reed of Repr●…, & end●… the ●…ailes of death. Those eyes that were as, a a Reu. 1. 14. 〈◊〉 of Fire; in respect of whom the very Sun was darkness, must be hold the afflicting objects of shame and tyranny. Those ●…ares, which to delight, the high Quorillers of heaven sing their 〈◊〉 notes, must be wearied with the taunts and 〈◊〉 of blasphemy. And all this for us: not only to satisfy those sins which our Senses have committed; but to mortify those senses, and prese●…e them from those sins. That our eyes may be no more full of adulteries, nor throw covetous looks on the goods of our brethren. That our ●…ares may no more give so wide admission and welcome entrance to lewd reports, the incantations of Satan. That sin in all our senses might be done to death: the poison exhausted, the sense purified. 4. In all members. Look on that blessed Body conceived by the Holy Ghost, and borne of a pure Virgin: it is all over scourged, martyred, tortured, manacled, mangled. What place can you find free? Caput Angelic●… Bern. spiritibus tremebundum densitat●… spinarum pungitur: facies pulchrapr●… filijs hominum Iud●…orum sp●…t is det●…rpatur: Oculi 〈◊〉 sole in 〈◊〉 caligantur etc. To begin at his head: that head which the Angel's reverence is crowned with thorns. That face, which is b Psal. 45 2. fairer them the sons of men, must be odiously spit on by the filthy jews. His hands that made the heavens, are extended & fastened to a cross. The feet which tread upon the necks of his and our enemies, feel the like smart. And the mouth must be buffe●…ed, which c joh. 7. 46. spoke as never man spoke. Still all this for us. His head bled for the wicked imaginations of our heads. His face was besmeared with spittle, because we had spit impudent blasphemies against heaven. His lips were afflicted, that our lips might henceforth yield savoury speeches. His feet did bleed, that our feet might not be swift to shed blood. All his members suffered for the sins of all our members: and that our members might be no more ser vaunts to sin: but d Rom. 6. 19 servants to righteousness, unto holiness. e Hieron. Cōsp●…i voluit; ut nos Lavaret: velari voluit, ut velamen ignorantia a mentibus nostris 〈◊〉: in capite percuti, ut corpori sanitatem restitueret. He would be polluted with their spittle, that he might wash us: he would be blindfolded, that he might take the vail of ignorance from our eyes. He suffered the head to be wounded, that he might renew health to all the body. Six times we read, that Christ shed his blood. First when he was circumcised: at eight days old his blood was spilled. 2. In his agony in the garden; where he swett drops of blood. 3. In his scourging, when the merciless tormentors fetched blood from his holy sides. 4. When he was crowned with thorns: those sharp prickles raked and harrowed his blessed head, and drew forth blood. 5. In his crucifying; when his hands & feet were pierced, blood gushed out. 6. Lastly after his death f joh. 19 34. One of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came there out blood and water. All his members bled, to show that he bled for all his members. Not one drop of this blood was shed for himself: all for us; for his enemies, persecutors, crucifiers, ourselves. But what shall become of us, if all this cannot mortify us? How shall g Rom. 6. 8. we live with Christ, if with Christ we be not dead? Dead in deed unto sin, but living unto righteousness. As h 2. King. 4. 34. Elisha revived the Shunamites child: he lay upon it; put his mouth upon the child's mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands, and stretched himself upon the child, and the flesh of the child waxed warm: So the Lord jesus, to recover us that were dead in our sins and trespasses, spreads and applies his whole Passion to us: lays his mouth of blessing upon our mouth of blasphemy: his eyes of holiness upon our eyes of lust: his hands of mercy upon our hands of cruelty: and stretcheth his gracious self upon our wretched selves, till we begin to wax warm, to get life, and the (holy) Spirit returns into us. 5. In his Soul. All this was but the outside of his Passion; i joh. 12. 27. Now is my Soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. The pain of the body is but the body of pain; the very soul of sorrow is the sorrow of the soul. All the outward afflictions were but gentle prickings in regard of that his soul suffered. k Pro. 18. 14. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity: but a wounded spirit who can bear? He had a heart within that suffered unseen, unknown anguish. This pain drew from him those l Heb. 5. 7. strong cries, those bitter tears. He had often sent forth the cries of compassion: of passion and complaint not till now. He had wept the tears of pity, the tears of love; but never before the tears of anguish. When the Son of God thus cries, thus weeps, here is more than the body distressed; the soul is agonized. Still all this for us. His Soul was in our soul's stead: what would they have felt, if they had been in the stead of his. All for us; to satisfaction, to emendation. For thy drunkenness and pouring down strong drinks, he drunk vinegar. For thy intemperate gluttony, he fasted. For thy sloth, he did exercise himself to continual pains. Thou sleepest secure, thy Saviour is then waking, watching, praying. Thy arms are enured to lustful embracings, he for this embraceth the rough Crosse. Thou deckest thyself with proud habiliments, he is humble and lowly for it. Thou ride in pomp, he journeys on foot. Thou wallowest on thy down beds, thy Saviour hath not a pillow. Thou surfei●…est, and he sweats it out; a bloud●… sweat. Thou fillest and swellest thyself with a 〈◊〉 of wickedness; behold incision is made in the Head for thee; thy Saviour bleeds to death. Now judge, whether this point (For us) hath not derived a near application of this▪ Text to our own consciences. Since than Christ did all this for thee and me, pray then with m Medit. cap. 1. August. O D●… Ies●…; da cordi 〈◊〉 t●… de●…derare, 〈◊〉 q●…rere, qu●…rendo inuen●…, i●…enien do 〈◊〉, am●…do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redempta 〈◊〉 ●…rare. Lord give me a heart to desire thee, desiring to seek thee, seeking to find thee, finding to love thee, loving no more to offend thee. There are two main parts of this Crucifix yet to handle. I must only name them; being sorry that it is still my hap to trouble you with prolixity of speech. 6. The next is the Manner; An offering and Sacrifice. His whole life was an Offering, his death a Sacrifice. He gave himself often for us an Eucharistical oblation, once an explator●… Sacrifice. In the former he did for us all that we should do: in the latter he suffered for us all that we should suffer. n 1. Pet. 2. 24. Who his own self bore our sins in his own 〈◊〉 on the tree. Some of the Hebrews have affirmed, o Paul. Tagius. cap. 4. that in the fire which consumed the legal Sacrifices, there always appeared the face of a Lion. Which mystery they thus resolve, that the Lion of judah should one day give himself for us, a perfect expiatory Sacrifice. Thus p Heb. 9 26. Once in the end of the world, hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 7. The last point is the Effect; Of a sweet smelling savour. Here is the fruit and efficacy of all. Never was the Lord pleased with sinful man till now. Were he never so angry, here is a pacification, a sweet savour. If the whole world were quintessenced into one per●…ume, it could not yield so fragrant a smell. We are all of ourselves putida & putrida cad●…vera; dead and stinking carcases, the pure nostrils of the most holy cannot endure us: behold the per●…ume that sweetens us, the redeeming blood of the Lord jesus. This so fills him with a delightful sent, that he will not smell our noisome wickedness. Let me leave you with this comfort in your bosoms. How unsavoury soever our own sin●… have made us, yet if our hand of faith lay hold on this Saviour's censor, God will sent none of our corruptions; but we shall smell sweetly in his nostrils. Be●…d for all. O dear jesus, Mori deb●…, & tusolvis: 〈◊〉 peccavi●…us, & tu ●…uis. Opus sine exemplo gratia sine merito, ch●…as sine ●…do. We should die, & thou payest it, we have offended, & thou art punished. A mercy without example, a favour without merit, a love without measure. Therefore I conclude my Sermon, as we all shut up our prayers, with this one clause; Through our Lord jesus Christ. O Father of mercy accept our Sacrifice, of Prayer and Praise, for his Sacrifice of pain and merit; even for our Lord jesus Christ his sake. To whom with the Father & blessed Spirit be all glory for ever. Amen. THE GOOD POLITICIAN DIRECTED. MATTH. 10. 16. Be ye wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves. OV●… of every creature (simply considered) there is some good to be learned. The divine a Du Bartas. 1. day. 1. Week. fol. 6. Poet sweetly. The World's a School, where in a general si●…rie, God always reads dumb l●…ctures of his glory. It is a three leaved book, Heaven, Earth, and Sea: and every leaf of this book, every line of every leaf, every creature in this universe, can read to man, for whom they were made, a Divinity lecture. In a speaking silence they preach to us that Deity, which made both them and us, and them for us. Secul●…m Speculum: the world is a glass, wherein we may behold our Creator's Majesty. From the highest Angel to the lowest worm, all instruct us somewhat. For one and the same almighty hand, that made the Angels in heaven, made also the worms on earth. b Aug. Soliloq. cap. 9 Non superior in illis, non inferior in istis. Besides this general lecture, they have all their particular school. c Prou. 6. 7. Solomon sends us to the A●…t to learn Providence. d Esa. 1. 3. Esay to the Ox, to learn thankfulness Many beasts do excel Man in many natural things. Nos aper auditu praecellit, a●…anea tactu, Vultur odoratu, Lynx visu, simia gustu. The Boar excels us in hearing, the spider in touching, the Vulture in smelling, the Lynx in seeing, the Ape in tasting. Some have observed, that the art of curing the eyes was first taken from the Swallows. The E●…gles have taught us architecture: we received the light of Phlebotomy from the Hippopotamas. The Egyptian bird Ibis first gave to Physician's knowledge, how to use the Glister. The Spider taught us to weave. Here the Serpent instructs us in Policy, the Dove in simplicity. Now we are fallen among Serpents, stinging serpents, enemies to man: can we fetch away any good from them? Yes, those very venomous and malicious creatures shall afford us Documenta, not Nocumenta: they shall teach us, not touch us. I may say of them, as it is said of the jews. Hosts sunt in cordibus, suffragatores in codicibus. They are our enemies in their hearts, our friends in their books. The malice of Serpents is mortal, their use shall be vital. So it may, so it shall, if our sobriety keep the allowed compass. For our imitation is limited & qualified. We must not be in all points like Serpents, nor in all respects like Doves; but in some, but in this; Be ye wise as serpents, harmless as doves. Perhaps other uses might be accommodated. As the Serpent might teach us how with wisdom to dwell below on the earth: and the Dove with wings of innocence to fly up to heaven above. We may in earthly matters keep a serpentine and winding motion, but to heaven with the Dove we must have a straight course. But I confine myself to the pith of the Text, and our saviours meaning. Be wise as Serpents, innocent as Doves. The words may (not unfitly) be distinguished into a Perhibition. Cohibition: as it were the Rains, and the Curb. The Perhibition, allowance, or Rains; Be wise as serpents. The Cohibition, corrective, restraint, or Curb; Be harmless as Doves. They must go hand in hand without disjunction. United they are commodious, parted dangerous. There is a necessity of their union to our peace: divide them, and you lose yourselves. Witte without innocence will offend others: Innocence without wit will not defend ourselves. Prudentia sine simplicitate malitia: simplicitas sine prudentia stultitia. Witte without innocence is wickedness: innocence without wit is foolishness. Whosoever hath the one and wants the other, must needs be either guilty of folly, or of dishonesty. Lest we be too crafty, and cirumvent others, let us keep the innocency of the Dove: lest we be too simple, and others cirumvent us, let us keep the wisdom of the Serpent. Let us first see from the Serpent, how we should be wise: and then go to the Dove for innocence. Six principal Lessons of Wisdom the Serpent may teach us. 1. Their first policy is by all possible means to defend their head. If they must encounter with danger, they expose their whole body to it; but howsoever they will safeguard their head. They write of them, that though all a serpent's body be mangled, unless his head be cut off, (which he cunningly hides) by a kind of attractive power and vigour one part will come to another again. This is to us a singular document of Wisdom, to look well to our Head. Christ is our Head; and the sinews and nerves that knit us to him, is our Faith and Hope: let us preserve these indanted, endamaged. We fight against an enemy, that seeks especially to wound us there. He strikes indeed at every place: he hath, saith Jerome, no●…ina mill, mill nocendi arts: therefore Paul chargeth us to e Ephe. 6. 11. Put on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against all the w●…les of the Devil: but especially the head. f Ver. 16. 17. Above all take the shield of Faith, and the Helmet of salvation: save the Head. Protect all parts, if it be poss●…le: let not oppression wound thee in the hand, nor blasphemy in the tongue, nor wantonness in the eye, nor covetousness in the heart: but howsoever shield thy head: lose not thy hope of salvation, thy faith in jesus Christ. Homo qui habet se, habet totum inse; said the Philosopher. He that hath himself, hath all in himself. But ille habet se, qui habet Christum, & ille habet Christum, qui habet fidem. He hath himself that hath Christ, and he hath Christ that hath faith. Whatsoever you lose, lose not this: though you lose your loves, though you lose your lives▪ keep the faith. g job. 13. 15. I will trust in thee, though thou kill me, saith job. h 2. Tim. 4. 7. I have kept the faith, saith Paul; though i Gal. 6. 17. I bear in my body the marks of the Lord jesus. If insatiate death be let alone, to cut us into pieces with the sword, to grind us into the maws of beasts, to burn us in the fire to ashes: yet so long as our head Christ is safe, he hath the Serpent's attractive power to draw us to him. k joh. 17. 24. Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am. The more we are cut off, the more we are united: death, whiles it strives to take us from him, sends us to him. Keep faith in the Head. With what mind soever Seneca wrote it, I know to good use I may speak it. Malo mihi successum deesse, quam-fidem. I rather want success, than faith. Fidem qui perdidit, nil habet ultra quod perdat. He that hath lost his faith, hath nothing else to lose. But it is the Lord, that preserves the head. l Psal. 140. 7. O God the strength of my salvation: thou hast covered my ●…ead in the day of battle. 2. The next Policy in Serpents is to stop their ●…ares against the noise of the charmers. This is one of the similitudes which the Psalmist gives between the wicked and Serpents. m Psal. 58. 4. 5. Their poison is like the poison of a Serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth hor ●…are. Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so Wisely. This charming as they write, was invented in the Eastern countries, where they were pestered with abundance of serpents. Which music the Serpent hearing, wisely distrusting his own strength▪ thinks it the surest course to stop his ●…ares. This he doth by couching one ●…are close to the ground and covering the other with his voluminous tail. The incantations of this world are as often sung to us, as those charms to the Serpents: but we are not so wise as Serpents to avoid them. Sometimes a Siren sings us the charms of lust; and thus a weak woman overcomes him that overcame the strong Lyon. Lenam non potuit, potuit superare Leaenam. Quem fera non valuit vincere, vicit hera. Says the Epigrammatist. n Prou. 7-22- He goeth after her strait way: though o ver. 27- her house●… the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. Sometimes Satan comes to us like a goldfinch, and whistles us a note of usury, to the tune of ten in the hundred; we are caught presently, and fall a dancing after his pipe. Sometimes like Allecto, he charms us a Madrigal of revenge for private wrongs: instantly we are caught with malice, destruction sits in our looks. Not seldom he comes to a man with a drunken carol (lay thy penny to mine, and we will to the wine) he is taken suddenly; he runs to it though he reels from it. He sings the slothful a Dormi securè and he will sleep, though his p 2. Pet. 2. 3. damnation sleepeth not. Yea there are not wanting, that let him sing a song of blasphemy, they will swear with him. Let him begin to rail, they will libel with him. Let his incantation be treason, and they will answer him in gunpowder. Yea let him charm with a Charm, a witless, senseless sorcery; and if a tooth aches, or a hog groans, they will admit it, admire it. Of such folly the very serpents shall condemn us. But as open ●…ar'd as men are to these incantations of the Devil and sin; let the musical bells of Aaron be rung, the sweet songs of Zion sung, they will not listen: they will not be charmed, with all our cunning. So that we shall be faint to send them to the judgement seat of God, with this scroll on their foreheads; Noluerunt incantari: Lord, we have done our best; but this people would not be charmed. 3. Their third Policy. They fly men's society, as known enemies; and rather choose a wilderness; seeking peace among briars and thorns. And may they not herein teach us, with Moses, q Hebr. 11. 25. rather to choose affliction in a wilderness with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season. Much hath been, and may be said, to lessen men's dotage to the world; and yet one word I must add; Non quia vos nostra sperem prece posse moveri. Did ever any of you know what the peace of conscience, and joy of the holy Ghost is? whiles that comfort and jubilation dwelled in your heart, I ask you how the world stood in your sight? Stood it not like a deformed witch, devils sucking on her breasts; a shoal of ugly sins sitting like screech-owl's on her head; blood and massacres besmearing her face; lies, blasphemies, perjuries waiting at her back; extortion and oppression hanging on her arms; wickedness and wretchedness filling both her hands; the cries, groans, and imprecations of widows and orphans sounding in her ears; heaven thundering vengeance on her head; and the enlarged gates of the infernal pit yawning to entertain her. Is this your Paramour, O ye worldlings? Is this the beauty you hazard a soul to get? O munde immunde; evil favoured world, that thou shouldst have so many lovers! r August. Ecceruinosus est mundus, & si●… amatur: quidsi perfectus esset? Quid for●…osus faceret, quùm deformis sic adoratur? If the world being ruinous so pleaseth men, what would it do if it were sound and perfect? If it were fair and beauteous how would we dote on it, that thus love it deformed? But how rare a man is he, s Ambr. in Psal. Qui nihil habet commune cum seculo! that hath no communion with this world! That retires himself, like the Serpent; and doth not intricate his mind in these worldly snares! who does not watch with envy, nor travel with avarice, nor climb with ambition, nor sleep with lust under his pillow▪ But for all this Vincet amor mundi: money and wealth must be had, though men refuse no way on the left hand to get it. We may charge them Nummos propter Deum expendere, to lay out their wealth for God's sake: but they will Deum propter nummos colere, worship God for their wealth's sake. We say let the world wait upon religion: they say, let religion wait upon the world. You talk of heaven & a kingdom; but Tutius h●… c●…lum, quod br●…uis ●…ca tenet. That heaven is surest, think they, that lies in their coffers. As those two Giants bound Mars in chains, and then sacrificed to him: so men first coffer up their wealth, & then worship it. Or if they suffer it to pass their lock & key, yet they bind it in strong chains and charms of usury to a plentiful return. Enough is a language they will never learn, till they come to hell: where their bodies shall have enough earth, their souls enough fire. There are four adverbs of quantity: Parum, Nihil, Nimis, Satis. Little, nothing, Two much, Enough. The last that is the best is seldom found. The poor have Little: the beggar nothing: the rich two much: but Cui satis? who hath Enough? Though they have too much, all is too little; nothing is enough. Quid satis est▪ si Roma parum? What is enough, if all Rome be too little; said the x Lucan. Poet. But the world itself could not be enough to such. Aestuat infoelix angusto limit mundi. The covetous man may habere quod voluit, nunquam quod vult, he may enjoy what he desired, never what he desireth: for his desires are infinite. So their abundance, which God gave them to help others out of distress▪ plungeth themselves into destruction: as Pharaohs Chariot drew his master into the sea. In the Massilian sea, saith, Bernard, scarce one ship of four is cast away: but in the sea of this world scarce one soul of four escapes. 4. Their next Policy. When they swim, though their bodies be plunged down, yet they still keep their head above the water. And this lesson of their wisdom I would direct to the Riotous, as I did the former to the Covetous. Which vicious affections, though in themselves opposite: (for the covetous think Prodigum Prodigium, the Spender a wonder: and the prodigal think Parcum Porcum, the niggard a hog) yet either of them both may light his candle at the lamp of the Serpent's wisdom: and learn a virtue they have not. Though you swim in a full sea of delights, yet be sure to keep your heads up for fear of drowning. It is natural to most sensit●…e crea●…res to bear up their heads above the floods: yet in the stream of pleasures foolish man commonly sinks. If I had authority, I would here bid Gluttony & Drunkenness stand forth; & hear themselves condemned by a Serpent. If the belly have any 〈◊〉 let it hears & not suffer the head of the body ●…ch 〈◊〉 the head of the soul Reason, to be drowned in a puddl●… of riot. Multafercula, multos 〈◊〉. Many dishes many diseases. Gluttony was ever a friend to 〈◊〉. But for the throa●…s indulgence. Paracelsus for all his Mercury had died a beggar. Intemperance lies most commonly sick on a down bed; not on a pad of straw. Ay me's, and groans are soon heard in rich men's houses. gouts Pleurisies, dropsies, fevers, surfeits, are but the consequents of epicurism. Qu●… nisi divitibus nequeunt conting●…re 〈◊〉. Horat. lib. 〈◊〉. Satyr. 4. A Divine Poet morrally. We seem ambitious, God's whole work t' vndo●…. Of nothing he made us, and we strive two, To bring ourselves to nothing back: and we Do what we can, to do't as soon as he. We complain of the shortness of our lives, yet take the course to make them shorter. Neither is the corporal head only thus intoxicate, and the senses drowned in these deluges of riot: but Reason the head of the Soul, and Grace the head of Reason is over whelmed. Rarum 〈◊〉 ●…ine vitio 〈◊〉 convitio. Revelers and Revilers are wont companions. When the belly is made a Crassus, the tongue is turned into a Cesar, and taxeth all the world. Great feasts are not without great danger. They serve not to suffice nature, but to nourish corruption. Luk. 2. joseph and Mary went up to jerusalem to the feast with jesus: ᵃ Luk. 2. 4●…. but there they lost jesus. Twelve years they could keep him, but at a feast they lost him. So easily is Christ lost at a feast. And it is remarkable there. ver. 46. that in the Temple they found him again. jesus Christ is often lost at a banquet: but he is ever found in the temple b Ver. 12. Jude speaks of some, that feast without fear. They suspect not the loss of Christ at a banquet. But c job. 1, 5. job feared his children at a feast. It may be my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Let us suspect these riotous meetings; lest we do not only swim, but sink. Let us be like the Deer, who are ever most fearful at their best feeding. ᵈ Let us walk h●…nestly as i●… the d●…y: not in ri●…ting and drunkenness, ᵈ Rom. 13. 13. that were to feast the world: not in chambering and want●…esse, that were t●… feast the flesh: not in strife and envying, that were to feast the devil. I know therebe some, that care not what be said against eating, so you meddle not with their drink. Who cry ou●… like that Germane, at a great Tournament at Court, when all the spec●…ors were pleased: Valeant L●…di 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: farewell that sport, where there is no drinking. I will say no more to them; but that the Serpent's he●…d keeps the upper hand of the waters, but d●…nke g●…ts the upper hand of their heads. How 〈◊〉 is this: Sobrij serpents, 〈◊〉 homines! Sober serpents, and drunken men. The Serpent is here brought to t●…ch v●… wisdom: and to be sober, is to be wise. The Philosoph●…r so derives wisdom in his Ethicks. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…st quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Or as another, quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 5. The fifth instance of their wisedo●… propounded to our imitation, is vigilancy. They ●…eepe little: and then l●…ast, when they suspect the 〈◊〉 of danger. A pr●…dent wo●… ou●… following: e Eph. 5. 15. See that ye walk circ●…spectly; not 〈◊〉 fo●…les, but as wise f Eccl. 2. 14. The wiseman's eyes are in his head. Carry your eyes in your own●… heads; no●…. Like those 〈◊〉 in a box. Nor, lik●… a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince, that is not suffered to see but through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spect●…es. Be watchf●…l, saith our S●…iour: yo●… 〈◊〉 not wh●… hour your master will come. 1. Pet. 5. 8. B●… 〈◊〉, b●… vigil●…nt: because your aduersa●…y the Devil, a●… a roaring Lion walketh about, seeking whom he ●…ay devour. Th●…se are two m●…ine motives to watchfulness. First our Landlord is ready to come for his rent. Secondly our enemy is ready to assault ou●… for't. And let me add; the Ten●… we dwell in is so weak and ruinous, that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ready to drop down about our ears. He that dwell●… in a rotten 〈◊〉 house, dares scarce sleep in a tempestuous night. Our bodies are earthly decayed, or at least decaying Tabernacles: every little disease like a storm, totters us. They were indeed at first strong cities: but we than by sin made them forts of rebels. Whereupon our o●…ended Liege sent his Sergeant death, to arrest us of high treason. And though for his mercy's sake in Christ he pardoned our sins, yet he suffers us no more to have such strong houses: but le's us dwell in thacked cottages▪ paper walls, mortal bodies. Have we not then cause to watch; lest our house, whose f job. 4. 19 foundation is in the dust, fall; and g Math. 7. ●…7. the fall thereof be great? Shall we still continue sine ●…etu, perhaps sine motu dormitantes? It is a fashion in the world to let Leases for three lives: as the Divine Poet sweetly. So short is life, that every Tenant strives, In a torn house or field to have three lives. But God lets none for more than one life: and this expired, there is no hope to renew the lease. He suffers a man sometimes to dwell in his T●…nement h Psal. 90. 10. threesc●…re and ten years; sometimes fourscore: till the house be ready to drop down, like mellow fruit. But he secures none for a month, for a moment. Other farmers know the date of their leases, and expiration of the years: man is merely a Tenant at will; and is thrust often sedibus adibus, at less than an hours warning. We have then cause to watch. i Cant. 5. 2. I sleep, but mine heart waketh: saith the Church. If temptation do take us napping, yet let our hearts wake. k Mark. 14. 37. Simon, Dormis? Sleep●…st thou, ●…eter? Indeed there is a time for all things: and sometimes sleep and rest is Dabile and Laudabile; necessary and profitable. But now Simon, when thy Lord is ready to be given up into the hands of his enemies, when the hour and power of darkness is instant, when the great work of salvation is to be wrought; Simon sleepest thou? Thou that hast promised to suffer with me, canst thou not watch with me? Quomodo morieris, qui sp●…ctare & expectare nonpotes? Beloved, let us all watch; that jesus, who was then when Peter slept, ready to suffer: is now, though we all sleep, ready to judge quick and dead. 6. The last general point of Wisdom we will learn from them, is this. As they once a year slip off their old coat, and renew themselves: so let us cast off the old man, and l jude. ver. 23. the garment spotted of the flesh (more speck led with lusts then the skin of any Serpent) and m Eph. 4. 24. be renewed in our mind, to serve God in the holiness of truth. The Grecians have a fabulous reason of this renovation of serpents. Once mankind strove earnestly with the Gods by supplication, for Perpetual youth. It was granted; and the rich tr●…sure being lapped up, was laid upon an Ass to be carried among men. The silly beast being sore thirsty came to a fountain to drink: the keeper of this fountain was a Serpent; who would not suffer the Ass to drink, unless he would give him his burden. The Ass, both ready to faint for thirst, and willing to be lighted of his load, condescended. Hereby the Serpent got from man perpetual youth. Indeed the serpent changeth his age for youth, and man his youth for age. And the Ass for his punishment, is more tormented with thirst then any other beast. The serpent may thus get the start of a man for this world; but when he dies, he dies for e●…er; life never returns. But we shall put off, not the skin, but this mortal body: and so be clothed with im●…ortalitie and eternal life above: we shall be young again in heaven. 2. Cor. 5. Only death adds t'our strength: nor are we grown: In stature to be men, till we are none. Let this answer the Poet. Anguibus exuitur tenui cum pelle vetustas: Cur nos angust a conditione su●…us? Tibullus. Why do serpents repair themselves, and man decay? The answer is easy and comfortable when there shall be new heavens and new earth, we shall have new bodies. They have here new bodies, and we old bodies: but there we shall have new bodies when they are no bodies. But to our purpose. They write that the Serpent gets him to some narrow passage, as between two sticks, & so slips off his skin. And this is called Sp●…lium serpentis, or v●…rnatio serpentis. If we would cast off our old coat, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts, we must pass through a n Math. 7. 13. narrow gate; as it were two trees; faith and repentance. Heaven is called o Reu. 21. new jerusalem: you cannot creep through those new doors with your old sins on your backs. Be no Gibeonites: God will not be cozened with your old Garments. Put them off, saith Paul: put them off, and cast them away: they are not worthy mending. None are made of Satan's slaves, Gods sons; but they must put off their old livery, which they wore in the devils service; the cognisance of Mammon. p 2. Cor. 5. 17. Let him that is in Christ be a new creature. Old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new. I saw, saith S. john, Nowm Coelum etc. a new heaven, and new earth. For whom provided? for new creatures. Envy this ye worldlings, but strive not in your lower pomps to equal it. Could you change robes with Solomon. and dominions with Alexander, you could not match it. But quake at your doom, ye wicked q 〈◊〉. 3●…. 33. Top●… is ord●…ed of old. Old hell for old sinners. But which way might a man turn his eyes to behold this Renovation. Nil ●…i vid●…, nil n●…ui audio. The hand is old, it extorts: the tongue is old, it swears. Our usuries are still on foot to hunt the poor: our gluttonies look not leaner: our drunkenness is thirsty still: our security is not waked. Old Idols are in our inward and better temples. Our iniquities are so old and ripe; that they are not only alb●… ad messem, white to the harvest: but even sicca ad ignem, dry for the fire. Not only Serpents, but divers other creatures have their turns of renewing. The Eagle reneweth her bill, saith the Prophet: our Grandmother earth becomes new: and to all her vegetative children the Spring gives a renovation. Only we her ungracious Sons remain old still. But how shall we expect hereafter new glorified bodies, unless we will have here new sanctified souls? r Gal. 6. 15. 16 In Christ jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thi●…g, nor 〈◊〉; but a new creature. And as many as w●…lke according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. I have taught you, according to my poor meditations, some Wisedo●… from the Serpent. Augustine gives 6. or 7. other instances, worthy your observation, and imitation; which I must pesse over in silence. The 〈◊〉 challengeth some piece of my discourse: for I dare not give you the reins, and let you go without the Curb. And yet I shall hold you a little longer from it: for as I have showed you some good in Serpents, that you may follow it: so I must show you some evil in them, that you may eschew it. The vicious and obnoxious affections of Serpents, have more followers than their virtues. These instances are of the same number with the former. 1. The Serpent, though creeping on the dust, hath a lofty spirit; reaching not only at men, but even at the birds of the air. And here he is the Ambitious man's emblem. He was bred out of the dust, yet he catcheth a●… Lordships and honours: ransacks the City, forredges th●… Country, scours it through the Church; but his errand is to the Court. He is the maggot of pride, Stultus in solio, Simia in tecto. begot out of corruption: and looks in an office, as the Ape did when he had got on the robes of a Senator. 2. Their flattery or treachery: they embrace, whiles they sting. They lie in 〈◊〉 green grass, and under sweet flowers, that they may wound the suspectless passenger. Here I will couple the Serpent with the Flatterer; a human beast, and of the two the more dangerous. And that fitly; for they write of a Serpent, whose sting hath such force, that it makes a man die laughing. So the fla●…erer tickles a man to death. Therefore his tears are called Crocodile lacrimae; the Crocodiles tears. When h●… weeps, he wounds. Every frown he makes, gives his Patron a vomit: and every candle of commendation a purge. His Church is the Kitchen, his tongue is his Cater; his young Lord his God; whom at once he worships, and worreys. When he hath gotten a lease, he doth no longer fear his master: nay more, he fears not God. 3. Their ingratitude; they kill those that nourished them. And here I rank with Serpents those prodigies of nature, unthankful persons. Seneca says they are Se●…. epist. 48. worse. Venenum qu●…d serpents in alienam pernici●…m proferunt, fine s●… continent. No●… ita vitium ingr●…itudinis continetur. The poison which a Serpent casts out to the danger of another, he retains without his own. But the vice of ingratitude cannot be so smothered. Let us hate this sin, not only for others sake, but most for our own. 4. Their voracity; they kill more than they can eat. And here they would be commended to the Engrossers: who hoard more than they can spend, that the poor might st●…ue for lack of bread. Such a man (if he be not 〈◊〉 a Serpent, a Devil then man) makes his Almanac his Bible: if it prognosticate rain on Swithi●…s day, he loves and believes it beyond the Scripture. Nothing in the whole Bible pleaseth him, but the story of Pharaohs dream; where the seven lean Kine did eat up the seven fat ones. He could wish that dream to be true every year; so he might have grain enough to sell. He cries out in his heart for a dear year, and yet he is never without a dear year in his belly. Solomon says, the people shall curse him: and I am sure God will not bless him: but he fears neither of these so much as a cheap year. 5. Their hostility and murderous minds: they destroy all, to multiply their own kind. And for this I will bring the depopulator to shake hands with serpents. For he cannot abide neighbours. If any man dwells in the Town besides himself, how should he do for elbow room? There are too many of these Serpents in England: I would they were all exiled to the wilderness; where they might have room enough, and none to trouble them, except of their own generation, Serpents. They complain eagerly against our negligence in discovering new parts of the world: but their meaning is to rid this land of Inhabitants. They have done their best, or rather their worst: when as in my memory from one town in one day were driven out above threescore souls: harbourless, succourless, exposed to the bleak air and unmerciful world: besides those that could provide for themselves. But the Lord of heaven sees this: the clamours of many poor debtor in the Dungeon, of many poor labourers in the field, of many poor neighbours crying and dying in the streets, have entered the ●…ares of the Lord of hosts, & he will judge it. a Psal. 10. 14. Thou hast seen it, for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it: the poor committeth himself unto thee, thou art the helper of the f●…herlesse. 6. Lastly, their en●…itie against Man, whom they should reverence▪ which we sorely found, and cannot but think of, quoti●…s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…picati p●…i: as often as we remember that ●…ieapple. Aelia●…s and Pl●…e report, that when a serpent hath killed a man, he can never more cover himself in the earth: but wanders up and down like a forlorn thing: the earth disdaining to receive into her bowels a man murderer. The male doth not acknowledge the ●…ale, nor the female the male, that hath done such a deed. Since therefore they rebel against Man whom they should honour let me yoke with them Traitors, Seminaries, and Renegates, that refuse allegiance to their Liege's & So●…algnes. Will they say▪ 〈◊〉 Prince may lose Ius regni, the right of his kingdom, per 〈◊〉 regnandi, by reigning with injustice & 〈◊〉? and so they are absolved of their obedience? But how haps it that the Scripture never knew this distinction? Saul though guilty of all sins against the first Table yet exsolo 〈◊〉 ●…is ch●…ctere, might not be deposed: but David calls him Christum Do●…, the Lords Anointed. If the Prince be an offender, must they punish? Who gave them that authority? No ●…cit 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉, quòd Deum expect●… 〈◊〉. It is eno●…gh for him, that he look for God to be his judge. O but when the Pope's excommunication thund●…rs, it is no sin to decrowne Kings. So super st●…tiously they follow the Pope, that they forsake Christ; and will not give C●…sar his due. They are the fire brands and bustuaries of Kingdoms; Serpents hidden in Ladies and gentlewomen's chambers: in a word▪ long spoons for traitors to feed with the Devil. You see also now Quid 〈◊〉. There is poison in Serpents now told you, leave that: there is Wisdom to be learned from Serpents before showed you, study that. Every vice you nourish, is a venomous stinging serpent in your own bosoms. If you will have hope of heaven, expel those Serpents. I have read of a contention between Scotland and Ireland, about a little Island: either challenging it theirs. It was put to the decision of a Frenchman: who caused to be put into the Island living Serpents. Arbitrating it thus; that if those Serpents lived and prospered there, the ground was Scotland's: if they died, Ireland's. If those serpentine sins, lusts, and lewdness, live ●…d thrive in your hearts, Satan will challenge you for his dominion. If they perish and die through mortification, and by reason of the pure air of God's holy Spirit in you, the Lord seals you up for his own inheritance. I have given you the Rains at large: let me give but one pull at the Curb, and you shall go. The Cohibition is, Be harmless as Doves. In Doves there be some things to be eschewed, many things to be commended: one thing to be followed. The Dove is a timorous and faint hearted creature. b Hos. 7. 8. Ephr●… is like a silly Dove, without heart. Be not ye so. In Doves there are many things commendable; but I will but name them, regarding the limits of both my Text and Time. 1. Beauty▪ By that name Christ praiseth the beauty of his Spouse. Thou art fair my L●…e, my Dove, etc. c Cant. 4. 1. Thou ●…ast doves 〈◊〉 within thy l●…kes. And the Church praiseth her Saviour. d Cant. 5. 12. and 1. ●…5. His eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the rivers of water, washed with milk, ●…d fitly set; as a precious stone in the foil of a Ring. A white dove is a pleasing sight, but not like a white soul. 2. Chastity. Nescit adu●…erij fla●…am inte●…erata Columba. The Dove knows not the luxurious pollution of an adulterate bed. Who ever saw Dove sick of that lustful disease. Happy body that hath such continency: and blessed soul which shall be e 2. Cor. 11. 2. presented a pure virgin to jesus Christ. f Reu. 14. 4. They are virgins; and follow the Lamb whether s●…euer he goeth. 3. Fruitfulness. Most months in the year they bring forth young. The faithful are in this respect Doves: for faith is ever pregnant of good works, travels with them, and on all occasions brings them forth. 4. Amity. They love their own mates; not changing till death give one of them a bill of divorce. G●…mit ●…urtur: the turtle groans when he hath lost his mate. Nature teacheth them, what Reason above nature, and Grace above Reason, teacheth us; to rejoice with the wives of our youth. 5. Unity. They live, feed, fly by companies. Many of them can agree quietly in one house. Even teaching us, g Psal. 133. 1. how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. That as we have h Ephe. 4. 4. one hop●…, so to have i Act. 4. 32. one heart. Therefore the holy Ghost came down k Math. 3. 16. in the likeness of a Dove, of all birds: and it was the l Gen. 8. 9 Dove that would not leave Noah's Ark. But these are but circumstances; my C●…nter is their Innocence. m Bern. in die Purific. Columba simplex est animal, fell caret, rostro non l●…dit. Other fowls have their talons and beaks, whereby they gripe and devour, like usurers and oppressors in a Commonwealth. The Dove hath no such weapon to use, no such heart to use it. They write that she hath no gall; and so free from the bitterness of anger. Talem Columbam audi●…imus, non talem hominem. We have heard of such a Dove, not of such a Man. Who can say, he hath innocent hands, and a simple heart? Indeed none perfectly in God's sight: yet some have had, and may have this in part, by the witness of their own consciences. Samuel could challenge the Israelites to accuse him; n 1. Sam. 12. 3. Whose ●…xe have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Of whose h●…d ha●…e I received any bribe? And job sweetly; My heart shall not condemn me for my days. o job 31. 21. etc. If I have lift up my hand against the fatherless let it be broken. If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me. (For that is true Innocence, saith Augustine, quae nec inimico nocet; that hurts not our very enemy. If my land cry against me, or the furrows thereof complain. Let thistles grow in stead of wheat, and cockles in stead of barley. How few amongst us dare thus plead! So David. O Lord, thou knowest mine innocenc●…. O blessed testimony. This is Munus a●…eneus, a wall of brass about a man. p Sen. In 〈◊〉 sper●…re bonum, nisi innocens, n●… potest. To hope for good in the midst of evils, no man can but the Innocent. He goes fearless of danger, though not secure. Impavidum ferient ruinae. q Greg. in Mor Ne●… suspectus est pa●…, quod se non 〈◊〉 fecisse. He cannot look to suffer that wrong, which he knows he hath not done. Innocence▪ saith Chrysoft. is free in servitude, safe in danger, joyful in bonds. Cum humiliatur, erigitur: ●…um pugnat, vincit: cum occiditur, coronatur. When it is cast down, it is raised up: when it fights, it conquers: when it is killed, it is crowned. This is that ●…elesnes which must be joined with the Serpent's Wisdom. So Paul to his Romans. r Rom. 16. 19 I would h●…ue you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. This is an excellent mixture, saith Gregor. s In locum. Vt simplicitatem 〈◊〉 ast●…ia▪ serpentis instrueret: ut serpentis astut●… simplicitas colu●…●…emperaret. That the wisdom of the Serpent might instruct the simplicity of the Dove: that the doves simplicity might temper the Serpent's policy. So ●…eda on the first of job. job is said to be simple and upright: simple in innocency, upright in discreet equity. Simplex quia aliis non l●…dit, rectus quia se ab aliis non corrumpi 〈◊〉. Simple in that he did not hurt others, upright in that he suffered not himself to be corrupted by others. t jerom. ad Rust. Non mul●…ùm distat in vitio, aut decipere, aus decipiposse. There is small difference in that vice, which either deceives. or may be deceived. The one is weakness, the other wickedness. This is that grace, to which the gates of heaven stand open, Innocence. But alas▪ where shall the robbers and workers of violence appear? What shall become of the usurer? No creature in heaven or earth shall testify his innocency. But the sighs, cries, and groans of undone parents, of beggared widows and Orphans shall witness the contrary. All his money, like Hemp seed, is sowed with curses: and every obligation is written on earth with ink and blood, and in hell with blood and fire. What shall become of the Encloser of Commons? Who shall plead his innocence? Hedges, ditches, fields, Dat veniam coruis, vexat censura columbas. juven. sat. 2. and towns; the weeping of the poor, the very lowings of beasts shall witness against him. Where shall fraud, cozenage, racking of rents, injury, perjury, mischief appear? You may conceal your craft from the eyes of man; defraud the minister, beguile your neighbour, impoverish the Commonwealth, unperceived, unpunished: but know that the Lord will not hold you innocent. I conclude; Make you the picture of innocency, and hang it in your houses: but especially draw it in the table of your hearts. Let it be a Virgin fair and lovely, without any spot of wrong to blemish her beauty. Let her garments be white as snow, and yet not so white as her conscience. Let the tears of compassion drop from her eyes, and an Angel holding a bottle to catch them. Let her weep, not so much for her own afflictions, as for the wickedness of her afflicters. Let the ways be milk where she sets her foot, and let not the earth complain of her pressure. Let the Sun offer her his beams, the clouds their rain, the ground her fruits, every creature his virtue. Let the poor bless her: yea, let her very enemies be forced to praise her. Let the world be summoned to accuse her of wrong, and let none be found to witness it. Let peace lie in her lap, and Integrity between her breasts. Let religion kiss her lips, and all Laws reverence her. Patience possess her heart, and humility sit in her eyes. Let all Christians make her the precedent of their lives; and study the doctrine that her mouth teacheth. Let the Angels of heaven be her guardians; and the mercy of God a shield of defence unto her. Let her tread upon injury, and stamp the Devil and violence under her feet. Let her greatest adversaries, Oppression and Hypocrisy, fly from her presence. Let rapine, malice, extortion, depopulation, fraud, and wrong, be as far removed from her, as hell is from heaven. Let the hand of mercy dry her eyes, and wipe away her tears. Let those glorious spirits lift her up to the place of rest. Let heaven add to her beauty, Immortality set her in a throne of joy, and Eternity crown her with glory. Whether may all her children follow her, through the blood and merits of that most innocent Lamb jesus Christ. Amen. THE WAY HOME. MATTH. 2. 12. And being warned of God in a dream, that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own Country another way. WHen these Wise men had presented to Christ their gifts; (which indeed he first gave them; for the earth is his, and the fullness thereof: yet) he rewards them. They emptied their Treasures of Gold, Myrrh, and Frankincense. and he filled the treasure of their hearts with heavenly graces. For their Gold, he returns them pure wisdom. They were called Wise men before; but their wisdom was infernal, downwards to hell, perhaps consulting with Devils. Now he gives them a jam. 3. 17 Wisdom from above, pure and refined as gold. For their Frankincense, he purgeth them of their former superstitious Idolatries, from sacrificings to Satan: and instructs them to whom frankincense is due, and all other offerings of piety; to their Creator and Saviour. For their Myrrh, he gives them Charity, a true love to him, that so truly loved them; and for his sake a love to others. They made then a blessed exchange with Christ; when for Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh, they received Wisdom, Devotion, Charity. Now to testify how highly the Lord favoured them, he speaks to them in a dream, and reveals his mind for the safety of his Son; that they should not return to Herode. And to witness how truly they served the Lord, they gave obedience. They departed into their own country another way. The whole may be distinguished into An Informing into a word Performing work God gives the word, the Magi do the work. God doth inform, and they perform. He instructeth, and they execute. He gives direction, they obedience. His word, informance, instruction, direction is. He warned them in a dream, that they should not return to Herod. Their work, performance, pliable obedience. They departed into their country another way. In the direction or monition Informing are considerable these three circumstances: The Men, Wise men, Magicians. Manner, In a dream. Matter, That they should not return to Herod. The Persons to whom God gave this admonition, are expressly called Wise men. Some say, they were also Great men. If so, then was this revelation made Potentibus. Petentibus. 1. To great men. It is the opinion of some, that these magi were kings: & that the Evangelist in calling them wise men, gave them a more honourable title, then if he had called them kings. So Ludolphus says, that Magus was in those days more noble than Magnus. But we must know, who they are that thus style them: Friars & Jesuits, such as can by no means endure the superiority of Princes. That are Derisores hominum maxime potentum. Hereon some of them have mooted strange problems able to fill whole volumes. An Sacerdotes Regibus praeferendi. Whether Priests be not above kings. But still the conclusion is against Princes. Some more moderate on that side have confessed them not Reges, but Regulos, little kings, petit Princes. Like those one & thirty kings, that conspired against b josu. 12. 24. josuah. Or those fifty that met at Troy. There is a kind of king in France, whom the common people call, Le Roy Dlynetot. But that these were but three in number, and kings in power, it may be painted in a popish window, is not in Catholics bible, therefore needs not be in a Christians creed. 2. Howsoever these Magi were Potentes, or no, they were Petentes. Though they were great men, yet they humbly seek the greatest of men, yea the great God, jesus. And behold, graciously the Lord offers himself to their search: according to his infallible promise, that he will be found out of all that seek him c Leo. in Loc. Dedit aspicientibus intellectum, qui praestitit signum: & quod fecit intelligi, fecit inquiri. So he offers himself to all faithful searchers. But we cannot find him we seek, unless he find us first: d Luk. 19 10. that came to seek & to save that which was lost. We seek in vain, unless we seek him: & we seek him in vain, unless he find us. e Fulgent. Nos ad se quarendum suscitat-se ad inveniendum porrigit. He stirs up our hearts to seek him, & offers himself to be found. There was never faithful hart sought the Lord jesus, but he found him whom his f Cant. 3. 1. soul loved. His patience might be exercised, his fidelity tried, his desires extended, by Gods hiding himself for a season. In the night of obscurity, security, ignorance, he may miss him. ver. 1. Though he inquire among the deepest Philosophers, & honestest worldlings. ver. 2. he may not find him. But. ver. 3. the watchmen will bring him to him: yea ver. 4. Christ himself will appear in gracious mercy. He may say for a while, as the Poet of Anchises. Quaregio Christum? quis habet locus? Illius ergo Venimus. Aenead. 6. Where is Christ! in what country may I find him? But the Lord jesus will reveal himself: yea meet Luk. 15. him half way, as the merciful father met his unthrifty Son when he returned. We shall conclude with joy: g joh. 1. 41. 45. We have found the Messias: even him of whom Moses in the Law, and the prophets did write, jesus of Nazareth. You hear the Persons to whom this admonition was given: the next Circumstance is The Manner. In a dream. I might here enter into a cloudy and confused discourse of Dreams, till I brought you all asleep. But I love not to fetch any bowtes, when there is a nearer way. Herein I may say with Augustine. h Ad Evodium. ep. 100 & de Civit. Dei. cap. 20. I would to God I could discern between dreams. Some are Natural. Preternatural. Supernatural. 1. Natural: and such arise either from Complexion Affection 1. From complexion or constitution. The Sanguine hath merry dreams: the melancholy sorrowful dreams the Choleric dreams of fire, and such turbulent thoughts: the Phlegmatic, of rain, of floods; and such marry objects. And as these elemental humours do abound in a man, the dreams have a stronger force, and more violent perturbation. 2. From Affection: what a man most desires, he soon dreams of. Omnia quae sensu voluuntur vota diurno, Claudian. in Praef. Lib. 3. Tempore nocturno reddit amica quies. Venator defessa toro dum membra reponit. Mens tamen ad siluas & sua lustra redit. Gaudet amans furto: permutat navit a merces: Et vigil elapsas quarit a●…arus opes. So Augustine. i Lib. de spiritu & anima. cap. 25. S●… nascitur ex studi●…s praeteritis. what man desires in the day, he dreams in the night. The hunter's mind is in the forest, whiles his wearied bones are reposed on a soft bed. The soldier dreams of batteries, assault●…, encounters: the Lawyer of quirks and demurs: the citizen of tricks and frauds: the musician of crotchers, the Seminary of equivocations. The glutted Epicure dreams of dainty dishes and fat morsels. The thirsty drunkard dreams of his liquor, k Esa. 29. 8. and behold he drinketh; but awake, his thirst is not satisfied. The usurer dreams of his trunks, & that he is telling his gold: and starts, as if every rat were a thief breaking in upon him. The timorous dream that they are flying before overtaking danger. The Lustful imagines his desired embracings. The angry that he is fight kill, spoiling. The secure, that they are wilstling, singing, dancing. The jealous man dreams of his wives errors, when she lies chastened by his side. The ambitious, that he is kissing the king's hand, and mounted into the saddle of honour. The overcharged mind dreams of his employment. k Eccl. 5. 3. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business. 2. Preternatural: and these are either Ad Errorem Terrorem Whereof the first is wrought by Satan Permittente Deo God suffering it. The second by God mediant Diabolo, Satan being a mediate instrument. 1. There are Dreams for Error, wrought by the mere illusion of Satan: whom God once suffered to be a lying Spirit in the mouth of 400. Prophets. He working upon man's affections, inclinations, and humours, causeth in them such dreams, as seduce them to wickedness, and induce them to wretchedness. They write of one Amphiaraus, an Argive Soothsayer, that by a dream he was brought to the Theban voyage; where Hiatu terrae absorbetur; he was swallowed up of the earth. l Gen. 40. 16. So Pharaohs Baker was encouraged to hopeful error by a dream. So was that monstrous host of Midian overthrown by a Dream of a m judg. 7. 13. Barley cake, that hit a Tent, and overwhelmed it: which was interpreted the Sword of Gideon. 2. For Terror. job says, that Deus terret per somnia, & per visiones horrorem incuiit. God strikes terror into the hearts of the wicked by Dreams. As a Malus genius is said to appear to Brutus the night before his death: or as the face of Hector was presented to Andromache. Polydore virgil records the dream of that bloody tyrant, Richard 3. that in a dream the night before the battle of Bosworth field, he thought all the devils in hell were haling and tugging him in pieces: and all those whom he had murdered, crying & shricking out vengeance against him. Though he thinks this was more than a dream. Id credo non fuisse somnium, sed conscientiam seelerum He judged it not so much a dream, as the guilty conscience of his own wickedness. So to Robert Winter, one of the powder-traytors, in a dream appeared the ghastly figures and distracted visages of his chief friends and confederates in that treason; not unlike the very same manner, wherein they after stood on the pinnacles of the Parliament house. 3. Supernatural; such as are sent by divine inspiration, and must have a divine interpretation, Such were the dreams of Pharaoh expounded by joseph: the dreams of Nabuchadnezzar declared by Daniel. Of these were two sorts. 1. Some were mystical: such as those two kings dreams; and Pharaohs two officers: whose exposition is only of God. So n Gen. 40. 8. joseph answers; Are not interpretations of the Lord? So Nabuchadnezzar to Daniel. o Dan. 4. 18. Thou art able, for the spirit of the holy God is in thee. The Sorcerers and Astrologers dearly acknowledged their ignorance p Dan. 2. 13. with their lives. Thus Pharaoh may dream, but it is a joseph that must expound it. It is one thing to have a representation objected to the fantasy: another thing to have an intellectual light given to understand it. 2. Others are demonstrative: when the Lord not only gives the dream, but also withal the understanding of it. Such were daniel's dreams, & these wisemen's, & joseph's in this chapter. Wherein was a Vision & Pro vision: a vision what to do: a provision that no harm might come to jesus. These dreams were most specially incident to the new Testament: when God at the very rising of the Sun, began to expel the shadows of dark mysteries. q Act. 2. 17. And it shall come to pass in the last days (saith God) I will power out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons & your daughters shall prophecy, & your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Now the Sun is gotten up into the midst of heaven the Gospel into the full strength, these shadows vanish: the more light, the less shadow. So that now to expect revelation of things by dreams were to entreat God to lend us a candle whiles we have the bright Sun. The superstitious Papists are s●…ill full of these dreams: and find out more mysteries in their sleep, than they can well expound waking. The Abbot of Glastenbury, when Ethelwold was Monk there, dreamt of a tree, whose branches were all covered with Monks cowls: & on the highest bough one cowl that ouertoped all the rest: which must needs be expounded the future greatness of this Ethelwold. But it is most admirable, how the Dominicke Friars make shift to expound the dream of dominics mother; which she had when she was with child of him: that she had in her womb a wolf with a burning torch in his mouth. Say what they will, a wolf is a wolf still: & that order hath ever carried a burning torch to scorch their mother, the Church. But there is no dream of theirs with out an interpretation, without a prediction. And if the event answer not their foretelling, they expound it after the event. If one of them chance to dream of a green garden, he goes presently and makes his will. Or if another dream that he shakes a dead friend by the hand, he is ready to call to the Sexton for a grave; takes solemn leave of the world, and says he cannot live. Beloved, God hath not grounded our faith upon dreams nor r 2. Pet. 1. 16. cunningly devised fables; but on the holy Gospel, written by his servants in books, and by his spirit in the tables of our hearts. They that will believe dreams and Traditions above Gods sacred word, let them hear and fear their judgement. s 2. Thes. 2. 11. For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. That they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Banish from your hearts; this superstitious folly, to repose any confidence expectant on dreams. But if you desire to make any use of dreams, let it be this. Consider thyself in thy dreaming, to what inclination▪ thou art mostly carried: and so by thy thoughts in the night, thou shalt learn to know thyself in the day. Be thy dreams lustful? examine whether the addictions of thy heart run not after the bias of concupiscence. Be they turbulent, consider thy own contentious disposition. Be they revengeful, they point to thy malice. Run they upon gold and riches, they argue thy covetousness. Thus God may be said to teach a man by his dreams still; non quid erit, sed qualis est: not what shall be, but what he is. Not future events, but present condition may be thus learned. Neither day nor night escapes a good man without some profit: the night teacheth him what he is, as the day what he should be. Therefore said a Philosopher, that all waking men are in one common world: but in sleep every man goes into a world by himself. For his dreams do signify to him those secret inclinations, to which he thought himself a stranger, though they were home-dwellers in his heart. Even those fancies are speaking images of a man's disposition. And as I have heard of some that talk in their dreams, and then reveal those secrets, which awake they would not have disclosed. So may thy dreams tell thee when thou wakest, what kind of man thou art. The hypocrite dreams of dissimulation: the proud woman of paint and colours: the thief of robbery and booties▪ the jesuit of treasons. Let them ask their very sleep, quale●… sint; what manner of men they ar●…. For so lightly they answer temptations actually waking, as their thoughts do sleeping. Thus only a man may make good use of his dreams. Here let us observe, that God doth sometimes draw men to him suis ipsorum 〈◊〉; by their own delights and studies. No doubt these Magi were well acquainted with dreams: it being amongst Ethnics and Peripatetics a special object of divination. Therefore there is a book bearing the name of Aristotle; De diui●…ne p●…r somnium. Many ●…ors these men had swallowed by dreams; now behold, in a dream they shall receive the truth. So God called them by a Star, whose profession was to rely too much on the Stars. t Chrysolog. hom. 6. in Math. Quare per Stellam? ut per Christum ipsa materia erroris, fieret salutis occasio. Why by a Star? that through jesus Christ the very matter of their error might be made a means of their salvation. Per 〈◊〉 ill●…s vocat, qu●… famil●…ria illis cons●…tudo fecit. God calls them by those things, which custom had made familiar to them. They that are stung with Scorpions, must be cured by the oil of Scorpions. Thus God allures men to him, as fishermans 〈◊〉, with such baits as may be somewhat ag●…ble to them. Paul is occasioned by the u Act. 17. 23. Al●… 〈◊〉 the vnknow●… God, to make known the true God, the 〈◊〉 jesus. Doth David love the Sheepe-folds? he shall be a Shepherd still. x Ps●…. 78. 71. From following the e●…s great with young, he brought him to feed jacob his people, and Isr●…ll his ●…ritance. Doth Peter love fishing? he shall go a fishing still, though for more noble creatures; to catch soule●…. Do these Magician's love Stars and Dreams, behold a Star and a Dream shall instruct them in the truth of God. Old Is●… takes occasion by the smell of his Sons garments, savouring of the field, to pronounce a spiritual blessing. y Gen. 27. 27. The smell of my Son is as the smell of a field, which the Lord hath blessed. Jerome notes of Amos, that he begins his Prophecy with roaring. z Am. 1. 2. The Lord shall roar from Zion. Because he being a field-man, kept the woods, where he was wont to the roaring of Lions. judaei signa quaerunt? Do the jews seek a sign.? Why Christ will there even among them work his Miracles. Doth Augustine love eloquence? Ambrose shall catch him at a Sermon. u Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work to their good, that are good: Omnia, etiam peccata. All things, even their very sins, saith Augustin●…. 〈◊〉 in his Essays writes, that a libidinous gentleman sporting with a Courtesan in a house of sin, chanced to ask her name; which she said was Mary. Whereat he was stricken with such a remorse and reverence, that he instantly not only cast off the Harlot, but amended his whole future life. well-beloved, since this is God's mercy, to allure us to him by our own delights, let us yield ourselves to be caught. What scope doth thy addiction level at, that is not sinful, which Gods word doth not promise and afford? What delight can you ask, which the Sanctuary gives not? Love you hunting? learn here to hunt. a Cant. 2. 15. the Foxes, the little Cubbes, those crafty sins skulking in your bosoms. Would you dance? let your hearts keep the measures of Christian joy; and leap, like john the Baptist in Elizabeth's womb, at the salvation of jesus. Delight you in running? Paul sets you a race. b 1. Cor. 9 24. So run that ye may obtain. You shall have good company. D●…id promiseth, that he c Psal. 119. 32. will run the way of God's commandments. Peter and john will run with you to jesus. Love you Music? Here are the Bells of Aaron still ringing; the treble of d Psal. 101. 1. Mercy, and the tenor of judgement; Leui's Lute, and David's Harp. There are no such songs as the songs of Zion. Would you be merry? e Phil. 4. 4. Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say rejoice. If ever you found joy like this joy; f Rom. 14. 17. the peace of conscience, and joy of the holy Ghost; back again to the world. Lovest thou dainty cheer? here be the best cates, the body and blood of thy Saviour, the bread of life: no hunger after it. Wilt thou drink much. g Cant. 5. 1. Drink my wine and my milk: drink, yea drink abundantly, O Beloved. Bib●…e & 〈◊〉: as the original imports; drink, and be drunken with loves: pledge the health that Christ begun; even asaving health to all nations. Are you ambitious? there is no preferment like that to be had here, in the Court of the King of Kings. David judged it no little thing to be Son in law to a King: but what is it then to be a King? Desire you stately buildings? Alas, the whole world is but a Cottage, a poor transient Tabernacle, to the h joh. 14. 2. Mansions promised by Christ. Lastly, are you covetous? Yet I need not ask that question, but take it as granted. Why then here is gold; more precious than that of Arabia, or of Havilah: rust or thief may distress that; this is a treasure can never be lost. What should I say more? What can win you? Which way soever your desires stands, God doth allure you. The best things in earth or in heaven are your bait. With these doth the Lord seek you; not for any need that he hath of you, but for your own salvation. When the fairest of all Beloveds doth thus woo us, let him win us: and espouse us to himself in grace, that we have the plenary marriage in glory. You see the Manner of their Warning. The Matter. That they should not return to Herod. Why not to Herod? Because the Lord now lets them see his hypocrisy. For howsoever he pretended. Ver. 8. to come and worship him; yet he intended not servire, but s●…uire: not to honour him, but to murder him. He calls the Wisemen privily, as if he quaked at the propagation of this news, for it came upon him like the pangs of death. He commands them to inquire the infant, not de rege; of the babe, not of the King; for that title galled him to the heart. That I may worship him. Dirum facinus tingit colore pietatis. It is a monstrous wickedness, which he would die in the colours of godliness. The Lord doth disappoint the purposes of Tyrants: though their Bows be bend, and their swords whet●…ed, yet the mark shall be removed: and they shall rather wound themselves, than their hated object. Though they be i Psal. 7. 14. great with child of iniquity, and conceive mischief, yet they shall bring forth but falsehood. Though those jews had bound themselves k Act. 23. 12. under a curse, neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. Yet if they had kept their vow, they had fasted to death. Though Sennacherib purposed to swallow up jerusalem at a morsel; yet the Lord mocked his menaces. l Esa. 37. 33. He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor cast a bank against it. Herod made himself sure of Christ, but the Lord deceived him again and again. First he struck him with extreme sottishness: that learning by the Wise men the birth of Christ, yet (though the matter in his thought touched his Crown) he sends none of his Courtiers with them under pretence of gratifying them: which might so have seized on that innocent Lamb; and not worshipped, but worreyed him. But the Lord so confounded his wits with the spirit of giddiness, that the Magi go alone. Next, now that his bloody hopes depend upon their return, behold they are sent home another way. So that m Ver. 16. he saw that he was mocked. Herod mocked the Wisemen, and God shall direct the Wisemen to mock Herod. He pretended to adore, whom he did abhor: and they do eum vulp●… vulpinara; beguile the Fox: yea rather ●…vicula lupum fallit: the Lamb deceives the Wolf. Simplicity goes beyond subtlety. A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper. Here was Herod's folly, that he would not suffer the King of the whole world, to be King in jury: that in fear of a Successor, he would kill his Saviour. Nay further: for fear of a strange heir, he kills his own heir. Which occasioned Augustus to say, that it was better being Herod's Hog then his heir. Here then see his cruelty: if his strength cannot take jesus, he will try his cunning: and last when his cunning fails, he falls to open violence again: sending forth men of war. Thus when Tyrants fail in their Politicians Rhetoric, they fall to the Carters Logic. You see the Informance, let us look upon their Performance. They departed into their own Country another way. All which (wanting time to prosecute the history) I will apply to ourselves. Their course home, shall teach us a course to our home: even to heaven and glory. Wherein I desire to observe these Circumstances Ourselves naturally lost: Our finding of Christ. Our charge not to return to Herod: But to go to our own Country; And that by another way. 1. Let it be granted, that we have all wandered from the way of life. n Esa. 53. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way. I would to God, every one would sentire, feel this in particular; and not only consentire, consent to it in general. o Math. 9 13. I am not come to call the righteous, saith Christ, but sinners to repentance. And Luke 15. he leaves the hypocritical 〈◊〉 to their own high-conceited purity, and seeks the lost sheep. We may here pause, and wonder, at our misery, at his mercy. We were so lost, that we could never find him: ●…e is so good, that he sought and found us invenit non quaerentes, non p●…rdet inue●…s. He found v●… not seeking him, being found he will not loose us. p Math. 11. 28. Come to me all that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The proud sinner who doth not find his sin; the careless, who doth not feel his sin; is not called. Only sentsentibus morbum promittitur medicina. Health is promised to those that feel their sickness. 2. Christ calls us, but how shall we come? Behold he sends us a Star for direction, his holy Word. q joh. 6. 68 Lord to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. Would you come to him that is vita, the life? You must come by him that is via, the Way. It is he Quò eundem, whether we would go: it is he Qua eundem, by which we must go. To his word then let us come with an honest heart: not to sleep, not to carp, not to gaze: but to observe attentively, to remember faithfully, and to practise obediently, what is there taught us. Neither must God only for his part afford us a Star for guidance; but we must also for our part bring feet to walk to him. These are three. 1. Contrition▪ a heart truly sorrowful for our former iniquities. He that is cast down by repentance, shall be raised up with joy. It is not possible to walk to God without this foot. He that goes to heaven, must wash his steps with tears. And he that hath this foot, shall make large paces to glory. Though he hath long lingered, he will now hast: as the malefactor stepped by this foot from the Cross to Paradise. 2. Faith. Sorrow may cast down too fast, too far. Though the head have leave to ache, yet let not the hand of faith be wanting to hold it. Though the eye be blubbered with tears, yet must it look through all that water to the clear Sun, jesus Christ. When the Law hath done the office in making thy sin manifest; thank it, and take thy leave of it: as thou wouldst do of a friend that hath done thee a good turn, but now grows troublesome. Put Moses behind thee, saith Luther: and fix thine eyes upon Christ; that r joh. 1. 29. Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world. Without this foot thou shalt step short of comfort. Faith must bring thee to the fountain of that s 1. joh. 1. 7. Blood, which shall wash away all thy sins. 3. Obedience: this foot must be continually used: all the days of thy life must thou travel in the ways of God with this foot. It knows and keeps Celerity, Integrity, Constancy. Celerity. t Psal. 119. 32. I will run the way of thy commandments. It makes haste, knowing that God will not be pleased with halting obedience: or with that zeal, that only goes a Parliament-pace. The Cripple was carried to the Temple: God loves not such limping zeal, that is Act. 3. carried to Church on two Crutches, Law & Custom: but that which with Peter and john, runs to the place where Christ is. But it is God, that a Psal. 18. 33. maketh our feet like the feet of hinds. Integrity: it turns not to the right hand, nor to the left, but goes strait on: b Heb. 12. 18. running with patience the race that is set before it. Therefore saith the Apostle. c ver. 13. Make strait paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way: for all false ways the Lord doth utterly abhor. d Psal. 12. 〈◊〉. The wicked walk on every side: they have circular goings, on every side of the truth, but the true way they cannot find. But Integrity is not so light heeled, to skip out of the way of righteousness, at every dog that reproachfully barks at it, nor at every Siren that temptingly would call it aside. The Devil, with all his force of terror or error cannot seduce it. Constancy: it is ever traveling, though through many hindrances. It hath a heavy load of flesh to burden it, and make every step tedious, yet it goes. Cares for family, troubles of contentious neighbours, frowning of great adversaries, malicious turbulency of the world; all offer to stay it, but it goes on. As if it had received the Apostles Commission, Salute none of these Remora's by the way; it resteth not till it see the salvation of God. The Lord e Psal. 56. 13. delivers the feet from falling, that it may walk before God in the light of the living. 3 We must not return back to Herod. Why not to Herod? He was a fit type of the Devil: and they that are recovered and escaped from him, should not fall back into his clutches. The Devil is like Herod, both for his subtlety and cruelty. The Herod's were all dissemblers, all cruel. There was Herod Ascalonita, Herod Antipas, and Herod Agrippa: all cruel in the butchering of God's Saints. Ascalonita necat pueros, Antipa johannem, Agrippa jacobum, mittitque in carcere Petrum. Ascalonite makes an earnest show of zeal to Christ: but he desired not subijcerese Christ●…, sedsib●… Christum: not to become subject to Christ, but to make Christ the sub iect of his fury. Antipas seemed to love john the Baptist, but he suffers a dancing foot to kick off his head. The cruelty of the other Herod was monstrous. He slew all those whom he could suspect to issue from the line of David: all the Infants of Bethlem under two years old, at one slaughter. He slew his kindred, his sister, his wife, his son. He cut the throats of joseph. Antiq. Lib. 17. cap. 8. many noble jews, whiles he lay on his death bed. Yea made it in his will, that so soon as ever the breath was out of his body, all the sons of the nobler Jews shut up into a safe place, should be instantly slain to bear him company. By this means he resolved, that some should lament his death, which otherwise would have been the cause of great joy. A wretched Testament, and fit for such a devil to make. That Devil we are charged not to return to, exceeds this both in subtlety and cruelty: even as much as a father may his Son. Herod was not so perfect a Master of his art. The wise men deceived Herod; he must be a wise man indeed that over-reaches Satan. Herod was a bungler to him: he trusted to instruments to destroy Christ; the Devil looks to that business himself. He can transform himself into an Angel of light: and rather than not draw men to hell, he will dissemble a love to heaven. He will speak good, that he may work evil: and confess the truth, that thereby he may procure credit to greater falsehood. He can stoop to the reprobate, like a tame horse till they get up and ride him: but when he hath them on his back, he runs post with them to hell. When he hath thus exercised his policy, will he spare his power? when his Fox's part is done, he begins his Lions. Blood, massacre, destruction are his softest embraces: horror and amazement are the pleasures of his Court: kill, kill, burn, burn, is the language of his tongue; to those miserable wretches, which must ever be burning, never consumed; ever killing, and never die. Oh then let us never return to Herod, nor venture on his mercy. The poor bird, that hath escaped the hawks talons, is careful to avoid his walk. The strayed Lamb, fallen into the wolves cave and delivered by the Shepherd, will no more straggle out of the flock. If the Lord jesus hath sought and brought us to himself by the Star of his Gospel, let us no more go back to Herod: flying the works of darkness, and serving the living God with an upright heart. Indeed they that are truly freed from his servitude, will never more become his vassals. Many seem escaped, that are not. If the adulterer return like the a 2. Pet. 2. 22. Hog to the mire, and the drunkard like the Dog to his vomit; it is likely that they love Herod well, for they go back to him. The minister may desire to b Rom. 15. 16. offer them up a living sacrifice to the Lord; but like wild beasts, they break the rope, and will not be sacrificed. But we c Luk. 1. 74. being delivered by Christ out of the hands of our enemies, must serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. 4. We must go to our own Country. In this world we are but strangers: though perhaps we think too well of these vanities, yet they are but foreign things, we have another home. We may be ravished with this earth, as Peter with Tabor, Bonum hic; it is good being here: but if we look up to that heaven which is our Country, Mundi calcamus inutile pondus. Behold, the very outside is fair: the outmost walls are beautified with glorious lights every one as a world for greatness, so a heaven for goodliness. All those spangles be as radiant stones, full of Lustre; pure gold to the dross of earthly things. What may we then think there is within? Yea whatsoever the wicked think, yet this world is but the thoroughfare: and it is not their home neither, though indeed they have their portion in this life. It is said of judas going to hell, that d Act. 1 25. he went to his own place: therefore that, and not this, is their own country; as sure as they think themselves of this world. In heaven there is all life, no death: in hell all death, no life: on earth men both live and die; passing through it as the wilderness, either to Egypt or Canaan. This earth as it is between both, so it prepares us for both: and sends every one to their own country; eternal joy, or everlasting sorrow. He that here dies to sin, shall hereafter live in heaven: he that lives in sin, shall hereafter die in hell. All sojourn, either with GOD, feeding on his graces, or with Satan surfe●…ing on his iniquities. They that will have Satan for their host in transgression, shall afterwards be his guests in perdition. But they that obey God as their master, shall also have him their father, and that for ever. Contemn we then this world: what though we have many sorrows here, & a still succession of miseries: we are not at home. What stranger looks for kind usage amongst his enemies? As well might the captive jews expect quiet among the babylonians. Thou art sure of a country wherein is peace. In that heaven the wicked have no part, though here much pleasure. When thou considerest this truly, thou wouldst not change portions with them. Let it be comfort sufficient, since we cannot have both, that we have by many degrees the better Their own country. Heaven is our own country. 1. Ours, ordained for us by God the Father. e Mat. 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit ye the kingdom. 2. Ours, purchased for us by God the Son. f Heb. 10. 19 We have boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of jesus. 3. Ours sealed to us by God the holy Ghost. g Eph. 4. 30. The Spirit of God seals us up to the day of redemption. h Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Ours thus, though we are not yet fully entered into it. Habemus ius ad rem, nondum in re. We are i ver. 17. heirs to it, though now we be but wards. Our minority bids & binds us to be as servants. The heir as long as he ᵏ Gal. 4. 1. is a child differs nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all. When we come to full years, a perfect growth in godliness, in mensuram staturae adulti Christ's, l Eph. 4. 13. to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, we shall have a plenary possession. It is ours already, not in re, but in spe; as Aug. Our common Law distinguisheth between two manner of freeholds. A freehold in deed when a man hath made his entry upon lands, and is thereof really seized. A freehold in law, when a man hath right to possessions, but hath not made his actual entry. So is this Country ours: ours Tenore juris, though not yet iure tenoris: ours in the inheritance of the possession, though not in the possession of the inheritance. To this country, our country, let us travel: and that we may do it the better, 5. The last circumstance shows us how; Another way, we must change the whole course of our inordinate conversation, and walk another way: even the King's highway to Paradise. m Euseb. Emissen. Hom. 1. de Epiph. Immutatio vi●…, emendatio vitae. The changing of the way, is the amending of our life. Repentance must teach us to tread a new path. To man truly penitent, Optimus portus est mutatio consi●…y: The best haven is the change of his life: n 1. King. 13. 9 not to turn Tertull. again by the same way that he came. Thus must we renounce our own wills, & old ways: and being made new creatures, take new paths. So Gregory. ᵒ We departed from our country by pride, disobedience, doting on visible delights, and pleasing the lusts of the flesh: we must therefore return by humilu●…e, obedience, contemning the world, and condemning the flesh. Quia Paradisi gaudijs per delectationem recessimus, ad h●…c per poenitentiam, tanquàm per novam viam, reuoca●…ur. We that departed from Paradise by sin, must return thither, by a new way, Repentance. Hast thou walked in lust? take another way; by purity and chastity. Didst thou travel with pride? there is another way to heaven, humility. p Mat●…. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Wert thou given to avarice? there is a new way to heaven; by charity. Ye have fed me hungry etc. Math. 25. therefore come ye blessed. Didst thou trudge with contention, and molesting thy neighbours with suits? this is the way to Westminster hall, there is another way to heaven. q Math. 5. 9 Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be called the children of God. Didst thou trade in usury? this is the way to the Exchange: thou must exchange this way if thou wilt come to glory. Hast thou forredged with oppression? Thou must with Zaccheus seek out another way. r Luk. 19 8. If I have taken any thing from any man by false dealing, I restore him fourfold. Let the drunken epicure, malicious repiner, seditious incendiary, dissembling hypocrite, unjust oppressor, leave their wretched paths: & seek another way to happiness. God give us all grace to find this way of Repentance, that we may come at last to our own Country, peace and rest with jesus Christ. Amen. SEMPER IDEM OR The Immutable mercy Of jesus Christ. HEBR. 13. 8. jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. BY the name of jehovah was God known to Israel; from the time of the first mission of Moses to them, and their manumission out of Egypt: and not before. For saith God to Moses a Exod. 6. 3. I appeared unto Abraham, and unto Isaac, and unto jacob, by the Name of God Almighty; but by my Name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. This (I Am) is an eternal word, comprehending three times; that was, that is, and is to come. Now to testify the equality of the Son to the Father, the Scripture gives the same Eternity to jesus, that it doth to jehovah. He is called Alpha and Omega, Primus & novissimus, the First and the Last: which is, which was, and which is to come. Revel. 1. and here the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Therefore he was not only Christus Dei, the Anointed of God; but Christus Deus, God himself Anointed. Seeing that Eternity which hath neither beginning nor ending, is only peculiar and proper to God. The words may be distinguished into a Centre Circunference Mediate Line, referring the one to the other. The immovable Centre is jesus Christ. The Circumference that runs round about him here, is Eternity: Yesterday, to day & for ever. The Mediate line referring them is. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The same▪ jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. The Centre is jesus Christ. jesus was his proper Name, Christ his appellative. jesus a name of his nature, Christ of his Office and dignity; as Divines speak. jesus a Name of all sweetness. b Bern. in Can. Mell in ora, Melos in a●…re, iubilus in cord. A reconciler, a Redeemer, a Saviour. When the conscience wrestles with Law, Sin, Death; nothing but horror and despair without jesus. He is c joh. 14. 6. the way, the Truth, and the Life: without him Error, Me●…dacium, Mors. Si scribas, non placet, nisi legam ibi jesum: saith Bernard. If thou writest to me, thy letter doth not please me, unless I read there jesus. If thou conferrest, thy discourse is not sweet, without the name of jesus. The blessed restorer of all, of more than all that Adam lost▪ for we have gotten more by his regenerating grace, than we lost by Adam's degenerating Sinne. Christ is the Name of his Office: being appointed and anointed of God, a King, a Priest, a Prophet. This jesus Christ is our Saviour: of whose names I forbear further discourse, being unable, though I had the tongue of Angels, to speak aught worthy ●…anto Nomine, Tanto Numine. All that can be said, is but a little: but I must say but a little in all. But of all names given to our Redeemer still jesus is the sweetest. O●…er, saith Bern. are names of Majesty, jesus is a name of mercy. The Word of God, the Son of God, the Christ of GOD, are titles of Glory: jesus a Saviour, is a title of grace, mercy, redemption. This jesus Christ is the Centre of this Text: and not only of this, but of the whole Scripture. The Sum of Divinity is the Scripture: the Sum of the Scripture is the Gospel, the Sum of the Gospel is jesus Christ. In a word, Nihil continet verbum Domini, nisi verbum Dominum. There is nothing contained in the word of God, but God the Word. Nor is he the Centre only of his Word, but of our rest and Peace. d 1. Cor. 2. 〈◊〉. I determined not to know any thing among you, save jesus Christ, and him crucified. Thou hast made us for thee. O Christ; and our heart is unquiet till it rest in thee. It is natural to every thing appettere centrum, to desire the Centre. But e Col. 3. 3. our life is hid with Christ in God. We must needs amare, where we must animare. Our mind is where our pleasure is, our heart is where our treasure is, our love is where our life is: but all these, our pleasure, treasure, life, are reposed in jesus Christ. Thou art my Portion, O Lord, saith David. Take the world that please, let our Portion be Christ. f Mat. 19 27. We have left all, saith Peter, and followed thee: you have lost nothing by it, saith Christ; for you have gotten me. Nimis avarus est, cui non sufficit Christus. He is too covetous, whom jesus Christ cannot satisfy. Let us seek this Centre, saith g In Io●…an. August. Qu●…ramus inveniendum, quaeramus inventum. Vt inveniendus qu●…ratur, paratus est: ut inventus qu●…ratur, immensus est. Let us seek him, till we have found him: and still seek him when we have found him. That seeking we may find him, he is ready: that finding we may seek him, he is infinite. You see the Centre. The referring Line proper to this Centre, is Semper Idem. The same. There is no mutability in Christ: h jam. 1. 17. no variableness, nor shadow of turning. All lower lights have their inconstancy; but in the Father of lights there is no changeableness. The Sun hath his shadow; the the i Mal. 4. 2. Son of righteousness is without shadow: that turns upon the Dial, but Christ hath no turning. k joh. 13. 1. Whom he loves, he loves to the end. He loves us to the end; of his love there is no end. Tempus crit consummandi, nullus consumendi misericordiam. His mercy shall be perfected in us, never ended. l ●…sa. 54. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, for a moment: but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. His wrath is short, his goodness is everlasting. m Ver. 10. The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed: but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee. The mountains are stable things, the hills steadfast: yet hills, mountains, yea the whole earth shall totter on the foundations; yea the very n 2. Pet. 3. 10. heavens shall pass away with a noise, and the elements shall melt with heat; but the Covenant of God shall not be broken. o Hos. 2. 19 I will betrothe thee unto me for ever; saith God. This marriage-bond shall never be canceled; nor sin, nor death, nor hell shall be able to divorce us. Six & twenty times in one p Psal. 136. Psalm that sweet singer chants it: His mercy endureth for ever. jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. As this meditation distills into our believing hearts much comfort, so let it give us some instructions. Two things it readily teacheth us; a Diswasive caution. Persuasive lesson. 1. It dissuades our confidence in worldly things because they are inconstant. How poor a space do●… they remain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the same! To prove this, you have in the first of judges. Ver. 6. a jury of threescore and ten Kings, to take their oaths upon it. Every one had his throne, yet there licks crumbs under another King's table: and shortly even this King, that made them all so miserable, is made himself most miserable. Solomon compares wealth to a wild fowl. q Prou. 23. 5. Riches make themselves wings, they fly away, as an Eagle toward heaven. Not some tame house-bird or a hawk that may be fetched down with a lure, or found again by her bells: but an Eagle, that violently cuts the air, and is gone past recalling. Wealth is like a bird: it hops all day from man to man, as that doth from tree to tree; and none can say, where it will roost or rest at night. It is like a vagrant fellow, which because he is big boned & able to work, a man takes in a doors, and cherisheth; and perhaps for a while he takes pains: but when he spies opportunity, the fugitive servant is gone, and takes away more with him then all his service came to. The world may seem to stand thee in some stead for a season, but at last it irrevocably runs away, and carries with it thy joys; thy gods, as Rachel stole Laban's Idols: thy peace and content of heart goes with it, and thou art left desperate. You see how quickly riches cease to be the same: and can any other earthly thing boast more stabillitie? Honour must put off the robes when the play is done: make it never so glorious a show on this world's stage, it hath but a short part to act. A great name of worldly glory is but like a peal rung on the bells: the Common people are the clappers: the rope that moves them is popularity: if you once let go your hold & leave pulling, the clapper lies still, and farewell honour. Strength, though like r 1. Kin. 13. 4. jeroboam, it put forth the arm of oppression, shall soon fall down withered. Beauty is like an Almanac: if it last a year, 'tis well. Pleasure like lightning: ●…ritur, moritur: sweet, but short: a flash and away. All vanities are but butterflies, which wanton children greedily catch for: and sometimes they fly besides Anselm. meditat. them, sometimes before them, sometimes behind them, sometimes close by them; yea through their fingers, and yet they miss them: and when th●… have them, they are but butterflies; they have painted wings, but are crude and squalid worms. Such are the things of this world, vanities, butterflies. Vel sequendo labimur, vel assequendo l●…dimur. The world itself is not unlike a Hartechoke: nine parts of it are unprofitable leaves, scarce the tithe is good: about it there is a l●…ttle picking meat, nothing so wholesome as dainty: in the midst of it there is a core, which is enough to choke them that devour it. O than set not your hearts upon these things: calcanda sunt, as Jerome observes on Act. 4. They that sold their possessions, brought the prizes, and laid them down Act. 4. 35. at the Apostles feet. At their feet, not at their hearts: they are fitter to be trodden under feet, then to be waited on with hearts. I conclude this with Augustine. Ecce turbat mundus, & amatur: quid si tranquillus esset? Formoso quomodo h●…reres, qui sic amplecteris soedum? Flores eius quam colligeres, qui sic a spinis non revocas manum. quam confideres ●…terno, qui sic adh●…res caduco? Behold, the world is turbulent and full of vexation, yet it is loved; how would it be embraced if it were calm and quiet? If it were a beauteous damosel how would they dote on it; that so kiss it being a deformed stigmatic. How greedily would they gather the flowers, who will not forbear the thorns? They that so admire it being transient and temporal; how would they be enamoured on it if it were eternal? But s 1. joh. 2. 17. the world passeth, and God abideth. t Heb. 1. 11. 12 They shall perish, but thou remainest: they all shall wax old as doth a garment: and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art The Sam●…, and thy years shall not fail. Therefore u 1. Tim. 6. 17. trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God. And then x Psal. 125. 1. they that trust in the Lord; shall be as M●…unt Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. jesus Christ the Sa●… yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 2. This persuades us to an imitation of Christ's Constancy. Let the stableness of his mercy to us, work a stableness of our love to him. And howsoever like the lower Orbs, we have a natural motion of our own from good to evil: yet let us suffer the higher power to move us supernaturally from evil to good. There is in us indeed a reluctant flesh; a Rom. 7. 23. a Law in our members warring against the Law of our mind. So August. confesseth. b Confes. lib. 8. cap. 10. Nec planè nolebam, nec planè volebam. And Eg●… era●… qui volebam, ego qui nolebam. I neither fully granted, nor plainly denied: and it was I myself, that both would, and would not. But our ripeness of Christianity must overgrow fluctuant thoughts. Irresolution and unsteddines is hateful, and unlike to our master Christ, who is ever The Same. c jam. 1. 8. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. The inconstant man is a stranger in his own house: all his purposes are but guests: his heart is the Inn: if they lodge there for a night, it is all; they are gone in the morning. Many motions come crowding together upon him: and like a great press at a narrow door, whiles all strive, none enter. The Epigrammatist wittily. Omnia cum facias, miraris cur facias nil: Posthume, rem solam qui facit, ille facit. Marul. ●…pigr. lib. 3. He that will have an oar for every man's boat, shall have none left to row his own. They, saith Melancton, that will know aliquid in omnibus, shall indeed know nihil in toto. Their admiration or dotage of a thing is extreme for the time, but it is a wonder, if it outlive the age of a wonder, which is allowed but nine days. They are angry with Time, and say the times are dead, because they produce no more innovations. Their inquiry of all things is not quam bonum, but quam novum! They are almost weary of the Sun for continual shining. Continuance is a sufficient quarrel against the best things: and the Manna of heaven is loathed, because it is common. This is not to be always the same, but never the same: and whiles they would be every thing, they are nothing: but like the worm Pliny writes of, multipoda; that hath many feet, yet is of slow pace. A while you shall have him in England, loving the simple truth: anon in Rome groveling before an Image: soon after, he leaps to Amsterdam: and yet must he still be turning, till there be nothing left but to turn Turk. To winter an opinion is too tedious: he hath been many things; what he will be, you shall scarce know, till he is nothing. But the God of Constancy would have his to be constant. Steadfast in your faith to him. Colos. 1. Continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from Colos. 1. 23. the hope of the Gospel. Steadfast in your faithfulness to man, d Psal. 15. 4. promising and not disappointing. Do not aliud stantes, aliud sed●…tes: lest your changing with God, teach God to change with you. e Ambr. in luc. lib. 5. Nemo potest tibi Christum ●…uferre, ●…isi t●… illi auferas. No man can turn Christ from thee, unless thou turn thyself from Christ. For jesus Christ the same yesterday, etc. We come now to the Circumference; wherein is a distinction of three times; Past, Present, Future. Tempora mutantur: the times change, the Circumference wheels about; but the Centre is the same for ever. We must resolve this Triplicity into a Triplicity. Christ is the same according to these three distinct terms, three distinct ways. Obiectiuè, in his Word. Subiectiuè, in his Power. Effectiuè, in his gracious Operation. Obiectively. jesus Christ is the same in his word; and that Yesterday in Preordination. To day in Incarnation. For ever in Application. Yesterday in Preordination. So Saint Peter in his Sermon tells the jews, that f Act. 2. 23. he was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. And in his Epistle; that g 1. Pet. 1. 20. he was verily preordained before the foundation of the world. Revel. 13. He is called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Prius Reu. 13. 8. pr●…fuit, quamfuit. His Prophets did foretell him, the Types did prefigure him, God himself did promise him. R●…tus or do Dei: the decree of God is constant. Much comfort I must here leave to your meditation. If God preordained a Saviour for man, before he had either made man, or man marred himself: (as Paul to Timothy; h 2. Tim. 1. 9 he hath saved us according to his own purpose a●…d grace, which was given us in Christ jesus before the world began.) then surely he meant that nothing should i Rom. 8. 39 separate us from his eternal love in that Saviour. Quos 〈◊〉 increatos, rede●…it perditos, non deseret redemptos. Whom he chose before they were created, and when they were lost redeemed, he will not forsake being sanctified. To day in Incarnation. k Gal. 4. 4. When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a Woman. l joh. 1. 14. The word was made flesh: which was, saith Emissenus, m Hom. 2. de Nati●…. Christi. Non deposita, sed seposit●… maiestate. Thus he became younger then-his Mother, that is as eternal as his Father. He was Yesterday God before all worlds, he is now made man in the World. n Euseb. Emiss. ubi supra. Sanguinem, qu●…m pro matre ●…btulit, antea de sanguine matris accepit. The blood that he shed for his Mother, he had from his Mother. The same Eusebius▪ on the 9 of Esay acutely. o Esa. 9 6. Unto us a child is borne, unto us a Son is given. He was Datus ex Divinitate, natus ex virgine. Datus est qui erat; natus est qui non erat. He was Given of the Deity, Borne of the virgin: He that was given, was before: he as borne, was before. Donum dedit Deus ●…quale sibi, God gave a gift equal to himself. So he is the same yesterday, and to day, obiectively in his Word. Idom qui velatus in veteri, reu●…latus in none. In illo praedictus, in isto praedicatus. Yesterday prefigured in the Law, to day the same manifested in the Gospel. For ever in Operation. He doth continually by his Spirit apply to our consciences the virtue of his death and passion. p joh. 1. 12. As many as receive him, to them gives ●…e power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name. q Heb. 10. 14. By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. This is sure comfort to us: though he died almost 1600. years ago, his blood is not yet dry: his wounds are as fresh to do us good, as they were to those Saints that beheld them bleeding on the Crosse. The virtue of his merits is not abated, though many thousand hands of Faith have taken large portions out of his treasury. The river of his Grace, which makes glad the city of God, runs over the banks, though infinite souls have drunk hearty draughts, and satisfied their thirst. But because we cannot apprehend this for ourselves of ourselves; therefore he hath promised to send us the r joh. 14. 17. Spirit of truth, who will dwell with us, and apply this to us. for ever. Thus you have seen the first Triplicity; how he is the Same Obiectively in his Word. Now he is Subiunctively in his Power the Same; and that Yesterday, for he made the world. To day, for he governs the world. For ever, for he shall judge the world. Yesterday in the Creation. s joh. 1. 3. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. t Col. 1. 16. By him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. All things; even the great and fair book of the world; of three so large leaves, Coelum, Solum, Salum; Heaven, Earth, and Sea. The Prophet calls him a Esa. 9 6. the Everlasting Father: Daniel, b Dan. 7. Ancient of days. Solomon says that, c Prov. 8. 22. the Lord possessed him in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. So himself told the unbelieving jews: d joh. 8. 58. Before Abraham was, I am. We owe then ourselves to Christ for our creation, but how much more for our redemption? e Bern. de dilig. Deo. Si totum me debeo pro ine facto, quid addam iam pro me refecto? In primo opere me mihi dedit: in secundo se mihi dedit. If I owe him my whole self for making me, what have I left to pay him for redeeming me? In the first work he gave myself to me, in the second he gave himself to me. By a double right we owe him ourselves: we are worthy of a double punishment, if we give him not his own. To day in the Governing: f He●…. 1. 3. He upholdeth all things by the word of his power. He is Paterfamilias; and disposeth all things in this universe, with greater care and p●…ence, than any householder can menage the bu●…nesse of his private family. He leaves it not, as the Carpenter having built the frame of a house, to others to perfect it; but looks to it himself. His Creation and Providence is like the Mother and the Nurse: the one produceth, the other preserveth. His creation was a short providence, his providence a perpetual creation. The one sets up the frame of the house, the other keeps it in reparation. Neither is this a disparagement to the Majesty of God, as the vain Epicures imagined, curare minima, to regard the least things: but rather an honour, curare infinita, to regard all things. Neither doth this extend only to natural things, chained together by a regular order of succession: but even to casual and contingent things. Oftentimes cum aliud volumus, aliud agimus; the event crosseth our purpose. Which must content us though it fall out otherwise then we purposed, because God purposed as it is fallen out. It is enough that the thing attain the own end, though it miss ours: that Gods will be done, though ours be crossed. But let me say; g Mat. 6. 26. 28 Hath God care of fo●…les and flowers, and will he not care for you, his own Image? Yea let me go further; Hath God care of the wicked? Doth he power down the happy influences of heaven on the h Mat. 5. 45. unjust man's ground? And shall the faithful want his blessing? Doth he provide for the Sons of Beliall, and shall his own children lack? He may give meat and raiment to the rest, but his bounty to Benjamin shall exceed. If M●…b his Wash-pot taste of his benefits, than judah the signet on his finger cannot be forgotten. The King governs all the Subjects in his Dominions, but his servants that wait in his Court, partake of his most Princely favours. God heals the sores of the very wicked: but if it be told him, i joh. 11. 3. Lord, he whom thou lovest, is sick 〈◊〉 enough, he shall be healed. The wicked may h●…●…utward blessings without inward, and that is Esau's pottage without his Birthright: but the elect have inward blessings though they want outward, and that is Jacob's inheritance without his pottage. For ever, because he shall judge the world. k Act. 17. 31. GOD hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that M●…n whom he hath ordained. l Rom. 2. 16. In the day that God shall judge the secrets of m●…n by jesus Christ. Let the wicked flatter themselves, that all is but talk of any coming to judgement: non aliud videre patres aliudve n●… p●…tes aspic●…nt: all is but terriculamenta nutricum, mere scar-babes. Scribar●…m pe●… mendaces: they have written lies; there is no such matter. But when they shall see that Lamb, m Re●…. 〈◊〉. 7. whom they have pierced and scorned, n Reu. 6. 16. they shall cry to the mountains and rocks, Fall upon us and cover us. Now they flatter themselves with his death: mortuus est, he is dead and gone: and Mortuum Caesarem quis ●…etuit? Who fears even a Caesar when he is dead? But o Reu. 1. 18. he that was dead, liveth: behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen. jesus Christ yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Qu●…sitor sc●…erum veniet, vindexque reorum. Here is matter of infallible comfort to us. p Luk. 21. 28. Lift up your heads, for your Redemption draweth nigh. Here we are imprisoned, martyred, tortured: but when that great Assize, and general goal-delivery comes; M●…s non ●…rit ultra: q Reu. 21. 4. there shall be no more death, nor sorrow; but all tears shall be wiped from our eyes. r 2. Thes. 1. 6. 7. For it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels. We shall then find him the S●…: the same Lamb that bought us, shall give us a venit●… beati; Co●…e ye blessed, receive your kingdom. s Reu. 22. 20. Surely I come quickly, A●…on. Even so, Come Lord jesus. Effectually in his Grace and Mercy; so he is the▪ Same Yesterday to our fathers. To day to ourselves. For ever to our children. Yesterday to our Fathers. All our Fathers, whose souls are now in heaven, those Spirits of just men made perfect. Hebr. 12. were, as Heb. 12. 24. the next words intimate, saved by jesus the mediator of the new Covenant, and by the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things then that of Abel. Whether they lived under Nature, or under the Law, Christ was their expectation; and they were justified credendo in venturum Christum; by believing in the Messias to come. So Luke 2. Simeon is said to wait for the consolation of Luk. 2. 25. & ver. 38. Israel. To day to ourselves. His mercy is everlasting: his truth endureth from generation to generation. The same gracious Saviour, that he was Yesterday to our Fathers, is he To day to us, if we be to day faithful to him. All catch at this comfort, but in vain without the hand of Faith. There is no deficiency in him, but is there none in thee? Whatsoever Christ is, what art thou? He forgave Mary Magd. many grievous sins; so he will forgive thee if thou canst shed Mary magdalen's tears. He took the malefactor from the Cross to Paradise; thither he will receive thee if thou have the same faith. He was merciful to a denying Apostle: challenge thou the like mercy if thou have the like repentance. If we will be like these, Christ assuredly will be ever like himself. When any shall prove to be such a sinner, he will not fail to be such a Saviour. To day he is thine, if to day thou wilt be his: thine to morrow, if yet to morrow thou wilt be his. But how if dark death prevent the morrows light? He was Yesterday, so wert thou: he is to day, so art thou: he is to morrow, so perhaps mayest thou not be. Time may change thee, though it cannot change him. He is not (but thou art) subject to mutation. This I dare boldly say; He that reputes but one day before he dies, shall find Christ the same in mercy and forgiveness. Wickedness itself is glad to hear this: but let him be faithful on his part, as God is merciful on his part: let him be sure that he repent one day before he dies: whereof he cannot be sure except he repent every day. For no man know●… his last day. Latet ultimus dies, ut obseruetur omnis dies. Therefore (saith Augustine) we know not our last day, that we might observe every day. a Psal. 95. 7. To day therefore hear his voice. Th●… hast lost yesterday negligently, losest to day wilfully, and therefore moist loose for ever inevitably. It is just with God, to punish two days neglect, with the loss of the third. The hand of faith may be withered, the spring of Repentance dried up, the Eye of Hope blind, the Foot of Charity lame. To day then hear his voice, and make him thine. Yesterday is lost, To day may be gotten, but that once gone, and thou with it; when thou art dead and judged, it will do thee small comfort, that jesus Christ is the S●…e for ever. For ever to our Children. He that was yesterday the God of Abraham, is to day ours, and will be for ever our children's. As well now b Luk. 2. 32. the light of the Gentiles, as before the glory of Israel. I will be the God of thy seed, saith the Lord to Abraham. c Luk. 1. 50. His mercy is 〈◊〉 them that fear him, fr●… generation to generation. Many parents are ●…ollicitously perplexed, how their children shall do when they are dead. Yet they cosider not, how God provided for them when they were children. Is the Lor●… 〈◊〉 shortened▪ Did he take thee from thy mother's breasts; and wh●… thy ●…arents for sook thee, as the Psalmist saith, became thy Father? And cannot this experienced mercy to thee, persuade thee, that he will not for▪ sake thine? Is not jesus Christ the s●… yesterday, & to day, and for ever? I have been young, saith d Psal. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 David, and 〈◊〉 now old: yet have I not s●…ne the right●…s forsaken: (that is granted; nay) nor his seed begging bread. Many distrustful Fathers are so carking for their posterity; that whiles they live, they starve their bodies, and hazard their souls, to leave them rich. To such a Father it is said justly. Di●… es h●…di, pauper i●…psque tibi. Like an over-kind Hen, he feeds his Chickens, and famisheth himself. If usury, circumvention, oppression, extortion, can make them rich, they shall not be poor. Their folly is ridiculous: they fear lest their children should be miserable, yet take the only course to make them miserable. For they leave them not so much heirs to their goods, as to their evils. They do as certainly inherit their Father's sins, as their lands. e job. 21. 19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: and 〈◊〉 ●…fspring shall wa●… a ●…sell of b●…d. On the contr●…ry. f Psal. 37. 26. The good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a●…d l●…ndeth: and his seed i●… bl●…ssed. That the worldling thinks shall make his posterity poor, God saith shall make the good man's rich. The g Exod. 20. 6. Precept gives a promise of mercy to Obedience; not only confined in himself, but extended to his s●…d, and that even to a ●…sand generations. Trust th●… Christ with thy children: when thy friends shall 〈◊〉, usury 〈◊〉 no dat●…, oppression be condemned to hell, thyself ro●…en to dust, the world itself turned and burned into Cinders▪ still jesus Christ is the same Yesterday, and today, and for 〈◊〉. Now then. Reu. 1. 〈◊〉 Grace and Pea●… are from him Which is, and Which Reu. 1. 4. 〈◊〉, and Which is to come. So Glory and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him, Which i●…, Which was, and Which is to come: even to jesus Christ the sa●… Yesterday, & today, and for e●…r. GOD'S BOUNTY OR The blessings of both his hands. Prov. 3. 16. Length of days is i●… her right hand: and in her left hand, riches and honour. BY Wisdom, here the consent of Diuin●… understandeth the Son of God, the Saviour of Man. In the first to the 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 1. 24. he is called the Wisdom of God. a Col. 2. 3. In 〈◊〉 are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge. Wisdom is formerly commended for her Beauty, here for her Bounty. Length of days is in her right hand; in her left riches and honour. Conceive her a glorious Queen sitting in 〈◊〉 throne of M●…iestie, and ●…lling her children about her, to the participation of those riches, which from everlasting she had decreed them. Not to travel far for distribution, the parts of this Text are as easily distinguished, as the Right hand from the Left. Here be two Hands, and they contain two sorts of treasures. The Right hand hath in it Length of days: the Lest, riches and honour. The right hand Is upon good reason preferred; both for it own worth whereby it excels, and for the worth of the treasure which it contains. It hath ever had the dignity as the dexterity. Length of days Is the treasure it holds. This cannot be properly understood of this mortal life: though the sense may also stand good with such an interpretation. b Prou. 9 11. For by me, saith Wisdom, thy days shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: and the years of thy life shall be increased. Wisdom is the mother of abstinence, and abstinence the Nurse of health. Whereas voluptuousness and Intemperance, (as th●… French Proverb hath it) Digges the own g●…e with the teeth. But all a man's Wisdom cannot keep him still alive. c Eccl. 2. 16. The wise man dieth, as the fool, saith Solomon. And the Father of Solomon excludes it from having power to keep a man. d Psal. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he should live still for e●…r, and not see ●…rruption. Me●…ushalem lived nine hundred sixty and nine years; yet he was the Son of E●…ch, who was the son of ●…ared, who was the son of 〈◊〉, who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of 〈◊〉, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of A●…, who was the son of dust. The best constitutions, that communicate in the sanguine of the Rose, and Snow of the Lily, have this parentage; they are the sons and daughters of dust. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i●… not 〈◊〉 to the Poles, nor are these days measured by the Sun in his Zodiac: all is pitched above the Wheel of changeable mortality. It is Eternity that fills the Right hand of Wisdom. Length of days. Days for the clarity. Length for the Eternity. Days. Man's life in this world is called a Day: a short day, a sharp day. Short, for instat vesper: it is not sooner morning, but it is presently night. The Sun of life quickly sets, after it is once risen. Sharp; for misery is borne with life, brought up with life, and to the good dies with life: to the wicked remains in death. Like Hippocrat●… twins, inseparable in their beginning, process, end. So that aged Patriarch to Pharaoh. e Gen. 47. 9 My days have been few and evil, So. job. f job. 14. 1. Man is of few days, and many troubles. g Petrarch. Animal ●…vi brevissimi, solicit●…dinis infinitae. And Paul calls it h Ephe. 6. 13. the evil day. It is somewhat to comfort, that though it be sharp, Evil: yet it is but short, a Day. i Ephe. 5. 16. Redeem the time, for the days are evil. But howsoever Semper mali dies in seculo, yet semper boni dies in Domino: as k In Psal. 33. Augustine sweetly. Though the world hath always evil days, yet God hath always good days. And this Day shall have no night. Nox non erit illic. l Reu. 21. 25. There shall be no night. The Sun that enlightens it; cannot be eclipsed. m Ver. 23. That city hath no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon, to shine in it: for the Glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light of it. No clouds shall draw a vail of obscurity over it. Here the light of the Sun darkens the Moon, and the Moon obscures the lustre of the Stars: Sometimes half the earth is in light, the rest in darkness. But in these Days, Albeit n 1. Cor. 15. 41●… there is one glory of the SUN, another of the MOON, and another of the STARS; and one star differeth from another star in glory: yet the light of one increaseth the light of another: and the glory of one, is the glory of all. o Aug. Medit. cap. 25. Dispar est glo●… 〈◊〉, sed 〈◊〉 Laetitia omnium. So in sum, here we live but a short day; Give us this day our daily bread. But in that world we shall have Days, & those good days, and great days; days of eternal length, for they shall have no night. Length. As the glory is clear for the Countenance, so it is long for the Continuance. Nullus erit defectus, nullus ●…erminus. There shall be 〈◊〉 charit●…, chara ●…rnitas Gods eternal decree to choose v●… in Christ had no beginning, but it shall have an end: when the elect are taken up to glory. The possession of this decreed Inheritance shall have a beginning, but no end p 1. Thess. 4. 17 We shall e●…er be with the Lord. God's mercy in both hath neither beginning nor end; for it is from everlasting to everlasting. Here then is both the Countenance; it is a clear day: and the Continuance, it is of length; the very same Length that everlastingness itself. Hezekiahs' day was a long day, when q 2. King. 20. 11 The shadow of the sun went ten degrees backward in the dial of Ab●…. josuah had a long day; when the Sun stood still in Gibeon, and the Moon in the valley of 〈◊〉. r josh. 10. 14. And there was no day like that before it, or after it. But both these days had their nights; and the long forbearing sun at last did set. Here the days are so long, that it shall never be night. You see the clearness and the length: both are expressed. Dan. 12. They that be ●…ise, shall shine as the firmament, and they that turn many to righteous●…es, as the Dan. 12. 3. stars; there is the clarity: and that for ever and ever, there is the Eternity. There is nothing made perfectly happy, but by Eternity; as nothing but eternity can make perfect misery. Were thy life a continued scene of pleasures, on whose stage grief durst n●…uer set his unwelcome foot: were the spoil of Noah's Ark the cates of thy table: hadst thou king Salomon's wardrobe and treasury: Did the west Indie send thee all her gold, and the East her spices: and all these lying by thee whiles a late succession of years without car●…, snows white upon thy head: thou we●… ever indulgent to thyself, and health to thee. Yet suddenly there comes an impartial Pursuivant, death; and he hath a charge to take thee away 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, bathing thyself in thy delights. Alas; what i●… 〈◊〉 thy glory but a short play, f●…ll of mirth till the last act, and that goes off in a tragedy. Couldst thou not have made death more welcome, if he had found thee lying on a pad of straw, feeding on cr●…s and water gruel? Is not thy pain the more troublesome, because thou wast well? Doth not the end of these temporary joys a●…ict thee more, then if they had never been? Only then eternity can give perfection to pleasure: which because thi●… world cannot afford, let us reckon of it as it is, a mee●…e Through 〈◊〉: and desi●… our Home, wh●… we shall be happy for 〈◊〉. In her Left hand, riches and honour. The gift of the right hand is large and eternal, of the left▪ short and 〈◊〉. Yet you see, I am short in the long part, give me leave to be long in the short part. Herein we have many things considerable. 1. That Riches and H●…r are God●… gifts. 2. That all are not so, but some: and therefore it is necessary for us to learn, whether God gave unto us that riches and honour which we have. 3. That albeit they are his gifts, yet but the gifts of his left hand. 4 That wealth and worship are for the most part companions; for both those gif●… lie in one and the same hand. 1. Riches and honour are God●… gifts, therefore i●… themselves not evil. Sunt Dei 〈◊〉, ●…rgo i●… se bona. Saith Augustine▪ s Ep. 70. ad Bonif. Ne p●…tentur ●…a, 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b●…na, 〈◊〉 & ●…lis. That they may not be thought evil, they are given to good men: that they may not be thought the best good, they are given also to evil men. A rich man may be a good man, and a poor man may be wicked. Christ sanctified 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉; and that in his 〈◊〉 Life Death. 1. In his Birth: he sanctified Pouerti●…, when hi●… chamber of presence was a Stable, his cr●…dle a manger, his royal robes course rags. He sanctified Ric●…, when he rec●…ed of the wise men preciou●… 〈◊〉 t Mat. 〈◊〉. 11. G●…ld, Frankincense, and Mirth, Que 〈◊〉 ipsissi●…●…la, dedignatus ess●…t. Which if they had been simply evil, he would not have accepted. 2. In hi●… Life: he sanctified 〈◊〉 when he was maintained 〈◊〉, having no garment to put on; and the good women kept him by their contributions. He was glad to borrow an Ass colt, when he was to ride: and to angle for mon●…y in the sea, when he paid tribute. And (〈◊〉 if he wanted a bed) to complain; u Mat. 8. 20. Th●… Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests: but the Son of 〈◊〉 hath not wh●…re to rest his head. He sanctified Riches, when he called a Luk. 19 2. Zaccheus a wealthy usurer, and raised b john. 11. Lazarus a wealthy citizen, had his c joh. 12. 6. S●…d which gave alms to the distressed, and bo●… his p●…se. And like a Prince, feasted thousands at one banquet. 3. In his Death. He sanctified P●…ertie, when he had not a Grave of his own, but was buried in another man's d Luk. 23. 53. Sepulchre: nay, not a sheet to wrap him in, but was beholding to another for his linen. And even dying converted a poor malefactor on the Cross by him. He sanctified Riches, when he accepted the kindness of joseph, (whom Matthew calls a e Mat. 27. 57 rich man, Mark an f Mark. 15. 42. honourable) for his sepulture: and g joh. 19 39 Nichodemus his costly unction, even an hundredth pound weight, mixed with myrrh, and aloes. Though riches be to some pernicious; a fuming wine which turns their brains: yet to others they are a vessel, wherein they may with more speed sail to heaven: though no compass, star, or cause, to bring them thither. Others are called by David, ●…iri divitiarum, Men of riches: because they possess not their riches, but their riches have subjugated them. We have a kind of presage, though we conceive it not, in saying of such a one; He is a man of wealth. The speech signifies him a slave to his riches: the wealth is not the man's, but the man the wealths. But otherwise a rich man may be a good man: for wickedness is not bound to wealthiness, as heat is to fire: and arrogancy or lewdness may be incident to poverty and baseness. Pauper superbus: a poor man proud, was one of Cyprians twelve abuses. A rotten log will yield as much sawdust, as a piece of good timber: & a peasant ill nurtured, is also ill natured. A great gentleman will show more humble courtesy, than a thrashing hind, or a toiling ploughman. Hagar was but a Gipsy, a bondwoman yet was her excellent mistress Sara h Gen. 16. 4. despised in her eyes. As Ier●…m reproved the Monks. Quid facit sub t●…ica p●…nitentis regimus animus? So not seldom a ●…sset coat shrouds as high a heart, as a silken garment. You shall have a pal●…rie cottage send up more black smoke, than a goodly manor. It is not wealth therefore, but vice that excludes men out of heaven. The Friars and Jesuits have very strongly & strangely backbited Riches: but all their railing on it is but behind the back: secretly and in their hearts they love it. When they are out of the reach of eyes, than Gold is their Sun by day, and silver their Moon by night. Some of them for enforced want, like the fox dispraise the grapes they cannot reach. Or as Eusebius notes of Licinius the Emperor; that he used to rail at learning, & to say, nothing worse became a prince, because himself was illiterate. So they commend nothing more than Poverty, because they are, & must be poor, against their wills. Others of them find fault with Riches, whereof they have great store; but would that none should covet it beside themselves. So the cozening Epicure made all his fellow guests believe, that the banquet was poisoned; that all they refusing, he might glut himself alone. These often cheat themselves, and work their own bane: whiles they so beat off others from the world, and wrap themselves up in it to their confusion. The fox in the fable, with diverse other beasts, found a rich booty of costly robes and jewels. He persuades the Lion that he needs not trouble himself with them, because he is king, and may command all at his pleasure. He tells the Stag, that if he should put them on, they would so molest him that he could not escape the huntsmen. For the Boar, he says they would evil favouredly become him: and the wolf he shuffles off with the false news of a fold of Lambs hard by, which would do him more good. So all gone he begins to put on the robes himself, and to rejoice in his lucky fraud. But instantly came the owners, and surprised him: who had so pus●…led himself in these habiliments, that he could not by flight escape: so they took him, and hanged him up. The subtle foxes, Jesuits and Friars dissuade kings from coveting wealth, because of their power to command all: and Great men, because it will make them envied and hunted after for their trappings. Country men it will not become they say: and all the rest, that it will hinder their journey to heaven. So in conclusion they drive all away, and get the whole world for their master Pope, and themselves. But at last these foxes are caught in their own noose: for the devil finds them so wrapped & hampered in these ornaments, and their hearts so besotted on money and riches, that he carries them with as much ease to hell, as the chariot drew Pharaoh into the red sea. For us beloved, we teach you not to cast away the bag, but covetousness. Non facultatem, sed cupiditatem reprehendimus. We bid you use the world, but enjoy the Lord. And if you have wealth i Luk. 16. 9 make you friends with your riches: that they (so made friends by your charity) may receive (and make way for) you into everlasting habitations. It is not your Riches of this world, but your riches of grace, that shall do your souls good. Not my wealth, nor my blood, but my Christianity makes me noble: quoth that noble Martyr Romanus. And though the Philosopher merrily, when he was asked whether were better, wisdom or Riches, answered, Riches: for I have often, said he seen poor wise men at rich fools doors; but never rich fools at poor wise men's doors. Yet wealth may be joined with wisdom, goodness with greatness. Mary and Martha may be sisters: righteousness and riches may dwell together. Chrysostome on that aphorism of Christ, k Mat. 6. 24. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon observes: that he doth not say, Ye cannot have God and Mammon; but ye cannot serve God and Mammon: for he that is the servant of God, must be the master of his wealth. The Lord jesus is able to sanctify and save the rich man's soul as well as the poors: and to send poor Lazarus into the bosom of rich Abraham. Where consider not only l Aug. in Psal. 51. Qui sublatus, but Quò sublatus. Poor, but good Lazarus, is carried into Rich, but good Abraham's bosom: to signify that neither Poverty deserves heaven, nor Riches hell. Divitiae non iniquae, sed iniquis. Riches are not unrighteous, but to the unrighteous. Nec culpabile est habere ista; sed harere istis. It is not a sin to have them, but to trust them. As much might be said for Honour. It is the Lord that advanceth. m 1. Sam. 2. 30. Those that honour me, I will honour saith God. It is God, saith job, that putteth on the king's girdle that fasteneth his honour about him. Promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West: nor from North, nor South: but only from the Lord. Hence it follows that Great men may be good men: yea hence it should follow, that great men ought to be good men. They may be good. Christ had his faithful followers even in Caesar's family. n De Consid. Lib. 4. Bernard indeed complained, that the Court is wont to receive good men, but to make them bad men. Bonos facilius recipere, quam facere: and Plures illic defecisse bonos, quam profecisse malos. The Court doth sooner take good men, then make good men. There more good are perverted to evil, them evil converted to good. Yet in the Court of Pharaoh was a good joseph: in the Court of Darius a good Daniel in the Court of Ahashuerosh a good Mordecai. Neither is it ever true that, Quò quis corruptior moribus, & corrumpentior muneribus; the more a man is corrupt with vices, and corrupting with bribes, so much the more set by. The pharisees objection is sometimes false. o joh. 7. 48. Have any of the Rulers believed on him? They may be good; yea They must be good. For they are vnprinted Statutes whereout every man reads his duty. They are Legis factores, & therefore should not be Legis fractores. Aristotle calls them Loquentes Leges; speaking Laws. In feriours often set their eyes, to supply the place of their ears; and rather look to see their duties, then to hear it. All should live by Precept, but most will live by Precedent. A Superior therefore should teach men, to take the measure of his greatness, by his goodness. These two should be of an even length, of an equal pace. If honour outruns honesty, it will hardly be overtaken. Let such a one appear to the people as he would have them be: and be himself such a one as he appears. A great Person is like a great hill; which gives a fair prospect, but is subject to the lightning and thunder of censures. 2, But it may here be objected, that if Riches and Honour be GOD'S gifts, then is he the giver of judas his wealth, and haman's honour. Perhaps you would here learn, whether your riches and honours come from God or no: your demand is requisite, and I will strive to give you satisfaction. First for Riches. If they come from God, they are Honestly gotten. justly disposed. Patiently lost. 1. They are well gotten: for God is not the Patron of unjust gains. He can bless a man well enough without the help of the Devil. There are many that will have wealth though they go a fishing for it, either with Habakkuks p Hab. 1. 15. net, or Ophni's book. They do not only trouble the waters for it, but they bloody the waters; fetch it out of the bowels and lifeblood of the poor. This is not from God, nor will he bless it. But q Mica. 1. 7. as it was gathered of the hire of a harlot, so it shall return to the hire of a harlot. It is easy for that man to be rich, that will make his conscience poor. He that will defraud, forswore, bribe, oppress, serve the time, use, abuse all men, all things, swallow any wickedness; cannot escape riches. Whereas he, whose conscience will not admit of advancing or advantaging himself by indirect means, sits down with contented Poverty. But Bonus non cito e●…sit dives: a good man seldom becomes rich on the sudden. Wealth comes not easily, not quickly to the honest door. Neither let us envy the gravel, that sticks in the throat of injustice. For he that will swallow the bait, which hangs on the Line of another man's estate, shall be choked with it. Of riches let us never desire more, than an honest man may well bear away. Mallem me miserum sanctum quam prosperum peccatorem. I had rather be a miserable Saint, than a prosperous sinner. When the raising of thy roof, is the rasing of another's foundation. r Hab. 2. 11. The stones shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. Thus ●…on accipimus data, sed arripimus prohibita: we take not things with a beggar's hand, but with a Tyrants: they are not Gods gifts, but our felonies. For this cause Riches are called Bona fortunae; the goods of fortune: not that they come by chance, but that it is a chance if ever they be good. s Hab. 2. 6. Vaeac cumulanti non sua. And t Ver. 9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house. We think the oppressors avarice evil only to the houses of the oppressed: but God saith, it is most evil to his own. Whether fraud or force bring in unjust gain, it is as a coal of fire put in the thatch of his house. And to show that God is not the giver of this, he powers a curse upon it; that often they who thus desire most wealth shall not have it: the world being to them like a froward woman, the more wooed, the further off. u Esa. 33. 1. Woe to thee that spoilest, and wast not spoiled: when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled. And Habac. 2. 8. Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the 〈◊〉 of the people shall spoil thee and thou shalt be for booties unto them. Many a great fish in the sea of this world, devours another: and instantly comes a greater, and devours him. As that x Sueton. in vita vespas. Emperor suffered his Officers to be like sponges, sucking up the goods of the commonalty: and being once full, he squeezed them into his own coffers. y Gen. 41. 21. Pharaohs lean kine, that devoured the fat, were yet themselves never the fatter. Philip was wont to say, that an ass laden with Gold, would enter the gates of any city: but the golden load of bribes and extortions shall bar a man out of the City of God. All that is so gotten, is like quick silver; it will be running. If the Father leave all to his son, yet the son will leave nothing for his son, perhaps nothing for himself: never resting till. Quodcumque profunda Traxit avaritia, Luxu peiore refundat. Claudian. Until he hath thrown abroad all with a fork, which his father got together with a rake a Nahu. 2. 12. The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin. But I will be against thee, saith the Lord: and the sword shall devour thy young Lions. The father plays the Lion for his whelps, oppresseth and consumeth the poor: but his young Lions, which he so provides for, shall be destroyed. Non habet eventus sordida praeda bonos. Ou. Amor. We have seen huge hills of wealth, like mountains of ice, thus suddenly thawed as wax, with the heat of Luxury. But Parum justo, b Psal. 27. 16. a little that the righteous man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: the strength of their state shall be confounded. Their wealth is not Gods, therefore he takes no charge of it. But the Riches of the good, is the riches of God, and he will prosper it. 2. These riches are well disposed or used. Piety not lust, rules them. He whom God's blessings hath made rich, gives God his part, man his part, and keeps the thirds to himself. He returns part. 1. To God: it is reason that he who gives all should have part of all. And because thou shouldest not grudge it, he challengeth but a little part, but the tenth part, wretched men, that will not give him one, that gave them ten. As pilate's wife sent her husband word; c Mat. 27. 19 Have thou nothing to do with that just man: meddle not with God's portion; lest a voice come to thee, as to Abimelech, d Gen. 20. 3. Thou art but a dead man. This was good Jacob's resolution; e Gen. 28. 22. of all that thou shalt give me, I will sure: lie give the tenth unto thee. Go too now ye that say, the Gospel hath no law for Tithes; and that they were merely ceremonial. jacob paid them under nature: they are therefore unnatural men that deny them. You can find no law commanding your payment, but you shall find a law condemning your non payment. What can then be pleated for our accursed Impropriations? Did the heavenly Wisdom ever give you those riches? Show us your Patent, and we will believe you. If ever God did convey his own portion to you show us his hand and seal for it. Where did ever jesus pass away his royal prerogative, or acknowledge any fine before a judge; that you say, Haec nostra sunt; these are ours? What money did, you ever pay him for them? where is your acquittance? Show your discharge. O but you plead prescription! If you were not past shame, you would never dare to prescribe against the eternal God. Nullum tempus occurrit Regi: the king of heaven had these from the beginning, and will you now plead prescription? You may thus undo the poor Minister in these terrene Courts, but your plea shall be damned in the Courts of God. We can produce his act and deed, whereby he separated Tenths to himself: have you nothing to show, and will you take away his inheritance? Go to, you have a Law, and by your own law this proceeding is intolerable. You say, you hold them by your law, by your law you shall be condemned. Perhaps you think to make amends for all, for you will increase the stipend of the vicar. When the Father hath gotten thousands by the sacrilegious Impro priation, the Son perhaps may give him a cows grass, or a matter of forty shillings per annum. Or bestow a little whiting on the Church, & a wainscot seat for his own worship. Yea more; he may chance to found a little Almeshouse, and give twelve pence a piece a week to six poor people. O this oppressor must needs go to heaven, what shall hinder him? But it will be, as the byword is, in a Wheelebarow: the fiends, and not the Angels will take hold on him. For is it not a great piece of charity, to get five hundred pound a year from God and to bestow twenty marks a year on the poor? When David providing for the Temples building, saw how bountifully the Princes and people offered; he gives solemn thanks to God, acknowledging that they had all received this first from him. ᶠ For all things come of thee, and of thine 1. Chro. 29. 14 own have we given thee. The original is, of thine hand. What here the left hand of God gave to them, their right hand returns to God. They did not as our Churchsackers and ransackers do; rob God with the right hand, and give him a little back with the left: take from him a pound, and restore him a penny. Well you would know whether God hath given you your wealth; and he says, whatsoever you have gotten by Tenths was none of his giving: and, besides everlasting malediction, it shall make your posterity beggars. 2. The second rule of using our riches well, is (when God hath his own, in the next place) tribuere cuique suum: to render every man his due. If they be Gods gifts, they must be disposed with justice. This is double; Commutative, & distributive justice. The one Arithmetical, the other Geometrical. Arithmetical is to give every one alike: Geometrical is to give every one according to his deserts. 1, cum res adaequaturrei. 2. cum res adaequatur personae. There are two rules for him that would be just: a negative, and an affirmative rule. 1. The negative. g Tobit. 4. 15. Do that to no man which thou wouldst not have done to thyself. Quod tibi non vis, alterine facias. 2. The affirmative. h Mat. 7. 12. Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. Not what every man out of his disordered passions would have another do to him: but what in his composed and deliberate judgement he approves done to himself, let him do that to others. Wouldst thou be relieved? Relieve. wouldst thou borrow? lend. If I should follow this point of just distribution, as a mark to discern of your riches whether they are God's goods or not; how distasting would my speech be! How few of your houses are filled with those treasures only, which the heavenly wisdom here disperseth! How little of them is found to come in God's name! It may be some of your wealth was given you of God; but your evil usage altars the nature of it; and it can no more properly be ascribed to him. It is hard to draw this circumstance into a square: it is so confused in your actions, that I cannot tell how to find a method for it in my discourse. You may make your riches none of God's blessings, by using them ill in respect of others, especially three ways. Or Detinendo debita, by detaining things due to others Extrudendo vilia, by putting forth base things for good. Corrumpendo utilia, by corrupting with good things others. 1. By detaining those things that are due to others: & these are either Debts Promises. 1. Debts. Rom. 13. h Rom. 13. 8. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another. Indeed there must be some owing, as there must be some lending: without this mutual commerce we are worse than Savages. But we must pay again. i Psal. 37. 21. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again. Debt is not deadly sin when a man hath no means, but when he hath no meaning to pay. There must be votall restitution, if there cannot be actual. Restore Quoad affectum. thought you cannot Quoad effectum. k 2. Cor. 8. 12. For if their be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, & not according to that he hath not. God reckons that as done which a man l Bern. verè voluit, tamet si non valuit adimplere; faithfully would, though not fully could accomplish. There are that will restore some, but not all: to this they have Posse, but no velle: let the creditors be content with one of four. But this little detinie is great iniquity. For a mite is debt, as well as a million. Tam, though not Tantum: so good a debt, though not so great a debt. And m Mat. 25. 23. he that is faithful in a little, shall be made ruler over much. What shall we then say of their goods, that break, and defraud others? Come they from God's hand, or from the devils? Surely Satan's right hand gave them, not Gods Left. Haec mea sunt, saith the Devil: meae divitie, mei divites. These are mind, my riches, and my rich men. O that men would see this damnable sin! me thinks their terrified consciences should fear, that the bread they eat should choke them; for it is stolen; and stolen bread fills the belly of gravel. They should fear the drink they swallow should poison them; being the very blood of good householders, mixed with the tears of widows and orphans. The poor creditor is often undone, and glad of bread and water: whiles they like hogs lurking in their sties, fat and lard their ribs with the fruit of others labours. They rob the husband of his inheritance, the wife of her dowry, the children of their portions: the curse of whole families is against them. And if this sin lie upon a great man's foul, he shall find it the heavyer, to sink him lower into perdition. They are the Lords of great lands, yet live upon other men's moneys: they must riot and revel, let the poor commoners pay for it. They have their Protections: their bodies shall not be molested, and their Lands are exempted: what then, shall they escape? no, their souls shall pay for it. When the poor creditor comes to demand his own, they rail at him, they send him laden away, but with ill words, not good money. In the Country they set labourers on work, but they give them no hire. Tut they are Tenants, vassals: must they therefore have no pay? Yet those very Landlords will bate them nothing of their rents. But the riches so had, are not of Gods giving, but of the Devils lending; and he will make them repay it a thousand fold in hell. 2. Promises are due debts, and must not be detained. If the good man promise, though to his own hurt, m Psal. 15. 4. he changeth not. Indeed now Promissis dives quilibet esse potest: men are rich in promises, but they are poor in performance. More respect is had to commodity, then to honesty. Men have their evasions to disannul their promises: either they aequiuocate, or reserve; or being urged plead for getfullnesse. But the truth is, they have sufficient memory, but not sufficient honesty. It is said that a good name is the best riches; Qua semet amissa, postea nullus eris. But what care they for a name, so long as they save their money? n Iu●…en. Satyr. 1. Quid enim saluis infamia nummis? A Pilate could say, Quod scripsi, scripsi; o joh. 19 22. What I have written, I have written: and shall not a Christian say, Quod dixifaciam, what I have promised, I will perform? Hence it comes that there is so little faith in the world: that scriveners have so much work, that the proverb runs in every body's mouth; Fast bind, fast find: that there is no hope of good deeds, but Sealed and delivered: that there is more trust to men's seals, then to their souls. For the Law of God holds us not so fast, as the laws of men. There is more awe of judgement in the common Pleas, then of a sentence of condemnation in the Court of heaven. The Sheriff is altogether feared, not God: their is no dread of any Execution but his. Is the wealth thus detained, in your own consciences, God's blessing? deceive not your own souls. God requires us to be just in all our words, as righteous in all our ways. A Christians word should be as currant as his coin. Thus you see this first circumstance of Injustice taxed. Therefore p Prou. 3. 27. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due; when it is in the power of thy hand to do it. 2. By putting forth base things for good. The Prophet Amos speaks of some, that q Chap. 8. 6. sell the refuse of their wheat the basest wares: neither do they sell them for base, but for good. If half a score lies, backed with as many oaths, will put off their vile commodities, they shall not lie upon their hands. Not upon their hands, I say; though upon their consciences. Plenius aequo Laudat venales, qui vult extrudere merces. Hor. lib. 2. ep. Their rule for themselves is Vincat utilitas; for others Caveat emptor. Either they will show you one thing, & sell you another: and this cozenage hath longer arms than all other tricks, and over reaches them. Or they will conceal the insufficiency of the wares; and for this cause they darken their shops, lest the light should reveal their works of darkness. r joh. 3. 19 They love darkness more than light: let them take heed, lest it be unto them according to their desires: lest as they have brought hell into their shops, so their shops send them into hell. Or if the commodity be discerned bad, you must have that or none. If your necessity forceth you to buy, it shall force you to buy such base stuff. This is a grievous sin in all professions, especially amongst Apothecaries: because with their injustice may be also mixed a spice of murder. But you will say, we compel none to buy our commodities: we but show them, and make the price. But it is craft tendere plagas, etsi agitaturus non sis: to lay snares, though you drive not men into them. Or be it what it will, yet rather than refuse your money, they will protest to give you the buying. Yea rather than fail, they will sell it you cheaper, then before they swore it cost them. Quis metus aut pudor est properantis avari? What, sell cheaper than they buy? How should they then live? juu. Sat. 14. The answer is easy, they live by their lying. Now doth this wealth come on God's name? is this the blessing of Heaven? Which of your consciences dare think so? Saint Augustine speaks of a certain De Trin. lib. 13. cap. 3. jester, that undertook to tell the people what they all did most desire. Multitudes came to hear this: to whose expectation he thus answered. 〈◊〉 vultis emere, & chare vendere: You would buy cheap, and sell dear. And this is every man's desire, that desires to be rich, more than to be just. 3. By making others bad with his goods: and here we may fitly proceed to the condemnation of Bribery. a Deut. 16. 19 A gift blindeth the eyes of the wise. They that see furthest into the Law, and most clearly discern the causes of justice, if they suffer the dusts of bribes to be thrown into their sight, their eyes will water and twinkle, and fall at last to blind connivance. It is a wretched thing, when justice is made a Hackney, that may be backed for money, and put on with golden spurs, even to the desired journeys end of injury and iniquity. If the party be innocent, let his cause be sentenced for his innocency's sake: if guilty, let not gold buy out his punishment. If the cause be doubtful, the judge shall see it worse, when he hath blinded his eyes with Bribes. But the will of the giver doth transfer right of the gift to the receiver. No, for it is not a voluntary will. But as a man is willing to give his purse to the thief, rather than venture his life or limb: so the poor man gives his Bribes, rather than hazard his cause. Thou sayest, the thief hath no right to the purse so given: God saith, nor thou to the Bribe. And this is sinful in a justicer, though he pass true judgement on the cause: but much more accursed, when for this he will condemn the cause he should allow, or allow the cause he should condemn. To justify the wicked, and condemn the innocent, is alike abomination to the Lord. far be from our souls this wickedness; that the ear which should be open to complaints, is thus stopped up with the earwax of partiality. Alas poor truth, that she must now be put to the charges of a golden eare-picke, or sh●… cannot be heard. But to show that these riches are not of Gods giving, his anger is ho●…e against them. b job. 15. 34. Fire shall consume the Tabernacles of Bribery. The houses or tabernacles, the ●…hambers, hals, offices, studies, Benches; a Fire shall consume them. They may stand for a while, but the indignation of the Lord is kindled; and if it once begin to burn, all the waters in the South are not able to quench it. These Riches than come not of God's blessing: but I pray that God's blessing may be yours, though you want those Riches. Time, that severe moderator, chargeth me silence: and I rather choose abruptly to break off my discourse, then immodestly to abuse your tried patience. The Lord send us the gifts of his Left hand at his own good pleasure, but never deny us the blessings of his Right, for jesus Christ his sake. Amen. The second Sermon. PROV. 3. 16. Length of days is in her right hand: and in her left hand, riches and honour. WE are looking into the left hand of Wisdom: and there have found. 1. that Riches and Honour are GOD'S gifts. 2. That every man's riches and honour are not so; that the mouth of wickedness might be stopped. Therefore to satisfy our own consciences, that they are Gods blessings to us, I observed that they must be. 1. honestly gotten. 2. justly disposed: and that by rendering sincerely that which is due. 1. to God. 2. to Man. 3. to ourselves. Duties to others ended my former discourse, I must now begin at Ourselves. The third act of disposing our Riches well, when God hath his portion, and Man his portion; is to take the thirds to ourselves. It is God's will that with the wealth he hath given thee, thou shouldest refresh and consolate thyself. a Psal. 23. 5. Thou preparest a table before me, thou annointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Wherefore hath God spread a table before thee, but that thou shouldest eat? Wherefore given thee a cup running over, but that thou shouldest drink? If thou have b Psal. 104. 15. wine, make thy heart glad: if oil, let thy face shine: if bread, strengthen thy spirits. Wear thy own wool, and drink the milk of thy own flocks. It is a blessing which the Lord gives to those that fear him; c Psal. 128. 2. Thou shalt eat the labour of thine own hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. But a curse to the wicked; that they shall plant vineyards, and not taste the fruit thereof. The riches that God truly gives, man truly enjoys. d Eccl. 5. 19 Every man to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour: this is the gift of God. Now a man may take from himself this comfort in abusing his wealth; and this many ways? especially four: to Superstition, Malice, Riot, Misery. 1. By spending them upon works of Superstition, to the dishonour of God. And this is a high degree of ingratitude; When God hath given them a sword to defend themselves, and they turn the point of it upon his own breast. So God gave Israel sheep and oxen, and they offer them up to Baal. Many in England are beholding to God for great revenues, lands, and Lordships; and they therewith maintain Jesuits and Seminaries, his professed enemies. These use their riches as the Israelites did their ear-rings and jewels: God gave them for their own ornament, and they turn them to an Idol. 2. By malice, in abusing them to unnecessary quarrels & contentions of Law; to the hindrance of God's peace and their neighbour's welfare. When men will put out one of their own eyes, to put out both their neighbours: Nay both their own, for one of his. Thus what they get by the happiness of foreign peace, they spend in civil wars. How unnatural is it for one hand thus to beat and wound another! Either of them gets a shell: You know who goes away with the meat. 3. By riot. Quicquid daunt, daunt vel veneri vel ventri. They spend more upon the Tavern, then upon the Tabernacle: at the house of plays, then at the house of praise: more upon their own hounds, then upon God's poor children. julius Caesar seeing women carry little Dogs under their arms, asked if they had no children. God asketh you, that give your bread to dogs, if he hath no children for your charity. But they answer all, as the wicked in the 12. Psalm. e Psal. 12. 4. Our tongues are our own. They stop the mouth of all exhortation to frugal courses, with It is my own: a man may spend his own as he list: I wast none of your goods: and what hath friend in private, or preacher in public to do with it? But they shall find one day, that they were but Stewards, that these Riches were but entrusted to them, and they shall give a strict account. Nothing is properly a man's own, but Peccata sua, his sins. Thy sins are thine own, thy riches Gods. 4. By miserable niggardice, in forbearing to take his own portion; and so becometh his own consumption. No marvel if such a miser starve others, when he famisheth himself. Such a one is the worst vermin the land bears: another vermin seeks but to feed itself; but he hoarding up his grain feeds many thousands of them. Let him beware, lest they also at last devour himself. As that german Bishop, that having great store of corn in a grievous famine, Act. & Mon. pag. 185. refused to sell it to the poor, and suffered the Rats to eat it. But by the ●…ust judgement of God, the Mice and Rats which he fed with his grain, did also feed upon him; albeit he built a Tower in the midst of the river Rhine to avoid them; which the Germans call still Rats Tower. How shall they which slander heaven with pretended dearths, be admitted as friends to that place which they have belied! You see how these riches must be gotten, how disposed; honestly gotten, justly dispensed; now it follows also in the next place, that they must be 3. Patiently lost: When God gives riches to the good, he gives them also a heart to trust in himself: in himself I say, not in them. f 1. Tim. 6. 17. Trust not in uncertain Riches, but in the living God; who giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy. He gives abundantly, but he forbiddeth trust in that abundance. He commends riches to us, as a great man doth a servant to his friend; work him, but trust him not: put labour to him, not confidence in him. Wealth may do us good service; but if it get the mastery of our trust, it will turn tyrant, Termagant; we condemn ourselves to our own galleys. To the godly riches are never so dear, but they can be content to forego them. They receive them at God's hands with much thankfulness, and they lose them with much patience. When God takes aught from us, he does us no wrong. Retrahit sua, non abstrahit nostra: Greg. in Mor. he doth but take back his own, not take away ours. So job. g job. 1. 21. The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away. The Lord giveth, therefore he may take away. Yea faith says; Lord, take all, so thou give me thyself. h Mat. 19 27. We have left all, and followed thee; saith Peter. Nos sequamur Christum, caetera sequentur nos. Let us follow Christ, other things shall follow us. But if they do not, it is gain enough to have Christ. He is too covetous whom the Lord jesus cannot satisfy. We may lose divitias Dei, but never Deum divitiarum. We may be forsaken of these riches of God, but never of the God of riches. Amittamus omnia, dum habeamus habentem omnia. Let us lose all, so we have him that hath all. That was never perfectly good, that might be lost. Of this nature are riches: they have made many prouder, none better. As never man was better, so never wise man thought himself better for them. That wise Prophet would never have prayed against riches, if their want had been the want of blessedness. The Devil indeed says, All those will I give thee: but the two dearest Apostles say, Silver and gold have I none. Who would not rather be in the state of those Saints, then of that Devil? Riches are such things, as those that have them not, want them not: those that have them, want them: they are lost in a night, and a man is never the worse for losing them. How many Kings (not fewer than nine in our Island) that have begun their glory in a Throne, have ended it in a cell: changing their command of a Sceptre, for the contemplation of a Book! Alas silly things, that they should dare ask one dram of our confidence. Non tanta in multis foelicitas, quanta in paucis securitas. There is not so much happiness in the highest estate, as there is content and peace in the lowest. Only then God be our trust, whose mercy we can no more loose, than himself can lose his mercy. Thus you see this second general point amplified: if Riches be Gods good blessings, (not only in themselves, so they are always good, but to us) than they are gotten honestly, disposed justly, lost patiently. As much happily might be said for Honour; wherein I will briefly consider, how and when it is of God. God indeed gives Honour and Riches; but not all Honour; as you heard before not all Riches. There are four things in an honoured person. First his Person, wherein he partakes of the common condition of Mankind; lives and dies a man. Even the sons of Princes have their breath in their nosthrilles. Secondly his Honour and dignity; this simply considered is of God, whosoever he be that hath it, a joseph or a Haman. Thirdly, the manner of coming to his Honour: and this is no longer of God, than the means are good. If it be God's honour, God must give it, not man usurp it. Fourthly the managing of this Honour; and this is also of the Lord, if it be right and religious. It happeneth often that Potens, the great man is not of God. i Hos. 8. 4. They have set up Kings, but not by me: they have made Princes, and I knew it not. The manner of getting dignity is not always of God. Richard 3. came to the Crown of England by blood and murder. Alexander 6. obtained the Popedom, by giving himself to the Devil: Yet the dignity is of God. k Prou. 8. 15. By me Kings reign: by me Princes and Nobles. It is a hard question, wherein Honour consists. It is in blood, descending from the veins of noble ancestors? Not so, except nature could produce to Noble parents noble children. It was a monstrous tale that Nicippus his Ewe should yeane a Lyon. Though it be true among irrational creatures, that they ever bring forth their like; Eagles hatch Eagles; and Doves Doves: yet in man's progeny there is often found not so like a proportion, as unlike a disposition. The earthy part only follows the seed, not that whose form and attending qualities are from above. Honour must therefore as well plead a Charter of successive virtue, as of continued scutcheons, or it cannot consist in blood. The best things can never be traduced in propagation: thou mayest leave thy son heir to thy lands in thy will, to thy Honour in his blood; thou canst never bequeath him thy virtues. The best qualities do so cleave to their subjects, that they disdain communication to others. That is then only true Honour, where dignity and desert, blood and virtue meet together: the greatness whereof is from blood, the goodness from virtue. Among fools dignity is enough without desert: among wise men desert without dignity. If they must be separated, desert is infinitely better. Greatness without virtue laudatur ore alieno, damnatur conscientia sua; is commended by others tongues, condemned in the own heart. Virtue though without promotion, is more comforted in the own content, than disheartened by others contempt. It is a happy composition when they are united: think it your honour ye great men, that you are ennobled with virtues: not that you have, but that you deserve Honour. Let this that hath been spoken teach us some lessons concerning Honour. 1. Take it when God sends it, but be not ambitious of it. Indigni est arripere, non accipere honorem. It is an argument of unworthiness to snatch it denied, not to accept it offered. l 1. Pet. 5. 5. God resisteth the proud; opposeth himself in a professed war against him; as if he held a sword against his breast, when he would rise up in glory, to n●…le him fast down to the earth. But he giveth grace to the humble: like a great & good Prince he gives those servants grace and honour, whom he perceives least ambitious of it. Such men seek not for honour, as for a jewel they would feign find, but only stumble at it, as Saul sought but his Father's Asses, when he lighted on a Kingdom. Pride like smoke will surge upward, though it vanish into air: massy virtue like gold keeps below, & is more preciously respected. He that would mount, cares not what attendance he dances at all hours, upon whose stairs he sits waiting, what enormities he soothes, what deformities he imitates, what base offices he does prostrate himself to, so he may rise. His carriage is alienum a se, quite another thing from himself: he doth glue it on indecently, that he may screw himself into favour. This man never understood the charge that goes with honour; Which the most wise disposition of God hath coupled together. Charge without some honour would overlay a man. If a man could have honour without some trouble, it would so transport him, that he were continually in danger of running mad. The poor man envies the great for his honour: the great perhaps envies the poor more for his peace: for as he lives obscurely, so securely. He that rightly knows the many public, and more secret vexatitions incident to Honour, would not (as that King said of his Crown) stoop to take it up, though it lay at his feet before him. 2. Live worthy of that Honour thou hast. Greatness not gooded with grace is like a Beacon upon a high hill: Qui conspiciunt, despiciunt: they that behold it, hate it, though perhaps they dare not censure it. The knee may be forced to reverence, but but the mind cannot but abhor so unworthy a Statue. In his pride he stomachs the covered head, or the stiff knee of a good Mordecai, fretting that other men do not think him so good as he thinks himself. But indeed he doth not think himself more honourable than others think him base. All the poor honour that he hath, is only kept above ground with his body; both corrupt, fall, and rot together: and if it be conjured up at the funeral, to present itself, yet it fails not to go back with the Heralds. 3. Forget not your original, ye whose brows the wreaths of honour have (above hopes) engirt. If the Lord hath m Psal. 113. 7. 8. raised you out of the dust: and lifted you up out of the dunghill: and set you among the Princes of the people; yet forget not your Father's house, nor the place of your beginning. Miseranda oblivio originis non meminisse. He never truly understands what he is, that forgets what he hath been. Salomon's observation is often true; n Eccle. 10. 6. Follie is set in great dignity: Albeit this be not the right Vbi; Follie in excellency. Now these excellent fools soon forget, de quo surrectio detur; From how low estate they are risen. They consider not how glad their Carcases would once have been of a warm covering; that are now richer than Lilies, more gorgeous than May: scarce o Mat. 6. 29. Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these. They consider not, that need once made them trudge through the Mire, even many tedious journeys; that climb by unjust Riches to that dignity, as in their Caroches to be whirled through the popular streets. It was Jacob's humble acknowledgement of God's mercy to him. p Gen. 32. 10. With my staff I passed over this jordan, and now I am become two bands. If blind Ingratitude would suffer many proud eyes to see it, how justly might diverse say: With my staff came I hither walking, and now I ride in triumph with attendants. To these let me apply the words of the Prophet: q Esa. 51. 1. Look unto, the Rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Remember your poor beginning, that you may bless God for your advancing. Say not only in general, Quis homo! r Psal. 8. 4. What is man that thou O Lord art so mindful of him? But Quis ego? s 1. Sam. 9 21. What am I, and what is my Father's house, that GOD should thus raise me up! 4. If thou have Honour, keep it, but trust it not. Nothing is more inconstant; for it depends upon inconstancy itself, the vulgar breath. Which is Bellua multorum capitum, a Beast of many heads, and as many tongues, which never keep long in one tune As they never agree one with another, so seldom do they agree long with themselves. Paul and Barnabas Act. 14. come to Lystra, and raise an impotent Cripple: Hereat the amazed people would needs make them Gods, and draw Bulls and garlands to the Altars for sacrifice to them. Not long after they draw Paul out of the City, and stone him. They suddenly turn him from a God to a malefactor; and are ready to kill him in stead of kill sacrifice to him. O the fickleness of that thing, which is committed to the keeping of vulgar hands. Trust not then popularity with thy Honour, so it is mutable: but trust virtue with it, so it is durable. Nothing can make sure a good memory, but a good life. It is a foolish dream, to hope for immortality and a long-lasting name, by a monument of brass or stone. It is not dead stones, but living men, that can redeem thy good remembrance from oblivion. A Sumptuous Tomb covers thy putrefied Carcase; and be thy life never so lewd, a commending Epitaph shadows all: but the passenger that knew thee, tells his friends; that these outsides are hypocritical, for thy life was as rotten as is thy corpses: and so is occasioned by thy presumed glory, to lay open thy deserved infamy. Neither can the common people preserve thy honour whiles thou livest, nor can these dull and senseless Monuments keep it when thou art dead. Only thy noble and Christian life makes every man's heart thy Tomb, and turns every tongue into a pen, to write thy deathless Epitaph. 5. Lastly, if God gives to some men Honour, it is then manifest that God allows difference of persons. He ordains some to rule and others to obey: some masters, others servants; he setteth some up on high, and placeth others in a low degree. To repine at others greatness and our own meanness, is to cavil with God; as if he wanted wisdom and equity in disposing these inferior conditions. It is a savage and popular humour, to malign and inveigh against men in eminent places. That rhyme, When Adam delved, and Eve span, Who was then a Gentleman? seems to be made among jack Straws followers, and to savour of Rebellious discontent. God allows no man to vilify, where he hath honoured: no scurrilous Libels disgracing those that live, yea disparaging the very dead; shall pass the Court of God's justice uncensured. Where the Lord confers and confirms Honour, woe to the tongue that shall traduce it. This second point hath held us long, the brevity of the rest shall ease it. 3. Observe that Solomon in the donation of the left hand, couples together Riches and Honour: as if these two were for the most part inseparable companions. Eccle. 6. God gives to a man Riches and Honour. First Riches, and then Honour: for it is lightly found, Eccl. 6. 2. so much Riches, so much Honour; and reputation is measured by the Acre. I have wealth enough, saith the worldling. Luke 12. I will turn Gentleman, take my ease, eat, drink, and be merry. Riches are the stairs whereby men climb up into the height of dignity; the fortification that defends it: the food it lives upon: the oil that keeps the lamp of Honour from going out. Honour is a bare rob, if Riches do not lace and flourish it: and Riches a dull Lump, till Honour give a Soul to quicken it. Fiftly then Honour and Riches, Wealth and Worship do bear one another company. 4. Lastly observe, that though riches and honour be God's gifts, yet they are but the gifts of his left hand: therefore it necessarily follows, that every wise man will first seek the blessings of the Right. a Math. 6. 33. First seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and these things shall be added to you. Godliness is the best Riches, Riches the worst: let us strive for the former without condition: for the other if they fall in our way, let us stoop to take them up: if not, let us never covet them. It is no Wisdom to refuse God's kindness, that offers wealth: nor piety to scratch for it when God withholds it. When the Lord hath set thee up as high as Haman in the Court of Ahasuerus, or promoted thee to ride with joseph in the second Chariot of Egypt: were thy stock of cattle exceeding jobs; b job 1. 3. seven thousand sheep, three thousand Camels, five hundred yoke of Oxen: did thy Wardrobe put down Salomon's, and thy cupboard of plate Belshazzars', when the vessels of God's temple were the ornature. Yet all these are but the gifts of Wisdoms left hand; and the possessors may be under the malediction of God and go down to damnation. If it were true, that sanctior qui ditior, that goods could make a man good, I would not blame mens kissing the left hand, and sucking out Riches and Honour. But alas what antidote against the terror of conscience can be chimed from gold? What charm is there in brave apparel to keep off the rigour of Satan? Quod tibi praestat opes, non tibi praestat opem. That which makes thee wealthy, cannot make thee happy. jonas had a Gourd that was to him an Arbour: he sat under it secure: but suddenly there was a worm that bit it, and it died. Compare (secretly in your hearts) your riches to that Gourd: your pleasure to the greenness of it: your pomp, attendance vanities to the leaves of it: your sudden increase of wealth, to the growing and shooting up of it. But withal forget not the Worm and the Wind; the Worm that shall kill your root is Death, and the Wind that shall blow upon you is calamity. There is a greater defect in this wealth and worship then their uncertainty. Non m●…do fallacia quia dubia verùm insidiosa quia dulcia. They are not only deceitful through their Aug. ticklenesse, but dangerous through their lusho●…snesse. Men are apt to surfeit on this luxurient abundance: it is a ba●…e to security, a bawd to wantonness. Here is the main difference between the gifts of Gods right hand and of his left. He gives real blessings with the left, but he doth not settle them upon us: he promiseth 〈◊〉 perpetuity; but with the graces of his right he gives assurance of everlastingness. Christ calls Riches the c Math. 13. 22. riches of deceitfulness: but grace d Luk. 10. 42. Psal. 35. Psal. 125. the better part that shall never be taken away. David compares the wealthy to a flourishing tree that is soon withered: but Faith stablisheth a man like Mount Zion, never to be removed. He that thinks he sits surest in his seat of Riches, let him take heed lest he fall. When a great man boasted of his abundance, (saith Paulus Emilius) one of his friends told him, that the anger of God could not long forbear so great prosperity. How many rich Merchants have suddenly lost all! How many Noblemen sold all! How many wealthy heirs spent all! Few Sundays pass over our heads without Collections for Shipwracks, fires, and other casualties; Demonstrative proofs that prosperity is inconstant, riches casual. And for honour, we read that Bel●…sarius an honourable Peer of the Empire, was forced in his old age to beg from door to door, obulum date Bel sario. Frederick a great Emperor was so low brought, that he s●…ed to be made but the Sexton of a Church. O then let us not adhere to these left hand blessings, but first seek length of days, eternal joys never to be lost. A man may enjoy the other without fault: the sin consisteth praeferendo vel conferendo; either in preferring Riches, or in comparing them with faith and a good conscience. Vtere caducis, fruere aeternis, Thou must necessarily use these transient things, only enjoy and rest upon the everlasting comforts of jesus Christ. When God hath assured to a Christian spirit the inheritance of Heaven, he joyfully pilgrims it through this world: if wealth and worship salute him by the way, he refuseth not their company; but they shall not stray him out of his path, nor transport his affections: for his heart is where his hope is, his love is where his Lord is; even with jesus his Redeemer at the right hand of God. Now this man's very Riches are blessed to him; for as from the hand of God he hath them, so from e Eccl. 2. 24. the hand of God he hath to enjoy good in them. Whereas to some (saith Solomon) f Eccl. 5. 13. I have seen Riches kept for the own●…s thereof to their hurt: to this man g Rom. 8. 28. they shall work to the best; blessing his condition in this life, and enlarging his dition in heaven; as the wise man sweetly. h Prou. 10. 22 The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich: and he addeth no sorrow with it. Thus in particular: if we confer the right hand with the left, we shall generally learn 1. That both Gods hands are giving: it is enough if man give with one hand; but the Lord sets both his hands a doling his Alms of mercy. Nemo tuarum unam vincet utraque manu. No man can do so much with both hands, as GOD with one hand, with one finger. He hath Manum plenam, extensam, expansam; hand full, not empty: so full that it can never be emptied with giving. Innumerable are the drops in the sea yet if one be taken out, it hath (though insensibly) so much the less: but God's goodness can suffer no diminution, for it is infinite. Men are sparing in their bounty, because the more they give, the less they have: but God's hand is ever full, though it ever disperse: and the filling of many cisterns is no abatement to his ever running fountain. Our prayers therefore are well directed thither for blessings; whence though we receive never so much, we leave no less behind. Let this master of Requests in heaven have all our suits: we are sure either to receive what we ask, or what we should ask. It is extensa, a hand put forth, and stretched out. i Eccl. 4. 31. Stretched out, not to receive, but to give. The Prophet speaks of Rulers that stretch out their hands for bribes and cry k Hos. 4. 18. Give ye: but the Lord's hand is put forth to offer good things. l Rom. 10. 21. All day long have I stretched forth my hands to a disobedient people. Indeed God hath a hand; and woe to the man against whom it is stretched. Homer saith that all the Gods could not ward a blow of jupiter's hand. His hands are not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, hands that cannot be sufficiently praised: but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, hands that cannot be resisted. It is a heavy hand when it lights upon men in anger. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. When revolting Israel fell to serve Baal and Ashtaroth m judg. 2. 15. Whethersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil. When the men of Ashdod were smitten with Emerods', it is said n 1. Sam. 5. 6. the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them. So David in his grievous misery, o Psal. 38. 2. Thine arrows stick fast in me, & thy hand presseth mesore. It is not this hand that God here stretcheth out. p Ser. 〈◊〉. in cant Bernard saith, God hath two hands; Fortitudo and Latitudo. A hand of strength, Qua defendit potenter: wherewith he protects his friends, and confounds his enemies. A hand of Bounty, Qua tribuit affluenter, whereby he disperseth and disposeth the largesse of his gifts. This is the hand here put forth, manus regalis, and gives munus regal; a royal hand, full of real mercies; let us humbly kiss it. It is expansa, not a shut hand, but open, q Psal. 145. 16. Thou openest thy hand, and fillest all things living with plenteousness. r 1. Tim. 6. 18. God gives richly, saith Paul. Man is poor, because he is a creature: the very nam●… of creature infers poverty: it implies a receiving of all. Quid habes quod non accepisti? The Creator hath the possession of all, and the disposition of all, at his own pleasure. s jam. 1. 17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights. Bread in the Lord's prayer is called Ours; Give us this day our daily bread: t Aug. Epist. 143. but ne putetur a nobis, dicimus da nobis: lest we should imagine it our own from ourselves, we are taught daily to beg it of our father in heaven, whose it is. It is the Lords hand that barreth the gates of our cities, that filleth our garners with plenty, that Psal. 144. 13. sets peace about our walls, and prosperity in our palaces; that blesseth our goings out, and comings in; even all the works of our hands. But what speak I of temporal things the gifts of his left hand, in comparison of length of days, everlasting joys, the treasures of his right? Repentance, humility, charity, and the Lady of all grace's Faith come from his hand, and are the fair gifts of God. u Aug. de spiritu & litter &. cap. 34. Ipsum velle credore Deus operatur in homine. The first will to believe is wrought in man by God. If any ask, Cur, illi ita suadeatur, ut persuadeatur; illi autem non ita? Why doth this man believe, & another remain in infidelity? Hic digitus Dei: the hand of God hath been here, working faith in the soul of him that believeth. All comes from this hand of mercy. x Aug. Confes. Lib. 9 cap. 13. Quisquis tibi enumerat merita sua, quid tibi enumerat nisi muneratua? He that reckons to God his merits; what doth he reckon, but God's mercies? Quae bo na mea, dona tua: those that are my goods, as God's gifts. 2. Though hands be here attributed to God, yet it is but by way of metaphor; not literally and in a true propriety of speech. To conceive GOD to be as man, with human dimensions, was the heresy of the Anthro pomorphites: and he that thus grossly thinks of God, saith Jerome makes an Idol of God in his heart. But herein God stoops to the quality of our understandings ascribing to himself anger and displeasure, as it were passions to the impassable: whereas Nec Deus affectu capitur, nec tangitur ir●…: they are not passions, but perfections. God hath a mouth, by which he teacheth man wisdom: he hath feet, by which he walketh on the earth his footstool: he hath hands, by which he giveth food to all flesh: he hath none of these organically, as men have; but in the variety of effects which he produceth. So Bernard; Per effectum haec habet, Serm. 4. in Cant. non per naturam. 3. Observe that in the left hand there is a double benefit, Riches and Honour: in the right but a single one; Length of days: yet this one far transcends both the other. For if we should restrain it to this world: long life is a great blessing; and more valuable than wealth and worship. But taking it as it is meant, for eternity. (For this life is but a span long; a span then; now scarce the length of a finger) as Psal. 23. I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever: originally to length of days; but fitly Psal. 23. 6. translated For ever: the left hand is as far exceeded by the right, as short mortality is by everlastingness. Aged Israel to his grandchildren, Ephraim & Manasseh two sons of joseph, when the father had placed the first borne Manasseh to his right hand, and Ephraim the younger to his left: he crossing his hands, laid the right upon a Gen. 48. 14. Ephraim, and the left upon Manasseh. When joseph would have removed his hands, he refused: I know it my son, I know it. Manasseh also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he. The Lord doth bless many Manassehs' with his left hand in riches and honours: but blessed be that Ephraim to whom his right hand is commended. Lord, let others enjoy the treasures of thy left hand, but lay thy right upon our souls. 4. I conclude. Since the Lord out of both his hands powers and showers upon us these mercies, what should we do but be thankful? Shall we receive benefits by heaps; and is the incense of our gratitude of so thin a smoke? Et capitur minimo thuris honore Deus? All these blessings seem to say to man; Take, and take heed: Accipe, red, cave: Receive, return, beware. Take warmth from me saith apparel, heat from me f●…yth fire, strength from me saith bread. Restore thankfulness to the Giver. Or else beware lest the fire burn thee, water drown thee, air choke thee: lest all give destruction, that should give comfort. Receive in the name of God, Return in the Praise of God, or Beware in the fear of God. To whom for the blessings of both his hands, be glory ascribed from all lips and hearts, for ever and ever. Amen. THE LOST ARE FOUND. LUK. 19 10. For the Son of man is come to seek, and to save that was lost. THE first word is Causal, and puts us in mind of some reference. In brief the dependence is this. Little Zacheus became great in God's favour: he was. ver. 2. a Publican, a chief Publican, a rich Publican: Yet he hath a desire to see jesus, and jesus hath a purpose to see him. A figtree shall help him to the sight of Christ, & Christ to the sight of him. Our Saviour calls him down, (it is fit they should come down in humility that entertain Christ) and bids himself to his house to dinner. He is made Zacheus his gest for temporal food, and Zacheus is made his guest for everlasting cheer. This day is salvation come to this house. ver. 9 This mercy is not without the pharisees grudging ver. 7. When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. Murmuring is between secret backbiting, and open railing: a smothered malice, which can neither beeutterly concealed, nor dare be openly vented. The cause of their murmuring was, that he was become a guest to a sinner: as if the Sun of righteousness could be corrupted in shining on a Dunghill of sin. No: whiles he did associate the bad, he made them good; feeding them spiritually, that fed him corporally. He did not consent to their sin, but correct it: not infecting himself, but affecting their souls, and effecting their bliss. A man may accompany those, whom he desires to make better, or them to make him better. And that the mouth of all wickedness might be stopped, our Saviour says, that his coming into the world was not only to call home Zacheus, but even many such Publicans. For the Son of man is come to seek, and to save etc. We are thus gotten over the threshold; For: let us now look into the house, and survey every chamber and room in it. The foundation of this comfortable scripture is jesus Christ and the building may be distinguished into five several Parlours, all richly hung and adorned with the graces and mercies of God: and the midst thereof paved with love for the daughters of jerusalem. CHRIST is the Buttress or corner stone; and in him consider Cant. 3. 10. here His Humility. The Son of man. Verity. Is come. Pity. To seek. Piety. To save. Power. That which was lost. 1. The Son of man. Ecce Humilitatem. He that is the Son of eternal God, calls himself the Son of mortal man. 2. Is come. Ecce veritatem. What God had promised, his Servants prophesied, his Types prefigured, he hath now performed. They all foretold in their kinds that he should come: he makes all good, he Is come. 3. To seek. Ecce compassionem. He knew that we were utterly gone; that we had Nec valentis oculum, nec volentis animum: neither an eye able, nor a mind willing to seek him: in Pity he seeks us. 4. To save. Ecce Pietatem. He seeks us not in ruinam, to our destruction as we deserved: but in salutem, to our salvation as he desired. Amissos quaerit, quaesitos invenit, inventos servat. He seeks them that were lost, he finds them he seeks, he saves them he finds. To save. 5. The lost. Ecce Potestatem. He is not only able to strengthen us weak, nor to recover us sick, nor to fetch us home offering ourselves to be brought: but when we had neither will nor power to procure this; yea when we had a reluctancy against this, for we were his enemies and hated him: he did recall us gone, revive us dead, seek and save us that were lost. You see the Chambers, how they lie in order: let me keep your thoughts in this house of Mercy a while, wherein may all our souls dwell for ever. In survaying the Rooms, it is fit we should begin with the lowermost: and thither the Text aptly first leads us. The Son of Man. Christ is called a Son in three respects. 1. In regard of his Deity, the Son of God, begotten of him from all eternity, coequal and coessential to him. 2. In respect of his flesh, the Son of Mary, naturally borne of her. 3. He calls himself the Son of Man, in regard that he took on him man's nature, and undertook the performance of man's redemption. Man like us in all things, sin only excepted. So that in this circumstance two things are considerable in Christ; the one necessarily involved in the other: His Humanity. Humility. His Humanity. When the fullness of time was come, a Gal. 4. 4. God sent his Son made of a Woman. Ex muliere, non in muliere: as Gorran notes against Valentinus, whose heresy was, that Christ passed through the Virgin as water through a Conduit-pipe. But this Preposition Ex, signifies a pre-existent matter: as a house is made of timber & stones, bread of wheat, wine of grapes. Christ had therefore the materials of his body from the virgin Mary; though not his Formale principium: for the holy Ghost was agent in this wonderful conception. Neither is this a thing impossible to God, though wonderful to Man; that this Christ should be the Son of Mary without man. As it was possible to God in the first creation, to make a Woman out of a Man without the help of a Woman: so in this new creation, to make a Man out of a Woman without the help of a man. There is the same reason of possibility. It is as easy to bring fire from a steel without a flint, as from a flint without a steel. But he that could dare essentiam nihilo, can raise a nature ex aliquo. God had four diverse manners of creating human creatures. 1. The first man Adam was made of no man, but immediately created of God. 2. The second, that was Eve, was made (not of a woman, but) of a man alone. 3. The third sort, all men and women else are begotten of man and woman. 4. Christ the last sort was of a different manner from all these. 1. not of no precedent flesh, as Adam. 2. Not of a man without a woman, as Eue. 3. Not of man and woman, as all we. 4. But after a new way; of a woman, without a man. We are all in this sort opposed to Adam, Christ to Eve, Adam was made of neither man nor woman, we of both man and woman. Eve of a man without a woman, Christ of a woman without a man. Now as this was a great work of God, so it is a great wonder to man. Three miracles here. Deum nasci, virginem parere, fidem haec credere. That the Son of God should become the Son of woman, a great miracle. That a virgin should bear a child, and yet before, at, after the birth remain still a virgin, a great miracle. That the faith of man should believe all this, Maximum miraculum; this is the greatest wonder of all. Thus you have Divinity assuming Humanity: a great mystery; b 1. Tim. 3. 16. God manifested in the flesh. In mundum venit, qui mundum condidit: he comes down to earth, but he leaves not heaven; hic affuit inde non defuit. Humana natura assumpta est, Divina non consumpta est. He took Humanity, he lost not his Divinity. He abideth Mariae Pater, the Father of Mary; who is made Mariae Filius, the Son of Mary c Esa 9 6. To us a child is borne, to us a son is given. Whereon d Hom de. Nat. Emissenus; Natus qui sentiret occasum, datus qni resciret exordium. He was borne that should feel death: he was given that was from everlasting, and could not die. Natus qui & matre esset junior, datus quo nec Pater esset antiquior. He that was borne was younger than his mother; he that was given was as eternal as his father. He was Son to both God and Mary. Non alter ex Patre, alter ex Virgin: sed aliter ex Patre, aliter ex virgine. As the flowers are said to have solemn in coelo patrem, solum in terra matrem: so Christ hath a father in heaven without a mother, a mother on earth without a father. Here is then the wonder of his Humanity. The everlasting e Esa. 9 6. Father is become a little child. He that spreads out the heavens, is wrapped in e Luk. 2. 7. swaddling clouts. He that is the Word, becomes an Infant not able to speak. The Son of God calls himself the Son of man. His Humility. If your understandings can reach the depth of this bottom, take it at one view. The Son of God calls himself the Son of man. The omnipotent Creator becomes an impotent creature. As himself saith; f joh. 15. 13. Greater love hath no man then this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. So greater humility never was then this, that God should be made man. It is the voice of Pride in man, g Esa. 14. 14. I will be like God: but the action of Humility in God, I will be man. Proud Nabuchadnezzar says, Ero similis altissimo, I will be like the Highest: meek Christ saith, Ero similis infimo I will be like the lowest: he put on him the the form of a servant: yea he was a despised Worm. God spoke it in derision of sinful man; h Gen. 3. 22. Behold, he is become as one of us: but now we may say, God is become as one of us. There the lowest aspires to be the Highest, here the Highest vouchsafes to be the lowest. Alexander a son of man would make himself the son of God: Christ the Son of God makes himself the son of man. God in i Psal. 16. 11. whose presence is fullness of joy, becomes k Esa. 53. 3. a man full of sorro●…es. Eternal rest betakes himself to unrest: having whilst he lived i passive action, and when he died active passion. Bern. ser. in ser. 4. hebd. The m Act. 10. 36. LORD over all things, and n Hebr. 1. 2. Heir of the world, undertakes ignominy and poverty. Ignominy: the o Psal. 24. 7. King of glory is become p Psal. 22. 6. the shame of men. Povertie: q Bern. tract. de Pass. Dom. cap. 2. Pauper in nativitate, pauperior in vita, pauperrimus in cruse. Poor in his Birth, for borne in another man's stable: poor in his Life, fed at another man's table: poor in his Death, buried in another man's sepulchre. There are saith r In Cant. ser. 34. Bernard, some that are humbled, but not humble: others that are humble, not humbled: and a third sort that are both humbled and humble. Pharaoh was humbled and cast down, but not humble: smitten with subversion, not moved with submission. Gothfrey of Boulogne was not humbled, yet humble: for in the very heat and height of his honour he refused to be crowned in jerusalem, with a Crown of gold, because Christ his master had been in that place crowned with a crown of thorns. Others are both humbled and humble. s Psal. 78. 34. When he slew them they sought him: they returned and inquired early after GOD. Our Saviour Christ was Passively humbled: t Heb. 2. 9 he was made lower than the Angels, by suffering death: the Lord did break him. Actively he humbled himself. u Phil. 2. 7. he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant: he humbled himself. Habitually he was humbled. x Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. Let this observation lesson us two duties. 1. Esteem we not the worse, but the better of Christ, that he made himself the Son of man. Let him not lose any part of his honour, because he abased himself for us. He that took our a Rom. 9 5 flesh, is also over all, GOD blessed for ever, Amen. There is more in him then humanity: not alia persona, but alia natura: not another person, but another nature. Though he be verus homo, he is not merus homo. And even that Man, that was crucified on a cross, and laid in a grave, is more high than the heavens, more holy than the Angels. Stephen saw this very b Act. 7. 56. Son of man standing on the right hand of God. The blood of this Son of man gives salvation: and to whom it doth not, this Son of man shall c joh. 5. 27. adjudge them to condemnation. Under this name and form of Humility our Saviour opposed his Disciples. d Mat. 16. 13. Whom do men say, that I, the Son of Man, am? Peter answers for himself and the Apostles, whatsoever the people thought; e Ver. 16. Thou art Christ the Son of the living God. He calls himself the Son of man, Peter calls him the Son of God. f 1. Cor. 1. 23. The jews see him only a st●…mbling block, and the greeks foolishness: but Christians see him g Ver. 24. the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God. The wicked behold him h Esa. 53. 2. without form or comeliness, or beauty to desire him: but the faithful behold him i Cant. 3. 11. crowned with a Crown, k Mat 17. 2. his face shining, as the Sun in his glory. Therefore l Bern. ser. 22. Quantò minorem se fecit in humilitate, tantò maiorem exhibuit in bonitate. Quanto pro me vilior, tanto mihi charior. The lower he brought himself in humility, the higher he magnified his mercy. By so much as he was made the base for us, by so much let him be the dearer to us. Observe it O man: & quia limus es, non sis superbus: & quia Deo iunctus; non sis ingratus: because thou art dust of thyself, be not proud: because thou art made immortal by Christ, be not unthankful. Condemned world, that despisest him appearing as a silly man! The jews expected an external pomp in the Messias: Can he not come down from the Cross; how should this man save us? They consider not, that he who wanted a Rest for his head, & Bread for his followers, fed some thousands of them with a few loaves: that he which wanted a pillow, gives rest to all believing souls: that he could, but would not come down from the cross; that the dear price of their redemption might be paid. Many still have such jewish hearts: what, believe on a crucified man? But Paul m 1. Cor. 2. 2. determines to know nothing, but this jesus Christ, and him crucified. They can be content to dwell with him on mount Tabor, but not to follow him to mount calvary. They cleave to him so long as he gives them bread, but forsake him when himself n joh. 19 28. cries for drink. Oderunt pannos tuos. O Christ, they like well thy robes of glory, but not thy rags of poverty. They love him whiles the people cry Hosanna; but shrink back when they cry, Crucify him. All pleaseth them but the Cross: all the fair way of delights they will accompany him, but at the Cross they part. They would share with him in his kingdom, but they will none of his vassalage. The Lion (in a Fable) had many attendants, and he provided for them good cheer. They like well of this, and are proud of their master, to whom all the other beasts gave awe and obedience. But it chanced that the Lion fell into the danger of the Dragon; who had got him down; ready to devour him. His followers seeing this quickly betake them to their heels; and fell every beast to his old trade of rapine. Only the poor Lamb stood bleating by, and though he could not help, would not forsake his Lord At last the Lion gets the victory, and treads the Dragon under his feet to death. Then he punisheth those revolting traitors with deserved destruction, and sets the Lamb by his own side. The great a Reu. 5. 5. Lion of judah feeds many of the jews, and at this day profane wretches: whilst his bounty lasts, Christ, and none but Christ. But when the Red Dragon hath got him under, nailed him to the cross, Crucified him dead; away go these runagates; no more penny, no more Paternoster. If affliction come for Christ his cause, they know where to find a kinder Master. Back to the world: one to his fraud, and he will overreach others with the sin of deceitfulness, though himself be overreached with the b Heb. 3. 13. deceitfulness of sin. Another to his usury; and he chemically projects money out of the poors bowels. A third to his covetousness; and he had rather that the very frame of the world should fall, than the price of corn. A fourth to his Idols; and he hopes for cakes from the Queen of heaven, as if the King of heaven was not able to give bread. If the Lord pinch them with distress, they run to Rome for succour: expecting that from a block, which they would not tarry to obtain from the God of mercy. Then they cry like the Israelites: c Exod. 32. 1. up, make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, we know not what is become of him. But at last this Lion conquers the Dragon; overcomes Satan & his damnation: what shall he then say to those Rebels that would not have him reign over them? But d Luk. 19 27. Bring those mine enemies, and slay them before me. But the poor and pure innocent Lambs that e Rom. 8. 17. suffer with him, shall reign with him. f Mat. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 〈◊〉. The other use is St. Paul's. g Phil. 2. 5. Let the same mind be in you, which was in Christ jesus. What mind is that? Humility. Ver. 7. He that thought it no robbery to be equal with God, humbled himself to become Man: we should have found it no robbery to be equal with Devils, and shall we be proud? What an intolerable disproportion is this; to behold Humilem Deum, & superbum hominem? an humble God, and a proud man? Who can endure to see a Prince on foot, & his vassal mounted? Shall the Son of God be thus humble for us, & shall not we be humble for ourselves? For ourselves, I say; that deserve to be cast down among the lowest; for ourselves, that we may be exalted. He that here calls himself the Son of man, is now glorified: they that humbly acknowledge themselves to be the Sons of men, that is mortal, shallbe made the Sons of God, that is immortal. In the first of King. 19 There was a mighty strong wind, that rend the mountains, and broke the rocks; but God was 1. King. 19 11. not in the Wind: the Lord will not rest in the turbulent spirit, puffed up with the wind of vainglory. There was an earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake. He will not dwell in a covetous heart, buried in the furrows of the earth, and cares of the world. There was a Fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. He will not rest in a choleric angry soul, full of combustion and furious heat. There was a still soft voice, and the Lord came with it. In a mild and humble spirit the God of heaven and earth will dwell. h Esa. 57 15. The high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, will dwell in the contrite and humble soul. It is a sweet mixture of Greatness and Goodness; Vt dum nihil in honore sublimius, nihil in humilitate submissius; When the highest in dignity are the lowest in courtesy. Augustine called himself, Minimum non solùm omnium Apostolorum, sed etiam Episcoporum; the least not only of all the Apostles, but of all the Bishops: whereas he was the most illuminate doctor and best Bishop of his times. Paul thought himself i 1. Cor. 15. 9 not worthy to be called an Apostle: and behold, he is called The Apostle; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; not Paul, but The Apostle. Abraham that esteemed himself k Gen. 18. 27. dust and ashes, is honoured to be the l Rom. 4. 11. Father of all them that believe. David sits content at his sheepe-folds; the Lord makes him King over his Israel. But as Humility like the Bee gathers Honey out of rank Weeds, very sins; moving to repentance. So Pride like the Spider sucks poison out of the fairest flowers, the best graces, and is corrupted with insolence. una superbia destruit omnia. Only Pride overthrows all. It thrust proud Nabuchadnezzar out of men's society, proud Saul out of his kingdom, proud Adam out of Paradise, proud Haman out of the Court, proud Lucifer out of heaven. Pride had her beginning among the Angels that fell, her continuance in earth, her end in hell. Poor man; how ill it becomes thee to be proud, when God himself is humble! Is come. We understand the person, let us come to his Coming. And herein, Ecce veritatem; behold his Truth. Did God promise a Son of a virgin; Emanuel, a Saviour? He is as good as his word; Venit, he is come. Did the sacrificed blood of so many Bulls, Goats, and Lambs, prefigure the expiatory blood of the Lamb of God to be shed? m joh. 1. 29. Ecce agnus Dei; Behold that Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. Is the Seed of the woman promised to break the head of the serpent? Behold he breaks the heavens, and comes down to do it. n 1. joh. 3. 8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil. Did God engage his word for a Redeemer to purge our sins? o Math. 1. 21. Call his name jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Against unbelieving Atheists, and misbelieving jews, here is sufficient conviction. But I speak to Christians, that believe he is come. Hac fide credite venturum esse, qua creditis venisse. Believe that he will come again, with the same faith wherewith you believe he is come already. Do not curtal God's word, believing only so much as you list. Faith is holy and catholic: if you distrust part of God's word, you prepare infidelity to the whole. Did God promise Christ, and in p Gal. 4. 4. the fullness of time to send him? Then since he hath again promised him, and q Act. 17. 31. appointed a day wherein he will judge the world by that man, he shall come. As certainly as he came to suffer for the world, so certainly shall he come to judge the world. r Heb. 9 28. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. He that kept his promise when he came to die for us, followed by some few poor Apostles, will not break it when he shall come in glory with thousands of Angels. Neither did God only promise that Christ should come, but that all believers should be saved by him. s joh. 1. 12. As many as received him, to them gave he power to be the sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name. Misit filium, promisit in filio vitam. He sent his Son to us, and salvation with him. Wretched and desperate men that distrust this mercy! Whosoever believes, and is baptized, shall be saved. Whosoever; Qui se ipsum excipit, seipsum decipit. Did not God spare to send his promised son out of his bosom to death, and will he to those that believe on him deny life? No; all his promises are Yea and Amen in Christ: may these also be Yea and Amen in our believing hearts. A yielding Devil could say, jesus I knew: yet some men are like that tempting devil. Math. 4. Si filiu: Dei sis; If thou be the son of God. Si if; as if they doubted, whether he could or would save them. Is come. There is a threefold Coming of Christ: according to the threefold difference of Time, Past, Present, Future. As t Ser. 3. de Adventu Christi. Bernard. Venit Ad homines In homines Contra homines. 1. First for the time past, he came among men. john. 1. 1. The word was made flesh, and dwelled among us. 2. For joh. 1. 14. the present, he comes into men; by his Spirit and grace. Reu. 3. I stand at the door and knock, if any open unto me, Reu. 3. 20. I will come into him. 3. For the time to come, he shall come against men. Rom. 2. At the day when God shall judge Rom. 2. 16. the secrets of all hearts by jesus Christ. Or as it is wittily observed; the Sun of righteousness appeareth in three Dr Boys. Post. Dom. signs: Leo, Virgo, Libra. 1. In the Law like a Lion, roaring out terrible things with a voice not indurable. u Exod. 20. 19 And they said to Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 2. In the Gospel he appeared in Virgo, an Infant borne of a virgin. Math. 1. 25. 3. At his last Audite he shall appear in Libra, weighing all our thoughts, words, and works in a balance. x Reu. 22. 12. Behold I come quickly & my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shallbe. Is come. He was not fetched, not forced, sponte venit; of his own accord he is come. a joh. 10. 18. No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself. b In Mat. 26. 55. Ambrose on these words of Christ; Are ye come out against a thief, with swords and staves to take me? Stultum est cum gladijs eum quarere, qui ultro se off●…rt. It was superfluous folly to apprehend him with weapons, that willingly offered himself: to seek him in the night by treason, as if he shunned the light, who was every day teaching publicly in the Temple. Sed factum congruit tempori & personis: quia cum essent tenebrae, in tenebroso tempore tenebrosum opus excercebant. The fact agrees to the time and Persons: they were darkness, therefore they do the work of darkness in a time of darkness. Indeed he prays; Father, save m●…e from this hour: but withal he corrects himself; Therefore came I to this hour. But he is said to fear d●…th. Hebr. 5. What is it to us Quòd timuit, that he feared: nostrum est quòd sustinuit, that he suffered. Christ's nature must needs abhor destructive things: but his Rational overcame his Natural will. He feared death. c Lomb. 3. sent dist. 17. Ex affectu sensualitatis, not Ex affectu rationis. He eschewed it secundum se, but did under go it propter aliud. Ex impetu naturae he declined it; but ex imperio rationis; considering that either he must come and die on earth, or we all must go and die in hell; and that the heads temporal death might procure the bodies eternal life; behold the Son of man is come. Neither was it necessary for him to love his pain, though he so loved usto suffer this pain. No man properly loves the rod that beats him, though he loves for his souls good to be beaten. As Augustin said of crosses; d Confes. lib. 10. cap. 28. Tollerare iubemur non amare. Nemo quod tollerat amat, etsi tollerare amat. We are commanded to bear them, not to love them. No man that even loves to suffer, loves that he suffers. Voluntarily he yields himself; saluting judas by the name of Friend: Amice ●…r venis? He suffered not his followers to offend his enemies, nor commands the Angels to defend himself. e Ambr. in Mat 27. 40. O blind jews; was it impossible for him, de parvo slipite ligni descendere, qui descendit a coelorum altitudine? to come down from a piece of wood, that came down from heaven? Nunquid Non venit ut se liberaret, qui sub seruituto non erat; sed ut nos de seruitu●… redimeret. Ambr. ubi supra. tua vincula illum possunt te●…ere, quem c●…li non possunt capere? Shall your bonds hold him, when the heavens could not contain him? He came not to deliver himself, that was in freedom: but to deliver us, that were in bondage. Is come. Is Christ come to us, and shall not we come to him? Doth the Son of God come to the Sons of men, and do the Sons of men scorn to come to the Son of God? Proud dust, wilt thou not meet thy maker? If any ask; f Cant. 6. 1. Whether is thy beloved gone? that we may seek him with thee. The Church answers; g Ver. 2. My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather Lilies. You shall have him in his Garden, the Congregation of the faithful. Wheresoever a number is gathered together in his Name. Behold, Venit ad limina virtus, Manna lies at your thresholds; will you not go forth and gather it? The Bridegroom is come, will you not make merry with him? The nice piece of dust; like Idolatrous jeroboam, cries, the Church is too far off, the journey too long to Christ. He came all that long way from heaven to earth for us, and is a mile too tedious to go to him? Go too, sede, ede, perde; sit still, eat thy meat, and destroy thyself: who shall blame the justice of thy condemnation. But for us, let us leave our pleasures, and go to our Saviour. Non sedeas sed cas, ni pereas per cas. Come a little way to him, that came so far to thee. Philip tells Nathanael, we have found the Messias: Nathanael objects, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? joh. 1. 48. Come and see, saith Philip. And straightways jesus saw Nathanael coming. Christ hath sent many Preachers to invite us to salvation: We ask, Vbi, where: they say, Come and see: but we will not come; Christ cannot see us coming. Mundus, cura, caro; three mischievous hinderers, we come not. Christ himself calls; yet g joh. 5. 40. You will not come unto me; that you might have life. He comes amongst us, Christians; ad suos: h joh. 1. 11. He came to his own●…, and his own received him not. We say of such things as are unlike; they come not near one another: many clothes lie on a heap together, yet because of their different colours, we say they come not near one to another. But of things that are alike, we say they come nigh one another. Our coming near to Christ is not in place, but in grace. Not in place; for so the wicked is near to God. i Psal. 139. 7. Whether shall I fly from thy presence? But in grace and quality; being holy as he is holy. Indeed he must first draw us before we can come. k Cant. Draw me: we will run after thee. He first draws us by grace, than we run after him by repentance. To seek. He is come: to what purpose? Ecce compassionem; to seek. All the days of his flesh upon earth he went about seeking souls. He went to Samaria to seek the woman, to Bethany to seek Mary, to Capernaum to seek the Centurion, to jericho to seek Zacheus. O what is a man, and the Son of man, that the Son of God should thus hunt after him! We sought not him. l Psal. 10. 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. Behold, he seeks us. We would not call upon him, he sends Ambassadors to beseech us. m 2. Cor. 5. 20. We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconcised to God. Indeed we cannot seek him, till he first find us. Oportuit viam invenire errantes, errantes enim nequeunt invenire viam. If the n joh. 14. 6. Way had not found us, we should never have found the Way. I oe his mercy: Non solum redeuntem suscipit, sed perditum quarit. How joyful will he be to find us, that is thus careful to seek us! Let this teach us, not to hide ourselves from him. Wretched men, guilty of their own eternal loss, that will not be found of Christ when he seeks them. How shall they at the last day o 1. joh. 2. 28. stand with confidence before him, that at this day run from him? If we will not be found to be sanctified, we cannot be found to be glorified. Paul p Phil. 3. 9 desires to be found in Christ: in Christ found, for without Christ ever lost q joh. 17. 12. Those that thou gavest me, I have kept; and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition. Woe to that man, when Christ shall return with a Non inventus. What can the shepherd do but seek? nolunt inveniri; they will not be found. What the charmer but charm? Nolunt incantari, they will not be charmed. What the Suitor but woo? nolunt desponsari, they will not be espoused to Christ. What the Ambassador but beseech? Nolunt exorari they will not be entreated. What then remains? r Reu. 22. 11. He that will be unjust, let him be unjust still: and he that will be filthy, let him be filthy still. If we will not be found of him when he seeks us, he will not be found of us when we seek him. s Prou. 1. 28. They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. Quaesitus contemnet, qui quarens contemnitur. He was despised when he sought, and will despise when he is sought to. Three vicious sorts of men are here culpable. 1. Some sculke when Christ seeks. If there be any bush in Paradise. Adam will thrust his head into it. If there be any hole of pretence, Saul will there borough his rebellion. If Gehe●…i can shadow his bribery with a lie, Elisha shall not find him. When the Sun shines, every bird comes forth, only the owl will not be found. These birds of darkness cannot abide the light. t joh. 3. 19 because their deeds are evil. Thus they play at All hid with God: but how foolishly! Like that beast that having thrust his head in a bush, and seeing no body, thinks no body sees him. But they shall find at last, that not holes of u Reu. 6. 16. Mountains, nor caves of rocks, can conceal them. 2. Others play at fast and loose with God: as a man behind a tree, one while seen, another while hid. In the day of prosperity they are hidden; only in affliction they come out of their holes. As some beasts are driven out of their boroughs by pouring in scalding water: or as Absalon fetched joab, by setting a 2. Sam. 14. 30. on fire his Barley fields. These are found on the Sunday, but lost all the week. Like the Devil, they stand among the Sons of God yet devour the servants of God. As Saul at one time prophesied with the Prophets, and at job. 1. another time massacred them. Christ calls them to a banquet of prosperity, they cry Hîc sumus, We are here: but if Satan (in their opinion) offer them better cheer; Tibi sumus, We are for thee. 3. Others being lost, and hearing the seekers voice, go further from him. These are Wolves, not sheep. The sheep hears his voice, and comes: the Wolf hears it, and flies. The nearer salvation comes to them, the further they run from it. Because England tenders them the Gospel, they will run as far as Rome for damnation. Christ came to seek the lost sheep; Luk. 15. he found it, he laid it on his shoulders, and he rejoiced. In his life he seeks the sinner till he find him. In his death he lays him on his shoulders, bearing his sins in his body on the Crosse. In his resurrection he rejoiced for him. In his ascension he opens the doors of heaven, & brings him home. Venit & invenit: he comes to seek, and he seeks to save; which is the next point, To save. Ecce Pietatem, Behold his goodness. Herod sought Christ ad interitum, to kill him: Christ seeks us ad salutem, to save us. b 1. Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation: that jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Yield to be found, if thou wilt yield to be saved. There is nothing but good meant thee in this seeking. Vidimus & testamur, etc. c 1. joh. 4. 14. We have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. The fishermen's riddle was, Those we could not find we kept, those we found we lost. But Christ's course is otherwise: Whom he finds he saves; whom he finds not are lost for ever. It was a Poetical speech; Amare & sapere vix conceditur dijs. To love and to be wise seldom meet. They are met in Christ: he did love us, suscepit naturam he became man: he was wise, occîdit peccatum, he killed sin. In love he seeks us, in wisdom he saves us: here was Amare & sapere. This sweet and comfortable note I must leave to your meditations: my speech must end his saving, though of his salvation there be no end. parvum est servare bonos: it is a small thing to save those that are in no danger of spilling; therefore lastly look to the Object; The lost. There Ecce Potestatem, behold his power. He is that d Luk. 11. 22.] strongest man, that unbound us from the fetters of sin and Satan. Fortissimus; for caetera excellit, caetera expellit: he excels the rest, he expels the rest. He had need be powerful, that redeems so weak man from the hands of so strong enemies. Magnus venit medicus, quia magnus iacebat aegrotus. The whole world was sick: there had need be a great Physician, for there was a great Patient. Lo where wretchedness lies at the foot of Goodness; ecce miserum ante misericordem. What but infinite Misery should be the fit object of infinite Mercy! Here was then the purpose of Christ's coming; to seek the lost, to recall wanderers, to heal the sick, to cleanse the Leprous, to revive the dead, to save sinners. He e Math. 9 13. Luke 15. came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He leaves the ninety nine in the Wilderness, to seek the lost sheep. Whether it be meant of the just Angels in Heaven; as Ambrose, Chrysostome, Hilary, Euthymius think. Or those that thought themselves just, as Bucer and Ludolphus; the Scribes and pharisees, that presumed they needed no repentance. He embraceth Publicans and sinners, that confess themselves sick, and lacking a Physician; sinful wretches, and needing a Saviour. Those worldlings in the Gospel have better cheer at home; what care they for Christ's supper? It is the dry ground that thinks well of rain, the hungry soul that is glad of sustenance. The mercy of God falls most welcome on the broken spirit. They that feel themselves miserable, and that they stand in need of every drop of his saving blood, to those it runs fresh and sweet. They that feel themselves lost, are found. They are least of all lost, that think themselves most lost: they are nearest to their health, that are most sensible of their sickness. These he seeks, these he saves: to these f Postil. cathol con. 2. dom. 1. Aduent. Nascens se dedit in socium, con●…escens in cibum, moriens in pretium, regnans in praemium. In his birth he became their companion, in his life their food, in his death their redemption, in his glory their Salvation. Lost; but where was man lost? There are diverse losing places. 1. A garden of delights: and there the first man lost himself, and all us: in a Garden therefore our Saviour found us again. We were Lost in a garden of rest, we are found in a garden of trouble. The serpent could never take the hare, (he was too light footed for him) till he found him sleeping in a garden of sweet flowers, under which the serpent lay hidden. Whilst man not only surfeits on pleasures, but sleeps in them, Satan that old serpent wounds him to death. 2. A wilderness is a place able to lose us: and that's this world, a wide and wild forest; many lost in it. We read of a rich man, Luk. 12. that lost himself in one corner of this wilderness, his very barns: strange, to be lost in a barn. And yet how many loose themselves in a less room, their Counting house! The usurer hath there lost his soul, and no man can find it. It is so long wrapped up among his bonds, till Satan take the forfeit. The depopulator takes a larger field to lose his soul in; and to make sure work, that grace may never find it, he hedges and ditches it in. 3. Another losing place is a Labyrinth or Maze. In the Orchard of this world the God of it hath made a Labyrinth; which St. john describes. g 1. Epist. 2. 16. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The entrance hereinto is easy; as you have seen in that Emblem of Suretyship, the Horn: a man goes gently in at the Butt end, but comes hardly out at the Buckall: the coming forth is difficult. It is so full of crooked meanders, windings, and turnings, out of one sin into another; from consent to delight, from delight to custom, from custom to impenitency: that in this Labyrinth men soon grow to a maze, and know not how to be extricated. Labyrinthus, quasi labor intus: the wicked h Wised. 5. 7. weary themselves in the ways of destruction. Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life. Haec tr●…a pro trino Numine mundus habet. This is the trinity the world worships. Lust of the flesh. The adulterer looseth himself in the forbidden bed. Inter mammillas perditur: he is lost between the breasts of a Harlot. He that seeks for him, must (as the Pursuivant for the Seminary) not forbear the Mistress' bed to find him. Lust of the eyes. Ahab casts a covetous eye at Naboths' vineyard. David a lustful eye at Bathsheba. The eye is the pulse of the soul: as Physicians judge of the heart by the pulse, so we by the eye. A rolling eye, a roving heart. The good eye keeps minute-time, and strikes when i●… should: the lustful crotchet-time, and so puts all out of tune. Pride hath lost as many, as any her fellow Devils. They say, she was borne in heaven, and being cast down wandered upon earth, where a woman took her in; and there she hath dwelled ever since. Indeed Esay 3. the shop of pride is the woman's wardrobe: in this wardrobe many souls both of women and men too are lost. The common study is new fashions; but it is an ill fashion thus to lose the soul. If we would get out of this maze, we must (as God warned the i Math. 2. 12. Wisemen) depart another way. Out of lust we must wind forth by Chastity, out of covetousness by Charity, out of Pride by Humility. Penitence is the clew to guide us forth: howsoever we came in, we must go out by Repentance. 4. A fourth losing place is the multitude of new and strange ways: wherein men wander, as Saul after his Asses, and are lost. There is a way to Rome, a way to Amsterdam: a way to the silliness of ignorance, a way to the sullenness of arrogancy. None of all these is the way to Zion. In the multitude of ways multitude of souls lose themselves. 5. Lastly some are lost in the dark vault of ignorance; applauding themselves in their blindness, and like Bats refusing the Sunshine. They have an k Act. 17. 23. Altar, but it is Ignoto Deo, to an unknown God. Like the Host of the King of Syria, they are blind, and lost betwixt l 2. King. 6. 19 Dothan and Samaria. They may grope (as the Sodomites) for the door of heaven: but let not the Pope make them believe, that they can find it blindfold. Ignorance is not God's starchamber of light; but the devils vault of darkness. By that doctrine Antichrist fills hell, and his own coffers. The light that must bring us out, is jesus Christ: m joh. 1. 9 Which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. And his n Psal. 119. 105 Word is a la●…pe unto our feet, and a light unto our paths. Thus you see, there are many places to be lost in; but one way to be found; and that is this; The Son of man is come to seek and to save that was lost. O jesus turn our wandering steps into the narrow way of righteousness. Come to us that we may be sought, seek us that we may be found, find us that we may be saved, save us that we may be blessed; and bless thy name for ever. Amen. A GENERATION OF Serpents OR The Poison of Wickedness. PSAL. 58. 4. Their poison is like the poison of a Serpent, like the deaf Adder that stoppeth her ear. THis verse spends itself on a double comparison, of Persons, Conditions. The Persons compared are Men and Serpents. The Conditions or Qualities upon which the similitude stands, are Poison and Deafness. The former whereof is indefinite; Their Poison is as the Poison of a Serpent, any Serpent. The latter is restrictive; Their deafness is like the Adders; one kind of Serpents. I will begin with the Conditions: for if the same qualities be found in Men, that are in Serpents; there will follow fitly, too fitly, a comparison of their Persons. The first Quality here ascribed to the wicked by the Psalmist, is Poison. There is such a thing as Poison; but where to be found; Vbi cumque fuerit, in homine quis quareret? Wheresoever it is, in Man who would look for it? GOD made man's body of the dust; he mingled no Poison with it. He inspireth his soul from heaven, he breathes no Poison with it. He feeds him with bread, he conveys no poison with it. unde venenum? Whence is this Poison? a Mat. 13. 27. Didst not thou O Lord, sow good seed in thy field? unde Zizaniae? From whence then hath it tars? Whence? Hoc fecit inimicus; the Enemy hath done this. We may perceive the Devil in it. That great Serpent, the red Dragon, hath powered into wicked hearts this Poison. His own Poison? Malitiam wickedness, cum infundit peccatum, infundit venenum. When he pours in Sin, he pours in poison. Sin is Poison. Original pravity is called Corruption; actual, Poison. The violence and virulence of this venomous quality comes not at first. Nemo fit repent pessimus. No man becomes worst at first dash. We are borne corrupt, we have made ourselves Poysonus. There be three degrees, as it were so many ages in sin. 1. Secret sin: an ulcer lying in the bones, but skinned over with hypocrisy. 2. Open sin, bursting forth into manifest villainy. The former is corruption, the second eruption. 3. Frequented and confirmed sin, and that is rank poison, enveneming soul and body. When it is impostumated to this ripeness and rankness, it impudently justifies wickedness for goodness; venenum pro nutrimento; poison for nutriment. It feeds on, swallows, digests sin, as if it were nourishment. As Hemlock is good meat for Goats, and Spiders for Monkeys. It despiseth all reproof, b Psal. 1. 1. sitting in the scorners chair: Which for the poison is called by divines, Sedes Pestilentiae; the Seat of Pestilence. Peccator cum in profundum venerit, contemnet. When a wicked man comes to the depth and worst of sin, ●…hee despiseth. Then the Hebrew will despise Moses: c Exod. 2. 14. Who made thee a Prince, and a judge over us? Then Ahab will quarrel with Micheah, because he doth not d 1. Kin. 22. 18. Prophecy good unto him. Every child in Bethel will mock Elisha, and be bold to call him e 2. King. 2. 23. Bald pate. Here is an original drop of veneme swollen to a main Ocean of Poison. As one drop of some Serpent's poison lighting on the hand, gets into the veins; and so spreads itself over all the body, till it hath stifled the vital spirits. In this Poison there is a double pestilent effect Inficit, Interficit. It is to themselves death, to others a contagious sickness. To themselves It is an epidemical corruption, dispersing the venom over all parts of body and soul. It poisons the heart with falsehood, the head with lightness, the eyes with adultery, the tongue with blasphemy, the hands with oppression, the whole body with intemperance. It Poisons beauty with wantonness, strength with violence, wit with wilfulness, learning with dissension, devotion with superstition, religion with treason. If they be greater gifts, it poisons them with pride; putting Cantharideses into the oile-pot. If meaner, it poisons them with hypocrisy, putting Colocinthis into the porridge-pot. And where the Cantharideses of Pride, or Coloquintida of hypocrisy are, there is venenum & exitium; Poison and death. This poison, faster than a Gangrene, runs from joint to joint; as an enemy takes Fort after Fort, till he hath won the whole Country. 1. It is in the Thought: the f Gen. 6. 5. imaginations are full of poison. Every evil thought is not thus poisonous. There is malum innatum, and inseminatum, saith Bernard. An evil bred in us, and an evil sown in us. Sins, like Weeds, will grow fast enough without sowing: but Qui 〈◊〉, he that g Gal. 6. 8. sows to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption: he that shall sow this venomous seed, poisons his soul. h jer. 4. 14. Cleanse thy heart from iniquity, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? Lodge: he doth not speak of transient; but permanent sins. Such as i Mic. 2. 1. meditate mischief; study to be nought. Whose imaginations suck poison out of every Object, yea though it be good: as the Spider sucks poison from the sweetest flower. Vanishing thoughts, that pass through a good man without approbation, not without suppression, are properly Nec mors nec morbus animae, sed deformitas; neither the disease nor death of the soul, but the deformity. They are im●…issae; Satan's darts shot through us: in cord, non de cord: in the heart, not of the heart. Which the godly Sentiunt, non consentiunt; feel, but give no liking to. They are our Crosses, not our sins. Such a thought is but morbus mentis, the disease of the mind; the other morsus serpentis; the wound or poison of the Serpent. The allowed filthy cogitation is the poison. Thus are the thoughts poisoned. 2. From thence it runs to the Senses, and sets open those windows to let in the poisonous air of wickedness. The five Senses are the Cinque Ports, where all the great traffic of the Devil is taken in. They are the Pores, whereby Satan conveys in the stinking breath of temptation. The ear is set wide open to receive in the poison of scurrilous songs, obscene ●…ests, seditious libels. It is not only an Atheman ear, novitatis avida, greedy of news: but a Cretian ear, pravitatis avida, greedy of evil. It listens to hear of civil wars, uncivil treasons: it would feign have heard the great thunderclappe, which the Gunpowder should have made at the blowing up of the Parliament house. Here is an ear for the Devil. Such ears have the Jesuits: they would feign hear of the ruin of kingdoms. What would make others k 1. Sam. 3. 11. ears tingle, makes their ears tickle. Aures illae in se sentiant, quod audire de alij●… cupiunt. Let such ears feel that woe themselves, which they desire so earnestly to hear of others. The Eyelid is set open with the gagges of Lust and Envy. A libidinous eye draws in much poison. There be eyes full of adultery, saith the Apostle. They fetch in seeds of poison from the Theatre, yea (I tremble to speak it) from the Church of GOD. It beholds beauty, (Gods rare workmanship on a piece of clay) not to bless the Creator, but to draw a curse on the creature. Like a melancholy distracted man, that drowns himself in a clear Crystal river. O such chaste Beauty is like the bellows; though it own breath be cold, it makes them burn. There is another kind of Eye; that derives poison to the heart; the envious eye, that is vexed at the richer furniture, fatter estate, or higher honour of another: thinking his own not good, because his neighbour hath better. Any man's advancement is so capital an offence to his malice, that he could shoot out his own eyes, so they might be balls of Wildfire to consume him. But his malice sucks up the greatest part of his own venom; and therewith poisons himself, rather than others. A man that sees him, would say, He is poisoned: for his blood looks of a yellowish colour, like those that are bitten with Vipers. His gall flows as thick in him, as if he had a poisoned stomach. If he had, as Seneca wished to the Envious, eyes in every place; his uncontainable poison would soon burst him. As he is, he would be another's enemy, but is his own mischief 3. From the Senses it runs to the Tongue; and sets it a swelling, a swearing, that it infects the air, and poisons the very l Zach. 5. 4. Walls of the house. The excrements of the jews spit upon the face of our Saviour, were not so feculent. Their blasphemies strive to blast, not only the plants of the earth, but even the planets of Heaven; the Sun and Stars: and if it were possible, they would make new wounds in the side of jesus Christ. If any swearer think, I do his tongue wrong; let him read. Rom. 3. m Rom. 3. 13. The poison of Asps is under their lips. If you would know what that pestilent poison is, the next verse expounds it. n Ver. 14. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. They carry worse poison in ●…re, in their mouth; then any serpent in caud●…, in his tail. o jam. 3. 8. Their tongue is full of deadly poison. 1. They have poison. 2. not dead, but deadly; mortal poison. 3. not a little, but saturity of it; full of deadly poison. Poison hath thus got from their silent thoughts, to their moving senses; and from thence to their, loud and lewd talking tongues. And this bewrays their venom, as the Serpents Hissing betrays his malice. p Eccl. 21. 26. The heart of fools is in their mouth, but the mouth of the wise is in their heart. Cesar said, he feared not Anthony, whose heart was in his tongue; but Cassius, whose tongue was in his heart. A wicked man's tongue discovers him. A bell may have a crack, though invisible: take the clapper and strike, and you shall soon perceive it. The ungodly may conceal his wickedness by silence: but if the clapper strikes, if his tongue walks, you shall quickly perceive, he is cracked. A poisoned tongue cannot forbear to sputter abroad his venom. 4. From the Tongue this poison runs to the Hands. Anaxagoras thought Man the wisest of all creatures, because he hath hands: he might have thought him the wickedest of all creatures, because he hath hands. No creature doth so much hurt with his teeth or talons, as the wicked man with his poisoned hands. A man doth greatly express himself by his hands. Paul by beckoning his q Act. 21. 40. hand, procured silence. Much is done r Pers. Satyr. 4. Maiestate manus, as the Poet; by Majesty of the hand. The wit seems to manifest itself in the hands: as the Italians say of the Duchmen, that their wit dwells in their finger's end. The power in the hands. An nescis longas Regibus esse manus? Yield the hand a principal instrument; yet corruptio optimi pessima. The evil hand doth not so much manifest man's wittiness, as his wickedness, s Mic. 2. 1. They devise iniquity, and practise it, because it is in the power of the Hand. The poison that was conceived in their thoughts, dilates itself into their hands: cogitant, agitant. God reproves the jews, that they had Manus sanguinum, t Esa. 1. 15. bloody hands. And the same Prophet seems to liken it to a venomous infection: u Esa. 59 3. your hands are defiled with blood. And if the tongue can be possibly brought, to smother the in cherished poison, yet manus manifestabit, the hand will discover it. ver. 6. The act of violence is in their hands. The Israelites soon suspected, what a king Rehoboam would be when he threatened Gravitatem manus, to make his hand heavy; yea his finger heavier than his father's Loins. Ahab quite disgraced himself for being thought religious, when he laid a violent hand on Naboths' vineyard. jeroboam makes it plain, that he bore no love to God's Prophets, cum extendit manum; when he put forth his hand to strike one. Many Landlords seem Christians, but they have Rehoboams' hand, a heavy hand on their Tenants, many usurers come to Church, but they have ahab's hand, to take the forfeit of the poor debtor heritage. Many parishioners seem to love their Prophets, but they have jeroboams hand, a hand that strikes them, if not in person, yet in estate; undoing them and their families. This is venenata manus, a poisoned Hand. 5. Lastly this poison having got possession of the thoughts, words, works; it must needs follow that it hath taken the Heart. a Esa. 1. 5. Cor dolet, the whole heart is sick. These corrupted simptomes prove that the heart is rotten b job. 20. 14. 16. The very meat in their bowels is turned to the gall of Asps. They suck the poison of Asps. If you ask why they feel it not; Paul says; Their sense is lost: c Eph. 4. 19 They are past feeling. Their whole self is changed into a disease. Their body is no longer Corpus, but Morbus. As Lucan. Totum est pro vulnere corpus. Their whole body is as one wound or sickness. Neither can we say so properly of them, that they are sick, as that they are dead. Nonaegroti, sed defuncti: not diseased, but deceased. And in all this observe the effect of this Poison in themselves. For it doth not only annoy others, but mostly destroy themselves. And herein their poison is not only Tale and Tantum, such and so much as that of Serpents: but Plus & Perniciosius, more, and more dangerous. Seneca says, Venenum quod serpents in alienam perniciem proferunt, sine sua continent. The poison which serpents cast out to the damage of others, they retain without their own periudice. But the poison of the wicked, dum alios inficit, seipsos interficit; Whilst it infects others, kills themselves. d Prou. 5. 22. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself. Their own wickedness, like poison, hath in themselves these three direful effects. It makes them Swell. Swill. Burst. 1. It makes them swell with pride, and blows up the heart, as a bladder with a quill. e 1. Sam. 25. 10 Quis est David? Who is David? and who is the Son of jesse? Yea f job. 21. 15. Quis est Dominus? Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? Thus the Spider, a poisonous vermin, g Prou. 30. 28. Climes up to the roof of the king's palace. If he be in prosperity nothing can hold him to a man. Be he but a h 2. King. 14. 9 Thistle, he sends to the king of Lebanon, for his daughter to be his sons wife. Though he be but a dwarf in comparison, he would swell to a son of Anak. Sin hath puffed him up, & he forgets his maker. i jer. 5. 7. The Lord hath fed him to the full, & he rebels against him. We have then good cause to pray with our Church; In the time of our wealth, good Lord deliver us. 2. It makes them swill: the poison of sin is such a burning heat within them, that they must still be drinking. And the devil, their Physician, holds them to a diet-drink: they shall not have the water of the Sanctuary, that would cool them: but the harsh, harish, & ill-brewd drink of damnation. They shall taste nothing but sin; more poison still. Which is so far from quenching their thirst, that it inflames it. Totis exquirit in agris. Lucan. Quas modo poscit aquas, sitiens in cord venenum. So a man puts out the Lamp by pouring in more oil and extinguisheth the fire by laying on fuel. This may for a small time allay the heat, as cold drink to a burning fever. So ahab's, fervour was a little delayed, with a draft of wine out of Naboths' vineyard. But Satan holds his guests to one kind of liquor, and that's rank poison; the mud of sin and wickedness. He allows them no other watering place, but this Puddle-wharf. 3. It makes them burst, here be the three sore effects of sin in the soul, as of poison in the body. Frst it makes a man swell, than it makes him drink, lastly it it bursts him. judas is hoven with covetousness, he drinks the money of treason, and then he bursts. Rumpuntur viscera judae. k Act. 1. 18. he burst out. This is the catastrophe of a wicked life. l jam. 1. 15. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringethforth forth death. To others. You see how fatal the poison of the wicked is to themselves. It doth not only rumperese, but corrumpere alios: burst themselves, but corrupt others. It deprives their own good, it depraves others good. The hurt is doth to others, consists. in Correptione, Corruption. in outward harming, in inward defiling them. Outwardly Their Poison breaks forth in the injuries of all about them. They spare neither foreigner nor neighbour. There be little snakes in Babylon, that bite only foreigners, and not inhabitants. Pliny writes of Scorpions in the hill Caria, that when they sting, only wound the natural borne people of the Country; but extraneos leviter mordere, but bite strangers gently, or not at all. These, like fools, not only strike them that are nearest, but between their poison in ruinam omnium, to the overthrow of all. Such a one cannot sleep except he have done mischief: nay he dies, if others do not die by him. Et si non aliqua nocu●…sset, mortuus esset. A man's Land cannot scape the poison of the depopulator: nor his estate the poison of the usurer; nor his children the ravisher: nor his peace the contend: nor his name the slanderer. If their poison cannot prevail ad interitum hominis, they will spend it ad interitum nominis. If they cannot murder, they will murmur. They are the devils bandogs; as one calls Parsons the Pope's Cerb●…rus. If they cannot come to bite, they will bark. If their sting cannot reach, their mouth shall sputter out their venom. Yea some of them do not only this mischief whiles they live, but etiam mortui, even dead. As Herod, that caused the noble Sons of the jews to be slain post mortem suam, after his death. They write of some serpents, that their poison can do no hurt except it be shot from the live bodies of them: but these leave behind them a still evill-working poison. As we say of a charitable man, that he doth good after he is dead; his alms maintain many poor souls on earth, when his soul is in heaven: Et quamvis ipse sepultus, alit. So these wicked sin perpetually even dead. The encloser of commons sinneth after he is dead: even so long as the poor are deprived of that benefit. He that hath robbed the Church of a tenth, & so leaves it to his heir, sins after he is dead: even so long as God is made to lose his right. Moriente serpent moritur venenum: but here moriente homine vivit peccatum. As one said of a Lawyer that resolving not to be forgotten, he made his will so full of intricate quirks; that his executors (if for nothing else; yet) for very vexation of law might have cause to remember him. jeroboams sin of Idolatry out lived him. The unjust decrees of a partial judge may out live him: even so long as the adjudged inheritance remains with the wrongful possessor. The decrees of diverse Popes; as in curtaling the Sacrament, forbidding marriage, etc. are their still living sins though themselves be dead and rotten. Inwardly. Their poison doth most hurt by Infection: their company is as dangerous as the plague: a man cannot come near them, but he shall be contaminated. Like the weed called Gosses, they make the ground barren wheresoever they grow. Their Poison is got Per Contactum Contractum Compactum Conspectum 1. By touching: he that toucheth pitch, shall be defiled. It is dangerous to sport and dally with them: dum ludunt, laedunt. m Prou. 26. 18. He casteth firebrands, and arrows, and death; and saith, Am I not in sport. As Solomon saith, Their very mercies are cruel: so their very jest is kill earnest. 2. By companying with them: they hurt by sporting, but worse by sorting. n Prou. 1. 14. Cast in thy lot among us, let us all have one purse. They that will quarter themselves with the wicked, must drink of their poison. If you ask, how haps it that their infection is not sm●…lt: Bernard answers; Vbi omnes s●…rdent, unius De Consider. minimè sentitur: one is not smelled, where all stink. 3. By Confederacy; which is yet a higher degree of receiving their poison. The first was alight dallying with their humours, the next a society with them in some drunken riots and disorders: but this third is a conspiracy with them in their pernicious and deadly plots. Thus a Seminary comes from Rome, and whistles together a number of traitors: he brought poison with him in a Bull's horn, and they all must drink it. As they report, that once one scabbed sheep from Spain rotten all the sheep of England. In this manner is the poison of adultery spread from a Harlot. In selling her flesh she sets pretium peccati, and takes praemium peccati: either pretium pacti, or praemium facti: she hath her price, and gives her male his reward. This is a damnable combination: he that goeth after her, poisons himself per compactum; he bargains for his own destruction. 4. By Sight; as they that look on ill affected eyes attract some of the anguish by a kind of reflection. So the very beholding of their wicked example, derives corruption to the heart by resultance. Many sins had been unknown, if they had not been learned by precedent. Great men graceless are the devils special factors: they have their new tricks of vanity to teach others. And they often broach these new fashions of damnation, not so much out of affection to the thing itself, as to be talked of. As Alcibiades cut off his dog's tail, that all the people might talk of his curtal. O the unspeakable deal of poison that is thus conveyed into men's hearts: and the innumerable souls, that go to hell by pattern. Thus they hurt others. But I have been too copious in discovery of their poison: I should come to their deafness; but I am loath to speak of deafness till the end of the Sermon. Their poison being thus compared with the poison of Serpents, let us now compare Their Persons. They are here said to be Sicut Serpents; Like Serpents. But Matthew 23. o Mat. 23. 33. CHRIST calls the pharisees very Serpents. And john Baptist p Mat. 3. 7. a generation of Vipers. And GOD tells Ezekiel, that he did q Ezech. 2. 6. dwell among Scorpions. In these places the Sicut is left out, and the wicked are called very Serpents. Not that the frame and form of their bodily constitution was Serpentine. It was a foolish opinion among the Heathen, that there were Ophiogenes, or Anguigenae. They write of Ophion, the companion of Cadmus, and builder of Thebes, that he was made by Pallas, of a Dragon's tooth. So Ephesus was once called Colubraxia: and the people thereof Ophiussa. I have read of one Exagon, an Ambassador to Rome, being at the Consuls command cast into a Tun of snakes; that they licked him with their tongues, and did him no harm. But to conclude hereon that these were of Serpent's brood; we might as well say, Daniel was borne of Lions, because they did not hurt him. They are mystical Serpents, I mean. And if wicked men think scorn to be called Serpents, let them abhor the qualities of Serpents. x I refer you for this doctrine to my Sermon upon Math. 10. 16. Sin is of that power, that it can work metamorphoses, and transform men into beasts and serpents. Let us now see what Serpents we have among us. 1. We have the Salamander, the troublesome and litigious neighbour; who ever loves and lives in the fire of contention. Whatsoever they talk that the Salamander is nourished by the fire; yet Galen and Dioscorides affirm, that if it tarry long in it, it will be burnt, when the humidity is wasted. Whatsoever a man gets by the fire of vexation, at last his humour will be wasted, his wealth spent, and himself consumed in his own flames. Let no man think to get by his troublesomeness, as if he could be fed with fire. They talk of a Net at Rome (wherein Christ's napkin is preserved) that it is washed in nothing but fire. And Paulus Venetus speaks of a kind of earth in Tartary; which being spun into a thread, and woven into cloth, is only purged from all spots by washing it in the fire. But if ever any man grow rich by his contentiousness, I will believe that fire is nourishment. Some make the Emblem of Strife the Snake. Allecto sent a Snake to move contention in the family of Amata. unum de crinibus Anguem Conijcit, inque sinum praecordia ad intima subdit. Aeneid. 7. Let the unquiet man, that is still vexing his neighbours with suits and quarrels, here take his choice: whether he will be a Snake or a Salamander. 2. We have the Dar●…; and that's the Angry man. This is the Serpent that is thought to leap on Paul's hand. jaculum vocat Africa. It gathers itself into a heap on the top of a tree, and so flies at a man, tanquam Act. 28. Sagitta; as a Dart. Such a Serpent is the hasty furious man; he flies upon another with a sudden blow. Some conjecture (I know not how probably) that these were the fiery Serpents in the Desert. 3. There is the Dipsas, the Drunkard. This Serpent lives altogether in moorish places: the serpent in the fens, the man at the alehouse. Ovid writes of an old drunken woman. Est quaedam nomine Dipsas anus. Ex re nomen habet. Her name did agree with her nature. It is ever dry saith Lucan. Medijs siti●…bant Dipsades undis. If this Serpent wound a man, it turns all his blood into poison. So the Drunkard turns his blood to water, his bread to drink, his reason to poison, his very soul to froth. 4. There is the Crocodile, the Hypocrite. He will sob, and sigh, and weep, to get a man into his clutches. If his hypocrisy can get him into a good house, he will devour the Patron that breeds him, the maintainer that feeds him: he undoes the family where he once sets a foot into their doors, or puts a finger into their purses. Pliny saith, the Crocodile is so delighted with the Sunshine, that it lies on the earth immovable, as if it were stark dead. Let the Hypocrite be franked up with prosperity, and he sleeps as securely, as if earth had lost all winds, and heaven the thunder. His pampered body grows so fat, that his soul lies soft in it, at great ease, and is loath to rise. 5. The Cockatrice, that is said to kill with the eyes. Illius auditos expectant nulla susurros. The reason why Nicand. it kills by sight, is thus given; because the beams of a Cockatrices eye corrupt the visible spirits of a man; which corrupted, corrupt the other spirits coming from the brain, and life of the heart. Our common Phrase hath found out creatures to match this kind of Serpents; Whores, usually called Cockatrices. I would to God they were believed as dangerous as they are, and are named. The Cockatrice is a very hot creature; and therefore made with spiraments and breathing places all over the body: lest the compage and juncture of the whole composition should be dissolved. The intemperate heat of harlots is worse, and in some kind a very reflection from the fire of hell. There is an old tale, that England was once so pestered with Cockatrices, that a certain man found out one only trick to destroy them: which was by walking up and down in glass before them; whereby their own shapes were so reflected upon their own faces, that they died. But it is idle, for it is more likely that the man should die by the corruption of the air from the cockatrice, than the cockatrice by the resultance of it own similitude from the glass. As the harlot will sooner pervert a man, than he shall convert the harlot. Indeed they say, if they first see us, they kill us: if we first see them, they die. So if we first see the damnation of a Courtesan, we save ourselves: if they first see & wound us, we die of it. 6. There's the Catterpillar; you all know this to be the Covetous. I confess that other Serpents are also fit emblems of the covetous: as the Toad, that eats sparingly of the very earth for fear it should be all wasted & no food left for her. The german Painters to signify Covetousness, do picture an old woman sitting upon a toad. Or the Earthworm: these worms eat up the fat of the earth, toads eat up those worms, and dragons eat up those toads. So lightly petty usurers eat up the fat of the Country, great oppressors devour those little extortioners, and at last the great red dragon swallows those oppressors. But▪ here I especially liken them to Caterpillars. Pline saith, that little worms bred in the green leaves of plants, prove in three days caterpillars & eat up those plants. The Country breeds, these covetous wretches, and they devour her. He writes also that Caterpillars are bred by a dew, incrassated and thicked by the heat of the Sun. It is the warmth of prosperity, that breeds and feeds our usurers. Others say, that they come of butterflies eggs, the which heat of the Sun hatcheth, working so fit a passive matter to the form of a catterpillar. So commonly your usurer hatcheth, his riches out of the Butterfly's eggs, laid abroad by prodigal young gallants. The Scripture calls them great devourers joel. 1. 4. Martial. Eracam vix pascit hortus unam. A whole country will not content one avarous catterpillar. At last the caterpillars perish of themselves (as ours do wilfully) through famine, & are transformed into a bare & empty bag or case. If they perish in summer, out of their rind being broken comes forth a butterfly. Just as we see often from the ruins of a dead usurer, that was a Catterpillar; springs a prodigal Heir, that is a painted Butterfly. 7. We have also the Aspe●… that's the traitors Seminary. Lucan writes, that the original of Asps was Africa, and that merchants translated them into Europe. Sed quis erit nobis Lucripudor! Ind petuntur Huc Lybicae m●…tes, & fec●…mus Aspida merces. But what is our gain, saith he? We have made the Aspos a merchandise. So these our Asps are bred in Italy, and shipped over into England as a precious merchandise. They speak themselves so gentle, that a Esa. 11. 8. a sucking child may play 〈◊〉 the hol●… of these Asps: but we have found their boroughs the holes of treason, and their vaults the vaults of gunpowder. There is feud betwixt the Ichneumon and the Asp: they oft fight: if the Asp bite first, the Ichneumon dies: if the Ichneumon first, the Asp dies. Let us strike them with punishment, lest they strike us with death. These Asps kill many souls in our Land. Aspidis & mersu Loesum dormire fatentur In mortem, antidotum nec valuisse ferunt. If the be witched people once receive their poison, they sleep to death: and no help prevails, for they will not come to Church to be cured. 8. There is also the Lizard, the Emblem of the Slothful. As is also the Slowworm, or the serpentine Tortoice. They write of the Lizard, that having laid eggs, she forgets the very place where she laid them. She will lie still till you cut her in pieces: and then the forepart runs away upon two Legs, and the hinder part on other two: living apart till they meet again, and then are naturally ●…onioyned. If the Lazy will follow the qualities, let them take the name of Lisards. 9 There is also the Sea-Serpent, and that's the Pirate: a thief cross to all kind of thieves. For other thieves first fall to robbery, and then are cast into prison: but he first casts himself into a prison, and then falls to robbery. In a little vessel, a very jail, with a large grave round about it, he does all mischief. At last when he grows great, he ruins himself. They write of a Sea-dragon, that grows to a huge vastness: but then the winds take him up into the air, and by a violent agitation shake his body to pieces. A noble part of God's providence; to tame that himself which his creatures cannot. 10. There is the Stellion, and that is the Extortioner. Extortion and Cossenage is proverbially called Crimen Stellionatus; the sin of Stellature. When the Stellion hath cast his skin, he greedily devours it again: which saith Theophrastus, he doth in envy, because he understands that it is a noble remedy against the falling sickness. So in malice it lines the guts with that covered the back: & eats that in summer wherewith it was clothed in winter. It destroys the honey of Bees Stellio saepe favos ignotus adedit. So the extortioner spoils the hives, & devours all the honey of poormen's gathering. It is a beast full of spots. Aptumque colori. Virgil. Nomen habet, varijs stellatus corpore guttis. The spots that stick upon an Extortioner are more Orid. innumerable. Cozenage is called Stellature. It were well if such Extortioners were served, as Budaus relates a history of two Tribunes, Qui per Stellaturas militibus multum abstulissent; whom the Emperor commanded to be stoned to death. 11. The last is the great Serpent of all, Draco the devil; who is called the b Reu. 12. 3. Great red Dragon. In idolatrous times and places dragons have been worshipped. The common distinction is, Angneb, 〈◊〉 Serpent's terrarum, Dracones Templorum. Snakes of the water, serpents of the earth, dragons of the Temple. There are too many wicked worldlings, that still worship this God of the world, the red Dragon. The dragons haunt principally trees of frankincense: Satan loves to have men sacrifice to him: he tempted the son of God to fall down & worship him. Nothing but the smoke of Styrax can drive away dragons: not holy water, not cross, but only faith in the Lord jesus can put the devil to flight. Serpens serpentem de●…rando fit Draco. The devil at first was but a Serpent; now by devouring many millios of these serpents, the wicked; he is become a Dragon. I should here show you two things. 1. The remedy to draw out this poison, and to cure the soul; which is only Sanguis medici, the blood of our Physician. c joh. 3. 14. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so was Christ lifted up us a serpent; that what eye of faith soever looks on him, he may be healed of the sting of those fiery serpents, and have the damnable poison of sin drawn out. 2. That our next course is Repentance for our sins. That as the oil of Scorpions is the best remedy for them that are stung with scorpions: so repentance for sin, is the best remedy within us to expel the poison of sin. Think of the Wise man's counsel; d Eccl. 21. 2. Fly from sin as from the face of a serpent: if thou comest too near it, it will bite thee: and follow it. Their Deafness remains to be spoken & must remain unspoken. How should they be cured, that are deaf to the counsel of their Physician? Though there be poison in us, even the poiso of dragons, yet God bless us from the deafness of the Adder. Let us hear our remedy, & embrace it: pray to God for it, and receive it: and e 1. joh. 1. 7. The blood of jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins. To this Saviour let all that are saved, give praise and glory for ever and ever. Amen. HEAVEN MADE SURE OR The Certainty of Salvation. PSAL. 35. 3. Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. THE words contain a Petition for a Benediction. The Supplicant is a king, and his humble ●…te ●…s to the king of kings: the king of Israel prays to the king of heaven & ●…arth. He doth beg two things. 1. That God would save him. 2. That God would certify him of it. So that the Text may be distributed accordingly; In salutem Dei, & cortitudinem rei: into Salvation and Assurance of it. The Assurance Lies first in the words, and shall have the first place in my discourse. Wherein I conceive two things; the Matter and the Manner. The Matter is Assurance: the Manner how assured, Dic anima; Say unto my soul. From the matter or Assurance observe; 1. That Salvation may be made sure to a man. David would never pray for that, which could not be. Nor would S. Peter charge us with a duty, which stood not in possibility to be performed. a 2 Pet. 1. 10. Make your election sure. And to stop the ba●…ng throats of all cavilling adversaries, Paul directly proves it. b 2. Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not your own selves, how that jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? We may then know that Christ is in us: if Christ be in us, we are in Christ: if we be in Christ, we cannot be condemned: for c Rom. 8. 1. There is no damnation to them which are in Christ jesus. But I leave this point, that it may be sure, as granted: and come to ourselves that we may make it sure. The Papists deny this, and teach the contrary▪ that Salvation cannot be made sure: much good do't them with their sorry and heartless doctrine. If they make that impossible to any, which God hath made easy for many; d Gen. 49. 6. Into their secret let not my soul come. 2. That the best Saints have desired to make their Salvation sure. David that knew it, yet entreats to know it more. Psal. 41. I know thou favourest me: yet here still, Psal. 41. 11. Dic anima, Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. A man can never be too sure of his going to heaven. If we purchase an inheritance on earth, we make it as sure, and our tenure as strong, as the brawn of the law, or the brain of Lawyers can devise. We have conveyance, & bonds, and fines; no strength too much. And shall we not be more curious in the settling our eternal inheritance in heaven? Even the best certainty hath often in this thought itself weak Here we find matter of consolation, of Reprehension, of Admonition. Comfort to some, reproof to others, warning to al. 1. Of Cosolation. Even David desires better assurance: to keep us from dejection, behold they often think themselves weakest, that are the strongest. Sum Peccatorum maximus, dicit Apostolorum non minimus. He calls himself the Chiefest of sinners, 1. Tim. 1. 15. that was not the least of Saints. Indeed sometimes a dear Saint may want feeling of the spirit of comfort. Grace comes into the soul, as the morning Sun into the world: there is first a dawning, than a mean light, and at last the Sun in his excellent brightness. In a Christian life there is Professio, Profectio, Perfectio. A profession of the name of Christ wrought in our conversion: not the husk of religion, but the sap: a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith vnf●…ned. Next there is a profection or going forward ●…n grace; working up our salvation in fear and trembling. Last a perfection or full assurance, that we are sealed up to the day of redemption. And yet after this full assurance there may be some fear: it is not the commendation of this certainty to be void of doubting. The wealthiest Saints have suspected their poverty: and the richest in grace are yet poorest in spirit. As it is seen in rich misers; they possess much, yet esteem it little in respect of what they desire: for Plenitudo opum non implet hiatum mentis: the fullness of riches cannot answer the insatiable affection. Whence it comes to pass, that they have restless thoughts, and vexing cares for that they have not, not caring for that they have. So many good men, rich in the graces of God's spirit, are so desirous of more, that they regard not what they enjoy, but what they desire: complaining often that they have no grace, no love, no life. God doth sometimes from the best men's eyes hide that saving goodness, that is in their hearts. 1. To extend their desires, and sharpen their affection. By this means he puts a hunger into their hearts after righteousness; whereas a sensible fullness might take away their stomachs. Deferred comforts quicken the appetite. 2. To enlarge their joys, when they shall find again the consolation, which they thought lost. Defiderata diù 〈◊〉 veni●…t. What we much wished before it came, we truly love when it is come. Our Lady had lost our Lord. Luk. 2. three days: who can express the joy of her soul when she found him! She rejoiced not only as a Mother finding her Sun; but as a sinner finding her Saviour. jucundè obtinetur, quod diù detinetur. What was detained from us with grief, must needs be obtained of us with joy. 3. To try, whether we will serve God gratis; and be constant in his obedience, though we find no present recompense. Satan objects that against job, Pro nihilo? Doth job fear God for nought. Thus put to the Test, job. 1. 9 whether our service proceed from some other oblique respect; or merely out of love to God: when nothing but smart is presented to our instant sense. 4. That our care may be the greater, to keep this comfort when we have it. Quod lachrymanter jugemus ademptum, vigilanter seruamus adeptum. If we so sorrowfully lamented the loss, sure we will look well to the possession. In all this; Deus dona sua non negat, sed commendat. God intends not to deny us his comforts, but to instruct our hearts how to value them. Citò data viliscunt. If we might have them for the first ask, their worth would fall to the opinion of cheapness and contempt. We shall have it, though we stay for it. And to comfort us, let us assuredly know, that this mourning for God's absence, is an evident demonstration of his presence. 2. Of Reprehension to others, that say they are sure of the purchase, before they ever gave earnest of the bargain. Presumption is to be avoided so well as despair. For as none more complain that they want this assurance, than they that have it: so none more boast of it then they that have it not. The fond hypocrite takes his own presumption for this assurance: he lives after the flesh, yet brags of the Spirit. This false opinion ariseth partly from his own conceit, partly from Satan's deceit. 1. From his own Conceit: he dreams of the Spirit, and takes it granted that it ever rests within him: but when his soul awakes, he finds there no such manner of guest; the holy Spirit never lodged there. a Prou. 30. 12. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes: yet are not washed from their filthiness. These pure people so vaunt the●… assurance of salvation; that they will scarce change places in heaven with St. Peter, or St. Paul without boot. The infallible mark of distinction which the Apostle sets on the Sons of God, is this: they are led by the Spirit. Rom. 8. b Rom. 8. 14. and Gal. 5. 18. So many as are led by the Spirit of God, 〈◊〉 sons of God. The holy Ghost is their God, and their guide●… and this Spirit c joh. 16. 13. 〈◊〉 them into all truth: and guides them d Psal. 143. 10. into the land of righteousness. But these men will Spiritum d●…ere, lead the Spirit. They are not ductible; they will not be led by the Spirit into truth and pence; but they will lead the Spirit, as it were, overrule the holy Ghost to patronise their humours. Let them be adulterers, usurers, bribe-corrupted; sacrilegious, etc. yet they are still men of the Spirit. But of what Spirit? Nes●…tis: we may say to them, as Christ to hit two hot disciples; e Luk. 9 55. ye know not of what Spirit you are. It is enough, they think, to have oculos in coelo, though they have manus in fundo, animos in profund●…. It is held sufficient to have eyes fixed on heaven, though covetous hands busy on earth, and crafty minds deep as hell. This overventurous conceit, that heaven is theirs how base and debauched lives so ever they live, is not assurance, but presumption. 2. This ariseth from Satan's Deceit: who cries like Corah. f Numb. 16. 3. Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation is ●…ily, every one of them. You are holy enough, you are sure of heaven: what would you more? You may sit down, and play: your work is done. Hereupon they sing peace and Requiems to their souls; and begin to wrap up their affections in worldly joys: But Tranquilitas ista tempestas est: this calm is the most grievous storm. This is carnal security, not heavenly assurance. As the jews went into captivity with Templum Domini, the Temple of the Lord, etc. in their lips: so many go to hell with the water of Baptism on their faces, and the assurance of salvation in their mouths. 3. Of Instruction, teaching us to keep the even-way of comfort: eschewing both the rock of presumption on the right hand, and the gulf of desperation on the left. Let us neither be Tumidi, nor Timidi: neither over bold, nor over-fainting. But endeavour by faith to assure ourselves of jesus Christ: and by repentance to assure ourselves of faith: and by an amended life to assure ourselves of repentance. For they must here live to God's glory, that would hereafter live in God's glory. 3. In the next place observe the means how we may come by this assurance. This is discovered in the text: Dic animae; Say unto my Soul. Who must speak? God. To whom must he speak? to the Soul. So that in this assurance God and the Soul must meet. This St. Paul demonstrates: g Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, contestari, to bear witness together. Neither our spirit alone, nor God's spirit alone makes this Certificate; but both concurring. Not our spirit alone can give this assurance: for man's heart is always evil, often deceitful. At all times evil. h Gen. 6. 5. Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is only evil continually. At some times deceitful. i jer. 17. 9 The heart is deceitful above all things; and desperately wicked: Who can know it? Non novi animam meam; saith job. k job. 9 21. I know not my own soul; though I were perfect. And Paul concerning his Apostleship. l 1. Cor. 4. 4. I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified. And if David's soul could have made a sufficient testimony alone, what needed he pray Dic animae? say Thou to my soul? Some have a true zeal of a false Religion, and some a false zeal of a true Religion. Paul before his conversion had a true zeal of a false Religion. m Gal. 1. 14. I was exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my Fathers. The Laodiceans had a false or rather no zeal of a true Religion. n Reu. 3. 15. I know thy works, that thou art neither hot nor cold. So that when about this certificate a man deals with his heart singly, his heart will deal with him doubly. No nor doth God's spirit alone give this Testimony: lest a vain illusion should be taken for this holy persuasion. But both God's spirit and our spirit meeting together are Concords, and Contests; joint witnesses. Indeed the principal work comes from God's spirit: he is the primary cause of this assurance. Now he certifies us by word, by deed, and by seal. By word, terming us in the Scripture God's children; and putting into our mouths that filial voice, whereby we cry Abba Father. By deed; o Gal. 5. 22. the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, etc. By these is our p 2. Pet. 1. 10. Election made sure, saith Saint Peter. By Seal; Grieve not the holy spirit of God, by whom you are sealed to the day of redemption. Now our spirit witnesseth with him from the sanctity of our life, faith and reformation. q joh. 5. 10. He that believeth on the son of God, hath the witness in himself. 4. Lastly, this is the sweetest comfort that can come to a man in this life; even an heaven upon earth, to be ascertained of his salvation. There are many mysteries in the world, which curious wits with perplexfull studies strive to apprehend. But without this, he that r Eccl. 1. 18. increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. unum necessarium; this one thing is only necessary: whatsoever I leave unknown let me know this that I am the Lords, Qui Christum discit, satis est, si caetera nescit. He may without danger be ignorant of other things, that truly knows jesus Christ. There is no potion of misery so embittered with gall, but this can sweeten it with a cofortable relish. When enemies assault us, get us under, triumph over us, imagining that salvation itself cannot save us: what is our comfort? Novi in quem credidi, I know whom I have believed; I am sure the Lord will not forsake me. Deficit panis? thou wantest bread; God is thy bread of life. We want a pillow: God is our s Psal. 32. 7. Fulgent. resting place. We may be Sine vest, non sine fide; sine cibo, non sine Christo: sine Domo, non sine Domino. Without apparel, not without faith: without meat, not without Christ: without a house, never without the Lord. What state can there be, wherein the stay of this heavenly assurance gives us not peace and joy? Are we clapped up in a dark and desolate Dungeon: there the light of the Sun cannot enter, the light of mercy not be kept out. What restrained body, that hath the assurance of this eternal peace, will not pity the darkness of the profane man's liberty; or rather the liberty of his darkness? No walls can keep out an infinite Spirit: no darkness can be uncomfortable, where the t jam. 1. 17. Father of lights, and the u Mal. 4. 2. Sun of righteousness shineth. The presence of glorious Angels is much, but of the most glorious God is enough. Are we cast out in exile; our backs to our native home, all the worlds our way. Whether can we go from God? a Psal. 139. 7. Whether shall I go from thy face? or whether shall I fly from thy presence? If I ascend, etc. That exile would be strange, that could separate us from God. I speak not of those poor and common comforts; that in all Lands and coasts, it is his Sun that shines; his elements of earth or water that bears us, his air we breathe. But of that special privilege, that his gracious presence is ever with us: that no sea is so broad, as to divide us from his favour: that wheresoever we feed, he is our host: wheresoever we rest, the wings of his blessed providence are stretched over us. Let my soul be sure of this, though the whole world be traitors to me. Doth the world despise us? We have sufficient recompense, that God esteems us. How unworthy is that man of God's favour, that cannot go away contented with it, without the worlds! Doth it hate us much? God hates it more. That is not ever worthy which man honours; but that is ever base which God despises. Without question the world would be our friend, if God were our enemy. The sweetness of both cannot be enjoyed; let it content us, we have the best. It may be, poverty puts pale leanness into our cheeks: God makes the world fat, but withal puts leanness into the soul. We decay in these temporal vanities, but we thrive in eternal riches. b job. 5. 22. The good man laughs at destruction and dearth. Doth sickness throw us on our weary beds? It is impossible any man should miscarry, that hath God for his Physician. So Martha confessed to jesus; c joh. 11. 21. Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. Thy body is weak, thy soul is strengthened: dust and ashes is sick, but thy eternal substance is the better for it. d Psal. 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. Lastly doth the inevitable hand of death strike thee? Egredere anima mea, egredere. Go forth my soul with joy and assurance; thou hast a promise to be received in peace. Happy dissolution, that parts the soul from the body, that it may knit them both to the Lord. Death like the proud Philistine comes marching out in his hideous shape, daring the whole Host of Israel to match him with an equal combatant. The Atheist dares not die, for fear (non esse) that he shall not be at all: the covetous usurer dares not die, for fear (male esse) to be damned: the doubtful conscience dares not die, because he knows not (an sit, an non sit, an damnatus sit) whether he shall be, or be damned, or not be at all. Only the resolved Christian dares die, because he is assured of his election: he knows he shall be happy; and so lifts up pleasant eyes to heaven, the infallible place of his eternal rest. He dares encounter with this last enemy, trample on him with the foot of disdain, and triumphantly sing over him; e 1. Cor. 15. 15 O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? He conquers in being conquered; and all because God hath said to his Soul; I am thy Salvation. The poor Papist must not believe this: such an assurance to him were Apocryphal, yea heretical. He must lie on his deathbed, call upon what Saint or Angel he list; but must not dare to believe he shall go to heaven. O uncomfortable doctrine, able to lose the soul! What can follow, but fears without, and terrors within; distrustful sighs, and heart-breaking groans! Go away he must with death; but whither he knows not. It would be presumption to be confident of heaven. How should Purgatory stand, or the Pope's kitchen have a Larder to maintain it, if men might be sure of their salvation? Herefore they bequeath so great sums for masses and Dirge's, and Trentals, to be sung or said for them after they are dead: that their souls may at the last be had to heaven; though first for a while they be reezed in Purgatory. If this be all the comfort their Priests, Jesuits, and Confessors can give them; they may well say to them, as job to his friends; f job. 16. 2. Miserable comforters are ye all. But he that hath Stephen's eyes, hath also Paul's heart, and the Saints tongue. He that with Stephen's eyes can see that g Act. 7. 55. Son of man standing on the right hand of God; as if his arms were open to welcome and embrace him: must needs with Paul h Phil. 1. 23. desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ: and with the Saints cry; Come Lord; how long! Amen, even so come Lord jesus. Thus much for the matter of the Assurance; let us now come to the manner. Dic Animae. Say unto my soul. Say: but is God a man? hath he a tongue? how doth David desire him to speak? That God who made the ear, shall not he hear? he that made the eye, shall not ●…e see? he that made the tongue, shall not he speak? He that sees without eyes, and hears without ears, and walks without feet, and works without hands, can speak without a tongue. Now God may be said to speak diverse ways 1. God hath spoken to some-by his own voice. To Adam; vocem audiverunt: they heard the i Gen. 3. 8. voice of God etc. To Israel. k Deut. 4. 15. The Lord spoke unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude: only you heard a voice. To Christ: l joh. 12. 28. I here came a voice from heaven, saying: I have both glorified it, and I will glorify it. This S. Peter testifies. m 2. Pet. 1. 17. There came a voice from the excellent glory; This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. 2. To omit visions, and dreams, and clouds and Cherubins and Angels, urim and thummim: God speaks also by his works. n Psal. 19 1. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handy work. M●…nus loquuntur; his works have a tongue. Opera testantur de me, saith Christ: my works bear witness of me. We may thus understand God ex operibus; his actions preach his will. 3. God speaks by his Son. Hebr. 1. God who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spoke in t●…me passed unto the Fathers by the Prophets; hath in these last daves spoken unto us by his Son. He is therefore called the Word. joh. 1 The sacred Scriptures, and sayings of the Prophets, given by the inspiration of God; (for o 2. Pet. 1. 20. no prophecy is of private interpretation: it came not by the will of man; but holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.) are called Verbum Domini, the word of the Lord. But to distinguish God the Son from those words, he is after an eminent sort called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The word, or That excellent word. As also he is called (not a light, but) p joh. 1. 8. That light: (not a lamb, but) q ver. 29. ●…hat lamb. Not a vocal word form by the tongue beating the air; for he was before either sound or air. But the mental and substantial word of his Father; but Ipse Pater●… 〈◊〉, effigies lumenque a lumine vero. Pallad. According to that of Paul. r Hebr. 1. 3. The brightness of his glory, and express image of his person. 4. GOD speaks by his Scriptures. s Rem. 15. 4. Whatsoever things were written aforetime, are written for our learning: that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Scripta sunt, they are written. Things that go only by take, or tradition, meet with such variations, augmentations, abbreviations, corruptions, false glosses; that as in a Lawyers pleading, Truth is lost in the Quaere for her. Related things we are long in getting, quick in forgetting. Therefore God commanded his law should be written. Litera scripta manet. Thus God doth effectually speak to us. Many good wholesome instructions have dropped from human pens; to lesson and direct man in goodness. But there is no promise given to any word to convert the soul, but to God's word. Without this Antiquity is novelty, Novelty subtlety, Subtlety death. Theologia Scholastica multis modis sophistica. School Divinity is little better than mere Sophistry. Plus argutiarum quam doctrine, plus doctrina quam usus. It hath more quickness than soundness, more fauce then meat, more difficulty than doctrine, more doctrine than use. This Scripture is the Perfect and Absolute rule. Bellarmine acknowledgeth two things requireable in a Perfect Rule; Certainty, and Evidence. If it be not certain, it is no Rule: if it be not evident, it is no rule to us. Only the Scripture is both in truth and evidence a perfect rule. Other writings may have canonical verity, the Scripture only hath canonical authority. Others like oil may make cheerful man's countenance; but this like Bread strengthens his heart. This is the absolute Rule; t Gal. 6. 16. And as many as walk according to this Rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. O that we had hearts to bless GOD for this mercy, that the Scriptures are among us, and that not sealed up under an unknown tongue. The time was when a devout Father was glad of a piece of the new Testament in English: when he took his little Son into a corner, and with joy of soul heard him read a chapter: so that even Children became Fathers to their Fathers, and begat them to CHRIST. Now as if the commonness had abated the worth, our Bible's lie dusty in the windows: it is all if a Sunday-handling quite them from perpetual oblivion. Few can read, fewer do read, fewest of all read as they should. God of his infinite mercy lay not to our charge this neglect. 5. GOD speaks by his Ministers, expounding and opening to us those Scriptures. These are Legati a latere; dispensers of the mysteries of heaven. u 2. Cor. 5. 20. Ambassadors for CHRIST: as if God did beseech you through us, so we pray you in Christ's stead, that you would be reconciled to God. This voice is continually sounding in our Churches, beating upon our ears; I would it could pierce our consciences, and that our lives would echo to it in an answerable obedience. How great should be our thankfulness! God hath dealt with us as he did with Eliah. a 1. King. 19 11. The Lord passed by, and a great strong wind rend the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, a still voice: and the Lord came with that voice. After the same manner hath God done to this Land. In the time of K. Henry 8. there came a great and mighty Wind, that rend down Churches, overthrew Altarages, impropriated from Ministers their livings: that made Laymen substantial Parsons, and Clergy men their vicar-shadowes. It blew away the rights of Levi, into the lap of Issachar: a violent wind: but God was not in that wind. In the days of King Edward the sixth there came a terrible Earthquake, hideous vapours of Treasons and conspiracies, rumbling from Rome, to shake the foundations of that Church, which had now left off loving the Whore, and turned Antichrist quite out of his saddle. Excommunications of Prince and people, execrations and curses in their tetrical forms with Bell, Book, and Candle; Indulgences, Bulls, Pardons, promises of heaven, to all traitors that would ext●…rpate such a King and kingdom: a Monstrous earthquake; but GOD was not in the Earthquake. In the days of Queen Mary came the Fire, an unmerciful fire: such a one as was never before kindled in England, and (we trust in jesus Christ) never shall be again. It raged against all that professed the Gospel of Christ: made bonfires of silly women for not understanding that their ineffable mystery of Transubstantiation; burned the mother with the child: Boner and Gardiner those hellish bellows that set it on flaming. A raging and insatiable fire; but God was not in that fire. In the days of Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory, came the still voice, saluting us with the songs of Zion, and speaking the comfortable things of jesus Christ: and GOD came with his voice. This sweet and blessed voice is still continued by our Gracious Sovereign: GOD long preserved him with it, and it with him, and us all with them both. Let us not say of this blessing, as Lot of Zoar; Is it not a little one? nor be weary of Manna with Israel: lest GOD'S voice grow dumb unto us, and (to our woe) we hear it speak no more. No, rather let our hearts answer with Samuel; b 1. Sam. 3. 10. Speak Lord, for thy servants hear. If we will not hear him say to our souls, I am your salvation: we shall hear him say, Depart from me, I know you not. So saith wisdom; c Prou. 1. 26. Because I have called, and ye refused: I will therefore laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh. The gallant promiseth himself many years, and in them all to rejoice: he thinks of Preachers, as the Devil said of CHRIST; that we come to torment him before his time. Well then, Rejoice saith GOD: d Ecel. 11. 9 Let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth. But ironice, he mocks when he says so. Now quod Deus loquitur ridens, tu lege lacrymen: What God speaks laughing, do thou read lamenting. If God once laughs, itis high time for us to weep: They will not hear God when he preacheth in their health: God will not hear them when they pray in their sickness. They would not hearken to him in the Pulpit, nor he to them on their death bed. 6. God speaks by his Spirit: This spirit beareth witness with our spirit etc. Perhaps this is that e Esa. 30. 21. voice behind us; as it were whispering to our thoughts? This is the way, walk in it. This is that speaking Spirit: f Math. 10. 20. It is not ye that speak; but the Spirit of your Father, which speaketh in you. It is this Spirit that speaks for us, and speaks to us, and speaks in us. It is the Church's prayer; g Cant. 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. Sanctus Spiritus osculum Patris. The holy Ghost is the kiss of God the Father. Whom God kisseth, he loveth. Now by all these ways doth God speak peace to our consciences, and say to our souls, that he is our Salvation. 1. He may speak with his own voice: and thus he gave assurance to Abraham; h Gen. 15. 1. Fear not, I am thy shield, & thy exceeding great reward. If God speak comfort, let hell roar horror. 2. He may speak by his works: actual mercies to us demonstrate that we are in his favour, and shall not be condemned. i Psal. 41. 11. By this I know thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. 3. He may speak by his son; h Math. 11. 28. Come to me all that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will ease you. 4. He may speak by his Scripture this is God's Epistle to us, and his letters Patent, wherein are granted to us all the privileges of salvation. An universal Siquiss: Whosoever believes, and is baptized, shall be saved. 5. He may speak by his Ministers to whom he hath given k 2. Cor. 5. 19 the ministery of reconciliation. 6. He doth speak this by his spirit: he l Gal. 4. 6. sendeth forth the spirit of his son into our hearts, crying Abba Father. By all these voices God says to his elect, I am your salvation. To my Soul. Many hear God speaking comfort to the corporal care, that hear him not speaking this to the soul. They hear him, but they feel him not. The best assurance is from feeling. m Gen. 27. 21. Come near, let me feel thee my Son, said Isaacto jacob: let me feel thee, my Father; say we to God. The thronging jews heard Christ, but Zacheus that believing Publican felt Christ. n Luk. 19 9 This day is salvation come to thy house. My Soul. There is no vexation to the vexation of the soul: so no consolation to the consolation of the soul. David in this Psalm calls it his Darling. o Ver. 17. Rescue my soul from their destructions, my Darling from the Lions. The same Prophet complained of a great unrest, when p Psal. 42. 11. his soul was disquieted within him. jonas of a grievous sickness, when q joh. 2. 7. his soul fainted. joseph had a cruel bondage, when r Psal. 105. 18. The iron entered his soul. So no comfort to the comfort of the soul. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, s Psal. 94. 19 Thy comforts have refreshed my soul. The wicked hear tell of God's mercies: communitur audimus verbum salutis: but God speaks not to their souls. Therefore they cannot say with Mary; My soul rejoiceth. This joy, when God speaks peace to the soul, is ineffabile gaudium: a jubilation of the heart, which a man can, neither recitare, nor reticere: neither suppress, nor express. It gives end to all ●…arres, doubts, and differences; overcomes the world, nonsuits the devil; and makes a man keep Hilary Term all his life. To my Soul. Mine; I might here examine whose this Meam is; who is the owner of this my? A prophet, a king, a man after Gods own heart; that confessed himself the beloved of God; that knew the Lord would never forsake him; holy, happy David owns this meae: he knows the Lord loves him, yet desires to know it more; Dic animae Mea; say to My soul. But let this teach us to make much of this My. Luther says, there is great divinity in pronouns. The Assurance that GOD will save some is a faith incident to Devils. The very Reprobates may believe that there is a book of Election; but GOD never told them, that their names were written there. The hungry beggar at the Feast-house gate smells good cheer, but the Master doth not say; this is provided for thee. It is small comfort to the harbourless wretch, to pass through a goodly City, and see many glorious buildings; When he cannot say; Haec mea domus, I have a place here. The beauty of that excellent City jerusalem, built with sapphires, Emeralds, Chrysolites, and such Reu. 21. precious stones: the foundation and walls whereof are perfect gold; affords a soul no comfort; unless he can say, mea civitas, I have a Mansion in it. The all sufficient merits of Christ do thee no good, unless tua pars & portio: he be thy Saviour. Happy soul, that can say with the Psalmist. O Lord thou art my portion. Let us all have oil in our Lamps; lest if we be then to buy, beg, or borrow; we be shut out of doors like the fools not worthy of entrance. Pray Lord say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. I am thy salvation. The Petition is ended: I will but look into the Benediction: wherein I should consider these four circumstances; Quis, quid, Cui, quando. Who, What, to Whom, When. Who. The Lord: to the Lord David prays. He hath made a good choice, for there is salvation in none other. t Hos. 13. 9 Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help. The world fails, the flesh falls, the Devil kills, only the Lord saves. What. Salvation; a special good thing: every man's desire: who would not be saved? Every man would go to heaven, though perhaps he runs a course directly to hell. Beatus vult homo esse, etiam non sic vivendo ut possit esse. Man would be blessed, though he takes the course to be cursed. I will give thee a Lordship, saith God to Esau. I will give thee a kingdom, saith God to Saul. I will give thee an Apostleship, saith God to judas. But I will be thy salvation, he says to David, and to none but Saints. Indeed this voice comes from heaven, comes unto earth: but only through the mediator betwixt heaven and earth, jesus Christ. He is the alone Saviour. Worldlings possess many things, but have right to nothing, because not right to him, that is u Heb. 1. 2. the heir of all things, Christ. The soul is the perfection of the body, Reason of the Soul, Religion of reason, Faith of Religion, Christ of faith. A man can warrant us upon earth, that our land is ours, our garment ours, our money, servant, beast ours: and that he is a thief who robs us of these. But all the men in the world cannot warrant us our Salvation, but only jesus Christ. Therefore that we may have assurance, that all these are ours, and that we shall never answer for every bit of bread we have eaten, and for every drop of wine we have drunk; that our possessions are our own, our gold, robes, rents, revenues are our own; let us be Christ's. x 1 Cor. 3. 22. Whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the World, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours: and ye are Christ's, and Christ is Gods. Be sure of salvation, and be sure of all. For a Rom. 8. 32. he that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? To whom. My salvation; not others only, but Mine. A man, and a Christian are two creatures: he may be a man, that hath reason and outward blessings; he is only a Christian, that hath faith, and part in the salvation of Christ. God is plentiful salvation, but it is not ordinary to find a Cui; to whom. Much of heaven is lost for lack of a hand to apprehend it. All passengers in this world presume they are going to heaven, but we may guess by the throng, that the greater part take the broader way. Christ leaving the earth in respect of his bodily presence, left there his Gospel, to apply to men's souls the virtue of his death and passion: Ministers preach this Gospel, people hear this Gospel, all boast of this Gospel: yet himself foretells, that when he comes again, he shall scarce find faith upon earth. No doubt he shall find Christians enough, but scarce faith. Salvation is common, as St. Jude speaketh. b jud. ver. 3. When I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation: but few make it proper to themselves. That God is my salvation, and thy salvation, this is the comfort. When. In the time present, I am. Sum, non (sufficit, quòd) ere. It is comfort to Israel in captivity, that God says, Ero tua redemptio, I will redeem thee. But the assurance that quiets the conscience is this, I am thy salvation. As God said to Abraham; fear not, I am with thee. Deferred hope faints the heart. Whatsoever God forbear to assure us, O pray we him not to delay this; Lord say to our souls, I am your salvation. To conclude; it is salvation our Prophet desires: that God would seal him up for his child, then certify him of it. He requests not Riches: he knew that man may be better fed then taught: that wealth doth but frank men up to death. He that prefers Riches before his soul, doth but sell the horse to buy the saddle, or kill a good horse to catch a hare. He begs not honour: many have leapt from the high throne to the low pit. The greatest commander on earth hath not a foot of ground in heaven, except he can get it by entitling himself to Christ. He desires not Pleasures: he knows, there are as great miseries beyond prosperity, as on this side it. And that all vanity is but the indulgence of the present time: a minute begins, continueth, ends it: for it endures but the acting, & knows no solace in the memory. In the fairest garden of delights, there is somewhat, quoth in ipsis floribus angat; that stings in the midst of all vain contents. In a word, it is not momentany, variable, apt to either change or chance, that he desires; but eternal; salvation. He seeks like Mary, that better part which shall never be taken from him. The wise man's mind is ever above the moon, saith Seneca: let the world make never so great a noise, as if it all ran upon Coaches, and all those full of roarers; yet all peace is there. It is not sublunary, under the wheel of changeable mortality, that he wishes, but salvation. To be saved is simply the best plot: beat your brains, and break your sleeps, and waste your marrows, to be wealthy, to be worthy; for riches, for honours: plot, study, contrive; be as politic as you can: and then kiss the child of your own brains, hug your inventions, applaud your wits, dote upon your advancements or advantagements: yet all these are but dreams. When you awake, you shall confess that to make sure your salvation was the best plot and no study shall yield you comfort, but what hath been spent about it. What should we then do, but work and pray? work, saith Paul; c Phil. 2. 12. Work up your salvation with fear and trembling: and then pray with our Prophet; Lord say to our souls, thou art our salvation with comfort and rejoicing. THE SOULS REFUGE. 1. PET. 4. 19 Let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. ATRVE Christians life is one day of three meals, and every meal hath in it two Courses. His first meal is Nasc●… & renasci; to be borne a sinner, to be new-born a Saint. a Psal. 51. 5. I was borne in iniquity, and in firm did my mother conceive me; there is one Course. b joh. 3. 3. Except a man be borne again, he cannot see the kingdom of God; there is the other Course. His second meal is Benè agere, & malè pati; to do well, and to suffer ill. Do good unto all; but especially to those that are of the household of Faith; there's one Course of Doing. ᶜ All that live godly in Christ I●…sus, shall suffer persecution; there's the other Course of Suffering. His third meal is Mor●… & vivere; to die a temporal death, to live an eternal life. The first is his Breakfast, and herein he is naturally Natus & da●…; borne in sin, and condemned for sin spiritually 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉; borne again in righteousness, and justified from sin. The last is his Supper: wherein there is one bitter dish; Death. d Heb. 9 27. Statutum est omnibus semel m●…ri; It is appointed to all men to die once. Omnibus semel, plorisque bis: to all once, to many twice; for there is a e Reu. 20. 6. second death And that is truly a d●…th, because it is mors vita, the death of life: the other rather a life, for it is mors m●…rtis, the death of death: after which mors non erit ultra; f Reu. 21. 4. there shall be no more death. Therefore rise, that you may not fall: rise now by a righteous life, lest you fall into an everlasting death. If the soul will not now rise, the body shall one day be raised, and go with the soul to judgement. The second Course is incomparably sweet; vinere post mortem, to live after death. I say after death, for a man m●…st die that he may live. So that a good supper brings a good sleep: he that lives well, shall sleep well. He that now apprehends mercy, mercy shall hereafter comprehend him. Mercy is the ultimus 〈◊〉; no hope be●…nd it and this is th●… time for it, the next is of justice. The middle meal between both th●…se is our Dinner; and that consists patiendo malum, and faciendo bonum; in doing good, and suffering evil. And on these two Courses, my Text sp●…nds itself. First, they that suffer according to the wit of God; there's the Passion. Secondly, they may trust God with their souls in well doing, there's the Action. More particularly in the words we may consider five Gradual Circumstances. 1. The Sufferance of the Saints. They that suffer. 2. The Integrity of this Sufferance. According to the will of God. 3. The Comfort of this Integrity. May commit their souls to God. 4. The Boldness of this Comfort. As unto a faithful Creator. 5. The Caution of this Boldness In well doing. 1. The Sufferance of the Saints. They that suffer. All men suffer: g job. 5. 7. Man is borne unto trouble, as the sparks she upward. This life is well compared to a throng in a narrow passage: he that is first out, finds ease: he that is in the midst, is in the worst place and case; for he is hemmed in with troubles: the hindmost drives out both the former; and if he have not the greatest part in suffering evil, lightly he hath the greatest share in doing it. Outward things happen alike to good and bad. h Eccl. 〈◊〉. 2. There is one event to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: to him that sweareth, and to him that feareth an oath. They are both travelers in the thoroughfare of this world, both lodge in one Inn, both have the same provision; perhaps the wicked have the better cheer: but in the morning their ways part. There are common evils, as there are common goods. Povertie, sickness, death spares not the greatest: health, wealth, prosperity is not denied to the meanest. All have three Mans●…ns. 1. This earth; there (as in No●…s Ark) are the clean and unclean, righteous and wicked promiscuously confused. 2. The Grave: this is a common house; a very pesthouse: where all lie together under the Surgery of death. It is a cheap and universal house; we pay no rent for it. 3. But after all are come to this place, there is then a way of parting. Est locus bis partes ubi se via findit in ambas. Some Virg. go to hell, others to heaven. i joh. 5. 29. They shall come forth, they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life: and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. Some to immortal honour, others to immortal horror. God gives not all outward prosperity to the wicked; lest they should ascribe it to their own wits, or worths: lest they should k Hab. 1. 16. sacrifice to their net, and burn incense to their drag. Nor all affliction to the good, lest they should fall to some sinister and unwarrantable courses. l Psal. 125. 3. The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquity. There is a mixture of good and evil: prosperity and adversity have their vicissitudes. m Greg. Praesentis vita nec prosperitas innocentiam testatur, nec acerbitas miseram animam indicat. Neither do the crosses of this world witness a man's guiltiness, nor the blessings of the world his innocence. But the good have a larger share in sufferings, than the reprobates. Impius non percutitur nisi a Domino, not ab I●…s. None strikes the wicked but God; but all the wicked strike and vex us. This world, like the earth, is a mere stepdame to good herbs, an own mother to weeds: no marvel if she starves us; all is too little for her own children. Omnes patiuntur plurim●…, quidam patiuntur omnia. All suffer many kinds of miseries; many suffer all kinds of miseries. Christi●… est 〈◊〉: it is the part of a Christian to suffe●… wheresoever he is, let him expect it. Adam was see upon in Paradise, job in the dunghill: job fortior in st●…oore, quam Adam in Paradise. job was more strong to resist temptations in the miserable dust, than was Ad●… in that glorious Garden. The jews were commanded to eat four herbs with their sweet Passeover: bitterness ever treads on the heels of pleasure. jacob hath a Son, and looseth his Wife: Benjamin is borne, Rachel dies. Our Lady coming from that great Feast, n Luk. 2. 45. lost her son jesus three days. Seven days she had eaten sweet bread: here followed three days sour bread for it. Good things are to be taken with much thankfulness, evil with much patience. Let this teach us two duties; First, to prepare for evils before they come: next to make them welcome, when they are come. So they shall neither meet us with fear, nor leave us with sorrow. 1. Preparation to suffer is specially necessary. Sudden crosses find weak souls secure, leave them miserable, make them desperate. Expectatum malum l●…uiùs mordet. A looked for evil smarts more gently. Repentina bona sunt suaviora; sed repentina mala sunt graviora. Unexpected joys are more gracious, but unexpected evils are more grievous. mischiefs come most commonly without warning. They do not allow, as jonas did to Niniveh, forty days respite: not so much as an Hac noste, this night: which was allowed to the worldling; o Luk. 12. 20. This night shall they fetch away thy soul from thee. Happy man that gives himself warning: he that conceits what may be, arms himself against what must be. Thou art in health, eatest, digestest, sleepest; Quid si morboso iaceant tua membra cubili? What if sickness shall cast thee down on thy weary couch? Though riches allow thee meat for thy stomach, what if sickness allow thee not stomach to thy meat? How if the very smell, if the very thought of thy best dishes should offend thee? How if after many tossed sides, and ●…fted places; nullo poteris requ●…escere lecto? thou couldst find no corner to give thee ease? How couldst thou take this distemper? Thou art rich: thy throat tastes it; thy belly feels it, thy back wears it: how if from no fear of want thou shouldst come to no want of fear? to care for to morrows provision, with extreme sweat of brows not to earn bread enough to keep life and soul together; nakedness exposing thy body to the violences of heaven, scorching heat of the Sun, cold storms of the air? How couldst thou brook the difference Inter tantam refectionem, & talem defectionem; between that abundant opulency, and this destitute penury? Thou art at home in peace, singing in thy own vineyards; thou sittest in a shock secure, whilst thy reapers fell down the humble corn at thy foot, and fill thy barns. What if for religion thou shouldst be sent to exile: where thou mayest weep with Israel to thy deriding enemies demanding a Song of Zion; p Psal. 137. 4. How shall I sing the song of joy in a strange land? How canst thou digest the injuries, and brook the contempt of strangers? These be good thoughts to prearme our souls: nothing shall make them miserable, that have this preparation. Agabus told Paul, having first bound his hands and feet with his girdle; q Act. 21. 11. Thus saith the holy Ghost: so shall the jews at jerusalem bind the man that oweth this girdle. Hereupon the rest of the Saints besought him with tears not to go up to jerusalem. But observe that blessed Apostles resolved answer; Paratus sum, I am ready. r Ver. 13. What mean ye to weep, and to break my heart? I am ready, not to be bound only, but also to die at jerusalem for the name of the Lord jesus. The account is past, I am prepared. Men that want this fore-resolution are like a secure city, that spends all her wealth in furnishing her chambers, and furbishing her streets; but le's her bulwarks fall to the ground. Here is provision for peace, none for war: something for content of friends, nothing for defence against enemies. It is usual for youngmen with wooden Wasters to learn how to play at the sharp: they are taught with foils how to deal with points. He is desperate that ventures on a single combat in the field, and was never lessoned at the Fence-school. We shall be unable to fight with evils themselves, if we cannot well encounter their shadows. mischiefs are like the Cockatrices eye, If they see first they kill, foreseen they die. What our foresight takes from their power, it adds to our own: it enervates their strength and corroborates ours. For by this both they are made less able to hurt us, and we are more strong to resist them. Since therefore we must pass through this fiery trial, let us first prove our strength in a gentle meditation: as that martyr tried his finger in the Candle, before his body came to the fire. 2. They must be made welcome, when they are come. Non ut hostes sed ut hospites admittendi. They must not be entertained as enemies, but as guests. Their s Rom. 10. 15. feet are beautiful, that bring good tidings: but crosses bring good news. They assure us, that we are no bastards. If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with Sons. But if you be without correction, t Heb. 12. 8. then are ye bastards. u Aug. Non timeas flagellari, sed exhaeredari. Fear not to be scourged, but to be disinherited. There is so much comfort in sorrow, as makes all affliction to the elect, x Greg. Carmen in nocte; a song in the night. Adversity sends us to Christ, as the leprosy sent those Ten. Luk. 17. Prosperity makes us turn our backs upon Christ, & leave him; as health did those Nine. David's sweetest songs were his lacrymae. In misery he spared Saul his great adversary: in peace he killed Vriah his dear friend. The wicked sing with Grasshoppers in fair Weather: but the faithful (in this like Sirens) can sing in a storm. It is a question whether the Sun or the Wind will first make a man throw off his cloak: but by all consent the Sun will first uncloke him. Imagine by the Sun the warm heat of prosperity; by the Wind the blustering cold of calamity; by the cloak Christ's livery, a sincere profession. Now which of these will first uncase thee of thy zeal. The boisterous wind makes a man gather his cloak closer about him: the hot silent Sun makes him weary of so heavy a burden; he soon does it off. Secure plenty is the warm Sun, which causeth many to discloak themselves, & cast off their zeal, as it did Demas, who left Christ to embrace this present world. But the cold wind of afflictio gathers it up closer to him, & teacheth him to be more zealous. When a man cannot find peace upon earth, he quickly runs to heaven to seek it. Plutarch writes, that Antigonus had in his army a valiant soldier, but of a sickly body. Antigonus observing his valour, procured his Physicians to take him in hand; and he was healed. Now being sound, he began to fight in some fear, to keep himself a good distance from danger, no more venturing into the van or forlorn place of the battle. Antigonus noting and wondering at this alteration, asked him the cause of this new cowardice. He answers, O Antigonus, thou art the cause. Before I ventured nothing but a diseased corpses, and then I chose rather to die quickly, then to live sickly: I invited death to do me a kindness. Now it is otherwise with me, for I have somewhat to lose. A poor and afflicted life makes a man bold in his religio: it is nothing to part with hunger, thirst, cold contempt. But when prosperous fortunes flow upon him, he dares not stick so constantly to Christ. Would you have the rich Merchant find fault with Idolatry, & stand to justify God's truth? No he hath somewhat to take to; and although he ventures much, he would be loath to be a venturer in this Yet this somewhat is nothing in regard of what he looseth, because he will not lose his riches. Affliction sometimes makes an evil man good, always a good man better. Crosses therefore do not only challenge our patience but even our thanks. Thy soul is sick, these are thy Physic. a Aug. Intelligat hom●… Deum esse medicum: sub medicamento positus ureris, secaris, clamas. Non audit medicus ad voluntatem, sed audit ad sanitatem. Understand God thy Physician, he ministers to thee a bitter, but wholesome potion: thy stomach abhors it: thou liest bound under his hand, whiles he works upon thee: thou criest to be delivered; he hears thee not according to thy will, but according to thy weal. b 1. Cor. 11. 32 We are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Thou payest the Physician of thy body though he cannot heal thee: wilt thou not thank the Physician of thy soul that hath healed thee? The child cries for the knife, the parent knows it can but hurt him; though he weep for it, he shall not have it. Such children are we to think God doth not use us kindly, unless he give us every vanity we affect. In stead of these toys that would make us wanton, God lays on us the rod of correction to make us sober. Our flesh is displeased, our soul is saved; we have no cause to complain. I come now from the Sufferance of the Saints, to The Integrity of that Sufferance. According to the will of God. We have suffered enough, except it be according to his will. The manner commends the matter. To go no further, this point is sufficiently directed by our Apostle, Vers. 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the Spirit of glory resteth upon you. But let none of you suffer as an evill-doer. For Chap. 2. 19 This is thanke-worthie, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. This our Saviour taught us. c Math. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake, (non qui patiuntur, sed qui patiuntur propter justitiam) for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Non mortes, sed mores faciunt martyrs. It is not the death, but the cause, that gives the honour of Martyrdom. Indeed there is no man that suffers contrary to the will of God, but many suffer not Secundùm, not according to the will of GOD. In his concealed will he allows the sufferings of the Reprobates: this is his just judgement. They are smitten, but for their faults. Moerent, & merentur: they lament, and deserve to lament. When the Adulterer is wounded for his lust, he cannot think himself a patient secundum beneplacitum Dei, according to the will of God. When the usurer is fetched over for his extortion, the depopulator for his enclosing, the slanderer for his libeling, all these suffer, but not for conscience toward God, not according to his will. They only are said to suffer according to his will, that suffer first innocently, then patiently. 1. Innocently; for the wicked suffer: mali malè sed meritò. Evil men bear evil things, but after their deserts. The Pope hath made many Saints from this kind of suffering. Straw-saints, such as Garnet was. If they be first drenched at Tiber, and after hanged at Tyburn, Martyrs sunt; they can be no less than Martyrs. Not seldom their names are put into the Rubric: but they stand there in those red letters for nothing else, but to remember their red & bloody actions. They may pretend some show of religion, as if for cause thereof they suffered: but it is not a meene, but a mixed cause: not for faith, but for faction: not for truth, but for treason. It is observed, that as the Physicians say, none die of an ague, nor without an ague: so none of them suffer for the Romish religion, nor without the Romish religion. Therefore as Aristides dying of the bite of a Weasel, exceedingly lamented that it was not a Lyo●…so these Seminaries may greatly lament that they die not for the Lion of judah, but for the Weasel of Roe. Not secundum voluntatem Dei, but secundum voluptatem Antichrists: not according to the will of Christ, but according to the lust of Antichrist. But he can make them amends with Sainting them: men shall kneel to them, pray to them, climb to heaven by the ladder of their merits. Alas! poor Saints: the Pope sends them to heaven, but how if they were in hell before? May we not say of them, as Augustine did of Aristotle: woe unto them, they are praised, and prayed unto where they are not, and condemned where they are. Unless as the vision was to Ormus; that among the Apostles and Martyrs there was a vacant place left in heaven, which saith he, was reserved for a Priest in England, called Thomas Becket: Martyrol. pag. 229. and this revelation was full twelve years before Becket died. So except the Pope can make them Saints before they die, I fear his authority can do little afterwards. Yet indeed the Pope is a great Saint-maker, and hath helped abundance of men to heaven. For he sent them thither through the fire, for the cause of Christ: he condemned, cursed, burned them to ashes: and thus spite of his teeth, he hath helped to make them martyrs and Saints. For ourselves, if we suffer any wrong of men, let us be sure we have not deserved it. Our Innocence cómends our suffering; for this is according to the good will and pleasure of God. 2. Patiently; a murmuring mind evacuates the virtue of thy sufferings. d 1. Pet. 2. 20. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently: but if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye than take it patiently, this is acceptable to God. Let me therefore help your patience by two considerations. 1. What Christ our head suffered for us; bitter words, and more bitter wounds. Observe him; e Heb. 12. 2. Look to jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame. So let us run with patience the race that is set before us. If we cannot endure an angry word from our brother's mouth, how would we suffer boiling lead, & boiling coals, as the Martyrs did? How to be crucified as our Lord jesus was? What would we do then? Show me now one dram of this patience. Among gallants a word and a blow: among civil men a word and a writ. The back of Patience can bear no load. But f Luk. 24. 24. ought not Christ first to suffer these things, and then to enter into his glory? First he was crowned with thorns, & then crowned with honours. Caput spinosum in terris, si sit gloriosum in coelis. That head must first wear a wreath of sorrow on earth, that shall wear a wreath of joy in heaven. g 1. Pet. 2. 21. Hereunto are we called: because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps. 2. That all this is according to the will of God. Our blows come at least mediately from the hand of God. And this hand is guided with providence, & tempered with love. Distressed worldlings cry out, it was my own folly that ran me into this danger, or the malice of mine enemy undid me, or surfeit on such meat made me sick. So the cur bites the stone, which could never have hurt him but from the hand that threw it. Look up to the first mover, O mad man, and discharge the means. The Instrument may be unjust in thy wrongs, but the cause is just from him that inflicted it. What rod soever beats thee, consider it according to the will of God, and be patient. His hand sets theirs on work: I hope thou wilt not dispute with thy maker. The medicine of thy passion is composed by God himself: no evils nor devils shall put in one dram more than his allowance: no man nor Angel can abate one scruple. The impatient man wants either wisdom or obedience. Wisdom, if he be ignorant from whom his crosses come: obedience, if he knows it, and is not patient. This is the Integrity of the Suffering: now follows The Comfort of this Integrity. Let him commit the keeping of his soul to God. Every man cannot with this confidence: but qui patitur propter Deum, recurrit ad Deum. He that suffers for Christ's testimony, is confident of God's mercy. h Heb. 4. 16. Let us come therefore unto the throne of grace boldly, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need. Here let us observe three circumstances; Quis, Quid, Cui; Who, What, to Whom. Who They that suffer according to the will of God. Felicity thinks, it hath no need of God. But God is more dainty of spiritual comforts, then to give them to such as are confident in worldly comforts. The Balm of the Spirit shall not be sophisticated, or mixed veneno mundi, with the poison of this world. Give strong drink to the heavy, saith Solomon. God will not give his consolations to those that are drunk with prosperity, mad-merry with the world: but his wine to the heavy heart. He will i Esa. 61. 2. comfort them that mourn. Let them that suffer commit, etc. What. The Soul, and the keeping thereof. The Soul is a very precious thing; it had need of a good keeper. l Mat. 16. 26. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul. We trust the Lawyer to keep our Inheritance; the Physician to keep our body, the coffer to keep our money, shepherds to keep our flocks: but the Soul had need of a better keeper. Howsoever it goes with thy liberty, with thy love, with thy land, with thy life; be sure to look well to thy soul: that lost, all is lost. The body is not safe, where the Soul is in hazard. k Chry. de recuperat. Laps. Non-anima pro corpore, sed corpus pro anima factum est. The soul is not made for the body, but the body for the Soul. He that neglects the better, let him look never so well to the worse, shall lose both. He that looks well to the keeping of the better, though he somewhat neglect the worst, shall save both. The Body is the instrument of the soul: it acts, what the other directs: so it is the external, actual, and instrumental offender: Satan will come with a Habeus corpus for it. But I am persuaded, if he take the Body, he will not leave the Soul behind him. To whom. To God; he is the best Keeper. Adam had his Salvation in his own hands, he could not keep it. Esau had his Birthright in his own hands, he could not keep it. The Prodigal had his Patrimony in his own hands, he could not keep it. If our Soul were left in our own hands, we could not keep it. The world is a false keeper; let the soul run to riot, he will go with it. The Devil is a Churlish keeper, he labours to keep the soul from salvation. The Body is a brittle & inconstant keeper; every sickness opens the door, and lets it out. God only is the sure keeper. m Col. 3. 3. Your life is hid with Christ in God. This was David's confidence; n Psal. 32. 7. Thou art my hiding place, thou shalt keep me. The jewels given to thy little children, thou wilt not trust them with but keep them thyself. O Lord keep thou our only one, do thou o Psal. 35. 17. Rescue our soul from destructions, our Darling from the Lions. Trust us not with our own souls: we shall pass them away for an Apple, as Adam did: for a morsel of meat, as Esau did: for the love of a harlot; as that Prodigal did. Lord do thou keep our Souls. Now the Christian patient must commit the keeping of his Soul to God both in Life. Death. 1. Living; the Soul hath three places of being. In the body from the Lord, in the Lord from the body, in the body with the Lord. The two last are referred to our salvation in heaven: either in part, when the Soul is glorified alone: or totally, when both are crowned together. Now the soul must be even here in the Lords keeping, or else it is lost. If God let go his hold it sinks. It came from God, it returns to God, it cannot be well one moment without God. It is not in the right ubi, except the Lord be with it. It is sine sua domo, if sine suo Domino. Here be four sorts of men reprovable. 1. They that trust not God with their souls, nor themselves, but rely it only upon other men. 2. They that will not trust God with their souls, nor others, but only keep it themselves. 3. They that will trust neither God with their souls, nor others, nor keep it it themselves. 4. They that will neither trust others with their souls, nor themselves, but only God, yet without his warrant that he will keep it. 1. They that trust their souls simply on the care of others: they are either Papists or profane Protestants. The Papist trusts Antichrist with his soul; he's like to have it well kept. If Masses & Asses can keep it, (for so the Jesuits term their secular Priests) it shall not be lost. The devil fights against the soul, the Pope interposeth an armoury of Agnus Dei's, sprinklings, cross amulets, prayers to Saints. But surely if this Armour were of proof, S. Paul forgot himself in both these p Eph. 6. 13. places, where he describes that Panoply, or whole armour of God. He speaks of a plate of righteousness for the breast, shoes of patience for the feet, the shield of P 1. Thess. 5. 6. Faith, the helmet of salvation, & the sword of the Spirit. To the Thessalonians indeed he somewhat varies the pieces of armour; but in neither place doth he mention Crosses, Crucifixes, aspersions, unctions, etc. Or they will trust the Saints in heaven with their souls. Sancta virgo Dorothea, tua nos virtute bea, cor in nobis nowm crea. What that q Psal. 51. 10. Prophet desired of God; they as if they were joth to trouble the Lord about it, and could have it nearer hand; beg of their Saint Dorothy; to create a new heart within them. Such a rhythm have they to the Virgin Mary. Virgo matter, maris stella, Fons hortorum; verbi cella, ne nos pestis aut procella, peccatores obruant. But the Saints are deaf: non audiunt. They would pray them to forbear such prayers, they abhor such superstitious worship. They that were so jealous of God's honour on earth, would be loath to rob him of it in heaven. So our carnal professors only trust the Minister with their soul: as if God had imposed on him that charge, which the Prophet gave to Ahab. r 1. King. 20. 39 keep this man if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life. But indeed if he do his duty in admonishing: s Ezek. 33. 9 If thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it: if he do not turn from his way; he shall die in his iniquity: but thou hast delivered thy soul. 2. They that will not trust others with their soul, but keep it themselves. They wrapit warm in the nest of their own presumptuous merits: as if good works should hatch it up to heaven. But the soul that is thus kept, will be lost. He that will go to heaven by his own righteousness, and climbers by no other ladder than his own Just works, shall never come there. The best Saints, that have had the most good works, durst not trust their souls with them. t 1. Cor. 4. 4. I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified. u jam. 3. 2. In many things we sin all: All in many things, many in all things: And the most learned Papists, whatsoever they have said in their disputations, reserve this truth in their hearts: otherwise speaking in their deaths; then they did in their lives. Now non merita mea, sed misericordia tua? not my merits, but thy mercies, O Lord. All our life is either unprofitable or damnable: therefore O man, what remains. a Anselm. Nisi ut in tota vita tua deplores totam vitam tuam: but that during all thy life thou shouldest lament all thy life, works cannot keep us, but grace: let them boast of perfection, we cry for pardon: they for merits, we for mercies: they for justifying works of their own, we only for our sweet Saviour jesus Christ. 3. They that will neither trust others with their soul not keep it themselves: but either do sell it for ready money, as Esau sold his Birthright & judas 〈◊〉 jesus. Or pawn it for a good bribe, some large temptation of profit pleasure or honour, they will not sell it outright, but mortgage it for a while, with a purpose (that se●…dome speeds) to redeem it Or lose it; walking negligently through the streets of this great City the world, their soul is gone, & they are not aware of it. Or give away their soul, as do the envious and desperate & have nothing in am of it but terrors without, & horrors within: they serve the devils turn for nothing 4. They that will trust God with their soul, but have no warrant that God will keep it. They lay all the burden upon the shoulders of Christ, & meddle no more with the matter. As if God would bring them to heaven; even whilst they pursue the way to hell: or keep that soul for the body when the body had quite given away the soul. He never promised to save a man against his will. As he doth save us by his Son so he commands us. b Phil. 2. 12. to work up our salvation with fear & trembling. He that lies still in the miry pit, of his sin & trusts to heaven for help out, without his own concurring endeavour may hap to lie there still. 2. Dying; there is no comfort but to trust the soul with God So David, c Psal. 31. 5. Lord into thy hands I commit my spirit, So Steven; d Act. 7. 59 Lord jesus receive my spirit, with these words our Lord jesus himself gave up the Ghost. It is justice to restore, whence we receive. It is not presumption, but faith to trust God with thy spirit. The soul of the king, the soul of the beggar, all one to him: David a king; Lazarus a beggar God receives both their souls. From giving up the Ghost the highest is not exempted; from giving it into the hands of God the poorest is not excepted. There is no comfort like this: when riches bring aut nequam, aut nequicquam, either no comfort, or discomfort; when the wardrobe, furniture, junkets, wine offend thee, when thy money cannot defend thee: when thy doctors feed themselves at thy cost, cannot feed thee: when wife, children, friends stand weeping about thee: where is thy help, thy hope? all the world hath not a dram of comfort for thee; this sweetens all, Lord into thy hands I commend my soul; Thou hast redeemed me, O thou God of truth. Our Spirit is our dearest jewel: howl and lament if thou think thy soul is lost. But let thy faith know, that is never lost which is committed to Gods keeping. Spiritum emittis, non amittis. Duriùs seponitur, sed melius reponitur. That soul must needs pass quietly through the gates of death, which is in the keeping of God. Woe were us, if the Lord did not keep it for us whiles we have it, much more when we restore it. While our soul dwells in our breast, it is subject to manifold miseries, to manifest sins: temptations, passions, misdeeds distemper us: in heaven it is free from all these. Let the soul be once in the hands of God, nec dolore pro peccato, nec peccato prae dolore torquetur; it is neither disquieted with sorrow for sin, nor with sin which is beyond all sorrow. There may be trouble in the wilderness, in the land of promise there is all peace. Then may we sing, e Psal. 124. 7. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Inuadit Satanas, evadit Christianus. It is there above the reach of the devil. There is no evil admitted into the city of heaven, to wrestle with the citizens thereof. Death is ready at hand about us, we carry deaths enough within us: we know we shall die, we know not how soon: it can never prevent us, or come too early, if our souls be in the keeping of God. Man was not so happy when God gave his soul to him, as he is when he returns it to God. Give it cheerfully: and then like a faithful Creator, that thou givest to him in short pain, he will give thee back with endlese joy. And so we come fitly from the Comfort of our Integrity. The Boldness of this Comfort. As unto a faithful Creator. Wherein our confidence is heartened by a double argument: the one drawn ex maiestate, the other ex Misericordia: from Majesty, from mercy. His greatness, a Creator: his goodness, a Faithful Creator. 1. Creator; not a stranger to thee, but he that made the. It is natural to man, to love the work of his own hands. Pygmalion dotes upon the stone, which himself had carved. But much more natural, to love his own Images, his children, the walking Pictures of himself, the divided pieces of his own body. God loves us as our Creator: because his own hands have fashioned us. But creavit & vermiculos: he also made the worms: yield it, and therefore non odit vermiculos, he hates not the very worms. Creavit & Diabolum: he made the devil: no; God made him an Angel, he made himself a devil. God loves him (ut naturam) as he is a nature, hates him (ut Diabolum) as he is a corrupted nature, an evil, a devil. But we are not only his creatures, the workmanship of his hands; but his children; so Adam is called d Luk. 3. 38. The son of God. His own Image; fecit hominem in similitudinem suam: he made f Gen. 1. 26. man after his likeness, in his Image. We are more than opus Dei, the mere work of God: for Imago Dei, the very Image and similitude of God. We may therefore be bold to commend our souls to God, as a faithful Creator. diverse men have that for their God, which never was their Creator. The proud man makes his Honour his god: the covetous makes his gold his God: the voluptuous makes his belly his God g joann. de combis. Compend lib. 5. cap. 60. now whereas God not only charged in the first Precept, Thou shalt have no other Gods before me: but added further in the next, Thou shalt not make to thee any Image or Similitude of any thing, whether in heaven above, or earth beneath, or water under the earth, etc. These three sins seem to cross God in these three interdicted places. For the proud man hath his Idol as it were in the air: the covetous man hath his Idol in the earth: the drunken Epicure hath his Idol in the water. Let them take their Gods to themselves: let no Rachel that hath married jacob, steal away Laban's Idols. Our Creator is in heaven, boldly give thy soul to him: who should better have it, than he that made it? 2. The other argument of our comfort, is that he is Fidelis, a Faithful Creator, He is faithful to thee, how unfaithful soever thou hast been to him. He made thee good, thou madest thyself nought? he doth not there yet leave thee, as man his friend in misery; but sent his Son to redeem thee. Here was great faithfulness. He sends his holy Spirit into thy heart, to apply this redemption of Christ: here is great faithfulness. Thou often turnest thy back upon him, and following sin leavest him: he leaves not thee. h Hebr. 13. 5. I will not leave thee, nor for sake thee: here is great faithfulness. He hath promised Poenitenti veniam, credenti vitam to him that repenteth pardon, to him that believeth salvation: here is faithfulness. Now hath he promised? he is faithful to perform it. What man or devil dares stand up, to challenge God with unfaithfulness? This infalibility Christ knew, when to his Father's faithful hands he gave up the Ghost. You will say, who might better do it; the Son might well be confident of the Father. Not he alone the servants have been faithful also in this emission, and found God as faithful in acception. So David, Stephen, etc. God is faithful, there is no distrust in him; all the fear is in thyself. How canst thou trust thy jewel with a stranger? God is thy Creator, and a Faithful Creator; but how if thou be an unfaithful creature? Thou wilt frequent the doors of thy Patron, present gifts to thy Landlord, visit thy friend: but how if to him that made thee, thou makest thyself a stranger? How often hath God passed by thee, without thy salutation! In the temple he hath called to thee, thy heart hath not echoed, and sent out thy voice to call upon him. There hath he charged thee, Seek my face; thou hast not answered, Thy face O Lord, I will seek. By his Spirit he hath knocked at thy door, thou hast not opened to him. Now upon some exigent thou bequeathest thy soul to him: upon what acquaintance? Will this sudden familiarity be accepted? It is our own ignorance or strangeness or unfaithfulness that hinders us. The reprobates think Christ a stranger to them; i Math. 25. 44. When did we see thee hungry etc. But indeed they are strangers to Christ, and he may well say, when did I see you visit me? I was sick and in prison, and ye came not at me. Would you have God cleave to them, that leave him? Doth a man all his life run from God, and shall God on his deathbed run to him? No, you would not know me; and therefore now non novi vos, I know not you. But the faithful creature knows God a faithful Creator. I know whom I have believed. Thou mayst say with that good father; Egredere anima mea, quid times? Go forth my foul, go forth with joy, what shouldst thou fear? Yea it will go without bidding, and fly cheerfully into the arms of God, whom it trusted as a faithful Creator. I have served thee, believed on thee, now I come unto thee; saith Luther. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, says Paul. These are not the voices of worldlings, but of Saints. God will be a faithful Creator to receive and preserve their souls. I have served thee, saith man: I have preserved thee, saith God. In me credis, ad me venis: thou believest on me, thou comest to me. Here is now the Boldness of our comfort: there is yet A Caution of this Boldness. In well doing. The wicked man may commit his soul to Gods keeping, but how is he sure God will take the charge of it? what should God do with a fowl and polluted soul? The soul must at last be committed to some: now he only is the receiver of it in death, that was the keeper of it in life. If Satan have always ruled it, GOD will not embrace it. As jeptha said to the Elders of Gilead: k judg. 11. 7. Did ye not hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now, when you are in distress? Did you thrust God out of your hearts, out of your houses, out of your barns, out of your closerts; and shall God open heaven to your souls? They that thus commit their souls to God, God will commit their souls to Satan. It must be delivered up in Patiendo malum, but in faciendo bonum; in suffering that is evil, but in doing that is good. Otherwise if we thrust God from us, God will thrust us from him. Thus is God even with man. They say now to the holy one of Israel, l job. 21. 14. Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. Hereafter God shall say to them, m Math. 7. 23. Depart from me, I know you not. Man's soul is but an inmate to the bosom, sent to lodge there for a time; but must not take it up for a dwelling; God is the Lord of the Tenure, to him it must be surrendered. We have a soul within us, but it is not ours; (and yet what is ours if our soul be not) it must be committed to God; either in evil doing as to a judge, or in well doing as to a faithful Creator. Some live as if they had no souls; more belluino, like human beasts. The vicissitude of drunkenness, whoredom, sleep, share all their time. Others live as if they should never part with their soul. Therefore Reppnunt in mu●…tos annos they lay up for many years: this was the Cosmopolites self flattery. Luk. 12. Soul be merry, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. Yet others live as if their soul was not merely their own, but given them to spend at their pleasure, without ever being accountable for it. But the good live, as if their soul was Gods: to him they commend it in a sweet conversation with God: corporalier movent in terris, animaliter viwnt in coelis. Their bodies move on earth, their souls live in heaven. To him they may boldly commend their spirits: for they that fit their souls for God in health, shall never find the offer of their deathbed refused. If a man had no soul, if a mortal one, if his own, if never to be required, he might without wonder be induced to live sensually: he that knows the contrary, will live well that he may die well; & commit his soul to God in well doing. Here further observe; A man may do good, yet come short of this comfort, it is given been facientibus, to them that do well. It is not doing good, but doing well, that gets God to keep the soul. You have served me, says God to Israel, but after your own lusts. To serve God is doing good, but after their own lusts is not doing well. To build a Church is a good work; yet if the foundations of it be laid in the ruins of the poor, their children come not to pray for, but curse the builder. Great and good were the works of the pharisees, yet all spoiled for want of a Benè. n Math. 5. 20. Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore Saint Paul's council directs us; o 1. Cor. 9 24. So (not only run, but so) run that you may obtain. schismatics run, but they run out of the Church: they love the truth, but not in peace. Secure people run, but they run beside the church: they love peace, but not in truth: Others follow the truth in peace, but not for the truth: p Aug. Dum quaerunt came, non quaerunt ipsam. They sail in their Sic, they miss this same Well. Prosunt aliis, sibi neutiquam. They do good to others, but not well to themselves. But we have almost lost both Bonum and Bene; Good and Well. It is an ill disjunction, that our fathers had so good works, and wanted our faith: and we have the true faith, but want their works. This Well is the very form of a good work: and Forma dat esse rei, it can not be good without it. Let me take here just cause to reprove two sorts of people. 1. Some there are that trust God with their souls, and destroy their own bodies. But God will take no charge of the soul but in well doing. Those virgins that would kill themselves to prevent ravishments are reproved by just censure. Satius incertum adulterium in futuro, quam certum homicidium in praesenti. Better an uncertain adultery to be endured, than a certain self-murder to be acted. How can they hope for God's hand of mercy, that lay on themselves a hand of cruelty. Rhasis in the Maccabees, falling upon his own sword, and throwing himself down from the wall, yet committed himself to Gods keeping, calling upon the Lord of life and spirit, etc. The Text says twice (with little credit to the own judgement) that it 2. Matt. 14. 46. was done Manfully. But it was magnè, potius quam benè factum: done with desperate valour; with more venture than wisdom, temerity then honesty. This was that the Devil left out, when he cited Scripture to Christ; In all thy ways; he made that a parenthesis, which was essential to the Text. This the original Math. 4. 6. testified. Psal. 91. 11. Custodient in vijs tuis: but this was none of his ways down from the pinnacle, to show the people a tumbling trick, and to break his neck. So the Devil labours to secure men of God's providence generally, though they be quite out of the way. He bids men be confident that God will keep their souls, howsoever they walk: so under colour of God's protection, he brings them to destruction. He tells a man of predestination, that he is sure of an eternal election to life, therefore may live at his own pleasure: so from God's decree draws encouragement to a secure life. He tells him of justification, that he is acquitted by the blood of Christ; so emboldens him on the back of presumption to ride post to Hell, whereas Predestination & justification are only made known to us by well-doing. 2. It is impossible for a man of an ill life, to hope that God will keep his soul. He that lives ill, and hopes well, teacheth his ignorance to deceive his wickedness, and them both to deceive his soul. q Esa. 59 2. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God. But r 2. Cor. 6. 17. separate yourselves from the unclean thing, and I will receive you. Take away the bar, your sins: break off the partition by repentance; then I will keep you saith God. Commit your souls to the Lords trust in well-doing, or not at all. If Christ had come down from the pinnacle headlong, and not by the stairs; he had neglected the way, and so been out of the compass of God's promise to keep him. It is an overbold presumption, to charge God to keep thy soul, whilst thou dost wilfully lose it. Wilt thou clip the wings of thy soul, and then bid it fly to God? It is all one, as if thou shouldest cut off a man's leg, and then send him on an errand. Our presumption is able to tie up God's arms, that he cannot help us. He that will walk in profaneness, and commit his soul to God; is like him that throws himself into a deep pit, to try whether God will help him out, and save him from drowning. Man is timorous where he should be bold, and bold where he should be timorous. God bids us cast our care upon him for this life: s Mat. 6. 31. Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, or wherewith you shall be clothed: your heavenly Father knows ye have need of all these things. Yet we dare not trust God without a pawn: unless we have bread, we think we shall starve. Here we fear, where we ought not. God tells us, the bread of heaven must feed our spirits; more necessary to maintain life in the soul, then is bread to preserve life in the body: we never hunger after this, yet presume we have sound souls, and trust God to keep them. Here we do not fear where we ought. We are so sottish, that we dare trust God with the soul, the more precious part without well doing, the means to have it saved: yet dare not trust him with our bodies, unless we can see our barns full, or at lest our cupboards. But in vain thou committest thy soul to God, except thou obeyest God. There is still a Commandment with the promise: if thou keep not the precept, thou hast no interest in the promise. If thou wilt not perform thy part, God is discharged of his part: if thou refuse to do well, he will not keep thy Soul. The protection of God extends not to us in lewd courses: we are then out of our way, and the Devil may take us up as Vagabonds. t Gen. 4. 7. If thou do well, shalt thou not be accepted? if thou do evil, sin lieth at the door. If thou do evil, Sin is thy keeper, not God. There was a Temple, called the Temple of Trust: God will not be to them a Temple of Trust, that had no trust in their Temples. It is a good thing to have God keep the soul, but the wicked cannot have this hope. He that hath money, lays it up in his coffers; or if he sends it abroad, like a stern jailer, he suffers it not to go without a keeper; sound bonds. He that hath lands makes strong conveyances to his desired heirs, that they may be kept. If children, he provides to have them safely kept. He keeps his goods from the thief, his chickens from the kite, his lamb from the wolf, his fawn from the hound, his dove from the vermin: yet he keeps not his soul from the Devil. O wretched man that must die, and knows not what shall become of his soul. The world would have it, but he knows it must not: himself would keep it, but he knows he cannot: Satan would have it, and he knows not whether he shall: he would have God take it, and he knows not whether he will. O miserable man, that must part with his soul he knows not whether. We see what it is to lead an evil life, and to be a stranger to God. He u joh. 10. 14. knows his sheep, but the goats are not written in his book. x 2. Tim. 2. 19 The foundation of God standeth sure, having the seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. It is a goodly thing to be famous and remarkable in the world. Est pulchrum digito monstrari, & dicier hic est. It is a goodly thing to be said, a Esth. 6. 9 this is the man whom the world honours: but perhaps this is not he whom God honours. He that suffers and does according to the will of God, the Lord will take that man into his boso●…, b Psal. 149. 9 Such honour have all his Saints, It is no great matter for men to be known to kings and nobles, if the Lord know them not: nothing to ride in the second Coach, as joseph; to be next to the Prince, if they be strangers to the Court of heaven. Therefore let us all lay hold on well-doing, that we may have comfort in well-dying. We desire to shut up our last scene of life, with In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum; Lord, Into thy hands I commend my spirit. Behold while we live GOD says to us, In manus tuas homo, commendo spiritum meum; Man, into thy hands I commend my spirit. As we use God's Spirit in life, God will use our Spirit at death. If we open the doors of our hearts to his Spirit, he will open the doors of heaven to our Spirit. If we feast him with a c Reu. 3. 20. supper of Grace, he will feast us with a supper of Glory. If we d Ephe. 4. 30. grieve his Spirit, he will grieve all the veins of our hearts. When such shall say; Lord, into thy hands we commend our souls: no saith God, I will none of your Spirit, for you would none of my Spirit. You shut him out when he would have entered your hearts, he shall shut you out when you would enter heaven. Let us therefore here use God's Spirit kindly, that hereafter he may so use our spirits. Let us in life entertain him with Faith, that in death he may embrace us with mercy. So Lord, into thy hands we commend our souls; keep and receive them O thou faithful Creator, and God of truth, through jesus CHRIST. Amen. FINIS.